hyperion667

the hold feature is awesome huh?
my sunscreen rattles when down........??
I'll have a massage seat on the 63.....few other gadets too...(will be cool when that comes)

always use the A/C, the sunroof when I can, have started to actually have a drink in my car sometimes........requiring the cupholder to come out of it's cave.....
the trunk close is awesome, fogot to mention that.....
also, this keyless business is SWA-EAT!!! not ever needing a key is very choice.....
I think the adaptive CC would be neat but you have to have disctronic for that eh?
or whatever it's called.......oh yeah, and my DRL's are on all the time too....
just to let people know, hehe....

petee1997

I use:
BT,Nav,Voice command.ipod ,blind spot detection

Never use:
Paddles (foolish option on 350)
Sat radio expired (useless,poor sound quality)
Parktronic
Ashtray(non smoker)

220S

You folks should be listening to DVD-As. The sound quality is superb (better sampling rate than CDs) and you'll be able to take full advantage of the Logic 7 feature and full surround. DVD-As are hard to find and not a lot of choice, but they're the only thing that sounds really good (unfortunately the system doesn't play high bit rate FLAC files, etc..) You're missing out without listening to DVD-A.

Check what Amazon offers and also check eBay.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...rnid=387643011

Westwind

Most often use -
iPod.
BT
FM (ya, SAT expired - dont miss it)
Adaptive High Beam
CC (quite a bit lately - just habit on quiet roads)
HOLD feature. Thanks forum for teaching me.
Seat Massage. Heavenly
Use ALL 3 memory sets for seat on long trips - just to change my posture
1-tap turn signal for lane change - always
Digital Speedometer. I am short. If I keep my steering low, it cuts thru the speedometer.
Sun shade - all the time. Even at night. I just dont care to change
Rear seats - lot. Kids, and their life in the back.

Dont use -
Split rear seat. I hit it accidentally once. So, got my money's worth for using it.
Ashtray - Why? Why?
Cig Lighter - Took that out and use it as charger
CD changer, HDD, Media slot
Analog clock. Ya, cant avoid seeing it but I find it useless.
Voice Command
MBrace
And finally, never used my MB as a chic magnet.

K-A

About the Paddles, I actually have to disagree there. I understand the frame of mind, i.e it seems a bit gimmicky and "boy-racery" for a 350, or any non AMG E-Class for that matter. However, I've found them to be very functional, and very important on a 350 more-so than a 550 probably. Simple reason is if you need that passing power on tap, you need to be in the right powerband on the 350, which the paddles will get you there.

RNBRAD

Ah, you finally came around.

Stick Girl

And the first album listed in your link? Steely Dan's Gaucho! What a way to convince me to try this audio format (it's one of my fav albums!)

220S

Hah. No, I still think the system is mediocre (in respect to other marque's options; come on MB give us a high end option without having to buy a SLS!) But I always try to use the best available media as possible with any system. (If you recall I did say that I had tried a DVD-A when checking out the W212's HK system )

Crap in=crap out, as they say

sneuman

As I have never used them...can someone explain to me how to use the paddles..ty

sharpxia

Never used the DVD changer since I can't watch DVD on the way and I listen to my iPhone most of the time.
and I use the DRL most of the time, because I have left on Auto and every time I start the car it is on, and never bother to turn it off.

RNBRAD

Yes, and then you said it sounded poor. Now your touting the only thing that really sounds good is DVD-A. Then you say it sounds mediocre? Is it poor, mediocre, or good?

I think you realize what I said along time ago is true, but hey, admitting it is the hard part.

220S

Poor, mediocre, not great, whatever you choose. And play sat nav, MP3, CD, or DVD-A and what would you expect to sound better in any system?

Um, of course it will sound better with good media. Just like anything. Poor camera with a better lens gives better results. DVD-A in a poor (mediocre, not great, etc.) stereo gives better results than crap media.

Not that hard to understand, is it?

RNBRAD

You mean "poor", "mediocre", (you forgot this one--->)"sounds really good". It is hard to understand when you use all 3 descriptions interchangeably referring to the same system from one end of the spectrum to the other. Last time you made reference and utterly assured me that listening to a DVD-A in the 212 it sounded poor (do I need to post it?), today it "sounds really good". Don't back pedal yourself into a corner. Dude you are right on (this time), it does sound really good. That's why you told everyone. Now you want to back step your statement cause I called you on it. Like I said before, slap a DVD-A in there and then tell me it sounds poor or even mediocre. You did before but you were FOS then. You know better now cause I don't believe you originally listened to a DVD-A recording in the 212. It doesn't sound poor, it doesn't sound mediocre, it does "sounds really good". The description you hate referencing yourself using since we argued this point before and now you were caught using my lingo and you got to save face. Doesn't matter how you slice it, how you jumble the words, what you compare it to, how high your reference is (even best in world), this system sounds really good with quality media. Or is it now a "poor" system that sounds really good? Just man up and quit trippin over your words before you confuse everyone.

220S

Yikes, don't get so friggin excited. Instead wake up and read my post carefully.

I said exactly this: "You folks should be listening to DVD-As. The sound quality is superb (better sampling rate than CDs) and you'll be able to take full advantage of the Logic 7 feature and full surround. DVD-As are hard to find and not a lot of choice, but they're the only thing that sounds really good (unfortunately the system doesn't play high bit rate FLAC files, etc..) You're missing out without listening to DVD-A."

Meaning the sound quality of a DVD-A is "superb" over other media. I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT THE STEREO SYSTEM. I WAS TALKING ABOUT DVD-As.

Geez. Why can't you get that? I was talking about DVD-As as a medium. DVD-As are superb, not the HK system itself. I TOLD EVERYONE THAT DVD-As ARE SUPERIOR. Not the stereo itself. Do you get it now?

And it's the only thing you can really take advantage with while using Logic 7 surround. It doesn't mean I think the sound system itself is very good. I was talking about using DVD-As in the context of what others were saying about listening to iPods and CDs. Ans it's all relative and it using better media makes a huge difference in any system, crappy or good.

I still don't understand why this is so hard to grasp

Look, you think the system is the cat's meow and I don't. I like XYZ and you like ABC. So what.

btw, a friend of mine just bought a Cayenne with the Burmeister option. It sounds pretty good. Although he feels the DAC isn't the best it could be. That's his opinion. Anyway, why can't MB offer a high end option, too? They do in the SLS.

RNBRAD

So now were taking the car out of the mix and just saying that "DVD-As are hard to find and not a lot of choice, but they're the only thing that sounds really good"? So if we take the car out of the equation, is that statement now a good assumption? Or is it more wrong than before? Doesn't make sens when we take the car out of the mix because that statement would be false. DVD-A is not the only thing or format that sounds good.

220S

I don't know of any factory OEM system that plays uncompressed FLAC files or SACDs do you? The last I checked I think one of the Ferraris (and only one model) did but I'm not sure about that.

So, yeah, DVD-As are pretty much the only thing that sound really good. At least without going to an aftermarket set up. I tried using a USB SSD drive to play uncompressed files, but couldn't get the system (in all three different marques of cars I own) to recognize the file format.

Please tell me what other high quality media can be played on current factory systems (and I mean that sincerely.)

But why the attack on my opinion about the system? We all have opinions and should be allowed to voice them instead of being told we're FOS and are "back-peddling" etc.. I don't get it. Why the chip on the shoulder here?

And anyway, once again: I was talking about DVD-As are being the "only media" (that's practical and usable, at least in my case) that sounds really good..... I wasn't talking about the sound system itself. People are mostly playing CDs and primarily iPod files, so I just thought I'd pass on that they can play much better sounding DVD-As.

p.s., the majority of DVD-As are in surround, and that certainly sounds good in a car environment. I think people would appreciate the Logic 7 when using DVD-As, too.

RNBRAD

No it's ok, no chip on my shoulder. Not a question in my mind that you were referring to the format being played in the 212 vs a general statement not including the car in general. Hence the follow-up of not being able to play other HQ media. I disagree with your previous statements of the system sounding poor when using DVD-A, but agree whith your last statement that DVD-A's sound really good. You are correct with referrence to the 212's HK system. In other systems DVD-A's are the gold standard, pristine, the pinnacle and 2nd to none. Another format that sounds really good is recordings in DTS. I have a few of those as well. They sound really good in the 212 as well. By no means do any of these formats sound "poor" in the 212. You use to say this, do you still think the system sounds poor with dvd-a media? I was just confused here by your recent statement. We know dvd-a as an elite standard, but how does it sound in the 212? Poor like before?

P.S. Yes we are all entitled to our opinions but I also have a right to voice mine and say when I think your FOS. I don't mean to be offensive but I honestly don't think you were at all realistic in your original assessment of the sound of the system when referring to playback quality of DVD-a format. Poor just doesn't compute at all!!! I think your recent assessment is more accurate though you deny it had anything to do with the car. lol.

220S

It definitely does get subjective in respect to what sounds better to each person's ear; hence why audiophiles arguing incessantly about equipment and which is "better" etc..

But I dunno, I still don't like the W212 (or the W211) HK systems and would hope they could be a lot better. The B&W system in the Jaguar sounded better to my ears and had more color. Maybe it's the car's interior space. Also the Burmeister in the Porsche is quite good to my ears (esp with the double pane window glass option that insulates exterior sound.) I just would like to see a high end option on the E Class is all. A DVD-A sounds just okay (mediocre, etc. ) in the HK compared to the other OEM systems. At least to me.

But we've been that route before so no sense in rehashing it all over again.

The point of this recent post was to get folks to listen to DVD-As instead of just their iPod for a better listening experience and that was all. As you know, many owners think of DVD as video only and have never had the opportunity to hear better sampling rates and/or surround in their car, no matter what system they have.

And unfortunately DVD authoring software is limited (Cirlinca for DVD-A is really about it.) There is great media available (although the artists available are obviously limited) in loseless format and at high bit rate (Chesky's HD Tracks, B&W's SOS, etc..) The problem with car audio systems of course is getting that media into the system. That's really where the manufacturers need to focus, imho. Which is why I said crap in crap out. We're limited in what we can feed the current OEM systems. I'd love to see some sort of streaming loseless audio file set up for an OEM system (a SSD drive in the glovebox) just like we have for high end home systems.

But like an audiophile friend of mine says, we're still stuck with road noise, etc.. I think the current DACs used are pretty low end in cars, too. Moving cars aren't exactly the best environment.

I've yet to be able to figure out how to get files onto the HK system and so I just resort to good DVD-A recordings (and as you know there are different levels of quality with each one.) I did go through a long conversion process of changing FLAC files to AIFFs at high rates but then how to get them to the system. An iPod can only playback at a certain kHz and bit depth so it just down samples the output. I tried a SSD drive and no luck since it couldn't recognize or playback the file structure. No luck with SD cards either.

Any suggestions?

JohnyBenz

LOVE MY WOOD STEERING WHEEL, always use BT, Media Interface, Ipod, SAT, NAVI, ZAGAT RATING, traffic updates, fog lights, PADDLES I ABUSE!,( in brooklyn every wana be guido in a maxima wants to play), heted seats, and A/C is on in mid april.

WOULD NEED A BODY SHOP IF IT WASNT FOR MY REAR CAMERA!

dont use REAR SUNSHADE , and that god awful saks card!

K-A

Oh yeah, REAR CAMERA ROCKS!!!! A total saver. And the 3-blink tap gets used all the time.

I see the "Sound System" debate is back on, lol.

I personally think the system in the W212 is very good, and instantly noticeably better (crisper, more dynamic) than the W211's Logic 7 unit. I haven't really compared it to other cars in a pay-attention way to completely judge it. The only time I found my system gasping for more was when a passenger turned a tune up, in *Radio* mode, and I credit the Radio aspect to that more than anything.

One thing I've realized about Sound Systems in cars, is that owners who really care, usually complain about them. I wonder how the F10's system compares to the W212, and on the BMW Boards, the audiophiles are all saying that they wish their cars had improved systems as well.

hyperion667

geez, KA......go buy an F10 already, LOL.......

to me the radio sound is fine......I don't sense it being that crisp, or having that much low end, but then again, I don't listen to the BOOM BOOM stuff....and am not that concerned with what frequency I can hear......or bragging about the greatest and latest sound system..........
and the term 'audiophiles', too funny..........
It works great for my ears, and I'm a musician.......

K-A

I'm in Music as well, it's how I paid for my beautiful Benz , and I think the stereo is great, fine, whatever. Then again, in my car, I don't push the system to its limits, I get enough of that elsewhere. My life is filled with fast paced, loud excitement, and my car is kind of the sanctuary from that.

RNBRAD

Audiophiles will always argue "what's better". One thing to note among audiophiles though, is we argue the nuances of equipment, seemingly fine details of perception and our opinions. We split hairs over small stuff. This stuff is NOT night and day difference that we argue about. My assessment and yours seemed night and day. It would be like me saying the E63 is slow. Well compared to what? Well I drive a top fuel dragster every day. Hence our first argument as I'm like WT heck is this guy comparing this system to as his reference to get this assessment as it sounds poor using reference media. I agree it would be nice to have higher end OEM options, but I assure you they will not sound good enough to make the 212 seemingly poor. Anyway I think you get my point.

Most people unfortunately are happy with the quality of their current media, hence the limited production of HDCD, DTS, SACD and DVD-A. As technology improves and media storage devices increase in size, we will then begin to see better lossless audio formats that can be easily carried and transfered making them more portable. Time will fix this. I'n the meantime we will have to listen to what our system are capable of. Hmm I wonder if HDCD is compatible?

wmoor004

I love the System! Boom Boom, Ta Ta, Tweet Tweet! It all sounds good.

Audiophiles is funny!

220S

fwiw, I'm not the only one who felt in this direction: https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...tter-time.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-...-feedback.html

You can Google for similar comments....

Nonetheless, I'll speak for myself and not others. It could be a lot better, I wasn't impressed, and wish they had a premium option like other marques do (for those who prefer to keep the car OEM w/o going with an aftermarket install.) And that's all I can say.

As far as media and hardware goes, people do get "dumbed down" after listening or looking at sub par stuff. There's that famous study (from Cornell, iirc) where a high end master recording was played for a group of students and then the same piece in compressed MP3 format. The students pick the MP3 as the best sounding. They had simply become conditioned to the compressed sound characteristics. The same with HD 16x9 1080 CRT TV sets versus current HD LCD TVs. Or a high quality analog photographic print versus a poorly dithered ink jet print. People just get conditioned to accept a certain quality.

Go listen to the B&W sound system in the Jaguar XKR and then the HK system in the W212 E63 and tell me what you think. Both cars have about the same MSRP.

btw, HK completely redesigned the system for the new CLS, fitted to the cabin's acoustical space and with a new DSP controlling each speaker. I'd be curious to how it sounds over the existing W212 HK system.

btw, go on other car forums and you'll find lots of people saying the E63 is slow