HELP! W202 Stereo

benzonline · 24-05-2008, 06:57 AM

I have a 202 with a non-bose stereo....the original speakers were horrid..dull sounding and distorted like crazy.

I added a subwoofer with its amp in the trunk and that helped out alot but later on still, the clarity of the W202 non premium Bose stereo wasnt good.

I got creative, replaced the front speakers and found the W202 Bose speaker ported enclosures for the front doors and inserted a 4.5" Bose driver to the enclosure that it fits in...4ohm impedance I put.

Then the rear doors literally fell apart a year later due to the foam along their surrounds.

Changed those out recently and put in the Bose system W202 speakers (which I now beleive are 2ohm) and they plugged right into the doors. Sound great too.

Mercedes Audio 10 head unit went in next...sound became better/louder.

The system can go loud and does not reach distortion much at all however, the mid range is dull.

Are these 2ohm Bose rear door speakers ruining my system? Im trying to figure out how many ohms the head unit is now seeing with:

Front (4ohmsx2speakers)
Rear Door (2ohms?x 2speakers)
Rear Shelf Woofers (4ohmsx2speakers)

Please help

desilva · 24-05-2008, 08:45 AM

Get rid of the Audio 10 head unit. By today's standards it is not very good. If you are looking for a good sound , you are far better off putting in an aftermarket model.

amwebby · 24-05-2008, 08:49 AM

You're also not getting any benefit from the Bose speaker without the Bose amplifier. This is what does the work.

gurpz · 24-05-2008, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desilva

Get rid of the Audio 10 head unit. By today's standards it is not very good. If you are looking for a good sound , you are far better off putting in an aftermarket model.

Coudnt agree any more. Get An Alpine or Pioneer unit installed and you will instantly notice a difference.

television · 24-05-2008, 09:43 AM

The output of an amp is dependant on the Ω value of the speakers

So if you have 4Ω in the front and 2Ω in the rear, the front rear balance will be offset as the front output has been halved compared to the rear.

It has always been easy to build an amp with good spec figures and high power, and harder to get respectable figures at the lower end.

benzonline · 24-05-2008, 05:06 PM

I refuse to put an aftermarket deck in the car despite it sounding better.

Would adding 2ohm now in the front balance out the sound or would that overload the head unit due to the impedance?

television · 24-05-2008, 05:54 PM

The radio has two output amps, front and back, though the front / back balance is not in the center now, that does not matter, its a user control, you have halved the max power output from the front amp, and nothing wrong in doing that, it is not good to fit resistors to make up the difference.

If you are pleased with the result that you now have that's fine and nothing will happen as you are under running.

Bose use 2Ω speaker to try and stop people buying others
It can also be said that with 2Ω speakers the sound cannot be as good as with 4Ω owing to the limitations of a 2Ω speech coil.

Even the focal point in my Bose surround sound was designed for people with an 17" inside leg measurement.

If you like what you done then that's fine

benzonline · 24-05-2008, 06:00 PM

So perhaps now if the 2ohm voice coil speakers go in the front aswell it well be more balanced sound you're saying?

I just dont want to be damaging anything or make something catch fire..HA!

television · 24-05-2008, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benzonline

So perhaps now if the 2ohm voice coil speakers go in the front aswell it well be more balanced sound you're saying?

I just dont want to be damaging anything or make something catch fire..HA!

Leave as is its fine, really and nothing will be damaged

benzonline · 24-05-2008, 06:07 PM

Thanks for your help Television.

I do have a pair of 2ohm front drivers....im thinking to put them in so atleast the power of the front amp in the head unit is equal I guess to the rear.

television · 24-05-2008, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benzonline

Thanks for your help Television.

I do have a pair of 2ohm front drivers....I'm thinking to put them in so at least the power of the front amp in the head unit is equal I guess to the rear.

Use the ones that sound the best to your ears, problems only arise when more than one speaker is used on the same output. You have 4 separate outputs on the head unit and the sub bass amp even if connected to one of these would not lower the impedance.

A car radio speaker works in free air, so a soft suspension is quite good, A round cone speaker will outlive an elliptical as when damp the round one will hold its shape.
Soft suspention is easily damaged if used past it max rated power, at the same time if the head unit is used near max output, DC will appear at the speaker terminals, this buckles the speech coil and it will rattle ever after.

Joe_SP · 24-05-2008, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benzonline

I refuse to put an aftermarket deck in the car despite it sounding better.

Would adding 2ohm now in the front balance out the sound or would that overload the head unit due to the impedance?

Why not? Is it because they can look too flash?

If so why not look at a becker HU, they do not say mercedes but they have an oem type look and sound great!

benzonline · 25-05-2008, 06:24 AM

I should have got the Becker unit orignally but it didnt function my 1 yr old cd changer that I still want to use, despite the becker having Mp3.

The Audio 10 seems goodl...im content with it.

24-05-2008, 06:57 AM	#1
benzonline Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 65	HELP! W202 Stereo I have a 202 with a non-bose stereo....the original speakers were horrid..dull sounding and distorted like crazy. I added a subwoofer with its amp in the trunk and that helped out alot but later on still, the clarity of the W202 non premium Bose stereo wasnt good. I got creative, replaced the front speakers and found the W202 Bose speaker ported enclosures for the front doors and inserted a 4.5" Bose driver to the enclosure that it fits in...4ohm impedance I put. Then the rear doors literally fell apart a year later due to the foam along their surrounds. Changed those out recently and put in the Bose system W202 speakers (which I now beleive are 2ohm) and they plugged right into the doors. Sound great too. Mercedes Audio 10 head unit went in next...sound became better/louder. The system can go loud and does not reach distortion much at all however, the mid range is dull. Are these 2ohm Bose rear door speakers ruining my system? Im trying to figure out how many ohms the head unit is now seeing with: Front (4ohmsx2speakers) Rear Door (2ohms?x 2speakers) Rear Shelf Woofers (4ohmsx2speakers) Please help

24-05-2008, 08:45 AM	#2
desilva Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: London Car: C230K Sport 1999 Auto Facelift Posts: 1,663	Get rid of the Audio 10 head unit. By today's standards it is not very good. If you are looking for a good sound , you are far better off putting in an aftermarket model.

24-05-2008, 08:49 AM	#3
amwebby Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Thorpe Bay Car: CL500 Posts: 1,436	You're also not getting any benefit from the Bose speaker without the Bose amplifier. This is what does the work.

24-05-2008, 09:43 AM	#5
television Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dorset on South Coast Car: R230 SL500 Posts: 12,325	The output of an amp is dependant on the Ω value of the speakers So if you have 4Ω in the front and 2Ω in the rear, the front rear balance will be offset as the front output has been halved compared to the rear. It has always been easy to build an amp with good spec figures and high power, and harder to get respectable figures at the lower end.

24-05-2008, 05:06 PM	#6
benzonline Member Threadstarter Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 65	I refuse to put an aftermarket deck in the car despite it sounding better. Would adding 2ohm now in the front balance out the sound or would that overload the head unit due to the impedance?

24-05-2008, 05:54 PM	#7
television Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dorset on South Coast Car: R230 SL500 Posts: 12,325	The radio has two output amps, front and back, though the front / back balance is not in the center now, that does not matter, its a user control, you have halved the max power output from the front amp, and nothing wrong in doing that, it is not good to fit resistors to make up the difference. If you are pleased with the result that you now have that's fine and nothing will happen as you are under running. Bose use 2Ω speaker to try and stop people buying others It can also be said that with 2Ω speakers the sound cannot be as good as with 4Ω owing to the limitations of a 2Ω speech coil. Even the focal point in my Bose surround sound was designed for people with an 17" inside leg measurement. If you like what you done then that's fine

24-05-2008, 06:00 PM	#8
benzonline Member Threadstarter Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 65	So perhaps now if the 2ohm voice coil speakers go in the front aswell it well be more balanced sound you're saying? I just dont want to be damaging anything or make something catch fire..HA!

24-05-2008, 06:07 PM	#10
benzonline Member Threadstarter Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 65	Thanks for your help Television. I do have a pair of 2ohm front drivers....im thinking to put them in so atleast the power of the front amp in the head unit is equal I guess to the rear.

25-05-2008, 06:24 AM	#13
benzonline Member Threadstarter Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 65	I should have got the Becker unit orignally but it didnt function my 1 yr old cd changer that I still want to use, despite the becker having Mp3. The Audio 10 seems goodl...im content with it.

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