parman

I am looking to buy a new car in February, and I will be selecting from among the so-called "entry level" luxury class. I really like the ES350, but am concerned about the quality of the standard "Lexus Premium Audio System".
Other manufacturers offer Infinity, Boston Acoustics, Bose, Lexicon, etc. I know that Lexus has a Mark Levinson system, but on the Lexus website, it does not allow you to select it with the ES 350, and I have seen on other forums that it costs around $2,000.
When I heard the standard system, frankly, I wasn't impressed at all. Can anyone give me more information on the stock system? Who makes it? Is it a servicable system? I only heard it briefly during a test drive, and it was the radio only.

Any opinions would be appreciated.

garsarno

Ordered the Ultra version back in 2006 (2007 ES350 with the Mark Levinson / navigation package. Could not be more happy with the system, best factory system I have heard. Did hear that the LS460 Mark Levinson system blows the ES350 version away but have not heard it. On a side note - I looked up the trade in value of my ES350 and the Mark Levinson system adds $445 while the navigation system adds $643 to the trade in value. That's almost $1,100. So the extra amount is recouped somewhat if and when you trade the car in while you are enjoying the system.

bdar

How do you like the ultra lux package? Does it start to rattle? Does the moonroof open all the way? or only half to the front and half to the back? I like the look of ultra lux, but wonder if worth to get it or not.

garsarno

After 40,000 miles, no rattles. Moonroof opens like the regular one but the backseat has the fixed glass. Great for daylight and driving at night for the rear passengers. My ES350 is dark blue and you lose the effect of the panoramic sunroof on a dark car. It looks far better on white and silver cars with a black interior. I would not get another one without the Ultra package but they are hard to get. Our dealer located the one we have while it was "on the boat". The wheels, nice looking but they are painted and are very easy to incur the dreaded curb rash. There is no paint that matches those Graphite color wheels exactly. That was the only down part of the package. Plus the Ultra makes your ES350 just that more exclusive.

cotrone

go back and listen to it again. I own one and that is why I bought the car

cotrone

go back and listen to it again. I own one and that is why I bought the car

bdar

Thanks for your reply garsarno. How about the moonroof on the backseat? Can it be closed all the way? Otherwise it may be too hot for the backseat passsenger during summer day. Do you have a picture that you can share with me when the moonroof and sunroof open and close all the way? Thanks in advance

garsarno

For the back seat passenger, their portion of the panoramic roof is fixed. It does have a sliding cover that blocks out the sun. During this hot summer, our car is parked outside and I close both the front seat and back seat covers. Also use the rear window shade too.
Not too hot for the back seat passenger while the a/c is going but if they want to nap, they close it.

miltonlin

parman:

I do not like the current factory system. Not the worst I ever heard, but just average (I am comparing it to my 99ES300 (made by Pioneer), also branded premium, but 1999 far superior to the 2011 IMHO. Lexus really should be ashamed of themselves for calling this premium. If tunes are important to you, and you want to keep it stock, then definitely get the ML system.

garsarno

This reminds me of my '80 Lincoln Continental / Town Car: it had a premium, extra cost sound system that a large chrome push - pull switch labeled premium sound. When you wanted the OEM amp to kick in, you pulled the switch. Off - push it back in. I think it would have sound better than the Lexus standard premium sound system.

bobsobi

It seems the stock system sound quality went south right around 2000 -- my '99 ES was sweet and musical, but my wife's 2001 RX was notably inferior.

After I lost the ES in 2009, I noticed immediately that the stock system in the new ES was even worse. If you have any desire for decent sound in your car, you pretty much have to go for the ML option, and even that is far from perfect.

wmkim

I hadn't planned to, but I ended up getting my ES w/ the ML package; and I think it's better in general than the "high end" Bose surround system that was in my Cayenne (though I guess the acoustics in an SUV are probably different than a sedan). I guess it's all personal preference; but for type of music I listen to (XM Coffehouse type stuff), IMO it sounds great. In fact, even the "Premium" system that was in the ES I test drove wasn't "terrible"...

jkayca

My 2001 Max stock sound system sounded much better than the standard system I got with my 2008 ES350. It was a little disappointing but then again the ES is a relatively cheap luxury car.

parman

Thanks to all for the responses. I will be purchasing with Mark Levinson. WmKim, I appreciate your input, as I currently have a Bose premium system in my vehicle as well, and it has been flawless for 7 years. If the ML is as good or better, I can't go wrong.

garsarno

Have Bose in my '07 Impala SS. Very good but the ML system is another notch higher. The ML system in the LS460 is still higher than the ES350 version. But I'm very happy with mine.