SL (R230) headunit replacement.

[flowrider]

I'm just looking, again, at replacing the head unit in my 2004 SL500 with an android unit. I have the BOSE upgrade and based on information I have read it appears that the unit in the link below would be a compatible replacement. Has anyone any experience of Seicane? With delivery it will be close to £400. Does anyone know of alternatives.

https://www.seicane.com/android-gps...-camera-steering-wheel-control-usb-sd-s018817

Thanks

 

[LostKiwi]

I'm just looking, again, at replacing the head unit in my 2004 SL500 with an android unit. I have the BOSE upgrade and based on information I have read it appears that the unit in the link below would be a compatible replacement. Has anyone any experience of Seicane? With delivery it will be close to £400. Does anyone know of alternatives.

https://www.seicane.com/android-gps...-camera-steering-wheel-control-usb-sd-s018817

Thanks

Depends what you call compatible.
Yes it will fit the hole.
Yes you can use it to drive the speakers but....
No you can't use the Bose amplifier. You have to wire the unit direct to speakers or through a third party amplifier and rip out the Bose.

I have yet to find anything that's completely compatible with the Bose amplifier and D2B fibre optic connection.

 

[flowrider]

Tavarish did a YouTube video of this unit in his 2003 SL55, he said that the unit comes with cables that you wire to the individual speaker amplifiers, are these the BOSE amps?

 

[LostKiwi]

Tavarish did a YouTube video of this unit in his 2003 SL55, he said that the unit comes with cables that you wire to the individual speaker amplifiers, are these the BOSE amps?

No the Bose amplifier is connected by fibre optic.

 

[flowrider]

Ok so the Seicane just uses the speaker amplifiers and bypasses the BOSE amp.

 

[ajlsl600]

is this for a tangible quality gain ? or to make things difficult,again..

 

[LostKiwi]

As far as I'm aware there are no amplifiers in the speakers and not even a crossover (which creates another issue as you end up driving the tweeters with full range signals which isn't good for them).

 

[flowrider]

is this for a tangible quality gain ? or to make things difficult,again..

There are a number of gains by doing this, updated satnav {Google maps or Waze}, better Bluetooth streaming, OBDII functionality, DAB radio.

 

[flowrider]

As far as I'm aware there are no amplifiers in the speakers and not even a crossover (which creates another issue as you end up driving the tweeters with full range signals which isn't good for them).

I picked up the amp in speakers from the Tavarish video, I will need to look into this more.

 

[LostKiwi]

Been checking pics and various websites. Definitely no amplifier in the speakers themselves.
The door speakers comprise a small woofer and a 3" midrange/tweeter. Each speaker is independently wired from the main amplifier (according to circuit diagram).

http://www.whatsinside.info/bose-mercedes-r230-sl-sound-system/

 

[flowrider]

Been checking pics and various websites. Definitely no amplifier in the speakers themselves.
The door speakers comprise a small woofer and a 3" midrange/tweeter. Each speaker is independently wired from the main amplifier (according to circuit diagram).

http://www.whatsinside.info/bose-mercedes-r230-sl-sound-system/

Great info thank you. I assume that the Seicane HU has an amplifier built into it that drives the speakers.

 

[LostKiwi]

It would appear so.
That said I'd be tempted to install an amplifier or two in the boot and install a couple of crossovers in there too so as to protect the drivers in the door. Since all the speakers are wired individually from the boot it would be logical to do so.
To install the Seicane it's probably a matter of swapping the head unit and running wiring to the boot for the speakers into the amplifier(s). Install crossovers on the output and hook to the existing speaker wiring.

 

[Wighty]

Do www.commandonline.co.uk offer any alternatives .?

 

[flowrider]

Do www.commandonline.co.uk offer any alternatives .?

Not that I can see on their website.

 

[LostKiwi]

Do www.commandonline.co.uk offer any alternatives .?

I believe they've done Alpine conversions but the price is pretty eye watering...