S-Class (W221) 2007-2013: S 320 CDI, S 350, S 450, S 500, S 550, S 420 CDI, S 600

Wondering How Just Installing The Prima Amp Would Sound With Factory Speakers?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old Jul 26, 2015 | 11:02 PM
  #1  
Mike5215's Avatar
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,653
Likes: 560
2016 C300
Wondering How Just Installing The Prima Amp Would Sound With Factory Speakers?

I was contacted on my W221/216 Audio Blog this weekend by an S Class owner who's going for the Prima install and a custom tuning configuration, leaving the speakers stock.

This is big news on a couple of levels. Beside eliminating the expense and labor of cracking open all four doors to replace speakers, it eliminates the need to ever open a door panel at all. Each individual speaker in the W221/216 has its own dedicated channel coming off the factory amp, so the whole Prima install is completed in the trunk without anything more invasive.

But the real question is, can the little Prima with its compact amp and powerful digital signal processors turn the ugly step-sister that is the stock system into Cinderella? I think it has the horsepower to get it done. If so, that mod becomes a no brainer for anyone who wants great audio in the car and wants to spend surgically rather than just shotgunning everything and hoping for the best.

Stay tuned...a full write up to follow.

Last edited by Mike5215; Jul 26, 2015 at 11:04 PM.
Reply
Old Jul 27, 2015 | 07:29 AM
  #2  
triniexr's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 369
Likes: 1
From: Toronto, Canada
2011 Mercedes S63 AMG
Subscribed... very interested in this.
Reply
Old Jul 27, 2015 | 11:10 AM
  #3  
Jason B's Avatar
MBWorld Fanatic!
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,430
Likes: 187
From: USA
W140 Mercedes S350, W221 S550 sport
Mike, are you swapping out your speakers back to stock ones to test?
Reply
Old Jul 27, 2015 | 11:59 AM
  #4  
Mike5215's Avatar
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,653
Likes: 560
2016 C300
No, there's a guy who contacted me who's doing (at least he says he's doing) a Prima-only install. I'll send him my config and he can tweak it for the stock speakers and send it back, at which point we'll have a baseline config for the 221 and stock speakers. Presuming the guy knows how to tune the Prima. I don't think there's going to be a huge difference between me vs stock other than the 4" front door mids will be brighter, the front door tweeter won't be as aggressive and the rear door 6.5" will also be brighter, but all of that is well within Prima's adjustment range. Most of my EQ settings on a speaker-by-speaker basis are almost flat so there's a ton of room there to play with.
Reply

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 


You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:37 PM.

story-0
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)

Slideshow: Not every Mercedes design becomes timeless, some feel stuck in the era they came from.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:09:07


VIEW MORE
story-1
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun

Slideshow: Yes, Mercedes built manual cars, and some of them are far more interesting than you'd expect.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-02 12:36:58


VIEW MORE
story-2
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren

Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 11:19:28


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

Slideshow: Before curves took over, Mercedes mastered the art of the straight line, and some of those shapes still look right today.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-25 12:05:49


VIEW MORE
story-4
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction

Slideshow: The 190E Evolution II shows how a homologation necessity became a six-figure collector icon.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-22 17:53:47


VIEW MORE
story-5
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know

Slideshow: Mercedes is turning one of its core nameplates electric, and the details show just how serious this shift is.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:58:06


VIEW MORE
story-6
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know

Slideshow: Faster charging, longer range, and a controversial steer-by-wire system define the latest evolution of Mercedes-Benz EQS.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-15 10:35:34


VIEW MORE
story-7
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve

Slideshow: These overlooked Mercedes-Benz models never got the spotlight, but they quietly delivered more than most remember.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-13 19:35:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping

Slideshow: A well-used 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300D with more than one million miles is now looking for a new owner, and it still appears ready for more.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-10 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used

Slideshow: From bulletproof sedans to surprisingly tough SUVs, these Mercedes models proved that the three-pointed star can go the distance.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-08 09:55:49


VIEW MORE