ps2cho

I was thinking of cutting a hole where the medical kit usually goes in my 260E and putting a 10" Sub there..

Any recommendations for the sub if I don't want to make a box? From what I heard...there are subs that are more suited for this application...

Onto headunits -- Any cheap recommendations? Something that looks clean, is not flashy and is...cheap! I don't need anything crazy...no real need for bluetooth unless its a few bucks more at the most.

Zytek_Fan

I think a 10" sub could be done there.
I've seen a lot more interesting applications.

As for a headunit, something Kenwood or Clarion.

joef

Very do-able. You will have a better response from a sub thats boxed.
https://mbworld.org/forums/attachmen...-rear-deck.jpg
https://mbworld.org/forums/attachmen...t-img00005.jpg
https://mbworld.org/forums/attachmen...t-img00007.jpg

STLe320

You will need a box if you want to be happy with your sound. Get a sub that's kinda shallow, maybe like a kicker cvr/cvx. You can make a box probably 8" deep and make it go along the whole bottom of the rear deck.

ZorroAMG

I have a 12 there and it works great. Get a free air sub. You don't NEED a box.....mine sounds awesome....been using it like that since 2002.

Here's an old pic of my old sub and PG amps before I got new components.

As far as the emergency kit, leave the fabric intact and just drill a bunch of little holes in the plastic cover without going through the fabric so it looks like there is no sub....not the best angle but you can see it's like OEM back there through the window.

Bigpete123

I agree with Mark.

It's a big misconception that free air subs (technically called "infinite baffle") sound bad. If you have heard one that sounds bad, I promise it was because the wrong sub was used or the installation was not done properly.

It will NOT sound like a sub in a sealed enclosure, that's for sure. But audiophiles typically consider it the best configuration for sound quality.

In my mind, perfect sound quality = perfect reproduction of the original recording.

Most people who install a sub in their cars want the bass to be amplified in greater proportion to the other frequencies as compared to the original recording. Most people also want the bass to be much more "punchy" than the original recordings. So that's why most people like this are disappointed by infinite baffle.

But the lack of backpressure in an infinite baffle setup allows the sub to reproduce subtle bass notes... for example, take an upright bass in a small band-jazz band. It doesn't take as much power to make the subwoofer's cone move in an IB setup, which allows it to reproduce those sounds. Such subtleties are completely lost in a sealed enclosure that is tuned for high wattage and more punchiness than the artists intended in their recordings.

It ultimately comes down to a matter of opinion. If you want loud punchy bass, there's nothing wrong with that. Don't go with an IB setup if so. But if you want sound quality, an IB installation with a sub designed for it is the best configuration out there.

IB installations are a big pain in the ***, keep in mind. You have to seal your trunk off from the cabin, which includes sealing off the speaker holes and all other small holes in the rear deck. The hardest part is sealing the headrest mechanisms and the trunk hinges.

I did all of this work myself (see my car stereo thread). It was horrible. Looking back, the sound quality is awesome in my car but the work was not worth it. I should've just done a sealed sub box hanging from the rear deck like Joef did (check out his posts as well).

Lots of info on the net about this. do your research before deciding!

YNVDIZW124

Just get some small mid bass woofers and get a sub in the trunk for some thump. It's not that complicated i think. I do think you should use this other benz to learn how to do custom work you were too afraid to try on your wagon...

Bigpete123

yeah. Or you could carefully trim out your front dash and put bigger speakers in there (5 1/4's), then get rid of your rear speakers, put a sub in your trunk in an enclosure, and let the bass vent through the rear speaker holes.

Cutting the rear deck is a ton more work. If you're up for it, then it will really make a difference. But again, it's a ton of work.

YNVDIZW124

^^^ That's what I did...

Look at the rear deck for some ideas.....

viperuk1

I cut out the rear shelf an put some components in there sound good. wasnt too much work jus drilled a few holes an used a jig to cut it out. if your worried about people breaking in an stealing them you can still put the first aid kit over the speakers works well.