upgrading sounds on my TD
 

Good morning, almost done with the wheels on my TD. Waiting on my front tires. I am also thinking of upgrading the sounds in my TD. I have Boston Acoustics Separates but don't have an idea on where to place them. Can you guys provide links on pics of peoples installs on 123 MB's? Thanks in advance.
BTW, which head unit manufacturer has the closest back light to the factory head unit?

Re: upgrading sounds on my TD
 

If you find one, please let me know. I'd like to find one, as well. I've got a Radio Shack CD player (bought it right after they discontinued 'em) in my car right now that has the proper backlight, but it's not all that good of a radio...I'd be willing to have someone repair it (one of the preset buttons will do things at random if you push it, including sometimes ejecting the CD, and it doesn't particularly like to play CD's :rolleyes: ) simply 'cause it looks a lot like the old Becker radio, but if I could find another black-face CD player with an amber display, I'd seriously think about switching...but it seems that most radios these days have either a green backlight or are wayyyyyy too fancy for a 123's interior IMHO... :(

True there Warden. I saw a few red backlit decks. I think the Sony ones are amber, might try that. Will let you know how it goes. Are you gonna install aftermarket speakers? I wanted to install 6.5 on the doors but don't know where to place them. Might also install a bass tube in the back of the TD.

I will eventually install aftermarket speakers, but I was planning on using the stock locations. I've got the stock speakers in right now...and it gets the job done, but they don't seem to handle bass very well.

And please LMK what you wind up going with and how it looks. :) Thanks!

I've been looking into improving the 'sound system' in my 85 wagon. I found a repair shop here in Rockville, Md that was listed on Becker's website. The only thing I have a problem with is the tape deck keeps spitting out my tapes. The repair shop said it would probably be a minimum of 185...over the phone estimate.

I did find a nice Becker Mexico on the web (UK site). It was a new model with CD player and has the same amber backlight as my old head unit. Very nice. The only drawback is the price...it was 350.00 Pounds...like $400 maybe???

I have also had a lot of people recommend Infinity speakers to me...4" little things.

I may stick with a tape deck unless I can find a way to hook up an auxillary input (some head units have them) so that I can use my iPod MP3 player...2k songs...no more CDs!

Alec.

I know someone who used a Bose AM-3 set in the cargo area of a wagon. It's an 8-ohm set so it might not be the ideal set-up without an external amp, but these newer high power head units might have enough juice if you're not going for an SPL trophy.

Consider the rear speaker housings from a Vanagon. I think they hold the same 4" speakers as an MB but in a bigger housing.

The 91-93 Accord wagon has a 6x9 woofer in the side of the cargo area to help the 4" speakers in the roof. Maybe try something like a Kenwood KSC-WA62RC in the first aid cubby?

You can get more creative and see if a subwoofer custom designed for the side panel of an SUV will fit a 123 wagon.

Alec, get from RadioShack or some such place an RF transmitter that will play your iPod over the car's radio. $20-30.

Sixto
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

I personally don't see any reason to upgrade the sound system in any MB diesel. I still have the old Becker Mexico in my car, and it sounds great. When I want to listen to CDs, I pop in my portable CD player. The engine noise is so loud most of the time, that I don't see wasting the money on a new system, when what I have works. I also feel that I get way better recieption than many of the modern head units being sold today, and I don't want to loose that.

Good suggestions Sixto.
Warden, will let you know what I come up with.
I am also thinking of just using pre made 6x9 boxes and use that for the rear. Get plenty of base and it is not too bulky. Then use a 4 way amp installed in the compartment on the floor of my wagon. Too many options. :D
Does anyone make enclosures for the front? Seems the right kick panel is perfect size, the only problem is the driver side with the foot brake on that side.
123C, glad to hear you are happy with your system. I am not, that is why I ask for some leads on pics, I need some suggestions on mounting locations for speakers, you are just making me more lazy saying that the stock system is ok.:D
You are right though, stock sytem is fine, just needs more bass.

Speaker Upgrades
 

I put a pair of Blaupunkt 4" in the rear and while I was up there I dropped out a pigtail which I snaked down the molding around the glass to the floor of the wagon where I have a pair of 6x9 Blau's in boxes on the floor. Quick disconnect and black fabric coverings and they basically disappear back there.

In the front, I removed the stock speakers and put in a pair of JBL GTO speakers 4". They are such a tight fit and have really big magnets the just barely fit. Didn't even have to screw them down they are so tight. Think perfect. They are screwed down with the single grill screw.

I also put in a Pioneer 12-disc CD changer inside the center of the spare wheel/tire. Tapped into the power for the antenna and cut the antenna cable and spliced in a short extension which was cut in two. That way I have the correct ends back there for the CD changer's feed. I tune to 89.1 and get my CD tunes through the radio. The only thing I had to run forward was the changer control line and I used some velcro tape and stuck it on the ash tray which is unused anyway.

The stock Becker GP is still there and working fine and looks ok too. It would be nice to have a bit more power but I did this for under $300 and I can remove it all in about 1/2 hour.

Mike

How does those 6x9's sound in those boxes with the stock deck powering them?
I really want to use 6.5's up front, Fry's is having a sale on Blau P-652 right now. :cool: No one has cut up the doors on a 123?:confused:

Before I put in the 6x9's the sound was not much different from stock but a little "cleaner". I then went back in and put the pigtails and the 6x9's and the sound change was pretty dramatic.

I run mostly with the fader wheel in the middle or with a slight bias to the rear and it sounds fine. I would be nice to have a couple hundred watts of power to the whole system, but I can live with this just fine and I maintain the stock look except for the small 1" x 3" CD controller box taped to the dash. I could have hidden it better but I have not given it that much thought.

I actually bought a newer Becker GP radio for a spare just in case this one goes south. One of these days in the near future, I might swap them just for grins. I read someplace the newer one has a bit more power. It does have a bigger display.

You're lucky that you're able to do that. I would actually have left the Becker in my car if the tape player had worked. However, it didn't (I tore the Becker apart; found parts of the tape mechanism broken and unrepairable; would need to replace the parts and I doubt they're available :)), and especially with my CD burner, I'm starting to eschew audio tapes altogether (now THERE'S something I thought I'd never say!). I love the sound of my diesel, but over long trips, I need the music to keep me awake. Besides, what's a road trip without your trusty diesel, some Led Zeppelin ("Black Dog" cranked works well for this), and your girlfriend at your side? :)

FWIW, I was wanting to get another amber-background head unit and a new set of speakers to fit in the stock holes and provide some more bass; I don't need amps or subwoofers or anything like that. :)

Oh, I forgot you guys have the Becker Gran Prix, those are the biggest POS. On my Mexico, it will still sort of play a tape, but I don't own any, but I know it will work with the cassette adaptor for the portable CD player.
If you guys had a time machine, you can go back in time and get a head unit with an amber light. The pioneer CD player that I bought back in 1995 has an amber back light, but also at that time half the head units also had amber backlights. If you want to spend a little more money you can get a unit that allows you to switch colors.
As for speakers, check out the CrutchField web site. They can tell you what speakers will fit, and the locations where you can mount the speakers. I think you can mount the speakers on the doors, but I don't think many people want to cut them up. Again, check CrutchField since they can tell you if it can be done.

123c, good suggestion on Crutchfield, forgot about that site. Thanks.

You could get the Nakamichi CD-45Z

http://www.nakamichi.com/auto/cdplayers/cd_45.htm

It can be ordered in Amber. Try to get it from somebody who will confirm that you will receive the one with amber illumination. Most ebay sellers (ive heard) will only sell the green ones.

I put a Pioneer CD player in my car just because ive had Pioneers before and they sound nice for the money. Now I think I'm gonna go the Nakamichi way just for the looks. I hope I'm not doing something too silly...

I also saw a new Pioneer Premier HU. It's got the funky Organic EL display which I think is kinda cool. Maybe out of place in a 20 yr old W123 though....

Nice deck Holson. If I remember correctly Nakamichi decks are kinda expensive. Do youknow how much the unit you posted go for at EBay? Thanks.

I notice many want to keep a stock appearance in their older MBZs. I bought this radio (CD player) 3 years ago and it is perfect in every way.

You can choose between about 5 different shades of orange (about 15 colors total) and it looks totally stock.HERE is the link.

mike

PS - apparently they didnt sell very many, as I have never seen one on Ebay, or in another car. Never in a catalogue either.

How about German manufactured for German car?
 

Here is the setup I have in my vehicle, which almost perfectly matches the looks of original equipment, and is styled great, and all German made!

Head Unit
First off, Blaupunkt has been making radios since 1910, and is a German manufacturer. They have a great line of CD players. I own a Blaupunkt Santa Fe CD32 the pushes 45 watts per channel, is a black face, and the lighting is red, which matches the lighting on my heat controls. Really blends in well!

Speakers..
MB Quart is a German manufacturer of "high end" acoustics for boats, home use, car audio. Build quality is amazing (titanium dome tweeters have IMO the best highs of any other speaker I've heard, molybdinium magnets are light but powerful, butyl rubber surrounds don't wear out.) The highs are amazing, and they are powerful for the size that I have (4x6 in rear, 4 inch rounds at front)

In conclusion, Blaupunkt for head unit, MB Quart for speakers. A true German audio experience.



MB Quart
Blaupunkt
Nice Conservative Deck, I own this one

I am tempted to grab a set of map pockets at the boneyard and build custom speaker enclosures that would hold a set of 5 1/4" separates. Installing 4" in the dash as well, but with a 4ohm resistor inline to just the 4"s and then wiring them in parallel with the separates will add just the right level of "fill" but not be too bright or overpowering. If the map pockets are carefully done you will not be able to tell they are there. RT

I installed 4" MB Quarts in the front and 5 1/2" in the rear powered by a 400x4 watt amp, controlled by an Alpine CDA 7894 head unit (plays mp3's, digital time correction and lots of other fun goodies :))

Being that I had a couple of 12" JBL subs from years ago when I had a boom car, I figured I'd install those as well, each powered by a 300 watt amp. It's a hell of alot more sound than I need, but man, does my Blue Man Group CD ever sound great. It's almost like seeing them live in Vegas all over again :D

Pics of my install in the sig.

volume control dial, not up/down buttons
 

The old Becker tape deck in my '82 300D turbo was bad and who listens to audio tapes anymore? Most of the new CD head units out there look too Japanese for the conservative look of a w123. Similar to Erikir above I used a black Alpine CD head unit that not only looks great in the car but it also has a volume dial which is in my opinion the right (only) way to go. The dial is easier to find than the up/down volume control without taking your eyes off the road. It also keeps with a more traditional look for an early 80s MB. If you need my Alpine model # and/or photo let me know.

Only draw back (a positive in terms of audio quality though) is that you give up the convenience of the MB fader control wheel in the center console. You now use the headunits fader control which is not as convenient as the devoted MB fader wheel in the center console. Anyone have a suggestion on a new application/upgrade for the old fader location?

Changing the front and rear speakers makes a huge difference over the paper cone type MB originally used. Twenty years is a long time for paper speakers in a car. I went with 4" JBL speakers in the dash and 5 ½” on the hat deck (GTO series). The dash speaker's steel housing was a few mm too tall so i had to grind them down a bit on one side before the MB grill cover would fit perfectly. If you end up doing this you must keep the steel cool or you'll melt the rubber speaker surrounds from heat generate from grinding heat. I would recommend getting speakers that don't need grinding (-; The rear speakers fit easily although you have to use the new black grill covers which are stronger and look fine.

If you want to save a chunk of $ ask Crutchfields for open box or "Scratch and Dent" specials. You get the same warranty and mine looked good as new. If you call them once in a while with your model re4quest they'll eventually get them in as open stock. I was also able to get the additional $50 off by buying the headunit and 4 speakers all together.

In the stock fader control location I currently have a black plastic clip with an LED for my alarm - the people who installed the alarm put it there for me.

Being that the plastic clip doesn't fit quite perfectly, and I want to avoid cutting my car, I'm going to machine an aluminum plate to press fit into the location. I will include holes to mount the LED, and audio jacks for my portable mp3 player and run wires underneath to the auxilluary input on my cd player (Alpine AI Net). I'll hard anodize it black to match the black plastic of the centre console.

Something similar could probably be done with a piece of black delrin (plastic) or sheet aluminum with home tools.

erubin said: Anyone have a suggestion on a new application/upgrade for the old fader
 

I had a man refinish my console wood, and in doing so he covered the opening where the fader control used to be. I plan to replace the radio someday (when I can get the car away from my wife's nephew!) and then it will have separate amplifiers for each set of speakers (front and rear) and the fader on the head unit will be the only source for balance. Mercedes used a poor radio design in that there is DC current flowing thru the stock fader, that is why they sound scratchy when you use them; they load the radio output too, not where you want the audio to go!
Dieseldiehard

like my rover
 

i'm gonna be doin' some speakers in my '85 300TD pretty soon, and my idea is to set it up like my old Range Rover, and mount a dual-voice coil 6" woofer in the side of the storage compartment. it would add a bit of bass to the little 4" that are in the ceiling back there, and wouldn't take up any room.
whatdya think of THAT?