SL/R230: Rear speakers
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Joined: Sep 2017
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2009 SL 550 Silver Arrow
Rear speakers
Great idea , but that didn’t work. The rear speakers only work when you are watching a dvd movie. Great thought. There is no front/rear balance available under any other audio functions. I can’t be the only person with this problem.
Thwre has has to be another solution.
Thwre has has to be another solution.
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2009 SL 550 Silver Arrow
Still not happy
Thanks for your reply. But that’s not good enough. You should be able to adjust front/rear balance. I’ve not had a car in 30 years that you couldn’t do that. To have to add a separate amp is ridiculous. This is a design flaw .
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Not in the R230. There is no fader control. It's just the way it is. My guess is that since it's only a 2-seater, they decided there was no reason to adjust front to rear sound levels. Personally, I don't have a problem with it - the system sounds just fine to me, but I am no "audiophile" and I have a bit of tinnitus, so I am not the best judge of sound quality. One thing I did notice is that with the windscreen in place, it does seem to block a lot of the sound from the rear speakers. I removed it from my car as it really does not seem to offer much in terms of wind blockage. The windscreen in my CLK was wonderful - with it and the side windows raised, I could drive 100mph on the freeway and have just the slightest breeze at the top of my head, no wind in the cabin. On the SL, I feel like I get more lower cabin turbulence with the windscreen up that without it.
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Joined: Dec 2017
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From: Pacific Northwest
2011 SL550
Not in the R230. There is no fader control. It's just the way it is. My guess is that since it's only a 2-seater, they decided there was no reason to adjust front to rear sound levels. Personally, I don't have a problem with it - the system sounds just fine to me, but I am no "audiophile" and I have a bit of tinnitus, so I am not the best judge of sound quality. One thing I did notice is that with the windscreen in place, it does seem to block a lot of the sound from the rear speakers. I removed it from my car as it really does not seem to offer much in terms of wind blockage. The windscreen in my CLK was wonderful - with it and the side windows raised, I could drive 100mph on the freeway and have just the slightest breeze at the top of my head, no wind in the cabin. On the SL, I feel like I get more lower cabin turbulence with the windscreen up that without it.
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Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2017
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2009 SL 550 Silver Arrow
Rear speakers
I’ve only had my 2009 for a year. I find it hard to believe that in the 9 years , no one complained to MB! Even the owners manual shows a front rear balance . Seriously, it’s off to the dealer!!
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Rodney, I too have the 2011 SL550 and my windscreen significantly reduces the wind turbulence as it is demanded to be raised by my wife who spends an hour or so straightening her hair to get it just right. I'm 6' tall and with th screen up I feel a very slight wind on the very top of my head on the highway and almost nothing below 50mph. Are you like 6'4" or taller? 😉
I was 6'3, I think I'm down to 6'2" these days. Maybe it helps some, but it's nothing like the CLK's. Like I said, I could raise the windows and the windscreen in it and have ZERO turbulence in the cabin. On the SL, I actually get more turbulence lower in the cabin with the windscreen up. My wife won't ride int he SL, much less with the top down, so it's not an issue for her and her hair. I really don't notice much wind in my hair in the SL at all.
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In my COMAND manual, it states "The fader cannot be set on Roadster vehicles."
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2009 SL 550 Silver Arrow
C. Roadster command book.
Hi,
i couldnt find the roadater statement. My argument with mb will be that the system is not working as described in the owners manual and command guide. Both of mine point out the fader . There has got to be a software fix.
Jb
i couldnt find the roadater statement. My argument with mb will be that the system is not working as described in the owners manual and command guide. Both of mine point out the fader . There has got to be a software fix.
Jb
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Interesting. I was looking at the manual for my MY2011, which uses the same NTG 2.5 system as your MY2009, so I just downloaded the MY2009 COMAND manual (https://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/servi...owners_manuals). You are correct - your manual does not mention the "roadster" exclusion. I can tell you with 100% certainty that this is just an omission in your owner's manual and not a change in functionality.
Of course your manual also contains information about rear seat entertainment systems, yet the R230 has no rear seat. This is because the manual is for many different vehicles (E-CLS-SL-SLK-R-M-G-GL) that all use the same NTG 2.5 system. An interesting feature that NTG 2.5 has that was not implemented in the R230 (but is on others) is a backup camera. All that is needed is to install a camera, plug it into the back of the COMAND unit, and then activate it via SDS. It works great, but was never an option or even a dealer-authorized retrofit.
Of course your manual also contains information about rear seat entertainment systems, yet the R230 has no rear seat. This is because the manual is for many different vehicles (E-CLS-SL-SLK-R-M-G-GL) that all use the same NTG 2.5 system. An interesting feature that NTG 2.5 has that was not implemented in the R230 (but is on others) is a backup camera. All that is needed is to install a camera, plug it into the back of the COMAND unit, and then activate it via SDS. It works great, but was never an option or even a dealer-authorized retrofit.
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2009 SL 550 Silver Arrow
Thanks again
id love to talk with you. Feel free to call me at 786.337.0844. I am just frustrated with the lack of support from mb. They want me to bring the car in, pay for the diagnostic test so that they can tell me that the system is working properly. To have to pay for a secondary amp is just absurd.
Jb
Jb
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Forget taking it to the dealer. If there are no codes, they have no parts to swap. Unless you really do have an amp or wiring problem, i think it's working as it should. Try playing some MP3 music from a disc or iPod and make sure that "Logic 7" is selected. You should hear something from those rear speakers.
I think there are at least two of us on the forums that have added the backup camera. I know one guy bought a module from Mid City Engineering that also has a front camera input so he can watch for low curbs. Another guy used an RF modulated camera, which was much easier as it requires no long runs of wiring. I went with a hard-wired camera, which was "the hard way" because I had to run wire all through the tubular frame of the trunk lid. It works well. My biggest complaint is the delay between starting the engine and getting video - COMAND has too boot, then you get the lawyer's warning, then the video. It's nothing to do with the retrofit - the ML350 has a factory backup camera and the same NTG 2.5 COMAND and it's the same delay.
I think there are at least two of us on the forums that have added the backup camera. I know one guy bought a module from Mid City Engineering that also has a front camera input so he can watch for low curbs. Another guy used an RF modulated camera, which was much easier as it requires no long runs of wiring. I went with a hard-wired camera, which was "the hard way" because I had to run wire all through the tubular frame of the trunk lid. It works well. My biggest complaint is the delay between starting the engine and getting video - COMAND has too boot, then you get the lawyer's warning, then the video. It's nothing to do with the retrofit - the ML350 has a factory backup camera and the same NTG 2.5 COMAND and it's the same delay.
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 99
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From: Cayman Islands
SL65, Raptor SVT, Mustang Cobra SVT, Datsun 510, Mustang Mach-E GTPE, HD-Fat Boy, Triumph Rocket 3
Dang you guys!
Thanks for these tips....seems like Mid City Engineering has quite a few new toys for my car!
I know I shouldn't have clicked on the link until payday!
Remote Start
Front & Rear cameras
Video & NAV in motion
Motorized front license plate bracket
Radar integration
Thanks for these tips....seems like Mid City Engineering has quite a few new toys for my car!
I know I shouldn't have clicked on the link until payday!
Remote Start
Front & Rear cameras
Video & NAV in motion
Motorized front license plate bracket
Radar integration
Member
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 99
Likes: 17
From: Cayman Islands
SL65, Raptor SVT, Mustang Cobra SVT, Datsun 510, Mustang Mach-E GTPE, HD-Fat Boy, Triumph Rocket 3
More questions from the previous post....
Are these items something one can just purchase from the online vendor and install in your own driveway/garage or do you need to take the car into a dealer or Indy to plug into the car system and update the program and also possibly add the functionality to your OEM key fob for the items that can operate from it? Thx.
Remote Start
Front & Rear cameras
Video & NAV in motion
Motorized front license plate bracket
Radar integration
Are these items something one can just purchase from the online vendor and install in your own driveway/garage or do you need to take the car into a dealer or Indy to plug into the car system and update the program and also possibly add the functionality to your OEM key fob for the items that can operate from it? Thx.
Remote Start
Front & Rear cameras
Video & NAV in motion
Motorized front license plate bracket
Radar integration
Last edited by GoFastr; Aug 31, 2018 at 05:13 PM.
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Posts: 10,782
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I can speak from experience on the SmartTop and rear camera to the NTG2.5 COMAND. The easiest is the SmartTop. It wires into the rear fuse panel, behind the passenger seat. If you can work with wiring harnesses and follow instructions, it's fairly simple. The backup camera is a bit more challenging as you'll have to remove trim in the trunk to mount the camera, and trim in the center stack to remove the radio. Is you are going to use a hardwired camera, then running the wire through the body and through the tubular frame in the trunk is a bit of a challenge. You will need the COMAND coded to enable the camera. If you go with the "Video in Motion" module from MidCity Engineering, then no coding is needed (and should not be done, either)
