W124 fronet speaker replace question
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 122
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From: Northwest NJ
'90 300E Blk/Tan
W124 fronet speaker replace question
For anyone who has replaced the speakers in their W124...
I have a '90 300E and am upgrading the sound system. The stock/Rainbow speakers spec a bottom mount depth of 55mm (about 2 5/32"). The speakers I'm looking at spec 2 7/16" deep, so there is about 6mm or 1/4" difference.
Anyone know if there is at least that much clearance in there with the stock speakers?
I have a '90 300E and am upgrading the sound system. The stock/Rainbow speakers spec a bottom mount depth of 55mm (about 2 5/32"). The speakers I'm looking at spec 2 7/16" deep, so there is about 6mm or 1/4" difference.
Anyone know if there is at least that much clearance in there with the stock speakers?
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,325
Likes: 2
From: Seattle
1990 300ce
There is enough extra clearance for those, no problem. You could always pop out your existing speakers and measure; it's fairly easy to do. But there is a fair amount of room in there.
The difficult part about installing the fronts speakers is finding one with the proper mounting diameter. I had to make my own custom baffles to fit the speakers I wanted... in hindsight, I should've used some 1/8" hardboard material, but I had some 1/4" MDF laying around. The extra thickness complicated things a little bit, but it worked out fine... I have heard that rainbow makes replacements that fit perfectly in those spots, but I'm not sure if you can get them. I wanted a 3-way setup upfront, so this is what I had to do:
The difficult part about installing the fronts speakers is finding one with the proper mounting diameter. I had to make my own custom baffles to fit the speakers I wanted... in hindsight, I should've used some 1/8" hardboard material, but I had some 1/4" MDF laying around. The extra thickness complicated things a little bit, but it worked out fine... I have heard that rainbow makes replacements that fit perfectly in those spots, but I'm not sure if you can get them. I wanted a 3-way setup upfront, so this is what I had to do:
Last edited by Bigpete123; Apr 18, 2008 at 12:34 PM.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 122
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From: Northwest NJ
'90 300E Blk/Tan
That's awesome BigPete ! Thanks for the pics man...
I don't have door speakers in my 300e. I have the dash speakers and rear shelf speakers. That's it. Going to put 5" Polk Audio drivers in the dash and 5 1/4" Polks in the rear. I understand that the openings are 120mm. If so, these should fit without enlarging the opening.
I'm installing an Alpine CDA-9883 head unit with the iPod control, and a Profile AP740 amp under the shelf in back for it all.
I don't have door speakers in my 300e. I have the dash speakers and rear shelf speakers. That's it. Going to put 5" Polk Audio drivers in the dash and 5 1/4" Polks in the rear. I understand that the openings are 120mm. If so, these should fit without enlarging the opening.
I'm installing an Alpine CDA-9883 head unit with the iPod control, and a Profile AP740 amp under the shelf in back for it all.
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,734
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From: Hotlanta
AMG
For anyone who has replaced the speakers in their W124...
I have a '90 300E and am upgrading the sound system. The stock/Rainbow speakers spec a bottom mount depth of 55mm (about 2 5/32"). The speakers I'm looking at spec 2 7/16" deep, so there is about 6mm or 1/4" difference.
Anyone know if there is at least that much clearance in there with the stock speakers?
I have a '90 300E and am upgrading the sound system. The stock/Rainbow speakers spec a bottom mount depth of 55mm (about 2 5/32"). The speakers I'm looking at spec 2 7/16" deep, so there is about 6mm or 1/4" difference.
Anyone know if there is at least that much clearance in there with the stock speakers?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
From: Northwest NJ
'90 300E Blk/Tan
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Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 173
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From: Glendale, California U.S.A.
1994 E-42ER White
thanks alot for that pic must print out since i'm going to do that this weekend but i still can't find specs for the door speakers to i but 6 1/2 and if they don't fit i will make them
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 3
From: North NJ
94 Wagon and 94 Cabriolet
http://www.dr-ue.net/shop/pi-1166523...?categoryId=55
Thought this looked interesting, 3 choices that fit w124.
Thought this looked interesting, 3 choices that fit w124.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Virginia USA
SLK32AMG , E320 Cabriolet
Different options for speakers
I had a look on EBay.de (German E-Bay)
I searched for W124 lautsprecher (sp) and came up with about half a dozen different options.
Trouble is most of them either don't ship to the US or charge an arm and a leg for shipping.
I did manage to find a pair of Cadence ZXS120 that should arrive tomorrow. They were the only 120 mm (4.75") speakers I could find in the US. I plan to install them in the dash of my '95 Cabrio this weekend. They were only $45 incl shipping so I'm not expecting too much from them.
The next thing is going to be the rear speakers and the door subs. Has anyone got any recommendations for upgrades in those areas?
I searched for W124 lautsprecher (sp) and came up with about half a dozen different options.
Trouble is most of them either don't ship to the US or charge an arm and a leg for shipping.
I did manage to find a pair of Cadence ZXS120 that should arrive tomorrow. They were the only 120 mm (4.75") speakers I could find in the US. I plan to install them in the dash of my '95 Cabrio this weekend. They were only $45 incl shipping so I'm not expecting too much from them.
The next thing is going to be the rear speakers and the door subs. Has anyone got any recommendations for upgrades in those areas?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
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You could always just go to a recycler, buy a pair of front speakers from a W124 and use those housings to mount whatever speakers you have bought for your car. Original Equipment. Just remove the factory speaker and mount the new speaker on the OE speaker mount.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Virginia USA
SLK32AMG , E320 Cabriolet
I installed the Cadence ZXS120 120mm speakers in the dash of my E320 Cabrio at the weekend.
They are a drop in replacement (I had to remove the rubber covers from the magnets)
The magnets are bigger than those on the stock speakers(68mm vs 57mm) and they have a separate tweeter with a crossover. The tweeter is painted blue which (thankfully) is hidden by the stock grille.
Installation was straightforward: I desoldered the cable harnesses from the stock speakers and soldered them onto the ZXS120s. They snapped into the stock openings and the grilles went back on.
I was pleasantly surprised at the performance. There is much more detail and top end than before. For $45 they offer a definite improvement.
Anyone got any ideas for upgrading the rear speakers in a E320 Cab?
They are a drop in replacement (I had to remove the rubber covers from the magnets)
The magnets are bigger than those on the stock speakers(68mm vs 57mm) and they have a separate tweeter with a crossover. The tweeter is painted blue which (thankfully) is hidden by the stock grille.
Installation was straightforward: I desoldered the cable harnesses from the stock speakers and soldered them onto the ZXS120s. They snapped into the stock openings and the grilles went back on.
I was pleasantly surprised at the performance. There is much more detail and top end than before. For $45 they offer a definite improvement.
Anyone got any ideas for upgrading the rear speakers in a E320 Cab?
Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: Glendale, California U.S.A.
1994 E-42ER White
Ok i customed the crap out of my 124
Dash 5-1/4 3-way 150w
Front Doors 5-1/4 Component 350w
A pillar tweets
Rear deck 6-1/2 2-way 240w
First Aid Section 6x9 3-way 300w
800w amp 4 channel amp
Total
8 speakers
8 tweets
the decks are running from the radio the rest are running from the amp so under powered by 90w still thinking of putting a sub or not maybe a small 10in but i have 2 twelves with an amp 4400w but i think that outrages...yeah maybe a ten inch kicker will do in the trunk also think of installing 5-1/4 on the rear doors
Dash 5-1/4 3-way 150w
Front Doors 5-1/4 Component 350w
A pillar tweets
Rear deck 6-1/2 2-way 240w
First Aid Section 6x9 3-way 300w
800w amp 4 channel amp
Total
8 speakers
8 tweets
the decks are running from the radio the rest are running from the amp so under powered by 90w still thinking of putting a sub or not maybe a small 10in but i have 2 twelves with an amp 4400w
but i think that outrages...yeah maybe a ten inch kicker will do in the trunk also think of installing 5-1/4 on the rear doors
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, NV
1987 260E
Ok i customed the crap out of my 124
Dash 5-1/4 3-way 150w
Front Doors 5-1/4 Component 350w
A pillar tweets
Rear deck 6-1/2 2-way 240w
First Aid Section 6x9 3-way 300w
800w amp 4 channel amp
Total
8 speakers
8 tweets
the decks are running from the radio the rest are running from the amp so under powered by 90w still thinking of putting a sub or not maybe a small 10in but i have 2 twelves with an amp 4400w but i think that outrages...yeah maybe a ten inch kicker will do in the trunk also think of installing 5-1/4 on the rear doors
Dash 5-1/4 3-way 150w
Front Doors 5-1/4 Component 350w
A pillar tweets
Rear deck 6-1/2 2-way 240w
First Aid Section 6x9 3-way 300w
800w amp 4 channel amp
Total
8 speakers
8 tweets
the decks are running from the radio the rest are running from the amp so under powered by 90w still thinking of putting a sub or not maybe a small 10in but i have 2 twelves with an amp 4400w
but i think that outrages...yeah maybe a ten inch kicker will do in the trunk also think of installing 5-1/4 on the rear doors
Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: Glendale, California U.S.A.
1994 E-42ER White
Its simple as hell just removing the door and putting it back together is annoying but I put components on the the doors and the tweets I ran them to the a pillars in between the front and rear doors so it looks sick and you get a clean sound ill take pics tomorrow
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, NV
1987 260E
The install is no problem, I just want to see where people are putting them. I would like to put the woofers as high as possible but not sure if there is enough space behind the panel. I would like to see yours.
