I've been looking around the forums for answers to get bluetooth audio installed in an E55. I have a 2006 E55 and am looking to get good bluetooth audio through the cigarette lighter. I've read that a lot of FM transmitters get a lot of static and don't work well. Has anybody found a working method to get quality bluetooth audio through the cigarette lighter and what parts did you use?

 

Yea I bought one of these that plugs into the aux jack in the glovebox. Stream music from phone via Bluetooth exactly what you want. Has 2 rca (left and right) channel output from the Bluetooth receiver that goes to a single I think 2.5mm jack if I recall into the aux connection input in the glove box... https://www.logitech.com/en-za/produ...-audio-adapter

This is an example of the many different Bluetooth adapters you can select from.

 

if you have an aux input located in your glove box i'd recommend a bluetooth usb powered aux adapter. i spent upwards of 500 dollars to retrofit an iPod interface, then bluetooth dongle to plug into the iPod connector on the interface kit.

 

Which kit did you buy?

 

i replaced the entire system, using enfig's non-most kit. spent $100 having a shop run RCAs/remote/antenna wire to the trunk for me, and did the rest myself. the system is leaps and bounds better than factory system. you lose the dash integration, but i kept steering wheels controls, and couldnt be happier with the system.

wiring: $100
enfig kit: $130
deck: $300
amps: $350
sub/box: $350

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this is the only way i would recommend doing it. the lapower thread is full of people having nothing but issues, same with the android heat unit threads. most of the cheap bluetooth adapters are crap IMO.

do it once, do it right

 

I do not have the aux jack in my glovebox unfortunately, which is why I was hoping to find something compatible with the cigarette lighter. Thank you for your input!

 

https://www.commandonline.co.uk/

Here you could buy some different options. I like the unit which replaces the cd changer. You keep stock system and get full Bluetooth with steering wheel controls.

 

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...adapter-6.html

 

I bought a dongle on amazon for like 12 bucks that plugs into the AUX and then connects to your phone via Bluetooth. Has worked very well. It's the Tau-tronics

 

I second this. The La power module is hands down the best option for the cost IMO. Especially since you dont have AUX. If you have the old iPod hookups, I think there may be other options out there for that but not 100% as I have aux.

Its plug and play and connects to my phone and starts playing music immediately when I start the car.

Some of the modules can be buggy. I had to get my first one replaced and my current once still acts a little funny when it comes to the phone integration. Overall, I am very happy.

 

are you sure you don't have it? Mine is 2005 and it has it. it's kinda hidden in there.

 

I purchased one of the Mr. 12 Volt gadgets off of ebay and a cubby to replace the 6 disk changer off of amazon (# ) and installed it the other day. easy install, not expensive, so far it works AWESOME. I buried the Mr.12v unit in the dash, and now have the cubby which easily holds my wife and i's phones.

 

I use the LAPower and love it. I also have the mb Bluetooth puck for phone calls

 

Dear Future Generations,

I hated Bluetooth. I never used it. I don't understand how people suffer its misery. Some of us realized the absurdity of Bluetooth.

 

I'd say the majority of bluetooth now is spent just playing your own music or having directions from your phone play through the car audio, and not really for phone calls.

 

This is the answer. I feel like phone call quality sucks, even on new cars.

Side note, anybody try one of those decks with CarPlay?

 

I had a plan on replacing my system with something with CarPlay and other new car gimmicks. My car is 09 so has that NTG 2.1 system or whatever it’s called. I remember that one member here mentioned that you will loose audio quality with just swapping out the head unit. Seems like to get decent results you need to upgrade amp as well, so keep that in mind.

 

I believe you need a decoder for the system to work properly. Something like:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/203948646765

 

i recently installed a android headunit from Joying and purchased a CANBUS harness and translation module from AliExpress. Only issue is the harness only outputted 2 channels versus 7. I ordered another harness from AliExpress for the harness to breakout into 7 channels directly to the speaker connection harness bypassing the factory amplifier entirely and will be utilizing a Helix V Eight amplifer/DSP to split the TOSLink signal from the android headunit.

https://www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/h...-eight-dsp-mk2

but as mentioned previously...using a bluetooth aux dongle is the easiest cheapest option if planning to keep the factory system. going with any aftermarket unit will replace the seamless and high quality audio ability with phone calls. any aftermarket solution records all background noise as well as voice.

 

I used an android screen in my G wagon and only needed a decoder box. Note there are 2 diff versions of the box and the one i first ordered was wrong and the other works. They look the same but something is certainly diff. Yeah you lose some control vs stock as far as per speaker setting and such but if you just want sound and newer feel it’s worth it. I’m not a car audiophile I just want clear tunes and a little bit of bump with newer car abilities.

I enjoy the wireless CarPlay and used the I Heart Radio app for local stations bc none of these units work worth crap with the loaded FM tuner. Just stay in Android Auto or CarPlay mode. Mine connects just fine and auto play the I Heart app by the time I had reversed and was ready to drive.

Was super easy to program the steering wheel controls too!! I like could set the touch buttons to any color I wanted so I set to orange/amber to match the stock interior so it blended in better. Most never knew it wasn’t stock

I have a unit I plan to use in my E once it’s back to me.

pic of G install and links to the one I got for my E. I did use gloss black vinyl to cover the plan plastic edges and it made it blend in better. I plan to do the same for my E to closely blend with my real carbon interior. The AMG screen I had on the stock Android side was nice but rarely visible since I used CarPlay but nice if you want to use it and Torque app to monitor things.


E unit is likely this one but didn’t have the lower section bc I have a carbon piece there. But since i had a LED light idiots drilled into my carbon for my meth injection perhaps I should have gotten this style to combat having it there or a hole there if removed. I could black vinyl it all and blend in maybe a little more. Hmmm.

Checked vendors on AE and mine is no longer active it seems. I paid $500 but this below is cheaper.

US $145.05 27％ Off | Android 11 6+128GB For Mercedes Benz W211 E300 2002 - 2010 IPS HD Screen Radio Car Multimedia Player GPS Navigation Audio Video
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mqSNAcO

 

Which version did you buy?

Im still contemplating such an upgrade, but the sound quality needs to be the same (I have the Harman Kardon Logic 7 system in my CLS55).

 

this link is the one most like the one I got for the E and G. How ever thr one in the E the screen is wider and more like the ones with the bottom trim piece. Always get the highest spec one but note some have extra cams and other stuff you might not need so you can find the same spec at lower cost by not getting useless thing. The sound in the DSP I had to press like the LOUD button to ensure solid volume. Again will ability to control some speakers like the HK stock can but it’s still steep sound to all speakers just not the faked surround of the HK.


Unit like the G wagon on and style wise like the one for the E but E has larger/wider screen.
US $133.27 46％ Off | IPS 1280*720P Screen Android 11 8G+128G Car DVD GPS Radio CarPlay For Mercedes Benz CLS Class W211 W463 C219 2003-2010
https://a.aliexpress.com/_m04daEi

E version is most like this but isn’t as tall as this one so it doesn’t have the surround piece at the bottom
US $120.05 51％ Off | Android 12 Car Player For Mercedes Benz E-class W211 E200 E220 E300 E350 E240 E270 E280 CLS CLASS W219 2 Din DSP IPS
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPTUacA

Here is the one I am putting in the E when it’s back home. Note the wider screen than the top link but not bottom trim like the 2nd. Also controls are among the bottoms vs the side. Why this version is hard to get I have no idea. I do see the bottom trim version have more memory but it won’t matter if you use CarPlay. Again I put gloss black vinyl around the edges to give it a nicer appearance and blend better with my CF trim.

 

Here’s the link to the one you have for the E-Class. https://m.aliexpress.us/item/2251832...andl_shipto=US

 

Good find mine shows a little higher spec at 4gb ram and 64gb storage. I wonder why this style is so hard to find on AE. Odd to the pic shows installed in BMW.

 

I personally use an ipod to Bluetooth adapter which plugs into the media interface port (You either have Aux or ipod interface). The quality is very good, there's just some minor background humming, which you can hear, when the music goes silent. I can even skip songs back and forth via the steering wheel controls.

As for speakers, the previous owner installed different high and middle tone speakers and additionally some frequency splitters and it sounds insane.