NateDawg

Time to install my stereo system

Well I put down my deposit for my stereo upgrade. Will drop off the SLK with the installers on the 10th and hopefully get back the car on the 15th. Benchmark Motoring in Bellevue, WA (suburb of Seattle) will do the install.

Background - I've had stereos systems installed in all my cars/trucks. However, my normal installer left town, and so I found myself looking for a new installer in Seattle. WAS NOT EASY. Amazingly, there aren't a plethora of high-end shops in Sea-town. Yes you got car toys and best buy and the big chains, but I ain't dropping my car off with those folks.

The Benz dealership referred me to Benchmark. They seem like good guys and it is a professional shop. I felt good when I walked through their garage and shop and saw (1) CLS 55 AMG, (2) SL 55 AMG, (3) Ferrari (430?), and (4) 911 Twin Turbo. I talked to the sales guy and he seemed to know what he was doing after I grilled him. The garage looked clean and professional, and no 13 year olds working on the cars. The downside is that it is expense ($65/hour and premium pricing on parts). But hey, I guess you get what you pay for....

So the system:

1 JL Audio 10w7 - Will go in ported box in trunk (see pic)

Pair of Focal 6.5" K2Ps - Doors

1 JL Audio 300/2 Amp - will power the Focal doors speakers

1 JL Audio 500/1 - will power the 10w7

JL Audio Clean Sweep - signal processor from factory deck to amps

Audio Control LC6 Output Converter

Monster cabling, Cascade Vinyl Dampening for doors, Custom Amp Rack

They quoted me 29.5 hours of labor, which I thought was high, but oh well.

I will be posting pics and let folks now how it goes. I already have the 10w7 in the ported box. Pic below.

I think this system will turn out pretty good with my six disc cd changer and ipod kit. I’m worried the trunk will significantly dampen the bass when the top is down, but I’ll just try it out and see how it goes. The 10w7 ROCKED my huge truck, so I’m hopefully it adds some good bass to my slk.

FYI pics will come. I’m giving the installers my camera

CDP

Damn - This is going to me a REALLY good system.

I was looking into the 10W7 recently but then changed my mind and went the 12" W6V2 but now I'm going dual Alpines. I don't have the funds for JL's anymore.

Anyways - Keep everyone updated. I would like to see how this system looks and your thoughts when you get your car back.

SLK55R

Sounds like a great set up ... I had a similar one in my G35.

One thing I noticed with the Focals is that they sounded great in the G35 but crappy in the RX-8.

Please post some pics ... would love to see it in a SLK.

Vader55

That will kill ! I have the JL Audio 500-1 pushing Diamond 2-12's > trunk & a JL 300-4 pushing all mb quart inside.

ps. The w-7 and focal are the right choice

NateDawg

Update:

Dropped off my car yesterday. Couple new developments:

1) Added a JL Audio Remote Bass controller.

2) Good news - I found out I don't need clean sweep or the audio control LC6. This surprised me, but they say they have a work-around that does not compromise performance.

3) Bad news - the Focal K2Ps won't fit in the doors (without extensive modifications). I was pretty dissapointed to hear this, because I really liked the focals. Also, my installer doesn't have a great selection of component speakers (other than focals). Therefore I ended up getting Boston Accoustic Pro60s. I was somewhat hesitant to get BAs, but after during some research, the consensus is they are pretty good speakers. I have listed to them and liked them - but they are a little bright. However, with the 10w7 in the back I think it should turn out pretty good.

On a related note, I saved a ton of money by not needing the clean sweep and LC6. Also, the Boston Accoustics are $380 cheaper than the Focals. Now my installer is trying to pitch an SRX front/back radar detector. Thoughts? He says parts and labor will be $2200 plus tax (1500 for the system, $700 for labor). That seems kinda epxensive.

Any thoughts on the SRX? Should I get it? I have some money to play with due to the fact that I saved money in other places.

bloflin

Are sure you heard him right? Does he not think you know about the internet?

Go to Escort's site ( www.passportsr1.com) .

The LIST price INSTALLED is $1500. You should be able to do much better with someone you are already spending $$ with.

You can buy it many places on ebay (from real ebay stores, not individual sellers) for $700-800. That includes their profit. Installation does usually run $400 to $700.

It's a great detector see Radar Busters . Top rating.

NateDawg

Yea, I thought that was high, especially after surfing the net and checking prices.

I told him no on the SRX. I'm 34 year years old, and I've NEVER had a speeding ticket. Therefore I don't even think I'd get alot of value out of a detector.

The one thing I don't like about my new shop is pricing. I told them when I walked in that I'm not some multi-millionaire who is not price sensitive. I wasn't very pleased with the high price quote on the radar.

With that said, I went to the shop and saw my car and talked with the guys working on my car. They seemed very knowledgable. I was also happy to learn that I won't need clean-sweep and auto control box. Saved me about 1K in parts and labor.

Another change as well. I changed from 300/2 to the 300/4 amp. Will give me more control of the mids and tweets.

NateDawg

I picked up my car - and it sounds great!! I have a ton of pictures. I'll post some here, and feel free to check out my CarDomain profile (linked below) for more in the next few days.

Some observations:

The bass when the top is closed is block shattering and mind boggling! . The 500/1 kicks the 10w7 hard as @##$@. When the top is down, the bass is cut back significantly (40% or so), but it still kicks pretty good. I was pleasantly surprised with the bass response.

The Boston Acoustics sound great as well. And with the 300/4 pushing them, the system gets LOUD.

The installation was very clean.

Ok..the pics:



Back of the Boston Pro60s



Bracket for the Amp Rack. Bolted into FACTORY holes (i.e., no drilling of new holes)



Boston Pro60s in my door



Component Crossovers.

more pics coming...

NateDawg

More pics



The amps in their magnificant glory!



Thumb latch so that I can remove the sub fairly easily.



Full trunk shot

Billyonaire

The standard setup in the SLK includes a 3-way system in each door plus a center channel...Are the BA's 3-way also? Because it only looks like there is a woofer and a mid-range to replace the stock's system. Did you keep the stock tweeters, or did the BA's come with a woofer and tweeter and that is the stock mid-range? And also does the center channel still work?

NateDawg

I had the upgraded 12(?) speaker HK system. All the stock speakers which weren't replaced still work, but honestly, they don't provide much because the Pro60s and 10w7 fill the cabin..

The Pro60s is comprised of a 6.5" woofer and tweeter. I believe that is the stock 2" next to the 6.5", but I'll confirm.

Billyonaire

Yeah, I don't think filling the cabin will be an issue at all with any type of aftermarket upgrade, so it would be especially true with your good choice of speakers. I was just wondering because of the crossover setup and how the frequencies are split between the 3 speakers. And I believe if you got the Harmon system, it has 11 total speakers...3-way setup in each door, centerfill speaker, and 4 total behind your seats for surround fill.
The reason I was asking was because if that is indeed the stock 2.5" right next to the BA 6.5", it's not receiving any juice from the JL amp, right? Would that mean that your upper midrange will be under powered since all the power from the JL amp is going to the 6.5" and the tweeter? Gotta also take into consideration that it will drown out the fill that is received from your rear 4 speakers as well as the center chanel in your dash. I guess what I'm wondering is that in order to get the proper (balanced) soundstage that was intended by the power distribution of the stock system, 7 of the 11 speakers would have to be turned up in order to keep up with your Boston components, since those are the only ones powered by the aftermarket amp...This would in theory create unbalanced sound because basically half the system has to work harder to keep up with the Bostons, so they will distort more. Think of it like a home theater setup where the speaker sizes and power vary too greatly from one another...and if you have a helicopter sound flying from left to right, it will change sounds as it passes from the left to middle to right channel.
So I wonder if your sound QUALITY will improve if you simply only run your components plus the Sub....but you'd be losing much of the soundstage and surround effect.
Yet, if you kept all the speakers in play, you are losing a bit of quality because of that power issue, but you're getting much much better surround fill because you'd have 7 extra speakers playing.
Or maybe I'm just getting too into it...I'm a huge audiophile, so your upgrade is extremely interesting to me and you seem like you know what you're doing...let me know if I'm asking too many questions, but I'm just so interested.

Vader55

I have my amps mounted the same way as you.. For me it is pain in the A$$ to play around with the adjustments face down and upside down.. So I mounted my 300-4 and 500-1 sideways.

NateDawg

The 300/4 only powers the BA tweets and mids. No extra juice for the remaining stock speakers. Honestly, the BA and sub completely drowns out the stock, but overall, the sound quality is pretty good. I haven't played around with the deck settings much (for example, choose Surround Logic over Standard), so with some tinkering I might get different results.

Billyonaire

So they do drown out the rest, huh? That's what I was thinking. Well hey, as long as it sounds great, you've got nothing to complain about.

koreanpers

NateDawg

i live in the midwest..and the shop i take stuff too has NEVER installed anything in an S class. They dont know where to start. They do Really good work, so i'm sure if they had directions my guy there can do it. They already custom installed my 12w7 and the remote bass controller and it really sounds good. They cut out the rear deck and mounted right to the rear deck so the port and the sub fire right into the cabin. I get no trunk rattle at all.

I just want my IVA-d900 to get installed...so bad. Is there anyway i could get the number to your install shop and they could possibly talk to my installer?