RNBRAD

Oh yea, I undestand the different opinions. Most of them not worth the breath they use to express them. Just like your cornel study, most people have no clue what "it should sound like". That's why you get varying degrees of satisfaction. Just like I stated before about the Velodyne servo car audio sub. The cleanest and most accurate sub ever produced for in car listening. They quit making it cause people didn't like the way it sounded though it produced the most accurate rendition of a recording. It just didn't sound like their typical subwoofer they were dumbed down to. Even people with high end car audio equipment don't know how to set it up properly to sound optimal, cause they don't know what optimal is. So to me, some people shouldn't even have an opinion cause they don't know what they are talking about, just as you pointed out. So who is it that should have an opinion? You know like that expert witness on the stand in a murder case. Someone who's opinion that counts. Is there actually a person that can evaluate the tonal accuracy & spectral balance, soundstage and ambience, imaging, sound linearity and noise levels in a car and evaluate whether it is good or not?. Is there someone trained with a specific certification to do this in a car audio enviroment? If so, do you think they would be able to give you a more accurate assessment of a car audio system than even maybe yourself could appreciate? Did you know they actually have a score sheet for such a thing?Don't get stuck on premium options and labels, there so so much more to stereo's than a name or "premium". It doesn't necessarily make it sound better and more instances than not you can improve the sound with better install techniques. Don't forget I've judged systems that the OEM market won't be able to match in the next 20 yrs if ever, even currently own one. Even with that statement, the 212 system "sounds really good" using quality media. Yes people will disagree, but you've heard my take as to why they disagree.

For those car audio guru's that come across this at some time this millenium will remember a rep from Orion that set out to prove that it's not just about high end equipment. He used the company's entry level or basic equipment with an advanced install (was a blue short wide chevy mid 90's) and ended up winning the world finals and crowned as the best stereo system in the world. Wow what a feat. Good thing the judges weren't biased by brand name equipment.

RW C55

I've owned or driven several Mercedes cars in the past, with and without the HK options. Overall, I find that Mercedes' audio has always lacked some "depth", especially the mid level. Different people might have different opinion on this, but IMHO Mercedes needs to work on a better EQ system (not just bass and treble) so that people can adjust it according to their own preference.

RNBRAD

I would have to say you hit the nail on the head. This system lacks some adjustment to help overcome some of it's weaknesses. A lot of OEM system are probably like that cause people don't know what to do with all those adjustments.

listerone

I got one about 2 months after delivery.But $25 at Saks will just about get you a pair of socks,so I gave it to my sister.

hyperion667

haha, or a T-shirt...

I tried to get a T-shirt online and they wanted my credit card number to go with it.....
yeah right........the T was under 25, the card was totally enough......but
they had to be jerk-holes about it........oh well, guess they still got their money form somewhere...........

how about a friggin' GAS card instead????

fingroupb

Lol, my Saks card showed up in the mail today! I offered it to my wife but she says she doesn't shop there. Glad MB isn't skimping on everything.

hyperion667

bump

El Cid

I'm sure MB is just passing along a card that Saks offered to provide, but it was useless to me.
I live in a large SMSA and closest Saks is 120 miles. Nothing online I would want for anywhere near $25.
Same with the Resort discounts. Not one that I would ever use.

listerone

Used:

Music register,radio (AM,FM & HD Radio),cruise control,nav,Distronic features,hands free phone,400 ft lbs of torque (used responsibly),mBrace destination retrieval,trip computer,backup camera...

Seldom (if ever) used:

Paddles,iPod connection,voice control,Parktronic,SD card slot,Saks card (gave it to my sister),Sirius (allowed trial subscription to lapse)...

Hope to never use:

mBrace automatic accident notification,mBrace stolen vehicle tracking...

WEBSRFR

The only use for the rear sunshade that I've found is when someone is tailgating you.

WEBSRFR

Good call! I agree. I find it really pathetic that after all this innovation in portable media that there is yet a source to buy high quality audio tracks online at a higher quality. I refuse to buy any music online until it at least matches the sound quality of CDs. SO I end up buying CDs and ripping them to my Ipod with loss-less compression so I don't lose any quality. I was really happy when I figured out a way to upgrade the hard drive of my ipod to 230 GB as my music collection is about 200 GB now.

listerone

There's not much on DVD-Audio that interests me but there are a few that I have.Hotel California....Marvin Gaye's Greatest Hits...Gaucho...Pet Sounds...and a few others.Lots more stuff that I like can be found on SACD...Dylan,Stones and others.

listerone

I agree *almost* 100%.The only exception I make to that rule is when a particular song I like *cannot* be found on CD but can be downloaded in MP3 format.There are about a half dozen such songs I've come across so far...and they tend to be more obscure tracks from the 50's,60's or 70's.Of the readily available sound formats CD is clearly the gold standard and my music's too important to me to settle for anything less than gold when I'm at home.On the road,I'll settle for less.

ImInPA

Use iTunes Media Interface the most. The fuel filler door the least. Love my diesel.

BenzE350

I'm amazed how many people didn't use their $25 Saks gift card.

If you can't find anything that meets your high style demands for chump change, why don't you give it a gift to a an office secretary, paper delivery person, or someone else?

FWIW, it took me less than 5 mintues to find this useful product.

http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/...&bmUID=jgfJlNM

hyperion667

I ended up ditching my sak card too, LOL, they wanted a real credit card number, along with their gift card......it wasn't like I couldn't find anything, I was going to get a plain black t shirt.........but didn't want to give another; real, card number.......
if they couldn't just honor their own card without me having to extend myself, then maybe I would have done business with them.......

Stick Girl

Which, unless you live near a Saks to pick it up would cost you about $5 to ship, plus tax bringing it up to $30.

mnje350

Probably easier to list what I don't use:

-The trunk closer in the door, though I wish I had a reason to. I think it's kind of cool.
- rear headrest drop button. Nobody is in the back seat long enough to adjust the headrests.
- headlight washers, I can't think of when I have used the windshield washers frequently enough to activate the headlight washer system.
-PCMCIA adapter.
-CD changer or DVD player, only use the radio and iPod I-face
-the AC in the glove box.
-weather radio or sat radio

I pretty much use all of the other features.

Live Oak

Paddles on the long downhill grades in the Mountain West; blind spot warning I now couldn't do without (will never have another car without it); Sirius on the long hauls in the hinterlands; media interface + iPod on the long hauls or when the local stations are awful (frequently); Bluetooth phone, of course; heated and cooled seats; rear view camera.

Desperately Needed Function:

Warning alarm for any 18-year-old girl in a Camaro texting while driving, e.g., both hands on top of the steeringwheel typing on the cell phone at 50mph approaching a red light.

Never Used:

Parktronic -- gotta try it some day.

mnje350

Wish I had the parktronic to try it some day.

listerone

I have it and don't see the purpose of it.Lexus and BMW have active parking assist where the car does all the work except apply the accelerator and the brake.That I can *almost* see.If I had ordered (which I'm wishing now that I had) I wouldn't have opted for Parktronic.

But to each his own....

mnje350

Is the parktronic a system of electronic sensors that give you an electronic proximity warning of obstacles front and rear or is it more than that?

ttoE550

It will give you precise instructions on how far to turn the wheel and back up/pull forward. The problem is that it is too slow to engage and the slightest deviation from its instructions cause it to turn off. Useless.

I do like the parking proximity detectors though.

K-A

Our glove box is A/C'd? How does it work, is it just on when the main A/C is on? Also, does it turn to a heater when the heater is on as well?

hyperion667

yeah, I always keep an tuna sandwich in there....in case I need a snack.......