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Audio setting and sound quality??

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Old Nov 8, 2025 | 11:33 PM
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slk280
Audio setting and sound quality??

Hi, What is everybody setting on their car audio? Can you post your audio setting? And what do you think about the W212 audio quality? anything I can do to improve the sound quality?
Background: I am a long time owner of the facelifted W211 (2007), and recently acquired a facelifted W212 (2016). Both cars has upgraded Harmon Kardon audio system with Logic 7 sound. On both cars, I had Logic 7 turned on.
1. W211: the sound is not as clear, crystal and detail as the W212. However, to me, the sound on the W211 is FULLER, more ROUNDED, more RICH, and fell more surround. The bass is rich and powerful. I barely needed to adjust the bass (+2) and treble (+1)
2. W212: the sound is much more clear, detail. However, it sounds THIN, HOLLOW, and flat!. I tried many different adjustments, still the same!. Right now I have bass maxed out, treble +3 or +4, it still fell thin, flat. Even at mass bass, the bass feel weak (Im listening to mostly soft rock, pop musics)..
Im not sure if my system working properly (It should, scanning showed no error). Anything I can do to make it sound better?. How could the same systems, 10 years newer sound worser than the older system??
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Old Nov 9, 2025 | 01:05 AM
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What is your music source?

iPhone direct connection?

bluetooth audio?

CD or DVD-A?

Last edited by PeterUbers; Nov 9, 2025 at 01:06 AM.
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Old Nov 9, 2025 | 01:50 AM
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W212 FL
I listen to Tech House, Underground Deep Tech only when driving . W212's sound quality is not below average at all . I decrease bass just like 2 , treble above the middle mark . I use USB stick . Honestly, I don't see too much difference at all when I compared it to Focal's . The best I can experience is the W222's Burmeister 3D if you like to know
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Old Nov 9, 2025 | 03:56 AM
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W213 All-terrain
Originally Posted by nguyenphananh
Hi, What is everybody setting on their car audio? Can you post your audio setting? And what do you think about the W212 audio quality? anything I can do to improve the sound quality?
Background: I am a long time owner of the facelifted W211 (2007), and recently acquired a facelifted W212 (2016). Both cars has upgraded Harmon Kardon audio system with Logic 7 sound. On both cars, I had Logic 7 turned on.
1. W211: the sound is not as clear, crystal and detail as the W212. However, to me, the sound on the W211 is FULLER, more ROUNDED, more RICH, and fell more surround. The bass is rich and powerful. I barely needed to adjust the bass (+2) and treble (+1)
2. W212: the sound is much more clear, detail. However, it sounds THIN, HOLLOW, and flat!. I tried many different adjustments, still the same!. Right now I have bass maxed out, treble +3 or +4, it still fell thin, flat. Even at mass bass, the bass feel weak (Im listening to mostly soft rock, pop musics)..
Im not sure if my system working properly (It should, scanning showed no error). Anything I can do to make it sound better?. How could the same systems, 10 years newer sound worser than the older system??
You can try to listen Burmester on W213 and your HK system on W212 will became High End audio instantly in your brain.
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Old Nov 9, 2025 | 10:41 AM
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slk280
Originally Posted by PeterUbers
What is your music source?

iPhone direct connection?

bluetooth audio?

CD or DVD-A?
I have all my music on USB stick. They are of the highest quality like Wave file, HDCH, Hi resolution audio 24bits/96Hz. FLAC. I only compared to the W211, on the same sources, sound on the W211 seems to be fuller, richer. I only trying to improve the sound by changing setting (or maybe some components on my car was not working properly?). Wonder why the same system on newer car sounds not as good as older car's. Im sure the Busmester system is on another level......
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Old Nov 9, 2025 | 01:49 PM
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2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ECU dyno tune; EDOK TCU tune; BB intakes; sprintbooster
Best bet is find a used w212 out there and test your usb stick
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Old Nov 9, 2025 | 04:28 PM
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I leave our HK system (2016 E350 wagon) with surround OFF, and all tone controls flat at +0 dB. sounds excellent to me on the sorts of mostly acoustic, often vocal harmony centric music I listen to, sources ranging from CD to Spotify in HiFi mode (via Android Auto or Bluetooth)... Example music: ... enabling surround ('Logic 7') tends to make things sound 'roomy' with a hint of echo, and really isn't appropriate for music thats not encoded for 5.1 (dolby surround). If I'm alone in the car, volume is often in the 10-12 range, while if my wife is with me, 8-10.

Last edited by Left Coast Geek; Nov 9, 2025 at 04:30 PM.
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