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Part for aftermarket radio

242 Views 9 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Sneaky Pete
Im installing a pioneer aftermarket radio into my R171. I called a place to get a quote on how much install would be and they mentioned I need a something about “fiber obtic” for the radio install. Im wondering what that is and where I could get it. Any links or brand recommendations would be great.
Attached below are the parts i bought. Let me know if I need anything else.
Thank you

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Im installing a pioneer aftermarket radio into my R171. I called a place to get a quote on how much install would be and they mentioned I need a something about “fiber obtic” for the radio install. Im wondering what that is and where I could get it. Any links or brand recommendations would be great.
Attached below are the parts i bought. Let me know if I need anything else.
Thank you

View attachment 628667
You have a FL R171. So unless you have the separate HK amplifier (check your datacard) you have no need for any fiber optic thingy. If you remove your old radio the entire fiber optic stuff becomes redundant. Think your installer confuses your FL car with a pre-FL car. With a pre-FL car you could opt to keep the speakers connected to the AGW in the passenger footwell. In your case the AGW is in the HU. Remove that and there is no AGW,hence no operational fiber.
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FL = facelft USA 2009-2011
pre fl 2005-2008 USA
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You have a FL R171. So unless you have the separate HK amplifier (check your datacard) you have no need for any fiber optic thingy. If you remove your old radio the entire fiber optic stuff becomes redundant. Think your installer confuses your FL car with a pre-FL car. With a pre-FL car you could opt to keep the speakers connected to the AGW in the passenger footwell. In your case the AGW is in the HU. Remove that and there is no AGW,hence no operational fiber.
what would a separate HK amplifier be labeled as?
what would a separate HK amplifier be labeled as?
I don't know exactly. Something like "Premium Sound System" with an option code of 810 (at least here in Europe).
Anyway there would be the Harman/Kardon logo on the speaker grills. And because it is a separate amp there would be no speaker wiring on the HU,so your installer would immediately know.

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You have a FL R171. So unless you have the separate HK amplifier (check your datacard) you have no need for any fiber optic thingy. If you remove your old radio the entire fiber optic stuff becomes redundant. Think your installer confuses your FL car with a pre-FL car. With a pre-FL car you could opt to keep the speakers connected to the AGW in the passenger footwell. In your case the AGW is in the HU. Remove that and there is no AGW,hence no operational fiber.
just to clarify, I do have HK "Premium Sound System" but since I have a facelift (2009) SLK r171, I don't need to purchase a fiber optic decoder box? SO will I have to buy a separate amp or anything?
just to clarify, I do have HK "Premium Sound System" but since I have a facelift (2009) SLK r171, I don't need to purchase a fiber optic decoder box? SO will I have to buy a separate amp or anything?
No,let me clarify.
You say you have a HK amp. This amp is located in the passenger footwell. Speakers are wired to that amp in the footwell.
You now have 2 options.
Option 1:
Rewire the speakers to your new radio HU in the dashboard. Pro: simple straight forward setup. Con: possible worse soundquality (HK makes pretty good amps) and more work for your installer.
Option 2:
Use the RCA outputs of your new radio,connect them to a converterbox and connect that converterbox to the HK amp. That converterbox is the fiber optic thingy your installer mentions. Pro: probably better sound quality,allthough only stereo,no DTS or surround. Con:more complicated setup and an extra money for the converterbox.
For this option you need e.g. this device (the converterbox):

For completion:
Option 3:
Replace the HK amp with a new amplifier with DSP and equalizer stuff etc. But then you are talking major $$$$

Hope this clarifies things. If not,just ask.
And for the record I have no hands-on experience with the converterbox (I am an OEM guy ;)) but others may have. What I heard is that these Xtrons converters work pretty good.
But if your installer suggests another converterbox I would follow his advice. Makes the discussion a lot easier if it does not work as expected.😉
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Rewire the speakers to your new radio HU in the dashboard.
Keep in mind that USUALLY (not always, but it is fairly common with certain amps, not sure about HK) the impedance of speakers are TWO ohms instead of the common (in cars!) FOUR ohms. Home stereo systems have (usually? always?) EIGHT ohm speakers..

If you drive two ohm speakers in a system (HU) made for four ohms, you can burn the built in amplifier.. Same if you run higher ohm speakers (home stereo speakers for examples)..
Keep in mind that USUALLY (not always, but it is fairly common with certain amps, not sure about HK) the impedance of speakers are TWO ohms instead of the common (in cars!) FOUR ohms. Home stereo systems have (usually? always?) EIGHT ohm speakers..

If you drive two ohm speakers in a system (HU) made for four ohms, you can burn the built in amplifier.. Same if you run higher ohm speakers (home stereo speakers for examples)..
Mwah, I would not worry to much about speaker impedance. It is no more than an average. Typical speaker impedance behaviour chart of a 6 ohm rated speaker :


It's all over the place.
Imho,use normal soundlevels and don't worry too much about impedance. You will probably hear distortion way before the amp gets into trouble.
Never looked at impedance specs in my high end home stereo setup.
HK speakers are a mix of 2 ohm and 4 ohm speakers.5 2 ohm speakers and 2 4 ohm speakers.
But you may disagree. ;)
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