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

W221 amplifier replacment

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Old 04-07-2021, 06:23 PM
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W221 sclas
W221 amplifier replacment

Hey anybody ever tried installing amp from 2010-2013 hyundai genesis into s-class ? They look exactly the same but the genesis is only 200 bucks new...
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Old 04-08-2021, 12:56 PM
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strange question.... there's at least two types of amp and 4 software iterations in the S class... even if the one you found looks the same its highly unlikely the hardware on the circuit board is remotely similar, and even if the hardware was the same how are you going to get the Merc software programmed to it?

it would probably easier to walk to the moon
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Old 04-08-2021, 05:59 PM
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Originally Posted by BOTUS
strange question.... there's at least two types of amp and 4 software iterations in the S class... even if the one you found looks the same its highly unlikely the hardware on the circuit board is remotely similar, and even if the hardware was the same how are you going to get the Merc software programmed to it?

it would probably easier to walk to the moon
I think that if hyundai copied sclass in 2010 and made a genesis model, if they went as far as making the amp and all the equipment look the same why wouldn't they copy the mother board, besides its made by harman and its logic 7 as well, all the connections look the same
amp is just a reciver of audio signal, it has nothing to do with software, just like your home amplifier it reads the signal from the source is connected too.
Old 04-08-2021, 06:13 PM
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Originally Posted by KOOKIEMUNCER
amp is just a reciver of audio signal, it has nothing to do with software, just like your home amplifier it reads the signal from the source is connected too.
“It has nothing to do with software”... That’s not really a safe assumption to make here. Give it a try, let us know how it turns out.
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Old 04-08-2021, 06:22 PM
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Command sends signal to the amp thru the optic fiber right ? So if the most connector fits and speaker wiring Is the same i don't see why wouldn't it work.
No harm spending 200 to try it. Maybe it will work and help alot of people with this problem. Who knows you can't dismiss something because nobody ever did it before.
take a look at the 2010-2013 hyundai genesis logic 7 amp
There's few pics online of the hardware inside. Board also looks the same
Old 04-08-2021, 06:35 PM
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why not just get a proper one, used?
Old 04-08-2021, 06:40 PM
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Originally Posted by OnlyGerman
why not just get a proper one, used?
because I already bought 3 of them and I'm sick of that ****. 800 used ... **** that
I'm gonna try that genesis amp. Worst case ill loose 200bucks
worth a try.
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Old 04-08-2021, 06:56 PM
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Three? Some people must have the absolute worst luck.
Old 04-08-2021, 07:08 PM
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Original lasted 7 years then each used lasted a year. So u get my point of looking for cheaper solutions
Old 04-08-2021, 07:21 PM
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I do indeed. And if the other one can be persuaded to work I predict the price of them will go up as W221 owners buy them all...
Old 04-08-2021, 08:05 PM
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Equalization could be different, as could power availability to each channel (and even the number of channels). They may both be made by HK, but they are still made to the OEM auto makers' specifications, which I sincerely doubt are the same between the Genesis and the S-Class.
Old 04-08-2021, 08:17 PM
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For me it can play all chanel stereo i don't care, wattage was **** to start with.
I will compare wiring for both units incase power is on a different plug
I will let ya know how it go soon
I'm gonna take one for the team and do this experiment.
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Old 04-09-2021, 07:44 PM
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Originally Posted by KOOKIEMUNCER
Hey anybody ever tried installing amp from 2010-2013 hyundai genesis into s-class ? They look exactly the same but the genesis is only 200 bucks new...
please post what you find out, I'm having the same problem and looking for an alternative... Thanks
Old 04-12-2021, 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted by SteveE400
Equalization could be different, as could power availability to each channel (and even the number of channels). They may both be made by HK, but they are still made to the OEM auto makers' specifications, which I sincerely doubt are the same between the Genesis and the S-Class.
If I'm the Hyundai employee in charge of sound, and I have to deal with cost constraints, I'm going to say "just Gimmie the one you already did R&D on" instead of "lets spend a few hundred grand making incremental changes that may or may not be better."

There is nothing wrong with not trying to reinvent a wheel.
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Old 04-12-2021, 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by JJKCMO
If I'm the Hyundai employee in charge of sound, and I have to deal with cost constraints, I'm going to say "just Gimmie the one you already did R&D on" instead of "lets spend a few hundred grand making incremental changes that may or may not be better."

There is nothing wrong with not trying to reinvent a wheel.
And the Harmon guy will respond with, "Well, we developed this for another customer and they have exclusive rights to it, so we can't just give you the same thing. We also can't share their proprietary information such as command and data stream formats. You'll have to pay for all the firmware development for your specific application, even if we use the exact same off-the-shelf hardware."

Been there, done that...
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Old 04-12-2021, 04:22 PM
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W221 sclas
Originally Posted by DaleB
And the Harmon guy will respond with, "Well, we developed this for another customer and they have exclusive rights to it, so we can't just give you the same thing. We also can't share their proprietary information such as command and data stream formats. You'll have to pay for all the firmware development for your specific application, even if we use the exact same off-the-shelf hardware."

Been there, done that...
have you ever heard a Chinese asking for precision to copy some.other company's **** ? Its very easy, you buy 1 s class you take it apart and copy all its components. Take a look at the genesis from 2010. Its a bootleg sclass... if they going soo far as coping the components to be wired the same way and look the same way, why not copy the motherboard and other stuff ?
amp is an amp its gonna play signal from anything. As long as the fiber optic cable fits. Just like your amplifier at home that gets signal from pre amp
Old 04-12-2021, 04:48 PM
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Originally Posted by KOOKIEMUNCER
have you ever heard a Chinese asking for precision to copy some.other company's **** ? Its very easy, you buy 1 s class you take it apart and copy all its components. Take a look at the genesis from 2010. Its a bootleg sclass... if they going soo far as coping the components to be wired the same way and look the same way, why not copy the motherboard and other stuff ?
amp is an amp its gonna play signal from anything. As long as the fiber optic cable fits. Just like your amplifier at home that gets signal from pre amp
1.) Korea != China
2.) I can't really see where the Genesis bears even a passing resemblance to the W221, inside or out, but maybe the amps look the same.

I suspect there is a little more complexity to the way the amplifier works than you think, but hey, I could be completely wrong. Maybe it's a standard off the rack part that Hyundai and Daimler both bought and didn't bother to customize to use their own command structures, data streams, etc. Definitely let us know what happens when you drop the Hyundai amp in place. It could be that it will work perfectly, and in 10-plus years no one has ever thought to try it.
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Old 04-12-2021, 04:53 PM
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Originally Posted by DaleB
1.) Korea != China
2.) I can't really see where the Genesis bears even a passing resemblance to the W221, inside or out, but maybe the amps look the same.

I suspect there is a little more complexity to the way the amplifier works than you think, but hey, I could be completely wrong. Maybe it's a standard off the rack part that Hyundai and Daimler both bought and didn't bother to customize to use their own command structures, data streams, etc. Definitely let us know what happens when you drop the Hyundai amp in place. It could be that it will work perfectly, and in 10-plus years no one has ever thought to try it.
China/ korea same ****, you get my point
and I know perfectly well how amplifiers work I'm an audio technician and I can build an amp myself.
Old 04-12-2021, 05:09 PM
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I don't know if the amp in question is just a dumb amp, or if it takes commands via CAN, LIN, or MOST bus for source switching, equalization, muting, and other functions. If so, it's there where you're likely to run into incompatibilities. Anyone with a soldering iron can build a simple analog audio amplifier. The point I've been trying to get across (apparently not very well) is that I suspect this is not a simple audio amp, but a part of a very complex system running under software control, and amplifying audio signals is a small part of what it does. And I've been designing and building those for a lot of years.

By the way, if you really do think that China and Korea are really "the same thing", I'd suggest great care in sharing that opinion with Chinese or Koreans. I've met and worked with more than a few from both countries, and I think some of them would take violent exception to that suggestion.

And again... I'm not saying you're wrong and it can't work. I'm saying, give it a shot and let us all know what happens. It's the only way any of us will know for sure, right?

Old 04-12-2021, 08:26 PM
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Haha yes, my Korean friends would object to being called Chinese for sure.

That being said this won’t work. Even if the hardware is the same, which you won’t know until you take both apart and compare all the chips involved, the software definitely won’t be the same. Just like already mentioned, the sound is actually a small part of these systems. Sure, you could build a converter that could translate signals between the 2 but I don’t see any incentives to even try.
Old 04-13-2021, 10:59 AM
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when the AMP is dead aside from no sound... you only get the merc frame and menus structure from the comand system...

the radio station display, for font size and position, the dial indicator for the channels and highlight accent colour for the part of the screen you are operating in all comes from the AMP, when you put facelift AMP software on an earlier amp or vice versa these change
Old 04-13-2021, 03:34 PM
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What KOOKIEMUNCER is thinking is not far fetched. It is the same amplifier made by Harman/Becker however there's a connector missing on the Genesis version(BE 7630) that's present on the Benz version (BE 7021, BE 9061).
Old 08-25-2021, 09:00 AM
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So I finally got to install the hyundai amp and it WORKS!!!
but ... there is no volume control
you can only control volume with aux device
But for 100 bucks its a great fix
You're welcome mercedes world 🌎 😊
Home it will make a better day for some.
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Old 08-25-2021, 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by KOOKIEMUNCER
So I finally got to install the hyundai amp and it WORKS!!!
but ... there is no volume control
you can only control volume with aux device
But for 100 bucks its a great fix
You're welcome mercedes world 🌎 😊
Home it will make a better day for some.
It's probably that connector that's missing on the Hyundai version.
Old 08-26-2021, 04:11 AM
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if its the same board why would it be any better than the designed to fail one it came with ?

are you going to be brave enough to try and flash Merc firmware - and what about tone treble bass balance and fade ?


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