Was thinking last night....with all of the tie-ins Toyota has with Yamaha, why don't they use Yamaha sound systems in their cars? Or do they?

Mark Levinson comes to mind....he was unknown to me other than the fact his name is on the sound systems in some Lexus vehicles, so why did Toyota decide to go with his branding rather than using Yamaha?


Also, curious to see how many engines either fully- or partly-developed by Yamaha in the US market. Please post up platforms and details that you're aware of, and I'll add them to the list.

1. Toyota 2ZZ-GE Matrix XRS 2003-2006
2. Pontiac 2ZZ-GE Vibe GT 2003-2006
3. Toyota 2ZZ-GE Celica GT-S 2000-2005
4. Lotus 2ZZ-GE Elise/Exige
5. Ford Taurus SHO 1989-1995
6. Lexus 1LR-GUE LF-A
7. Lexus 2UR-GSE IS-F 2008-2013

 

Yamaha makes musical instruments and motorcycles.

Do they make automotive sound systems for anyone?

 

That's kind of my point, and why I'm curious they aren't more into that market.

They make home theater amps, so they obviously have the tech.

 

I have a Yamaha Digital Sound Projector (sound bar) set up on my television. Yamaha already has a home theater presence. Perhaps they aren't interested since, in the automotive industry, the underlying audio components of a branded sound system are rarely produced by the branded company.

 

I believe a couple of Volvos (S80 and some XC90) had the Yamaha V8

Here is a link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_B8444S_engine

 

I don't believe that Yamaha makes car audio systems.

Mark Levinson is a high-end audio line owned by Harman International Industries, which sells audio components under the harman/kardon, Infinity and JBL brands. Note that the high-end audio systems in Toyota-branded cars are labelled JBL.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harman_International_Industries
I do not know what company makes the lower-end audio systems in Toyotas but it is probably a Japanese company (Harman International is American).

 

My dad has a yamaha rack system at home. t was a small fortune but sounds INSANE

 

Yamaha should (IMO) try hooking up with an auto manufacturer and making a premium audio system

 

I used to have Yamaha 6 x 9 speakers in my toyota fx16, this was early 1990's. Haven't seen them in years though.

 

These high end audio names on factory car stereos is a gimmick IMO. Some of them sound great, others are pure crap. For example, I've had a lot of seat time with the Bose system in a 2011 GMC Yukon Denali. It has some 6.5" speakers in the door, a middle speaker in the center of the dash, and a sub somewhere in the back of that truck. That system straight bumps, sounds amazing with classical, techno, or distorted, grungy sounding metal and rock. You can turn it to max volume and it won't distort.

The upgraded system in the last gen 2001-06 Denali is branded Bose as well. It flat sucks in comparison, no midbass or bass, the door speakers are crappy 3.5 or 4" units, it sounds like a tin can in comparison to the 2011 truck. The worst offense IMO about that setup is there is plenty of room to mount a couple of subs in the back and more than enough room to run 6.5" speakers in the front doors.

Just saying the audio companies don't get any real input on the design of the system, they're just paid a royalty to slap their name on whatever crap the car company specs out. The upgraded JBL system in the current Camry is another example of cost cutting or incompetence in designing something that works. The base system in my 92 SC300 is way better than than the new Camry.

 

LFA had Yamaha tuned exhaust. Other than that though I can't think of anything. They aren't into car audio I don't thiink though, it's not their forte at least.

 

fun fact

#1. Yamaha doesnt do car audio
#2 Toyota is largest minority shareholder in Yamaha.

 

You didn't miss Vibe GT, but you missed Corolla XRS.