XM modulating into factory head sounds like a dog farting in a pan of water
 

I have a Pioneer 903 XM receiver, previously installed in a VW Monsoon system with no problems, now installed in my '95 E300. (car manufactured 7/94) It is sending an FM modulated signal to the Mercedes factory head. (the head with the round volume control knob) For simplicity sake, and so I can retain usage of the weather band, I need to keep my factory head.

FM stations sound fine, but I'm not happy with the XM sound quality. Vocal siblance and cymbal crashes sound like a dog farting in a pan of water. I've tried adjusting the sound level at the XM controller with little to no effect on the high frequency distortion.

I want to bypass the XM receiver's FM modulator altogether. My car is prewired for a CD changer, but none is installed. I'm told there is a way to tap into the XM receiver's line level signal using an IP-bus breakout cable. Then hopefully send the signal to the CD input on the Mercedes head using the factory CD changer connector in the trunk. For this to work, the factory head has to be fooled into thinking there is actually a CD player installed, and at the same time, sending two channels of line level audio signal to the head.

Peripheral-AAMP has CD changer interface products for most cars, but I can't seem to find one with the RCA connectors for my model Mercedes.

What solution (s) does anyone know of that might help?

You will have to buy a cd changer and then the radio will see the cd then you can interupt the audio between the cd changer and the factory radio and run the xm signal into the radio and then it will work! If you want it done for you our repair shop can make an adapter cable with switching that will work for you and even have the p-bus connector on it so it will plug directly into your pioneer tuner. Ck with Cleeve @ lajollaaudiorepair@pacbell.net

Scott@lajollaaudio

Web Site Info
 

Hi Peeb,
Scott is right. We have been modifing factory units for injecting XM signal from the XM tuner directly into the head unit. No signal loss and CD quality coming out of your radio like XM should sound like. Contact me at www.lajollaaudiorepair.com

Cleeve Morrison
La Jolla Audio Repair

Oh man do I hate the sound of a dog, or any animal, farting into a pan of water...terrible, you must do somthing.

I must live a sheltered life. I've never heard a dog farting in a pan of water. Gotta pan, now if I can just find a dog.:D

Thanks everyone.

Got any suggestions on which CD player to get? It won't get much use. It's main purpose would be to wake up the CD input on the factory head. I'm thinking I saw an adapter cable for my model car that converts a round Alpine CD player connector to the rectangular Mercedes connector. :)

By the way, I've tried several times to email Scott and Cleve and each time I receive an "address unknown" error. I've used the address given on their web page and the ones given on this and the MBNZ forums. The problem could be my provider, but I can't get through to them.

This is the first time I have had any complaints about this problem. The e mail accounts are not even by the same host. If you guys want to call I can't make any promises as to how long we can talk but we will try to help. Cleeve's direct number is 858-373-0596 m>f 9 to 6.

Scott@lajollaaudio