darkoozy

I just bought a 2012 ISF and have the same observations.

I came from a 2009 IS350 with a stock NON ML system, and it sounded awesome. The ML system in my ISF has poor bass response and sounds really week. Its the worst luxury sound system I have ever heard. To add insult to injury, the main passenger side speaker is now blown! I have barley had the car 2 weeks.

I sat in the back seat and noticed the sound levels were way off (low power) compared to the front? Whats the deal?

The sound system is so disappointing. I did not spend this amount of money just to turn around and replace the OEM sound system with aftermarket parts!

Sal Collaziano

Exactly... Lexus needs to step up their game here because it's not 1995 anymore. The Audi A8 and Jaguar XJ come with 1000 watt stereo systems now. I know you don't need that much power to have a great, loud stereo system because my 2008 LS460L sounded amazing.

jefmedia

Add my name to the list. I just traded a 07 460L, for a 2011 460L, both with the Levinson systems. I thought the previous owner had switched out the speakers it sounds so bad. Did anyone ever get a resolution to this other than a complete overhaul of the speakers? It has no where near the fullness my 07 had.

Sal Collaziano

Isn't this a shame? Surely there aren't nearly enough LS owners who WANT a loud stereo system for Lexus to even BEGIN to care about this problem. There are very few of us. Hardly anyone even replied here - on the internet. We're a rare breed...

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I had ML is a '08 GS and '12 ES UL pkg and wasn't impressed with the sound quality.
My GS has the standard system and to me is very close to the ML systems systems I've had unless you play a DVD A disk...
Best oem system I've ever heard is the B&O in my son in law's '13 S8.

jefmedia

Add one more thing. I have a DVD Audio disc by Steely Dan (Gaucho), it plays fine when I am sitting with Acc switch on. However when I turn the ignition on it will not play more than a few seconds and starts over. Really strange.

ryan78

iTrader: (2)

Guys - I don't want to poses questions here and thread jack, but if you could take a look at this quasi related thread and comment your thoughts I would appreciate it. I am trying to decide if ML is really worth it.

Thanks

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...10-non-ml.html

CJITTY

Sigh..there is a thread already on this from this week smdh!! Short answer is yes... https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...ml-stereo.html

jefmedia

BTW, I found that if I turn auto start off in the DVD-Audio menu, that DVD will play. Strange though, I had other DVD-Audio discs that played fine.

nsaldanh

ML on the 2010 - 2012 LS (and possibly beyond) is worthless. Lexus really mucked up the sound. Sal and I found our within weeks of each other that the later 460 models had worthless ML systems. I went from an '08 to a '12 and the difference was night and day! Lexus has refused to do anything about it.

nsaldanh

I have yet to see anyone get any resolution from Lexus. Their stock answer is that "it works as designed". No one could tell me why they designed it to sound worse. I even proved it to a Lexus field engineer who agreed with me, but quickly told me that there was nothing he could do.

The new head unit actually cuts the bass as you raise the volume. All the speakers are the same between the two model years - it's just the head unit that changed.

Tee

Mark Levinson will not share any detailed information dealing with their amps or speakers, only their authorized service repair companies get that privilege because it's proprietary and ML license the product to Lexus. I'm sure the same goes for Bang & Olsen and other high end audiophile companies, I'm a home audio nut so believe me ML is high end audio their home audio gear prices are not for the faint of heart.

For example for a pair of Mark Levinson No.53 Reference monoblock power amps to power 2-Ch audio or two front speakers for home theater MSRP $50,000 but i'm sure you can get that price down a little at a audio boutique if you are buying other gear with them.



There is no such thing as a cheap hobby, every hobby has an low to high end and depending on how passionate you are about it one could spend quite a bit of coin chasing perfection!

I know ML has changed the amp design for each LS460 refresh based on the part numbers, I'm sure that has something to do why the refreshed 460's sound different.

2007 - 2009 PART#: 86280-0W260

2010 - 2012 PART#: 86280-0W700

2013 - Current PART#: 86280-0WA80

roadfrog

As bad as you guys feel these newer ML systems are, apparently they still place in the top 5 of all manufacturers. One review placed it in first ahead of both Jag and Mercedes. These were all 2013 reviews.

I'm just glad I have an 08!

CJITTY

There it is loool

roadfrog

Well....you know......JUST IN CASE those reviews are wrong. LOL.

I do soooo love my ML.