rrobin

Need help getting replacement audio system for this crappy HK system in my S-550 posted before and got limited help . Can't find shop in my area to work on car. I can't be the only owner that thinks this system sucks. Also the sat. radio sucks as well , loses signal ,dealer say's they can't find a problem anyone else with this. What can i do????Any solutions

chipps

The audio system in the S550 is outstanding. I have never heard a better system in any vehicle I have owned from the beginning of time to date. Consequently, I cannot help you with this.

rrobin

Chipps you have to be kidding this is my 5th mb and by far this is the worst audio system of the bunch .I am not a boom boxer but this is bad, as someone told me in an earlier post sound or audio is a personal preference so maybe your taste and mine are different or maybe you haven't hear what a nice system really sounds like but either way in my opinion the system in the 2008-2009 S-550 SUCKS so if you can't help me I understand maybe someone else can

gyzmo123

HK system is far better in W221 that it was in W220's. If you think the HK is crappy, please enlighten all of us here with what you call a decent system for average folks out there?

rrobin

gyzmo123 I am a average person ,I am not a audio expert that's why I am on this site looking for advise on way's to improve the sound in my car, I thought that I would find someone that would be above -average audio wise that could provide me with some help or set me off on a path that could help me. I can't tell you what a good system is but I know one when I hear one and the 2008-2009 s-550 is not one in my opinion

coco135

rrobin, i recently traded my Audi A8 for the s550, the S550 is in a different league, outperform the A8 in most of the things but i will have to agree with you regarding the sound of the HK... bad, really bad! in my old A8 the sound was amazing.
and if someone thinks that the HK on the s550 is good... step into an Audi show room.

rrobin

COCO135 I was beginning to think I was the only one to feels this way about the car's audio. Any advise what are you going to do to yours???

Diesel Benz

A stupid question but are you sure the car has HK audio? Are all US cars equipped with HK audio?

coco135

Yes i Got an HK system.
I have a someone who is going to do my audio adding a nice amplifier and replacing that useless sub-woofer in the rear.
he is located in san fernando valley in Ca.

softgenious

Go buy a different car. Maybe not, because most cars come with an inadequate system.

trumpet1

I think it needs more bass. Mine sounds better with the Logic 7 turned off. Sounds less airy and has more punch. I too wish it had a better bass punch. But overall, I'm happy.

The Bose system in the S classes of the '90's sounded really good IMO because they didn't have so much silly processing going on back then. Seems there were 13 speakers in those systems....even a tweeter located in the rearview mirror!!

itschase

Best way to improve any factory 'premium' sound system is to bypass the factory amp and replace all of the speakers. My car is gearing up for Focal components front and rear powered by a boston acoustics 4 channel amp. The sorry excuse for a subwoofer (that I blew in a month) is getting replaced by a free-air sub that I haven't chosen yet. I will leave the rear door and center speaker alone and to remain powered by the factory amp. The 'Bose' or 'Harmon-Kardon' means nothing, most of the time these are bottom shelf components (in all relativity) with paper cones and low wattage. I think it sounds pretty good for a stock system - but stock is boring, new cars are like a blank slate.

syswei

rrobin,

I agree with you, the sound system in my S550 is my biggest dissapointment with the car.

Anyone who thinks the S550 sound system is great and can't be improved upon in a factory vehicle should go over to a Lexus dealer with some favorite CDs, and try out the optional Mark Levinson sound system in an LS460.

softgenious

I agree that the S550 system could be better. I have the M Levinson system in a GS 430 and it is not that great. I would put it on par with the S550 HK system.

rrobin

Hey coco135 that sounds like it may do the trick, I contacted Reus audio and they recommended something similar hope it helps. let me know how your upgrade turns out and I will keep you posted on mine

rrobin

Trumpet1 I feel the same way about the Bose system I had one in my 2006 S-430 and for all the grief Bose get's for being sub-par it was miles ahead of this piece of junk HK system in the newer S class

trumpet1

I'm not a Bose fan, but that system in the W140(I think) was great.

The best speakers I've ever heard in an aftermarket variety was a speaker called "Quart". 20 years ago , I put a set in a 1989 Acura Legend and those things were incredible. I forgot the kind of amp I had at the time

chipps

I have also owned a Lexus with the Mark Levinson system. It was no better than the MB system.

However, I think I have found the source of the wide divergence in views on the system in the S550. Let me quote from above:

"The sorry excuse for a subwoofer (that I blew in a month)"

Blew up a subwoofer? An S550 is not a boom box on wheels.

itschase

EDIT: Nevermind, haha - doesn't dignify a response.

buildstrong

I think in most of the cases audio becomes the only disappointment in an otherwise wonderful car. You can try out tuning the bass and see.

syswei

That would probably be MB Quart...they are still around, though I don't know how they are currently regarded

http://www.mbquartusa.com/index.html

trumpet1

YES! That was it! MB Quart. Ironic how they start with the letters MB. Maybe those should have been Mercedes' choice of speakers. LOL

mhh

I've got the HK in my S65 and rate it as OK only for sound. The Bose in my 911 sounds fatter and generally better. I'd love to upgrade the HK if I could do it invisibly but it isn't so bad to motivate me to do it.

rrobin

Sounds like a bunch of owner's agree that the HK system is not very good in the S-550 I think it sucks,but the funny thing is that in my wife's ML it doesn't sound that bad go figure!!!! I have contacted this company that was referred to me called Reus Audio they state that they can provide a stealth upgrade, nevertheless I have heard that Mercedes has contacted another audio company to supply them with audio equipment in the future has anyone heard this?????

s600ed

I thought about doing an aftermarket upgrade too but the audio guys that I talked to were concerned with signal processing with an aftermarket amp. They were afraid of "losing" the center channel of the system setup by bypassing the factory amp. Anyone heard of this problem or are the guys I talked to just not up to par on their knowledge?