Anyone satisfied with stock (non H/K) sound system on ML350?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
2013 M350 (hopefully)
Anyone satisfied with stock (non H/K) sound system on ML350?
Trying to finalize the option list to fit within budget of 60k, as it is very easy to go over when you add on goodies for a 2013. Not sure about the sound quality of the stock system, as I am not an audiophile and don't really need the 800 watts H/K system. Anyone satisfied with the 100 watts stock system?
Which one of options below do you think have the least impact on the driving/ownership experience? In another word, the corresponding standard feature works just fine.
1. H/K audio system
2. Xenon lighting package (I live in the city with little night driving)
3. Passive lane tracking package
4. 4Matic (Southern Cal)
5. Active parking assist (no need for parallel parking, but the parking space can be small)
6. leather seating pkg
Thanks.
Which one of options below do you think have the least impact on the driving/ownership experience? In another word, the corresponding standard feature works just fine.
1. H/K audio system
2. Xenon lighting package (I live in the city with little night driving)
3. Passive lane tracking package
4. 4Matic (Southern Cal)
5. Active parking assist (no need for parallel parking, but the parking space can be small)
6. leather seating pkg
Thanks.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 513
Likes: 5
From: SoCal
13ML BT
Trying to finalize the option list to fit within budget of 60k, as it is very easy to go over when you add on goodies for a 2013. Not sure about the sound quality of the stock system, as I am not an audiophile and don't really need the 800 watts H/K system. Anyone satisfied with the 100 watts stock system?
Which one of options below do you think have the least impact on the driving/ownership experience? In another word, the corresponding standard feature works just fine.
1. H/K audio system
2. Xenon lighting package (I live in the city with little night driving)
3. Passive lane tracking package
4. 4Matic (Southern Cal)
5. Active parking assist (no need for parallel parking, but the parking space can be small)
6. leather seating pkg
Thanks.
Which one of options below do you think have the least impact on the driving/ownership experience? In another word, the corresponding standard feature works just fine.
1. H/K audio system
2. Xenon lighting package (I live in the city with little night driving)
3. Passive lane tracking package
4. 4Matic (Southern Cal)
5. Active parking assist (no need for parallel parking, but the parking space can be small)
6. leather seating pkg
Thanks.
2. You'll be just fine. Most MLs do not have it.
3. Blind Spot Alert is one of those options that once you have, you always want it. Same with Navi.
4. Unless you go snowboarding in Mammoth, you should be fine. I've taken my RWD to Big Bear without issues but that was with no snow on the roads and light snow in lots. I do go to Mammoth but my main reason for getting the 4matic is that it will be our main family hauler. And when it pours in L.A. the roads get slick with a RWD. L.A. is not built to handle rain at all. I've never had any accidents with a RWD in rain here but it has been dicey at times. I'm getting a bluetec that comes standard with 4matic.
5. I'm getting it for parking sensors up front since the active assist tends to be very imperfect on the ML. The front of car is tough to see.
6. You really won't care if you have to ask. I'm getting MBtex myself but I'd love to package the vent seats which are only avail with leather. I'm going with the easy maintenance and long lasting option. No one will know that you don't have the leather pkg unless they are ML nerds like us.
Last edited by 27T; Jul 25, 2012 at 05:21 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
2012 ML 350 BlueTec
1) the HK system is worth every penny.
2) I would like to have the HID's but $1500 seems steep to me.
3) I have the active and love it. Can't speak about the passive.
4) I thought this was standard?
5) IMO its a novelty. But we don't don't parallel park much here in Florida.
6) We tried both and fell the MBTex is just fine.
2) I would like to have the HID's but $1500 seems steep to me.
3) I have the active and love it. Can't speak about the passive.
4) I thought this was standard?
5) IMO its a novelty. But we don't don't parallel park much here in Florida.
6) We tried both and fell the MBTex is just fine.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 6,770
Likes: 1,264
From: Lake Oswego, OR
2020 GLE 450; 2023 BMW M2 Coupe
Trying to finalize the option list to fit within budget of 60k, as it is very easy to go over when you add on goodies for a 2013. Not sure about the sound quality of the stock system, as I am not an audiophile and don't really need the 800 watts H/K system. Anyone satisfied with the 100 watts stock system?
Which one of options below do you think have the least impact on the driving/ownership experience? In another word, the corresponding standard feature works just fine.
1. H/K audio system
Which one of options below do you think have the least impact on the driving/ownership experience? In another word, the corresponding standard feature works just fine.
1. H/K audio system
2. Xenon lighting package (I live in the city with little night driving)
3. Passive lane tracking package
4. 4Matic (Southern Cal)
5. Active parking assist (no need for parallel parking, but the parking space can be small)
6. leather seating pkg
Last edited by GregW / Oregon; Jul 25, 2012 at 11:06 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 11
From: Gulf Coast but not Florida
GLK350, SL63 AMG
1) the HK system is worth every penny.
2) I would like to have the HID's but $1500 seems steep to me.
3) I have the active and love it. Can't speak about the passive.
4) I thought this was standard?
5) IMO its a novelty. But we don't don't parallel park much here in Florida.
6) We tried both and fell the MBTex is just fine.
2) I would like to have the HID's but $1500 seems steep to me.
3) I have the active and love it. Can't speak about the passive.
4) I thought this was standard?
5) IMO its a novelty. But we don't don't parallel park much here in Florida.
6) We tried both and fell the MBTex is just fine.
The standard stereo sucks, provably. Search.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 625
Likes: 4
From: Australia
X350d GLE500e 2017, ML350 BlueTec 2012(sold), A200 2013, ML350CDI 2009(sold), Aston Martin DB7 2003
2. Do not consider deleteing it. I left it off the wifes shopping trolley and now sadly regret that. It works great on low beam even if you never hit the outback highway.
3. New techonology - hard to judge outright value yet.
4. Spritely starts on wet bitumen will cause the traction control to slow you down dramatically. 4matic will let you get going. And if you go bush at any time....
5. Fantastic for incompetant drivers. Amazing how effective dipping mirrorsand reversing cameras are.
6. You don't need ventilated seats if you have real leather. And it feels better too.
Isn't it grand when we can all say something and we all disagree!
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Super Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 625
Likes: 4
From: Australia
X350d GLE500e 2017, ML350 BlueTec 2012(sold), A200 2013, ML350CDI 2009(sold), Aston Martin DB7 2003
Had mine for three summers at up to 48oC (118oF). Real leather performed perfectly. Only problem has been the cold feel from a morning start in the snow so our new car will have seat heating.
There is also a fear of food/drink spills into the perforations being hard to clean up.
There is also a fear of food/drink spills into the perforations being hard to clean up.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,121
Likes: 12
From: Connecticut
2018 BMW 540d
1. H/K audio system
2. Xenon lighting package (I live in the city with little night driving)
3. Passive lane tracking package
4. 4Matic (Southern Cal)
5. Active parking assist (no need for parallel parking, but the parking space can be small)
6. leather seating pkg
Thanks.
2. Xenon lighting package (I live in the city with little night driving)
3. Passive lane tracking package
4. 4Matic (Southern Cal)
5. Active parking assist (no need for parallel parking, but the parking space can be small)
6. leather seating pkg
Thanks.
2) I don't do much night driving either but I must say that Xenon was nice in my last several cars.
4) I have Distronic and love it.Lane assist and blind spot assist are great,particularly *active* assist.
4) Can't see a need in Southern Cal.If you visit the mountains in winter it might be worthwhile but I do fairly well without it in New England.
5) I have it but find it useless for my purposes.
6) The vinyl works fine for me but it's a matter of personal tastes.
Last edited by listerone; Jul 26, 2012 at 07:22 AM.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 326
Likes: 2
300D Turbo 1984
1) the HK system is worth every penny.
2) I would like to have the HID's but $1500 seems steep to me.
3) I have the active and love it. Can't speak about the passive.
4) I thought this was standard?
5) IMO its a novelty. But we don't don't parallel park much here in Florida.
6) We tried both and fell the MBTex is just fine.
2) I would like to have the HID's but $1500 seems steep to me.
3) I have the active and love it. Can't speak about the passive.
4) I thought this was standard?
5) IMO its a novelty. But we don't don't parallel park much here in Florida.
6) We tried both and fell the MBTex is just fine.
see link
https://mbworld.org/forums/new-m-cla...-speakers.html
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: North Cyprus
2012 ml-250
Yes you can experience the 5.1 music quality asyou listen concert dvds or bluerays at hometheatre system but unfortunately we do not yet have command system here, so no chance to listen to 5.1 music in the car. Also there is not too many sources of 5.1 audio around. I have HK system and if I evaluate it carefully it deserves 8/10. Overall quality is very good, but you don't have seperate subwoofer level control, seperate surround speakers level control and although the bass level is all the way up, it does not provide rich enough basses in the car. When I compare the HK system with my Freelander's Alpine dolby prologic system, I can easily say that the speaker quality of the HK is much better with natural sound but the manual control over this system is not enough. One more thing is related with the sattelite speakers. As I can't raise their volume to my taste, I don't enjoy their surround effect as I wish. Harddisk control is very fast. No lag time to move among the folders and files makes it a joy. I wish it had flac and wav support. I am using a 1TB harddisk full of nearly 300GB of music in it and adding more every week from my Sonos system at home. I rarely liston to CDs. May be thequality is higher with CDs. And the album art cover support of the harddisk makes it my first chooce. The banance setting is at -5 towards rear seats to centralize the sound and to feel better surround effect.
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
1991 300CE, 2013 ML350 Bluetec, 2014 ML350 Bluetec, 2012 Ram 1500
I am not a fan of the stock radio in the ML. It lacks a subwoofer and a center fill speaker.
The stock radio clearly lacks deep lows and adding bass just makes the bass more muddy. The rear speakers don't help the situation at all as far as bass goes, so it is all up to the front door speakers.
I will go as far to say that it is better than the stock radio in the c class and GLK, but that isn't saying much either.
Pitazorro gives an excellent summary of the HK unit. If it had a bigger subwoofer I think it would be able to reproduce deep lows much better. It is very good, but still expect better for an optional unit in this class of car. The demo disc sounds amazing, but regular discs don't sound as good as the demo disc.
The stock radio clearly lacks deep lows and adding bass just makes the bass more muddy. The rear speakers don't help the situation at all as far as bass goes, so it is all up to the front door speakers.
I will go as far to say that it is better than the stock radio in the c class and GLK, but that isn't saying much either.
Pitazorro gives an excellent summary of the HK unit. If it had a bigger subwoofer I think it would be able to reproduce deep lows much better. It is very good, but still expect better for an optional unit in this class of car. The demo disc sounds amazing, but regular discs don't sound as good as the demo disc.
Junior Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 32
Likes: 4
From: Las Vegas
2008 GL450
Depends on your listening habits. The HK system in my ml350 actually leaves me wanting more but I came from the C300 HK system that was even better. Up/sidegraded to the ML for expanding family and the loss of several speakers is noticeable.
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 53
Likes: 1
From: Littleton Colorado
ML550
I love music and the HK is really good! I'm saying this coming from my previous car that I spent $4000 on an aftermarket Alpine system - 3 amps (2000 watts total) - 2-12" subs - 2-8"subs - 4-tweets and 4-mids. The HK rivals my aftermarket setup.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,017
Likes: 16
From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
Trying to finalize the option list to fit within budget of 60k, as it is very easy to go over when you add on goodies for a 2013. Not sure about the sound quality of the stock system, as I am not an audiophile and don't really need the 800 watts H/K system. Anyone satisfied with the 100 watts stock system?
Which one of options below do you think have the least impact on the driving/ownership experience? In another word, the corresponding standard feature works just fine.
1. H/K audio system
2. Xenon lighting package (I live in the city with little night driving)
3. Passive lane tracking package
4. 4Matic (Southern Cal)
5. Active parking assist (no need for parallel parking, but the parking space can be small)
6. leather seating pkg
Thanks.
Which one of options below do you think have the least impact on the driving/ownership experience? In another word, the corresponding standard feature works just fine.
1. H/K audio system
2. Xenon lighting package (I live in the city with little night driving)
3. Passive lane tracking package
4. 4Matic (Southern Cal)
5. Active parking assist (no need for parallel parking, but the parking space can be small)
6. leather seating pkg
Thanks.
The HK system with the extra wattage sounds great even at low volume. Wattage is the reason why. Low powered sound systems need to be cranked up a bit to sound decent.
You will LOVE the Bi Xenon lights.
Blind spot monitoring is pretty much a valid important safety feature... get it... not the active lane keeping. The active lane keeping is not important as much as subbing the passive lane keeping and getting the Blind Spot indicator..
Last edited by Barry45RPM; Oct 19, 2014 at 11:16 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 305
Likes: 22
From: BC
G11 750i Individual, X166 GL550 Designo, W222 S550e, W221 S63
The stock ML system at low volumes is...ehh. At higher volumes, it's better than the HK system in the W221 S-Class.
However, the HK system in the ML is miles better than the HK system in the old S-Class, well worth the money; I regret not getting it on the ML but I needed an new car immediately back then.
However, the HK system in the ML is miles better than the HK system in the old S-Class, well worth the money; I regret not getting it on the ML but I needed an new car immediately back then.
Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 172
Likes: 1
From: markham, ON, Canada
2014 ML 350 BT
Drop 4 and 6 if you want to save some dough... keep the rest.
The HK system with the extra wattage sounds great even at low volume. Wattage is the reason why. Low powered sound systems need to be cranked up a bit to sound decent.
You will LOVE the Bi Xenon lights.
Blind spot monitoring is pretty much a valid important safety feature... get it... not the active lane keeping. The active lane keeping is not important as much as subbing the passive lane keeping and getting the Blind Spot indicator..
The HK system with the extra wattage sounds great even at low volume. Wattage is the reason why. Low powered sound systems need to be cranked up a bit to sound decent.
You will LOVE the Bi Xenon lights.
Blind spot monitoring is pretty much a valid important safety feature... get it... not the active lane keeping. The active lane keeping is not important as much as subbing the passive lane keeping and getting the Blind Spot indicator..
