moekuan

Does anyone have any impressions on the upgraded Harman Kardon Logic 7 11 speaker system? Where are the speakers located? Is there a dedicated sub woofer? From interior pix of SLKs, I can only come up with 8 visible locations.

Felix

here is a picture where the 11speakers are located:





i don´t know about the size and where the subs are placed, sorry.


EDIT:
here is a better one:
http://www.mbslk.de/modules/4nAlbum/...de8d48fab4.jpg

moekuan

Thanks for the info.

I have a 12 speaker Harman/Kardon setup (non-Logic 7) in my 2000 BMW 323i and have enjoyed it for years. It has two powered subwoofers in the trunk which added strong bass when called for. I hope the 11-speaker system in my upcoming SLK 55 will be just as good, even without a dedicated subwoofer. January cannot come fast enough!

jono_2000

specced hk with command.

the sounds good, epecially with the surround option.
actually its seriously good for dvd's, possibly better than my domestic dvd player...

there isnt much processing adjustment - either on or off.

haven't tried the mp3 capability yet either.

there are small speakers at the top of the armrest bit although if i had complaint - it would be that the sound centre seems too low, i'd like to lift it up a foot of so, if you see what i mean.

the bass is strong enough to make your legs and trousers vibrate. (is that a measure of quality?? )

once after turning up the vol to test it out the passenger speaker subsequently sounded buzzy and sibilant as if they weren't correctly seated or the grilles were loose, so i gently pushed on the speaker grille and it stopped doing it...

i';ve only had the damn thing 1000 miles so i'm just getting used to all the features, (such as bluetooth, tmc, the universal phone cradle and other "comming soon" features my dealer has promised to get to me...)

does this help?

moekuan

Helps a lot! Thanks for the info!!

SLK55_AMG

thank you felix

SLKinNJ

So would the standard 9 speaker setup be missing just the ones in the rear near the side doors? Is there an appreciable difference in tonal quality and stage which would make the entertainment package a must get?

dosers

Big difference. THey are actually different speakers altogether (not all of them, some of the high-tonal are the same), the amp is different, obviously the processing is different (the standard has no audio processing). I have used both and driven with both top up and down; the standard is no worse that any other stock 'radio', but the difference, IF you compare is quite something. Check it out yourself at the dealer I'd say....

Teufel

Unfortunately there are no subs, just one woofer in each door for bass. Bad idea! Soon or later there will be rattling noises coming from the doors. That is why I will (somehow?) put a sub in my SLK55 to take the pressure of low bass from the woofers (the doors).

SLK55_AMG

11 speakers damn , a mobile disco

jikjak

no subs at all?
that kinda sux.

hey kool, yer from vancouver too.
wat color slk are u ordering?

SLK55_AMG

there is a subwoofer check this out from mbusa

"
2005 Packages
420 Entertainment Package
What could be more in tune with the times than your favorite music? The harman/kardon Logic7 premium sound system specially designed for the SLK-Class "listens" to the sound in the cabin and compensates for unwanted noise automatically.

Its 11 speaker, 380 watt system includes dual surround speakers and a subwoofer. The system features multichannel digital surround-sound technology developed for the professional recording industry, to provide a natural and realistic sound stage. Digital Dynamic Volume Control helps preserve the sound balance under all driving conditions.

An integrated single-feed 6 disk CD changer fits neatly into your glove box and enables you to listen to your favorite CDs on this premium entertainment system. Finally, a large color-LCD screen on the COMAND system provides crisp, clear displays for the radio and CD changer. "

SLK55_AMG

hey dude there is a subwoofer ! i love the Logic 7 , tried the standard, the factory setting and the Logic 7 ,,, in the c55 ... superbbbbbbbbbbbbb

Teufel

I really hope there is some kind of dedicated subwoofer(s) to handle the bass. But from all the pictures and reports, my understanding is that there are only woofers in the doors to handle the bass (for US and Canada). Just look at Felix reply to this Thread. Where is (are) the subwoofer(s) on that picture? The rear four speakers are too small to be subs. The dash three speakers are too small as well. That leaves us with four woofers in the doors. That is a bad location for subs, rattling noise, bad acoustic, besides there's not enough depth!



But you know what, we should ask Doser. He seems to have all the answers!

SLK55_AMG

we should ask doser then , paid $682.50 for the sound system i dont think it will sux, i tried it on the c55, max volume and it was pretty sharp, crisp and crystal clear hehe p.s. euro spec. (my slk 55 too)

dosers

Not all answers, at all :-)
But, I can answer this one ;-)

There is a subwoofer, in fact there are 2, but they aren't what most of us would consider super high-end units. The subwoofers (they are truly dedicated and are only addressed with sound of 120khz and lower) are on each SIDE of the car; in the doors to be exact. If you look at the inside of the car, you will see 3 speakers on each side (plus a center speaker in the console, two side surrounds and 2 rear surrounds). The 'rear-most of these 3 speakers (also the largest) is the subwoofer (on either side).
The side order is (from front to back) Front Tweeters, Front Transducers and then the subwoofers.

Now, for my OPINION: :-) It does sounds fantastic. The Bass is really, really good, the high frequencies are extremely clear, and this is, as a whole, one of the best STOCK car hi-fi's I know (much better than on my 99 911 - which I bought with the high-end sound option at the time).

ONly caveat: Just like on my current car; I can almost 'feel' the covers to start rattling after a few months. The construction of the grill is very similar.

Now, does all of this come close to a really good after-market (or home) subwoofer? No - but with the roof closed especially, on such an enclosed space, it's very nice.
I haven't 'driven' with the 320 stereo yet (only tried it while stationary), but I'll be back in Germany in 3 weeks and will rent a 350 with the upgraded stereo for a few days (no-one rents the AMG as far as I know ;-) ). If my opinion changes, I'll let you know.

By the way - if I had ALL the answers, I'd know when mine arrives - which I don't ;-) Looks like they are giving each dealer in the US at most 1 allocation a month...

Cheers,
Daniel

dosers

PS, the subwoofer are also the largest speakers, at 200mm each, at 2x70Watts.
d

SLK55_AMG

yeahhhhhhhhhhh i was right vroooooooooooooooom!

Teufel

I was right; you'll got all the answers. But don't push it; I didn't say you had a crystal ball!

I thought there was a woofer (not a subwoofer) in each door. But in any case the result is the same: RATTLING RATTLING RATTLING! Although, I doubt they go any lower than 60 Hz. You did mean 120 Hz and lower and not 120 Khz and lower? That's dolphin territory!

I am looking into adding some kind of subwoofer to this system for mid-low bass (under 100 Hz?) to take the pressure of the (sub) woofers in the doors.

I have no doubt that it sounds fantastic. Besides, no one buys a car just based on the sound system performance!

dosers

:-) Yes, 120hz. I am not sure how low they are rated, and the 120 is the official cut-off (i.e. the crossover the amp is set in the Logic7 system) as per their spec. In reality, I didn't have a good way of measuring it, obviously ;-)

I could try to get a test CD with test noice and see how low the thing goes ;-)


Best,
Dan

SLK55_AMG

you are the guru of sound systems.

Teufel

Yesterday, I was at the Seattle Auto Show. I was there last two years as well. Their Auto Show is almost as good as Detroit's! Vancouver's Auto Show sucks big time. Anyway, I had a chance to analyze a SLK350 for almost an hour! I was not impressed with the HK system at all! But I tested it with the radio; I need a good quality CD to be absolutely sure.

There were other glitches too. The small side rectangular windows don't go down all the way. They stick out about two inches, very ugly! The cruise control arm RUINS the two beautiful round dash instrument panel. They are right in your sight! The seating position was even lower than corvette! You don't see the corners of the car at all! By the way the new Corvette is a piece of junk! The antenna was really ugly! The quality of the dash and door material were just average! No where near the SL class, not even within a mile! The speaker grills are very loose, rattling for sure!

On the plus side, way too many! It looks almost as good as a SLR! Plenty of leg, head, hip, arm... room! Great seats. Beautiful interior! Top notch build quality! Solid as a rock! The doors are like 10" thick!...

I took like 120 pictures of the entire Auto Show. I will post them soon.

Artichoke

has nary a rattle, providing the passenger seat is in its lowest position
I love the sound system in the car which still ROCKS & I loves to play it loud
need to find a means of getting Bluetooth to allow it to integrate with my Veer
great sound system on the Veer

Belga

I am an opinionated Sound Engineer...

The purpose of a “stereo” system is to reproduce faithfully the sound or timbre of the original recorded instruments. I think this statement is not debatable.

The problem lies that since the era of digital sound, super compressed audio files, many of us don't remember what the original instrument should sound like. How many of us have stand next to a violin player ?
This is jut a modern phenomena and could also apply to “how many of us do remember what REAL milk tastes like?

So is the quality subject to taste? Not really if we take into consideration my first statement.

Then why do people prefer one system over another?
There is big difference in what sounds better to your ear than what sounds more realistic.
Quite easily explained as follows:

It's a cloudy day and I give you a pair of sunglasses.
Wow, suddenly the sky looks better and warmer!
Some might find blue colored glasses better, some might prefer amber ones.
Now I give you plain glasses, and the sky looks ****ty again.
Yes indeed, the sky looks worse BUT REALSISTIC.
Nobody disagrees that putting on sunglasses colors the sky?

So hopefully, you get my point.
In a nutshell all these DSP effects (like Logic 7) might make the music sound warmer or maybe more enjoyable to YOUR ears but they distort realism in one way or another.

My opinion on the Harman Kardon upgrade:
The sound isn't bad but definitely not worth the money.
What does it sound like?
Frequency is fairly flat, bass is kinda OK and dry but it “ain't gonna blow you out of your seat”.
The advertised “10 million watt” system lacks dynamics.

The Logic 7 is supposed to give you a 3 dimensional concert like experience?
Bull... When you go to a concert you don't sit on the drummers lap!
It sounds like: "you hear it here, you hear it there, you here it everywhere" but you can't pinpoint where the instrument is coming from.
Almost like the guitarist is sitting on a Kangaroo and hopping around on stage.
In fact I find it very disturbing that some of the stage sounds come from behind you.
PEEKABOO !!!

In a nutshell:
If you like to wear pink sunglasses then go for it.
I just wished that Mercedes would have put some more emphasis on having a system with a tauter bass reproduction, grilles that don't rattle, and a center speaker which doesn't blow than this very expensive “cool” effect, called Logic 7