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2003 (W203, pre-facelift) Mercedes C230 Coupe

2K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  TheMayer 
#1 ·
Hey everyone, It's been a long while since I have been active on this awesome forum. I've just traded my Jeep for a new to me C230 and the factory Bose system in this car is pretty underwhelming.

Here's what I salvaged from my Jeep's system that needs a new home:
  • Audison Bit Ten D and DRC
  • Pure i-20 iPhone dock (Toslink into the processor)
  • Alpine MRP-F300
  • Alpine MRP-M500
  • JL 12W6v2 and custom box
  • CDT ES-01 wideband tweeters
  • Rainbow 6.5 midbass'
  • A massive bird's nest of wiring

Given that the Bose system is all fiber optic, I see only two options. Get the signal after the Bose amp, or just leave the factory stuff alone use the Pure i-20 as the only source unit. Hell I may even keep the stock speakers at first just to see what I can get out of them.

Thoughts on all this?
 
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#2 ·
was wondering what happened to you and your jeep, neat car :)

i'd grab signal after the amp, though of course i'd prefer to use an aftermarket head unit and avoid that crap all together. think you'd have enough tuning capability with the bit ten to work out most of the problems the factory system creates with the signal, though :)
 
#3 ·
Ah what's up buddy! How've you been? The Jeep is history, got tired of keeping it running rather than upgrading it, haha. Sorry I never was able to show it to ya last semester. Maybe we can meet up sometime soon and you can see what I'm working with now.

I think I should at least try utilizing the factory stuff like you said, I want to avoid digging around in the dash as much as possible with this thing. The fiber optics is a weird loop between the CD changer, HU, amp, "teleaid", and something else that breaks if one component is removed. :confused:

Also, there is a mic in the overhead console that the amp uses to "actively EQ" based on volume level and speed, so I'm thinking that will be a nice wildcard for the Bit to deal with haha.

If my car was one year newer, I could buy this piece and be the happiest person in the world, but no, mine uses the D2B fiber optics, not MOST. :mad:
 
#4 ·
lol no worries, i don't blame you. i've got some stuff in the fit now, we'll have to get together and check each other's cars out. simple, but a fun little system for now. have a plan to finish it all out more, just need $$ to finish that stuff :p

sounds like a pain, especially if the active eq is truly variable at a single volume dependent on speed. active noice cancellation perhaps? could just that microphone be unplugged or does that break everything also?

that piece would simplify things a lot, hopefully you can get something worked out anyways though :D
 
#5 ·
Haha, yeah money is always my issue as well, hence my desire to not buy a head unit!

According to Bose, it seems to be truly variable based on volume and speed, but mainly speed from what it sounds like when driving. Once you get it up to around 50 and above, I feel like it bumps up the midbass range to try to compensate for road noise, as well as pretty noticeably raise the volume.

As far as the mic goes, it isn't part of the fiber loop so it shouldn't break anything (in theory). I know in the new accords that have the same kind of thing you can just unplug it, but it seems that everything about this car is the opposite of what you would assume so who knows lol.

I wish more people with MB's did ANYTHING themselves, I'm on three different MB-specific forums and no one has a clue what I'm talking about when it comes to audio haha.
 
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