W126 Audio questions for the experts

[hbofinger]

Got a 560 SEL with six speaker setup. The head unit has been replaced before I bought the car with a Clarion CD/Radio. Original amplifiers are still installed.

Here are my questions:

1. Should I redo the entire setup, or are the amplifiers good units?

2. I am thinking of swapping out the Clarion with a Nakamichi (Spelling?) in-dash CD changer, partially out of esthetic reasons, and obviously also for better audio. Should everything else (speakers, amplifyers, etc) stay? Is there another unit that looks great with the interior of the car and has superior audio (I hate all of the new radios that look like they came out of a cheap sci-fi movie and make the car look like a suped up Toyota). The paper speakers till look good - I inspected them.

3. Every once in a while, when I start the car, I turn on the radio, I hear nothing. Then, I turn off the radio, and I hear an uncomfortabl squeal coming out of the speakers. I turn on the radio again, and everything is fine. Is this the head unit (Clarion), or is there something wrong in the hookup to the amplifyers?

4. The foam backing of the speaker covers has disintigrated. Are they important? Is this a common problem? Since the covers are exepensive, has anyone had experience re-foaming them?

Thanks,

Henry

[hedpe]

I think my amp is shot in my 300SEL. I think they're hitting their old age. It could be your amp. Mine brings the sound in and out, its odd. It's def not the head unit and not the speakers. I think our amps are just killing over.

The disintigrating foam is normal, or at least it was on my 420SEL. I don't see how it would make any acoustic difference, but I could be wrong. I replaced the front speakers with an infinity component set with the tweeters mounted in the dash facing up at the windshield to reflect towards the listener, sounded great. You might want to look into some new speakers, W126's are known to be lacking in this area.

[adiaw83]

I've got an 83 300sd and I replaced the rear speakers. It all depeneds on what sound you want and the music you listen to. I put a panasonic headunit in the car with blaupunkt 4x6s in the rear to keep the stock size. I also put two 12 inch subs in the trunk. It sounds great and I was able to do all of it for about 6-700. I'm not familiar with this 6 speaker setup. my benz only had 4 stock. You probably don't need the subs but if you have the money you should update the whole system. When the music is not there does the head unit still fucntion properly meaning that any sort of graphic eq it might have still fucntions like music is playing?

[hbofinger]

I answer to your question - yes, the head unit looks in tact when there is no sound from the speakers. It's almost like a "bootup timing" thing on computers - it seems that the sequence of what received power when as car gets started causes confusion, and then, as I "reboot", all is cool....

[adiaw83]

That's probably a problem with the amps then because the headunit is sending the signal to them. That uncomfortable squeal is probably the amplifiers powering up. My subs thump when my amp powers up.

[hbofinger]

That's my suspicion precisely. Not a major deal, just a small annoyance.

What are these amps rated for? Are they considered "good", or should I just work around them alltogether when and if I upgrade the system?

[adiaw83]

I'm not familiar with these amps but you should definetly work around if you decide to upgrade. an unamplified signal comming from your new head unit to your speakers would be better than an amplified signal comming from these amps.

[hbofinger]

Bingo. That's the advice I wanted to hear. Thanks a ton!

[adiaw83]

no problem

I have an 89 560SEL with the four speaker system. Someone had already "upgraded" the system with a Clarion headunit and a 2ch Sony amp running into the stock wiring and fader feeding the factory speakers.

I replaced the front and rear speakers with some average Pioneers, ran new wiring and installed a nice JVC stealth front head unit rated at 4x50.

This all sounds a ton better than what I had which already sounded better than the factory setup.

Matt.