iDunno2k3

Hello,
I am looking for a used GS300 but all I can find are non-mark levinson systems. It seems like the Mark Levinson equipped ones are rare.

My question is: Is the Mark Levinson system really different in sound quality from the regular system?

I am a little picky on my speakers and a little audiophile. I listen to classical and some bass heavy music and midrange and bass must be strong.

Thanks.

beauphus

i have had both ML and non-ML...if you are a true audiophile i would say get non-ML cause you will be doing it all over again anyways...i am an ex-audiophile and have the ML now and i cant complain even though i will be swapping out the subwoofer for some low end....the ML sounds better than average for most but to someone who has heard high-end systems it isnt on the same level as dynaudio/velodyne/alpine F1/Mcintosh etc....thats just my opinion though

iDunno2k3

im not going to be modifying it, keeping it pure stock forever.

so, ML i guess?

is it worth waiting a while for a gs300 with mark levinson to show up or should i just jump the gun and buy one now?, i need one in the next 3 months

beauphus

good luck finding a GS300 with ML...thats usually an option on 430 not 300...in fact i would say its rather rare on a 300

iDunno2k3

i can only find gs300s with navi and ML, not just ML by itself

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

Finding a Non-Navi ML is rare in itself, much alone on a GS300.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i am no where a guy with clear ears, nor my wife, but i can tell you, the ml system blows away the normal pioneer system

we have had our gs4 for 3 yrs, always thought the normal pioneer system is pretty ok. but as soon as we got our sc430 with ml last thanksgiving, man, is that a different world. now my gs400 sounds like crap compared to the ml

don't get me wrong, the pionner is still better than a lot of stuff out there, but it's no match with the ml

if i culd choose it all over again, ml for sure

nyczdave

I had both and the ML system is a lot better then the non-ML. But I agree that if you plan on upgrading your system for an aftermarket get the non ML.

faiello

You will need to call the car dealers to find out if it has the ML, not all dealers will advertise it that way. If the car is advertised with NAV most likely it will have the ML and HID headlights. I just purchased a 2004 GS300 with ML, NAV, and HID and none of these items were listed it the ad.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

ML also has more speakers than non-ML, I think like a center speaker
Even the ML for most picky audio guys is still decent, but nothing like aftermarket speakers, amps, HU
For me, I wouldn't even bother hunting down a GS with the ML b/c you mentioned you want strong bass. You can't compare that with aftermarket though. You don't have to do a full-blown show stopping system, at least change out the speakers to start off.

To answer your question, yes ML makes a difference from the regular, but nothing I would have to have when looking for a GS.
Good luck.

Mrbig

There is def a big difference in the 2 systems ML is one of the best you can get.....Sound is great and even has a good amount of bass as well.........

e-man

I don't know if this information will help because the extent of my knowledge concerns GS430s, not GS300s. For a while, I was looking for a ML non-Nav GS430. It is definitely a rare find, and, like Faiello said, not all dealers will advertise it that way (most likely because they don't even know the car has it). It is my understanding that you could only get ML without Nav in 2001. In 2002 and later, you had to get both or neither. And you can never get Nav without ML, no matter what year. There are two ways to tell if a 2001 non-Nav car has ML: (1) ML cars have a speaker on the front center part of the dash; and (2) the radio of an ML car says "Mark Levinson" in script in the center of the head unit. Hope this helps.

e

rominl

iTrader: (4)

hehehe, someone has really done their homework

e-man

You know only too well.

iDunno2k3

ok guys, i just got a 2001 gs300 with navi/ml for 27000.

it only had 30k miles and every thing serviced at the dealerships, even the flat tires and oil changes.

i couldnt get the price lower since they had like 2 other buyers waiting for it haha.