mvrotc

Hi Everyone

I have an 06 E500 with the stock harmon kardon audio. Recently my driver door speaker has begun to crackle and i am craving a fresh sound. I was wondering if its possilbe to just replace the interior speakers with polk audios and if it was if anyone knew the sizes to those speakers.

My second question was pertaining to the sub. As far as i know theres a subwoofer somewhere in the car thats already powered. I have heard of some people just disconnecting this one and using the connection to power a larger aftermarket sub, how can this be done?

pinebaron

I can only speak about my 2007 E320 Bluetec which has 6.5" speakers and 1" tweeter(uses a capacitor to attentuate/cut-off low frequencies), both components driven directly from OEM amp.

I was looking for lots more sound output. I initially installed Focals KRX2 component speakers (very sensitive) in all doors and then realized the problem was not enough power from OEM amp. I removed and returned Focals and found OEM speakers work fine up to 100Watts+ RMS (not peak).
I ended up installing a Rockford Fosgate 600-4 amp for all door speakers only. I'm driving the 150W RMS/Channel amp to around 125W RMS/Channel increasing overall sound by around 6-8db, which equates to more than 4 times original sound. Speaker wires coming out of the AGW (Audio Gateway/OEM amp) were spliced and feed the Rockford amp through an LOC (Line Level Converter) and Rockford outputs going directly to door speakers. I have not installed an amp for the subwoofer yet; I will do so when I have time. I will next also replace door speakers with better aftermarket ones (not Focals this time) if only to compare sound with OEM speakers.

Though one critic (an installer) calls it a Coat Hanger Job, my intention was do an install that anyone with average DIY skills could replicate easily. See my thread link below; feel free to improvise or enhance with your own ideas.

The best thing is, its absolutely solid job, invisible, never needs further adjustment, all OEM controls work like original; now I have ear splitting (110DB+) but amazing 100% distortion free sound from doors; other vehicle speakers (center, sub etc.) still driven directly from AGW.

Note: I have not evaluated OEM subwoofer power handling capacity. It is very likely it will need to be replaced with a higher power subwoofer prior to installing an aftermarket amp. Subwoofer size in my car is 10".

https://mbworld.org/forums/audio-ele...-pictures.html

mvrotc

unlike them i think your install is exactly what im looking for, you tried to be practical , keep price down and still get decent sound output.


What Model Amp did you use, and wat LOC did you use

Second i dont want to change the oem speakers i just want to install the amp so i shouldnt have to remove the door panels right? everything can be done in trunk?

peak_oil_101

thanks for posing these pictures

skokkosis

ive connected an aftermarket subwoofer myself and love it pm me for details

PINE BARON! i love you! haha i did not know you can power up the stock ones even more, never though of it... hehe oh the IDEAS... just changed my whole trunk setup and threw in 1800 wats (900 rms per sub) and oh the posibilities with 1000 wats at the speakers hehehe

140-150 per speaker

infantry

let me get this clear. So can we just upgrade the AMP and not blow anything with the stock HK speakers?

peak_oil_101

you can add this product http://www.mobridgeinc.com/products/preamp_DA2000 and an AMP configured at 2ohms and keep the current speakers.

skokkosis

in my opinion boosting the power of the stock speakers can not lead to any good... i mean i dont believe that they could handle anymore juice in them... favor* upload to ure ipod or burn on your next cd the song strobe by deadmau5... play only the first few minutes... the tweeters can barely take the vibrating and the music its too much for it

pinebaron

OEM fronts lasted almost three years, recently blew driver side woofer; now ordering Focals 165-KRX2 for the fronts; I replaced rears earlier with Boston Acoustics PRO60SE, which are OK. I'll probably replace these too.

pinebaron

Installed Focals KRX2's front and also rear doors, about ten days ago. Sound is awesome now they are getting broken in. Imagine Audio of Cherry Hill NJ did a great job with installing the waveguide tweeters in OEM location.



Next is Audison Bit Ten, even though it's not really required, but how do I know till I try it out. I may install more amps (in addition to existing Rockford Fosgate T600-4) to take full advantage of Bit Ten.

AMGAffalterbach

Those look sexy!! How do they sound?

pinebaron

Absolutely incredible. With Focal K2 Power 165KRX2 component speakers, I can hear sounds/instruments in the same music, I never heard in this car before. It's a steep investment but worth every cent if one intends to keep the car a long time and drive a lot; I now do daily 110mile round trip to work and good sounds keep the drive lively.

AMGAffalterbach

Did more research on Focal and I'm definitely tempted to replace my speakers with their poly-glass or Kevlar line. I still just have the issue with my rear deck-lid rattling at certain frequencies.

pinebaron

When I was even younger than you, it was fab if one could afford an 8track player in the car. Then about the time I was your age, I actually built from scratch, a 4-channel 80w rms/channel console amp with surround sound encoding, 5-band graphic equalizer and 4VU meters. I had it for years in my Ford Fairmont in London UK, the car I also drove all the way from London UK to New Delhi India in 1978, though had to ship the car back on my return. The console amp was subsequently stolen from the car back in the UK. A few years later I had a different setup, see photo, I only look a couple of years older now.

AMGAffalterbach

Ah that's awesome to hear, I often feel as if I was born in the wrong era. While the cars and audio are much better today from a technical standpoint, the simplicity of fixing them and the music you play on them definitely aren't. My dad has fond memories of a VW Karmann Ghia he had back in the 70s with an 8-track in it, also was into CB radio, and one time he had the accelerator cable snap and ended up having to use a wire hanger to wedge open the throttle so he could make it up a hill back for repair. Simpler times. Killer mustache by the way hahaha.

I'm sure the acoustics were horrible in the VW but when you get to listen to tracks of the same bands you've seen live, Boston was among his favorite and currently mine as well, I can't imagine it not being great. Was it a fox body fairmont? Also, are you originally from the UK??