Stereo Mods
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 186
Likes: 2
From: Orange County, CA
2006 E55 AMG
Stereo Mods
Folks, one thing that seems to come up pretty often in various posts and the overall lack of enthusiasm towards the Harmon Kardon sound system. I just purchased my ride about a month ago and think that a few well placed upgrades could probably have this thing signing pretty nice. As with most stock systems it is missing the hard hitting lows and the highs don't have a lot of clarity. What have you guys done out there as far as modding the audio? Any websites dedicated to this?
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 333
Likes: 0
From: Berkeley, California
2005 E55, Renntech Pulley, ECU
Ya, there are ways to improve the stereo. There was a group buy a while back, maybe a year, to have a top shop do the upgrades at a great price considering the results. I regret not having done the group buy but will definitely be making stereo upgrades in the next month or two. I'll post pics and describe the parts used...
Skeeter
Skeeter
Super Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 648
Likes: 1
From: Chicago, IL
'08 S65, '04 Range Rover(The House), '06 Lexus GS 300(Wifey's), '02 Sea Ray 360 Sundancer
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,087
Likes: 1
From: Central FL
2006 E55
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,346
Likes: 14
From: North/Central NJ
GLC 63 S AMG / Corvette C8 / Jaguar SVR
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,087
Likes: 1
From: Central FL
2006 E55
Mines is all tied in to the COMAND. It's a simple setup with 2 JL Audio amps, Focal K2Power speakers front & rear and the 2 JL subs. The speakers drop right in to the factory locations in the doors, everything comes out nice & easy at the end of my lease. A decent system for a leased car and blows away the factory H/K crap. The Focal speakers sound amazing, and bass is totally ridiculous. I won't win any awards, but it is more than adequate for my needs.
Trending Topics
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes Teases Updated EQS With Steer-By-Wire and a Yoke
Verdad Gallardo
8 Mercedes Models With Poor Reliability Records
Verdad Gallardo
Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
2004 E55
Mines is all tied in to the COMAND. It's a simple setup with 2 JL Audio amps, Focal K2Power speakers front & rear and the 2 JL subs. The speakers drop right in to the factory locations in the doors, everything comes out nice & easy at the end of my lease. A decent system for a leased car and blows away the factory H/K crap. The Focal speakers sound amazing, and bass is totally ridiculous. I won't win any awards, but it is more than adequate for my needs.
Anyone know what size speakers we have? Crutchfield says 6 3/4 inch for the front and rears but also says that we have a bose system rather than an HK. Also, what size subs fit back there in the factory location with little modification?
For the Focals, do the tweeters fit in the factory location?
Thanks.
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
From: NJ
.
6.5" speakers fit just fine in these cars. I recently did my CLS with Alpine type R's with Alpine amp and added 2 JL subs with a Rockford amp. This sounded pretty good, but then I added an Alpine 650 sound processor and it makes a huge difference. I would definately recommend cleaning up the factory outputs with a sound processor when doing an upgrade, the sound difference is night and day.
I'm happy with my sound and it satisfies my day to day needs, once again not on competition caliber, but alot louder and cleaner that stock
I'm happy with my sound and it satisfies my day to day needs, once again not on competition caliber, but alot louder and cleaner that stock
Last edited by nJuDunno; Oct 9, 2008 at 11:59 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 3
From: Philly
997TT, C192 GT63, W464 G550, MS Plaid
Anyone know what size speakers we have? Crutchfield says 6 3/4 inch for the front and rears but also says that we have a bose system rather than an HK. Also, what size subs fit back there in the factory location with little modification?
For the Focals, do the tweeters fit in the factory location?
Thanks.
For the Focals, do the tweeters fit in the factory location?
Thanks.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 186
Likes: 2
From: Orange County, CA
2006 E55 AMG
I am looking to keep costs down so here's what I'm getting so far from this thread... 1. New amp needed (always)2. New speakers in factory locations (got it)3. New sub... change location to trunk (questions outstanding on this)4. For optimal sound, new sound processor (I'll price it out)5. Leave COMAND in place (good... I hate messing with head units)As you can see I have a question regarding the sub. I used to have a BMW 740i and no matter the size of the sub, I couldn't get any bass through to the cabin. Basically, it was a waste of time/money. Do sub trunk solutions work well in the E211 like they would any other car? The reason I ask this is because my prior installer mentioned both Bimmers and Benzos as candidates for alternate solutions to the traditional sub trunk location.Thanks for the help so far everybody!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 3
From: Philly
997TT, C192 GT63, W464 G550, MS Plaid
if you look at the back seat of the car from the inside behind the cover you will see solid metal which should give you a clue about how much sound will go through. when you remove your stock sub that will create an opening from the trunk to the inside cabin which will help sound travel. i have not installed my setup yet but i will defiently post when it is done. i am waiting on my dash kit to come in...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,087
Likes: 1
From: Central FL
2006 E55
The factory sub (remove immediately) leaves a nice cutout opening for plenty of bass to enter the cabin. Believe me, the opening is adequate, unless you want to start cutting. Get lots of DynaMat to squash most/all the rattling from the rear deck.
Have you heard of JL Audio's CleanSweep? It integrates aftermarket components to factory head units nicey nicey, I highly recommend it.
Check out the sick custom subwoofer install in AMGfan's E55. Amazing attention to detail on this dude's car.
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/253605-beast-pieces-cosmetic-audio-surgery.html
Have you heard of JL Audio's CleanSweep? It integrates aftermarket components to factory head units nicey nicey, I highly recommend it.
Check out the sick custom subwoofer install in AMGfan's E55. Amazing attention to detail on this dude's car.
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/253605-beast-pieces-cosmetic-audio-surgery.html
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Irvine, CA
E350
Torquey: that is the exact kind of system we do in the benzes, love the focal's, would go with audison amps instead of the JL's (much cleaner) but i would never touch the Cleansweep (POS IMO), the audiocontrol LC8 is sufficient and you can use that in conjunction with the EQS, definitely cut signal to the center channel. That speaker is facing you, and it's mighty annoying.
This is an ideal system (BEST):
Focal 165 KPS - $750
Focal 165 VR (Rear) - $450
Audison LRX 5.1K (best 5 channel amp ever made) - $1075
RE Audio SE12D4 - $240
LC8 - $220
Custom Box/wiring/labor/husmat (way better than dynamat) - $850
TOTAL - $3585.
This is a Very Good System (BETTER):
Focal 165VR - $450
Focal 165V1 - $300
Audison LRX 6.9 (great 6 channel amp) $750
JL Audio 12W3v3 - $175
LC8 - $220
Box/wiring/labor - $500
TOTAL - $ 2395
Will sound amazing, guaranteed. Any high end shop should be able to do either install with ease.
This is an ideal system (BEST):
Focal 165 KPS - $750
Focal 165 VR (Rear) - $450
Audison LRX 5.1K (best 5 channel amp ever made) - $1075
RE Audio SE12D4 - $240
LC8 - $220
Custom Box/wiring/labor/husmat (way better than dynamat) - $850
TOTAL - $3585.
This is a Very Good System (BETTER):
Focal 165VR - $450
Focal 165V1 - $300
Audison LRX 6.9 (great 6 channel amp) $750
JL Audio 12W3v3 - $175
LC8 - $220
Box/wiring/labor - $500
TOTAL - $ 2395
Will sound amazing, guaranteed. Any high end shop should be able to do either install with ease.
Last edited by jaygoldstar; Nov 3, 2008 at 03:11 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,278
Likes: 3
From: Livingston NJ
C63, Grigio Medio E46 M3
I have added a sub to my system, but i cant for the life of me figure out how to remove the HK sub.. Any DIY for this? Also, i have a JL Cleansweep 4sale if any one needs it. PM me
Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: Wilmington, NC
I can tell you more about the Cleansweep.. don't buy it. Get a Rockford Fosgate 3sixty.2 instead.
The Cleansweep is a "dumb" processor. You use the same factory bass/treble controls to adjust your sound, which in every situation, is completely inadequate for an aftermarket upgrade.
The 3sixty.2 allows you to connect your Palm/Windows mobile phone and/or Bluetooth PC to the processor, and adjust 130+ bands of EQ, and save multiple profiles. You can adjust attenuation, balance, fader, sub levels, crossover slopes, crossover frequencies, etc. Technically you can run your amps at full range and let the 3sixty.2 do all of the work.
There is absolutely no comparison in the Cleansweep and 3sixty.2. It's worth every extra penny you'll spend on it if you're an audiophile. I integrated it into my RS4, kept the stock head unit, and it sounds better than any aftermarket system I've installed in any of my cars.
Good luck.
B
The Cleansweep is a "dumb" processor. You use the same factory bass/treble controls to adjust your sound, which in every situation, is completely inadequate for an aftermarket upgrade.
The 3sixty.2 allows you to connect your Palm/Windows mobile phone and/or Bluetooth PC to the processor, and adjust 130+ bands of EQ, and save multiple profiles. You can adjust attenuation, balance, fader, sub levels, crossover slopes, crossover frequencies, etc. Technically you can run your amps at full range and let the 3sixty.2 do all of the work.
There is absolutely no comparison in the Cleansweep and 3sixty.2. It's worth every extra penny you'll spend on it if you're an audiophile. I integrated it into my RS4, kept the stock head unit, and it sounds better than any aftermarket system I've installed in any of my cars.
Good luck.
B
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Irvine, CA
E350
Still a fan of going with the analog stuff, audiocontrol LC8 with an EQS. easy, works well. If you have the patience, the 3sixty.2 works well. Just a pain in the a$$ with a palm, gotta use a bluetooth laptop.
