Thread: Command APS volume question

Hello, i have been wondering about this for a while now. I have owned a 2006 CLS500 with the HK system and command APS and currently own a 2007 CLS550 with the same audio setup. In both cars, the volume at full range is not really that loud in radio, CD and AUX modes. Is there any way to raise the output of these units? Thanks,
Chris.

I can suggest that Mercedes refuses to raise levels above what can be seen as damaging or long-term damaging.

Precisely how many dB are you wanting to attain ?

Bear in mind that adaptation is a process whereby long periods of a certain noise level are normalised to a lower level through a process of deliberate exhaustion in the cochlea.

This is a natural process and it is against your ultimate goal. Which is to perhaps to awake the dead and cause earthquakes.

I drive with industrial hearing protection on my ears like F1 team members use and when I remove them I can hear every single heartbeat from the engine which is normally almost impossible to hear.

Sound is therefore a factor of relative levels over a period of time. It has not so much to do with dB per se.

You can relate your reply to the power produced by the potent engines MB creates. If what you describe was MB's way of thinking, i don't believe my car would have 382hp and even worse, the AMG line would be non existent. it only takes about 55hp to cruise at highway speeds. The audio system is tuned far below its potential. MB boasts 320 watts of power and i would like be able to call upon it at will. This is reminiscent of the rental Taurus i drove a little while ago where they had the radio volume and top speed "governed" for teens i suppose. Ive been through the engineering menu and no mention of gain or volume limits. Any thoughts?

Try a car with the AMG sound system.

That might solve my problems, however my system just needs a way to have its gain boosted, more preamp gain etc. Some AM and college radio stations do not broadcast as loud as most stations, and at full blast on the Command APS, volume is nominal. It is very frustrating when every other car i've owned including two 190e's back in the day with the Becker Grand Prix could really crank out the tunes. The sound quality wasn't as good but at least it was audible in all situations.

Any mention of firmware fixes to boost the gain?

Any firmware updates are likely to lower the sound volumes.

Industrial deafness due to sound systems and ipods are now one of the hotly debated laws in many countries.

To fend off the cost of paying for research into deafness, Apple brought out a very strict volume limiter on the headphones.

I think that the sound levels are going down and not up.