abrim

I'm installing a sound system into my e55 and just trying to debate on what head unit to use?

I absolutely love the DNX9140 (I have installed that in my other cars) but think it might look a bit out of place in the mercedes though. I have been reading about the dynavin mbe but dont know what the quality would be like on the unit and the preamps. I was also thinking about using the stock COMAND unit. Does anyone have any advice they could possibly give me?

I will be running the head unit with this setup:

Focal KRX3 up front
Focal KRX2 in the rear
JL audio 13TW5 on the rear bench with custom made box on trunk roof
JL audio 750/1 driving the 13TW5
JL audio 600/4 driving the KRX3 to allow individual control of 6&1/2 and 3"/1"
JL audio 600/4 driving the KRX2 in the rear

Any advice would be appreciated, thank you

HIGHMILE E55

The Comand unit looks best for the car, of course.. but I still hate the fact that you cant put a house number on the street address using the OEM Comand Navigation.

I ran across this one .. http://www.incartronics.com/MBMost.h...ss=G/GLK&VIM=1

Scroll down to OEM REPLACEMENT NAV / AUDIO / BLUETOOTH / VIDEO


Has anyone heard of or tried this?

abrim

That's the dynavin unit I was talking about. It looks amazing and is touchscreen too.

http://www.dynavin.com/products/product_dnv_mbe.php

grantwoodtx

Unless they've updated the specs it's not CANBUS compatible and therefore you'll loose the ability to control the unit via the steering wheel controls. I had heard they were working on a CANBUS compatible unit.

tzenri

Cartronics selling for $2,299! I thought these Dynavin were going for $799 WTF?

Based on some previous posts you actually do not lose the use of volume and track control but if you replace the stock Comand unit say good bye to, MOST connection, parking sensor audio, service reminder, and instrument cluster info. The Cartronics one states that this is not the case so I'm wondering if it's been updated. Let us know what you find.

Sher Judge

6 digit keypad, ?

loungn14

I replaced the stocker with a pioneer avic unit. Its been fine, no loss of functionality...

pullejo

Not a keypad - those 6 buttons would be for preset and magazine selection.

It's a touch screen so when you need the keypad...viola...you have these magical buttons that appear on a screen and when you touch them, somehow it works!

HIGHMILE E55

Heres a youtube of one installed.... The Steering wheel controls do seem to work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynYf0NmAkf8

Looks very promising! With it being Windows CE based, lots of other things you can do to it too...

Sher Judge

Thanks

grantwoodtx

If you have to wait for the NAV app to load everytime you'll be lost before you can even find out where you are....

AMGfan

I love Kenwood Excelon units...here are pics after conversion to piano black interior:

X2Board

That Dyanvin unit looks promising. It may be a nice replacement for the Euro COMAND.

AMG_RL

AMGFan did you have any issues with the install? I was planning on doing something similar to this after seeing your thread and was wondering how much of a PITA this unit would be to install. BTW your car is ABSOLUTELY stunning and single handily made me sell my STi and pick up an E55

abrim

Damn that looks amazing! Is that piano black trim available to buy from Mercedes? I love it! Also do you have a link to your build thread? I would love to check it out! How is the headunit treating you in the car? Any problems?

Thanks!

AMGfan

The install was pretty straight forward...the main issue was getting the faceplate fit properly. Luckily my install guy is great with a wood, fiberglass, and ABS. Once I switched the interior to piano black lacquer finish (clear coated), the look was spot on. The OEM wood was harder to match but it was pretty darn close.

And now I believe their is a module that will allow some functionality with the steering wheel controls...at the time of the install (about 3 years now) there wasn't one. I still may add it now but I really don't mind using the HU controls.

PS Here is the interior with the new steering wheel to match the interior.

AMGfan

I believe piano black is a special order (Designo?)...but it is just easier and less expensive to have all the trim pieces painted. It really isn't that expensive relative to getting all new pieces from Mercedes.

The Kenwood 8120 in the E55 has been fantastic...no problems and no electronic glitches. Garmin nav is simple stupid to use. The EQ, crossover, and spatial adjustments on the HU makes it very flexible and allows a lot of tuning options from 1 unit. I have the 8120 in the SL65 and the 9960 in the Suburban...all great head units.

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...-lot-pics.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...o-surgery.html

abrim

Thanks for such a quick response, I really appreciate it!

I absolutely love the Kenwood units, and would ideally like to use them in the merc. I think that is the route I am going to go down after seeing your build! I bet it sounds phenomenal! How hard was the headliner to do black? I was going to do that as soon as I got the car, but then realized I would have to do all the pano sliding pieces, both sets of 2 visors, the rear view mirror and all the handles and everything black for it to look any good. Did you do all of those pieces too?

I think I am going to do the piano black also, I just love the insanely clean look of it. Its understated yet bold!

Thanks again for your help

MrKool

so nobody has installed the dynavin yet?

AMGfan

I got all the pieces done plus the trunk...I believe only a diehard would know the difference. My wife still doesn't know I had it done...Here are the pics (the alcantara is much darker the flash kind of washes out the pics)...

abrim

that looks absolutely incredible! I just read through your entire build thread and wow! what an amazing amount of work you had done! I can only hope mine will be half as good as that!

How did you dye all the grey ceiling pieces? I don't know what kind of dye would adhere to plastic like that and not look flakey. It looks absolutely perfect in your car, and i love the french stitching on the "holy **** handles".

Do you possible have any close-ups of the headunit installed, I want something to be able to show my builder and those ones are a little zoomed out. No worries if you don't, just wanted to check it out!

Thanks again

AMGfan

Abrim...the only real closeups I have are from the first build thread I posted above. I really don't have any closeups of the head unit without the faceplate.

Jon

abrim

didn't see the first build thread, sorry about that! that was exactly what I was looking for! Looks so incredibly clean!

Sorry again about that! Thank you

abrim

That steering wheel is incredible! where did you get that? Was it pretty easy to replace? Do you retain the center airbag etc?

Thanks again

AMGfan

The steering wheel was made by DCT Motorsports (sponsor here). They do great work...the air bag is retained only the outside core is worked on and it takes about 10-15min to replace.

Jon