New Head Unit
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: California
1997 E420, 1983 300D
New Head Unit
i'm thinking of swapping out the famous MB stock stereo head unit. are there any issues to expect in terms of the fit of a new one and wiring conversions, or is it straight plug and play? i know the bose speakers run at a lower ohm rating, but that issue is on the other end of the bose amp, right? my goal is to find a stereo that fits the look of the car, any suggestions? i actually would consider the type with the pop out lcd screen, but i'm not sure what my budget will allow.
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From: Khalifonia.
4 wheeled car.
In my 99 E320, I have the alpine IVA D900 flip up screen. I had the factory option of the Bose premium system. When they wired it up, before I had my custom sound system. they used the deck's internal power amp to power up the bose speakers, surprisingly well!
They removed the benz BOSE amp. So yeah, it does work.
They removed the benz BOSE amp. So yeah, it does work.
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From: HK (but constantly travelling)
98 W210 Advantgarde
I've had 3 different Sony units in my 98 without any problems with the output, except you might find the tweeters next to the side mirrors a little weak, in which case you could easily and cheaply swap them for larger ones (with a higher ohm rating). The unit just slides into the original hole.
If you want a really clean look, how about this Sony CDX-M8805X, CD/MP3? No buttons at all and it is a black, blank screen when the unit if switched off. (actually I wish I had one after seeing the pics). Here's a brief description of it:
"If you want a large and impressive display, then check out Sony's CDX-M8805X CD/MP3 receiver! Its Active Black Panel (ABP) is designed to give you lots of dash-board entertainment while playing your CDs and MP3 discs. It has a full-motion display with high-resolution graphics and minimal button clutter; there are only two buttons on the faceplate — one for power-down and one to open the face.
When the face is closed, you control the receiver with the full-function remote. When you open the ABP, you have access to a full control panel with a smaller display."
If you want a really clean look, how about this Sony CDX-M8805X, CD/MP3? No buttons at all and it is a black, blank screen when the unit if switched off. (actually I wish I had one after seeing the pics). Here's a brief description of it:
"If you want a large and impressive display, then check out Sony's CDX-M8805X CD/MP3 receiver! Its Active Black Panel (ABP) is designed to give you lots of dash-board entertainment while playing your CDs and MP3 discs. It has a full-motion display with high-resolution graphics and minimal button clutter; there are only two buttons on the faceplate — one for power-down and one to open the face.
When the face is closed, you control the receiver with the full-function remote. When you open the ABP, you have access to a full control panel with a smaller display."
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From: San Diego, CA
2000 E320
That Sony unit sucks. I had it. SQ is terrible--I mean really bad. The blackout face is what drew me to put in the first place--but even that's a pain after a while. Alpine is the best bang for your buck. The 9833 is an awesome mid-range deck (the SQ is awesome) and the trim is the same matte black finish as the factory radio so it makes it look fairly factory.
And, by the way, there are no tweeters in those little grills up in the A-Pillars. It just sounds like there are. I think MB just put those there so people thought they were getting more extensive system like the BMW or Lexus.
I like the IVA-D900 that The Doctor put in. I have the D300 which has the touch screen which is pretty sweet. Any of the head units mentioned in this thread can wire right up to the Bose amp and speakers with no problem.
And, by the way, there are no tweeters in those little grills up in the A-Pillars. It just sounds like there are. I think MB just put those there so people thought they were getting more extensive system like the BMW or Lexus.
I like the IVA-D900 that The Doctor put in. I have the D300 which has the touch screen which is pretty sweet. Any of the head units mentioned in this thread can wire right up to the Bose amp and speakers with no problem.
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From: HK (but constantly travelling)
98 W210 Advantgarde
Originally Posted by figure1a
And, by the way, there are no tweeters in those little grills up in the A-Pillars. It just sounds like there are. I think MB just put those there so people thought they were getting more extensive system like the BMW or Lexus.
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From: HK (but constantly travelling)
98 W210 Advantgarde
Whoa, thanks for the support but I didn't mean this to be an effort to prove each other wrong. For clarity tho, there is no audio system speaker in the grill on top of the dash directly at the bottom of the A-pillars. Apparently that space is reserved for the integrated phone system, which some owners will have...but a good place to put aftermarket tweeters if you don't have the handsfree system 
As for Sony systems sounding crap, I believe its the output specs which isn't as compatible with the stock speaker/amp system. That's why I got almost zero sound out of those tweeters next to the mirrors (all other speakers were fine). When I changed them with the right tweeters it was great and it was cheap too. The stock tweeters are very tiny, almost the size of a mobile phone speaker. Ive not heard the stock system but it is amazing those actually make any sound.
And by the way figure1a, who wouldn't want a big a$$ system like Mike but we're talking about cost effective upgrades here not pimp systems with neons in the boot
As for Sony systems sounding crap, I believe its the output specs which isn't as compatible with the stock speaker/amp system. That's why I got almost zero sound out of those tweeters next to the mirrors (all other speakers were fine). When I changed them with the right tweeters it was great and it was cheap too. The stock tweeters are very tiny, almost the size of a mobile phone speaker. Ive not heard the stock system but it is amazing those actually make any sound.
And by the way figure1a, who wouldn't want a big a$$ system like Mike but we're talking about cost effective upgrades here not pimp systems with neons in the boot
Last edited by Whitey; Oct 31, 2004 at 05:56 AM.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: HK (but constantly travelling)
98 W210 Advantgarde
Also, I know its a matter of preference but based on design alone, somehow I don't think the big metallic knob on the 9833 would match the rest of the dash, if that is a criteria:
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Member
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From: San Diego, CA
2000 E320
Whoa... last thing I was trying to do here was to get everyone going ***** cakes. I just gave my .02.
Regarding the Sony, that was just my opinion. No one has to like it. I've had many decks and the Sonys continue to disappoint me (unless you go ES). Doesn't mean someone else won't like it. I've just become an Alpine fan as their sound processing is pretty awesome.
Regarding the tweeters (I know I'm going to get hate mail and death threats over this discussion but here goes anyway), what year W210 do you have? I pulled apart many 96-00 but never an 01 or 02--perhaps Benz started putting them in. Perhaps you have a Euro spec car--I never worked on one so I don't know. Perhaps you have the Audio10 or 30 which I've also never worked on either so I don't know what those systems entail. All the systems I've worked on had Bose systems which is an 8 speaker system: 2 free air subs in the rear deck, 1 speaker in each of the rear doors, and 2 speakers in each of the front doors (a woofer with a seperate tweeter mounted directly over it).
MBFanatic: are you sure you have tweeters up in there?--even in my car which does not have tweeters up there, it sounds like there are--the Bose system does a good job in making it sound like there are speakers in there--i'ts amazing what a little time correction can do.
Regarding the Sony, that was just my opinion. No one has to like it. I've had many decks and the Sonys continue to disappoint me (unless you go ES). Doesn't mean someone else won't like it. I've just become an Alpine fan as their sound processing is pretty awesome.
Regarding the tweeters (I know I'm going to get hate mail and death threats over this discussion but here goes anyway), what year W210 do you have? I pulled apart many 96-00 but never an 01 or 02--perhaps Benz started putting them in. Perhaps you have a Euro spec car--I never worked on one so I don't know. Perhaps you have the Audio10 or 30 which I've also never worked on either so I don't know what those systems entail. All the systems I've worked on had Bose systems which is an 8 speaker system: 2 free air subs in the rear deck, 1 speaker in each of the rear doors, and 2 speakers in each of the front doors (a woofer with a seperate tweeter mounted directly over it).
MBFanatic: are you sure you have tweeters up in there?--even in my car which does not have tweeters up there, it sounds like there are--the Bose system does a good job in making it sound like there are speakers in there--i'ts amazing what a little time correction can do.
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From: HK (but constantly travelling)
98 W210 Advantgarde
Originally Posted by figure1a
MBFanatic: are you sure you have tweeters up in there?--even in my car which does not have tweeters up there, it sounds like there are--the Bose system does a good job in making it sound like there are speakers in there--i'ts amazing what a little time correction can do.
I don't think its time correction when you stick your ear up against it and hear it or in my case, take the triangular grill off and replace the thing with another one.....
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From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
I've seen a US-spec MY 1996 E320 without Bose, but with speakers in the triangles at the top of the doors. Is that the same place we're all talking about?
This car also has a motorized antenna in the rear quarter panel, but only for the phone system. Most people don't believe me when I say that, either.
On pre-MY 1998 cars US-spec cars with Bose, wiring a new head unit into the existing Bose system can create a lot of hiss... the solution is either to wire high-output low level outputs to the ISO connector, or to use the speaker outputs and a line level convertor. It seems 1998+ cars don't have as much problem with this, nor do non-Bose cars.
Just get the proper ISO adapter.
-s-
This car also has a motorized antenna in the rear quarter panel, but only for the phone system. Most people don't believe me when I say that, either.
On pre-MY 1998 cars US-spec cars with Bose, wiring a new head unit into the existing Bose system can create a lot of hiss... the solution is either to wire high-output low level outputs to the ISO connector, or to use the speaker outputs and a line level convertor. It seems 1998+ cars don't have as much problem with this, nor do non-Bose cars.
Just get the proper ISO adapter.
-s-
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Joined: Apr 2003
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From: HK (but constantly travelling)
98 W210 Advantgarde
Originally Posted by scorchie
I've seen a US-spec MY 1996 E320 without Bose, but with speakers in the triangles at the top of the doors. Is that the same place we're all talking about?
This car also has a motorized antenna in the rear quarter panel, but only for the phone system. Most people don't believe me when I say that, either.
On pre-MY 1998 cars US-spec cars with Bose, wiring a new head unit into the existing Bose system can create a lot of hiss... the solution is either to wire high-output low level outputs to the ISO connector, or to use the speaker outputs and a line level convertor. It seems 1998+ cars don't have as much problem with this, nor do non-Bose cars.
Just get the proper ISO adapter.
-s-
This car also has a motorized antenna in the rear quarter panel, but only for the phone system. Most people don't believe me when I say that, either.
On pre-MY 1998 cars US-spec cars with Bose, wiring a new head unit into the existing Bose system can create a lot of hiss... the solution is either to wire high-output low level outputs to the ISO connector, or to use the speaker outputs and a line level convertor. It seems 1998+ cars don't have as much problem with this, nor do non-Bose cars.
Just get the proper ISO adapter.
-s-
right on! (truth is, I'm not sure if mine has the Bose or not, or what the guys did to rewire mine for the Sony headunit (maybe an ISO change)....its a late 98, possibly 99 spec based on some of the things on mine e.g. smart key, non-golf tee doorlock pins, no trunk IR receiver etc)
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 127
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From: San Diego, CA
2000 E320
Originally Posted by scorchie
I've seen a US-spec MY 1996 E320 without Bose, but with speakers in the triangles at the top of the doors. Is that the same place we're all talking about?
This car also has a motorized antenna in the rear quarter panel, but only for the phone system. Most people don't believe me when I say that, either.
On pre-MY 1998 cars US-spec cars with Bose, wiring a new head unit into the existing Bose system can create a lot of hiss... the solution is either to wire high-output low level outputs to the ISO connector, or to use the speaker outputs and a line level convertor. It seems 1998+ cars don't have as much problem with this, nor do non-Bose cars.
Just get the proper ISO adapter.
-s-
This car also has a motorized antenna in the rear quarter panel, but only for the phone system. Most people don't believe me when I say that, either.
On pre-MY 1998 cars US-spec cars with Bose, wiring a new head unit into the existing Bose system can create a lot of hiss... the solution is either to wire high-output low level outputs to the ISO connector, or to use the speaker outputs and a line level convertor. It seems 1998+ cars don't have as much problem with this, nor do non-Bose cars.
Just get the proper ISO adapter.
-s-
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: California
1997 E420, 1983 300D
yeah, gettin' everybody riled up with this post! Good note about pre '98 cars with bose scorchie - that is my situation. What is "ISO"? And would most installers know how to make the necessary changes to avoid a hiss? And, for the record, I have a '97 with the bose premium package, and NO tweaters behind the grill next to the mirror, or at the edges of the dash. I wasn't the first owner of the car, so they may have been removed, but that seems unlikely.
vince
vince
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From: SF Bay Area
E430
Just another data point.
There were no tweeters in the upper door behind the triangle in my '98 w/ Bose when I upgraded the audio system.
I have some Focal tweeters in there now though along with some 3.5 in. mids in the dash and 6.5 in the lower door. (Focal 165 V3)
I also have a Sony deck, but it's an older ES one, (C-90)... The sound is a quantum leap of improvement over the original bose system.
-travis
There were no tweeters in the upper door behind the triangle in my '98 w/ Bose when I upgraded the audio system.
I have some Focal tweeters in there now though along with some 3.5 in. mids in the dash and 6.5 in the lower door. (Focal 165 V3)
I also have a Sony deck, but it's an older ES one, (C-90)... The sound is a quantum leap of improvement over the original bose system.
-travis
