UrBusted

Hey guys,
I have recently purchased a 2014 Merecedes S350. It has got everything I want except the Burmester system. I have the standard audio system and am looking to purchase the Burmester Basic System. I would get the high end but I think it is too costly. After visiting my local Mercedes Garage, I found out that there are 2 amplifiers. A Burmester standard and the high end. The Burmester Standard costs £500 plus VAT. I want to know if the wiring for the power and speakers the same for a Mercedes Standard system and for the basic Burmester system.
In the basic system there is 10 speakers, two in each door, and 2 subwoofers behind and under the dash. I want to add the three centre speaker, one in the middle of the dash and the two in the rear shelf. (Surprisingly, there are no speakers/subwoofers in the rear shelf!) I think I will have to take the wires from the amplifier to each of the centre speakers. Once installed, I will have to update the software on the star system. Can someone please tell me;
Where can I get a wiring diagram for both Burmester standard system and for the standard Mercedes S Class system.
Is the wiring on the Burmester amp and the Mercedes standard amplifier for each speaker and power pin the same.
Any hints or guidance will be most appreciated.
Thanks
A fellow S Class Owner.

UrBusted

Also, here is pictures of my new car
It's got 20" Vossen CVT's. I would have fit 22" but the insurer would have charged or maybe not even insured it.

XxLHCxX

I love the rims, how much were they and what kind of rubber to you have on? Thanks!

UrBusted

They cost £1850 from Prestige Wheel Centre in Birmingham. They will probably be cheaper in America since they had to be imported from Miama. They are currently on Dunlop SP Sport Maxx.

UrBusted

Just taken apart the glovebox and installed one of the subwoofers. This is going to be a lengthy task redoing it all. I managed to get the wiring diagram after many hours at the local Mercedes Garage. I've got one more question, and that is about the air freshner thing. Does any sort of perfume or smell work in there or will it damage the car. Also, where can I get them from. Also, anyone who can give tips on retrofitting the burmester will be appreciated!
-UrBusted

Alishami

I have the same question but in a different way.
I got the surround burmester one which is really great and amazing but I'm thinking about upgrading to the 3D one can I get this after buying the car ?

xxGenericSNxx

Ask Steve from Mbenznl.nl about the cost and feasibility of doing this retrofit. He's the king of retrofits.

UrBusted

Just fit 2 subwoofers, 3 of the centre speakers and the amplifier in. The rest should be coming in from Germany next week but it appears that the Mercedes Dealership which I bought the car from broke the back right speaker! I was wondering why there was no sound from that area. They are not saying anything about replacing it, let alone replacing it for a burmester one, even if I do pay the extra needed.
There doesn't happen to be anyone here from America who I can buy some cheap burmester parts from
Thanks for your help.
Also, Steve is currently on a short break so I will have to wait for his arrival but it appears he hasn't has the pleasure to work on a 222.

UrBusted

You will be looking at thousands to do that job. It involves taking apart the entire car, installing new door covers and a few thousand pounds in labour alone. You will also need to put the wiring in, and if it takes 12 hours to put 2 subwoofers and 3 centre speakers in, you are looking at a long job.

Alishami

Nah no need to do that! it looks so complicated and actually the current burmester sound system works great

UrBusted

Task completed! I've managed to get all the speakers in and the amplifier. Local Mercedes Garage have offered to SCN code it all and put it into the vehicles VDOK system thing. Project Successful
P.S I have just ordered the high end subwoofer which has its own amplifier.

hyperion667

wheels look great

5634MG

Did you replace the old speaker grills with the Burmester ones? Also, how did the standard system sound like?

UrBusted

I will upload some pictures of what it looks like now. Yes, I have the burmester grills installed. They cost around 100 pound per grille which is nearly the same of the actual speakers so I am hoping they will improve sound quality. Also, the standard sound system is SOO BAD. They have made it from high end burmester and went down, unlike the previous version. I would recommend getting Burmester with the car to all new customers.

emilner

Is something different where you are? I was under the impression that the car comes with a basic burn system and you can upgrade to the high end one...

UrBusted

We are in the UK so unfortuneatly burmester doesn't come as standard.

5634MG

May I ask where you sourced all the parts and did you do the installation yourself? What was the total cost for parts and labour?

Just curious, but why didn't you order the car with Burmester in the first place?

Is the standard system comparable to the HK system in the W221 or nowhere near?

UrBusted

I sourced all the parts from my local Mercedes Dealership in the UK, the total of all the parts was probably £2000+. The speaker grilles were £80 each which really surprised me. The labour was from a company called CustomIce. We didn't order Burmester as standard with the car since I wanted a car ASAP since my old S Class sold a few weeks ago and well, the test drive of it just shocked me. I was going for a E63 S which I found really cheap and the test drive my nephew took me on just amazed me. I am also now retrofitting the roof centre speaker/tweeter from the high end and the subwoofer with its own amplifier which is also from the high end in a few days. I can't tell much difference from the Harmon Kardon as far as I can remember but I am used to Bang and Olufsen from the Audi S4 which I have to say, is better than the Burmester in the S Class.

UrBusted

Thanks!
Here are some more pictures of the completed project. Did pieces of Burmester 3D because it didn't sound that good.
Taken with a Sony NEX 5N, 18-55mm and 55-210mm lens.

Wolfman

I have listened to the B&O systems in several MB's and Audi but found it worst than the Burmeister 3D by a margin even though the Audi sound was better than MB's.
But I am shocked to hear that you find it about the same as the HK in the W221 which is a average system at best.
Given the low material prices of £2000+ you have listed have you only installed a partial setup?

Wolfman

Looks great! I would invest a little more money to put on proper exhaust tips on the car. I have the same fake exhaust look on the M-Class. Supposed to look like exhaust tips from afar but think it really looks silly.

UrBusted

We have installed the full standard Burmester and then installed the main 3d burmester parts. The standard burmester alone sounded bad compared to the Harmon kardon and bang and Olufsen. Now with the couple of 3d parts which made the price go above £2000 it sounds much better.
Also thanks for commenting about the exhaust. We are thinking about doing it in the near future.

UrBusted

Repost.

Wolfman

Even the standard Burmeister sounded much better than the older HK and even better than the B&O (at least to my ears).
Granted that this is clearly subjective, but I would still recommend a sound check with another S-Class or two sporting the standard or 3D Burmester, just to make sure there isn't anything funky in the setup. Provided there are dealers with those cars in showrooms...

Re. the exhaust, it looks like you have the sport package. On that car you can simply buy the S500 exhaust tips and diffuser from the dealer. That's it.
I think the only think needing modification are the current exhaust pipes ...

LovinMercedes

This 3-D speaker looks great and it also looks black. I thought the standard was silver.

Did you paint it?