changer adaptor
 

Hi I have 95 e320 and just bought alpine s620 changer.

does this adaptor work between these two?

http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-hHtuNaYAvbh/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=2&g=42300&I=469MBZALP+

Thanks!

This adapter will work for your cd changer and your year and model car!

Scott

Hi. First, $20? I thought I read on this forum that people were paying $75, $100, or more for converters. Are these expensive ones for different setups? Second, this Crutchfield link specifies the CHM-S630 changer from Alpine. They also make a CHA-S634 and a CHA-1214. These two are Ai-NET while the first one mentioned is M-Bus. Will all 3 work? What does Ai-NET and M-Bus mean?

Thanks,

The adapter that you need is a non electronic adapter and works on 1994 to 1995 1/2 model years that is the reason for the price difference. The alpine cd changers that work with mercedes need to be m-bus compatiable as is the 630 and the 634 or 624 (these two changers have a switch internally that allow them to work with the AI-net bus or the M-bus). The difference is easiest understood as a different language m-bus being earlier and AI net being later. You will find that the 12 disc changer is AI only so it is not compatiable with mercedes radios. The cha-s634 is popular because it can play mp-3 encoded cd's and is m-bus compatiable so with one adapter cable from alpine you can use this cd changer with any of the adapters that are made to work with any of the oem radios. The more important fact is if you buy the 634 cd changer and later decide to upgrade your factory radio to a regular alpine radio you will have a lot more choices if you have ai net compatibility as all of the nice radios are only ai net.......... I hope this clarifiyes the all of your questions!

Scott

Scott,
Thanks, very clear now. The Apline site does not mention the Ai-Net/M-Bus dual capabilities of the 634, but I will try it. So, now I will start looking or a "deal" on a Alpine-S634 and an inexpensive non-electroning adapter. I'll call your sales # that was previously posted and compare against other local and mail order places. Thanks for all your help!

I will say that we are not in the lowest price wars as we are not mainly focused on volume sales as are mail order / internet sites. If it is price you are looking for over customer service, product and aplication knowledge then there are plenty of places that will facilitate your needs!

Good Luck! Scott@lajollaaudio

Hi,

I just saw the post in regards to the Alpine CHA-S634
6-disc Ai-NET CD/MP3 Changer. I was set to buy a Alpine CHM-S630 then this post through a wrench into the cog.

I need clarification on if this will hook up to a 94 E320 and which adapter will I need to purchase for the cha-s634? I am clear on what to buy for the CHM-S630 . Thanks

As I said it will work in any car that an alpine m-bus cd changer works in. (to hook up a cha-s634 or 624)You will need an alpine kca-130b adapter harness that converts the ai-net cable to an m-bus connector and you will need a periferal adapter (mbz-alp9) or a PIE (mbz-alp) and you are set!

Scott@lajollaaudio

Neumann,
Yes, the S634 works and it plays MP3. It will not manage folders or other neat things, it just plays them like CD tracks. You do need the two cables mentioned in Scotts message in this thread, but you also need the cable included with the CD changer. So, it's set up like this:

MB prewire cable to PIE MBZ-ALP cable
PIE MBZ-ALP cable to Alpine KCA-130b cable
Alpine KCA-130b cable to included CD changer cable
included CD changer cable to CD changer

It sounds very good, relative to AM/FM reception.

I just received my MBZ-ALP cable, KCA-130b cable, and Alpine cha-s634. They all plugged in together perfectly to each other and to my 1995 E420. I turned on the stereo..... the changer loaded the first disc, the second... all the way to the last disc, and didn't play a single one of them. All of the controls on the head unit were dead, too. No sound, no signal, no control over the unit. I tried unplugging everything, switching the AI-net bus.M-bus toggle back and forth... loading original, burned CD-R, and mp3 cd's... and nothing. I'm pulling my hair out here trying to see what the heck I'm doing wrong... it should be all straightforward plug and play, right? Do I have a defective unit?

thanks,
-Dr. J

It sounds to me like you have a later production car with either a becker 1692 or an alpine 2296 deck which requires the mbzil adapter to work properly and if thats not it then you might have a broken radio.... Also check to see that the pins didn't get pushed out of the back of the 10 pin adapter harness when you plugged it in...The model # for the radio is on the code card or the deck can be pulled out and the model # is on the side of the radio

Scott

Good news! After fiddling with it and then talking to 2Phast he suggested disconnecting the battery, which got me thinking... although the instructions in the changer say to 'disconnect the changer from the car when changing the M-bus/Ai-net switch', the keys were still in the ignition, and that may have affected the *memory* of the head unit. Sure enough, after pulling the changer and setting the switch, *then* turning on the car.... voila! Seems to be working fine now, although I need to burn a few more MP3 cd's to test out since the ones I'm using right now were burned with a well-worn laser, and haven't shown 100% compatibility with newer MP3 devices.

thanks for the help!

-Dr. J

Alpine s634 compatible w/ 1992 300SL????
 

Morning all,

Have a 1992 MBZ 300SL with OEM installed Becker 980 10 Disc CD Changer and the matching head unit with the 10 buttons and of course the amp is installed in the right rear fender well, the CD changer is installed in the left rear fender well, and there are three cables linking the two together. One power (square) and two data cables one with a black plug and the other with a grey plug.

My problem is that although my changer works mechanically very soundly, and has never even thought about jamming or changing erratically, or anything; it's now tired and when I drive down the road the slightest bump causes the CD to jump. We can't even enjoy the CD at all.

I want to keep my head unit and the amplifier works well, so I don't see the need to gut my car and add everything new. Plus I want to keep the car looking as original as possible when you're sitting in it looking at the dash and console. Inotherwords, I don't want to add some kludged up radio -- I want to keep one that is consistent with what was originally delivered with the car.

I am told two things. (1) my only solution is to get the changer overhauled, and then I end up with an overhauled 12 year old unit that technology has advanced far ahead of, but I have to do that because there is no way to change out to a different changer because of the unique cable arrangement. And (2) Trust me, even though you'll never look me in the eye and we'll do everything long distance, I can sell you cables that will let you interconnect everything and a new Alpine CD Changer, and if it doesn't work, then there's only a 10% restocking fee plus shipping charges. But trust me you'll be happy.

Until I read through this thread, my skepticism was winning out. It looks like maybe there are people out there I can trust and that I can indeed buy a CD Changer that will handle MP3's CDRs & etc, and that it will work with my OEM amplifier and head unit.

Am I correct? If yes, what exactly do I need to buy and who should I contact. My wife's looking at this as a birthday present for me, but I'm only turning 63 so there are some cost issues.

Chuck Parker, Las Vegas

trying to get changer to work
 

HI,my name is Dean,I have a 96 sl320 20k miles.....I have orig head unit...al 2296 I am assuming by doing some reading that it is an alpine.the orig cd changer took a ****ter,so I got the s634 to play mp3's...I know my head unit is fine...display on head unit shows everything when I hook up the old changer.But when I hooked the new one up ...with mbz-alp and kca-130b the switch on the 634 was on position 1 . turned on radio and every led fuction was lite up and blinking...something was wrong..so I tryed everything ....took fuse out for radio reset code.tried switch 2 ..unhooked batt cable..nothing....I will say this....switch 1 or2 I had power to the changer....switch 1 head unit lite up and blinked switch 2 nothin,just power......please help

#1 either you have the wrong interface adapter or #2 the adapter is more than likely now bad since the cd changer was not in position #2 before you connected it all up and turned it on. This usually will fry the adapter... What brand and exact model # is the adapter?


Scott

alpine-ai-net/8 pin din conversion cable kca-130b.....and......mbz-alp......
I was also checking out some other changer converters and I came across MBZIL .....so which cable do you think is fryed

As there are many different interface adater manufactures I would like to know who the manufacture is ?( PIE , peripheral or blitzsafe) and off of the adapter the exact model # or better yet a picture of it. The alpine kca-130b is only a cable and it wouldn't be the problem.....

hi,I put pic of adapter..................hopefully you are right and I just need a new one..............is there any truth to me having to reset my radio,via dissconnecting battery?

As I have stated in earlier posts on these threads if you have a 2296 you need the PIE mbzil adapter to work with the 2296. This will fix your problem


Scott

thank you so much ....I will try to locate one,and let you know the outcome.thanks again

If you didn't know it I own and operate a car audio shop and I do stock and sell all the parts needed with free expert advice....Food for thought... I see a lot of people save money buying the wrong parts cheaper and having to buy the right parts ending up spending as much or more money and being a lot more frustrated because of all the extra time and trouble put into the job.


Scott @ lajollaaudio

'98 E300 with Alpine 630 changer in trunk - hooked to OE radio.
Unit works well but I would like to upgrade to S634 for MP3 capabilities. I believe I need the Alpine KCA-130b adapter but I am unsure if I need to add anything else. Thanks for your assistance.

Thats all thats needed as you already have the interface... Just remember to flip the switch to position #2 (to the right) inside the door on the front of the cd changer before you hook it up....

Scott

Head spinning after reading all the late model threads
 

OK, I've read all the threads on this.. really.. and now my head is just spinning. :(

So I have a '92 with unkown model # Becker and a factory 6-disc changer that refused to do anything. If I unplug it the head unit goes dark so they seem to reply upon each other for something.

I'd like to hear something better than the poor radio reception (there is an island between the city and where I live that blocks a lot of signal) and I simply refuse to put anything on tape (gag gag).

If there is an easy to obtain Alpine that I can just plug in, or maybe the current changer just needs to be reset? It does not seem to be getting any power but the supply wires are hot.

The other option I'm really considering is the iPod (or other MP3 player) install but I can't find any useful info on a product that is known to work with the earlier radios.

I'd love to read the Star article on wiring MP3/AUX into older Beckers but.. I don't have the article and I can't figure out what issue it was in to even go looking at he library or.. anywhere (not that they would have it in our 3-horse town).

I'd try my local hi-end mobile audio shop but.. I don't have enough soap and shampoo to wash the cheesy feeling off me after going in there again.. :greedy:

Any links to this site or supporting sites with specific info on what parts or better yet how-tos on properly removing a '92 factory CD changer.

This car also has the factory installed cell phone. Kids love playing with the thing. Is there any interface to it and the radio system I need to concern myself with when trying to excise the dead CD changer and replace with something else?

TIA for the help.