replacing stereo in a 560SEL - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cherry_560SEL · #1 08-14-2012, 02:03 PM

OK. I have had "Goldie" for a few years now. She has been sitting inside my shop and gets taken out once or twice a month to keep the battery charged. Now its time for me to play with her again

. I tinted the windows recently and they look awesome !!!! Now, i want to upgrade the stereo. I want a clean install, without having to chop all the wiring. I know it can be done !!!! I have disconnected the factory alarm, disconnected the original becker head unit. I need to:

1) find an adapter for a new head unit (I prefer alpine)
2) replace the original speakers with same size units
3) use the same amps
4) be able to make my antena work with the new unit.

Is there any way to do this without having to completely bypass the old wiring? Seems to me that if I can get a head unit adapter, the rest is simply replacing the speakers, but I know it's never that easy, especially with this car..lol..can i get some insight from any of you that have done this sort of project. Thanks

JohnM. · #2 08-14-2012, 07:44 PM

Using the same amps is the only unrealistic thing on there. And why would you want 20 year old sound processing being sent to a new head unit/speakers? It would be wiring nightmare, no adapter exists to use the factory amps too. It's just not feasible the way Mercedes set things up, compared to how a new head unit is PROGRAMMED to operate. The factory amps only put out 25W?....A stock head unit amp is likely in the 45W-50W range and uses 2012 technology. You will also be bypassing the factory fader, which will make things sounds amazing even without new speakers.

You shouldn't be worried about splicing into the original harness, a good installer will make connections that are as good as factory or better. There's not much "chopping" on a new stereo install anyhow. Power, keyed power, ground, antenna wire, and using the existing factory wiring for the speakers. The front and side speakers should be able to be tapped from right behind the head unit. Then you just have to run new wires for the rear speakers which isn't bad.

compu_85 · #3 08-14-2012, 09:10 PM

Just take the stock wiring and disconnect it. Run all new wiring right from the head to your new speakers. Don't use the little stock amps.

-J

Hit Man X · #4 08-15-2012, 08:06 AM

If you use a 'high power' new headunit, run a larger main power cable from the battery. The factory stuff was not designed for that load. I own a car that suffered a meltdown due to insufficient factory stuff.

cherry_560SEL · #5 08-25-2012, 09:45 PM

those are interesting comments. I guess since i have read on here that the amps were pretty solid, i thought they might be worth using. I am not looking for the most "power" head unit i can find. i would rather get something that is not in the common ohm range cause i want to put something under the rear seats that tickles....lol...i think i want a couple of bass units in a custom box under the rear seats. run the caps and speaker wire to those from a seperate amp. i want to keep the same size (as in tiny) as the original amps for the rear speakers. can i replace those original amps and keep the same wiring for the speakers and the amps back there? door speaker and dash speakers get replaced as well, but stay on the same wiring. i dont care about blutooth, or xm, or any of that. I want to be able to slide in a cd or dvd or plug in my iSomething to it. keep all the funtional control that i have now (fader, antenna up/down). simply get a new head unit in the dash, replace all speakers, replace tiny amps with newer tiny amps, and add custom box with amp and caps. seems so possible to do, but is it really????

Hit Man X · #6 08-26-2012, 02:22 PM

The amps are durable, just low power... hence the small gauge wiring. You have no space under the rear seats as they are power recline. The center fader will not allow the power you want.

What you want is not going to happen.

To do what you want, you need to rewire the car.

cherry_560SEL · #7 10-16-2012, 08:20 PM

Well...poop

LandYaghtLover · #8 10-16-2012, 11:04 PM

Like said, easier to just run all new wire at once. Trust me. The previous owner had killed the factory wiring. Its BAD. I have the system working pretty good now, a carry-over from another car I had. Mostly stock speakers right now. Yet another project for next year to finish. But except a few factory speaker wires, all new install.

bhatt · #9 10-19-2012, 10:17 AM

By the time you splice into all the wiring and still run through bottlenecks (ie. factory fader) you'll have spent almost as much time as running new wire, and still have sub-par sound.

Leave all of the factory wiring completely intact and just run new.

If you pull off the plastic door sills, it's really easy to run the wiring. These cars have wiring channels already in place, with wire inside them. Just pull your new wiring down those.

-Run a new power wire from the battery to the new head unit (easy-moderate)
-Run new speaker wires from the deck to front speakers (easy)
-Run new speaker wires to the rear speakers (moderate)

That's basically it. I'd start by disconnecting the battery, removing the door sills, factory deck, and all of the existing speakers.

Then just pull wire from one spot to another, make your connections, and you're done.

This is a 1/2 day project at most if you've done any kind of stereo installs before. Only one power wire, and a handfull of speaker wires.

Get yourself a good crimper and some wire crimps of the right size. A small spool of power wire (go one size larger than necessary all the time) and a spool of speaker wire (one size larger too)

The sound will be TWICE as good as anything you can put together using the factory wiring/fader/etc.

Also this way, if you ever sell the car you can simply put the old stuff back and it will be 100% factory with out even a single cut wire.