The merc has a MOST head unit from where an optical fibre runs to the amp in trunk and from amp copper wires run to speakers. I was unable to locate the amp in rear parcel shelf as told by few merc gurus, mayb have to remove the parcel shelf to see it. The setup is not HARMON KARDON nor it is BOSE. It's just a stock system which i am trying to figure out what brand the speaker, sub and amp are. OK so here's the main differences i can notice.
- The merc MIDBASS is just AWESOME, almost 20x the midbase of my focals so even at low volume its a treat to listen music. The bass is BEEFY unlike focals.
For focals there is no midbass what so ever, unless i turn up the volume very high and even then the bass is like small n pin point - not beefy
- Merc TWEETERS are very sweet sounding. Even at high volume not fatiguing even 1% and the sound is very crisp i can hear sound (chan chan) from one tweeter going along the dash to the other tweeter but don't find this kind of effect for the same song on focal Merc tweeters are placed at sail panels.
For focal, i've to turn the 10k hz component to max n then i get some good treble but no way near the sweetness of merc but again on most songs it will start hurting my ears after 10-15 min.
- Merc VOCALS is FANTASTIC, it makes u feel that singer is in front of you, the SOUND STAGING is SPOT ON.
For focal, i've to turn up volume considerable to get some vocals out of them. I haven't played around much with vocal part of EQ yet, will try it n c how's the response.
- The SUB in merc is 10 inch placed on rear parcel shelf facing downward into the trunk. It's cone feels like some paper sort of material. It does not have a heavy bass but cz it blends perfectly with the speakers so overall sound is a treat and u never know there's a sub in the back. For the passengers it feels like bass is coming from the mids. Believe me for the first whole year i thought merc did not have any sub but when i accidentally say the parcel shelf from inside the trunk i saw it.
For my proton, can clearly tell the bass coming from the sub in the back. If i turn off the sub, there's no bass at all unless i turn on the bass boost for speakers. There's no front stage what so ever. M keeping bass boost 0 and sub level also 0.
The focal installer has done the best setting that he can so i've to wait for speakers to break in or just live with it :)........