Yep. don't use bluetooth for critical listening. physical is usually best. especially since iphones are known to have crap BT streaming protocols.

 

Before leasing my 2019 ES 350 UL I listened critically to both the base audio system and the ML audio system and there is no comparison between the two - the ML system is far superior. As with most high performance audio systems it can clearly show the limitations of the source material. The ML system truly shines with well recorded Amazon Music Ultra HD tracks and other high definition sources.

 

One thing that I've discovered for anyone using the Original LC2i is that your low bass will be capped at 33Hz regardless of what amp or subs you're running because that's the lowest it's frequency response range can go. If you want lower the LC2i Pro can do 20Hz. Now the big question.. What is the lowest sub output range in Hz on Mark Levinson?


LC2i Frequency Response Range (33Hz lowest)

LC2i PRO Frequency Response Range (20Hz lowest)

 

Does any one here knows what are the size dimensions of the 2020 Lexus 300 h Luxury model Base speakers?
Would replacing them and adding an amp help the sound.?
The sound in 2020 ES 300 h sucks.
My other 2015 crv has better sound from stock radio.

 

I'm waiting for Crutchfield to post the recommended speakers. I will Replace them as soon as it is released.

 

Heeheee. My first car was a 53 Chevy (bought in 1962) with AM radio, 6 banger for an engine, and I loved it when I could listen to a station that didnt have static@!!! And I boasted how it had 270 air conditioning!!! 2 windows down at 70 mph!
LOL My oh my how times have changed. I just hope some posters will listen to the sage advice of the moderator and not take personal shots at each other. We're all here to learn. Especially me since I just bought a 2015 ES350 with 125K miles on it. (It was very well kept inside and out with over 50k highway commuter miles on it the previous 2 years)

And Im waaay behind the learning curve on just understanding where all the various adjustments are on the car, yet alone improving the sound. But I read my manual and play with the adjustments each day. Ive owned Chrysler New Yorkers, Mercury Marquis, BMW 500 series when they were a true large car, Cadillacs and others, but this Lexus is a fine running and handling luxury car and will be better once I replace the shocks.

 

Couldn't agree with you more my brother. We are definitely all here to learn. I was literally working on mine all day today. Did some sound deadening to stop the vibrations and added my stock sub back in because the ML amp has a detection system built in that can detect when the stock sub is disconnected and hold back a good 40-50% on the sun channel signal. Not even the LC2i Pro can counter this with their detection/compensation feature. I have to say that now the sound is OUT OF THIS WORLD but I'm getting a crazy rattle from the stock sub again. I have to figure a way to cover it from the inside of the trunk without using dynomat just incase I trade the car in down the road. Want to be able to remove everything for that stock look at the end. Any ideas towards what I could use to cover the bottom of the sub from the inside of the trunk that would stop the sound from my JL's fromcoming trow and rattling the heck outta the stock sub? 😅

 

Have anyone compared the 2016 ML to the 2019 ML?

 

Wanted to take this time to thank everyone on this form for all your time and effort to share information on this vehicle. Truly couldn't have made it this far without you all and I sincerely appreciate everyone's contribution. 🙏💙😁 THANK YOU

 

Wanted to share this key piece of information with you all as well. If anyone happens to have a Bluetooth device or phone that supports Qualcomm aptX technology try it out via Bluetooh connection on your 2019 and above ES 350. It looks like the head unit WILL accept that transmission protocol. Could just be that the sound processor on any device that has aptX is of a higher quality in order to utilize the technology when compared with most devices that don't, but I did notice a noticeable sound quality difference/improvement between my iPhone 11 vs my OnePlus 8T when connected via Bluetooth to my ES 350 with ML system. Might be worth a try for anyone with access to a device with aptX. Please feel free to share your results if so. 🙏

https://www.aptx.com/aptx-hd

 

I FOUND THE LAST RATTLE!!!
It was driving me crazy for days now and I finally found a good track that was a constant lower frequency rumble out of my aftermarket subwoofers and pulled for inspection. It definitely wasn't anything to due with my rear deck especially after the extensive sound deadening I did back there covering every single possible rattle and contact point but that's where a sound seemed to be coming from when listening from the drivers seat. After a few minutes in the rear seat putting pressure on different places on the rear deck with my hands to see if the rattle would subside, I was moving around and the vibration lessened but I wasn't touching anything. I looked around and realized my knee was pressed against the rear far passenger side car seat clip cover and that area was where most of the vibration was coming from that could be heard even outside the car with the door closed. I pulled the entire seat off quick and the entire rattle was gone!!!!!!!!! Popped the seat back in and it returned. Pulled the first car seat clip cover off and way less rattle. Pulled them all off and RATTLE GONE!!! I AM SOOOO HAPPY! 😁 I drove around till sunset just listening to the system sounding perfect now with no rattle on every note. Had to cut the cruise short because of the little ones coming out to trick or treat. Safer for them with less cars on the road. Especially me with system blazing!

These are the clip covers I removed and now the sound is literally pure bliss! 😊 I hope this helps anyone with upgraded aftermarket subwoofers. 🙏 Wanted to say that I really appreciate the people on this form. Especially E46CT. If it wasn't for all your help I don't know if I would have made it this far and the sound is so important to me that I might have gave the car back by now if not. THANK YOU EVERYONE! 💙

 

Here's some more photos of the sound deadening upgrade. I have some video that I will add to a full tutorial on how to upgrade the entire system from scratch and everything I've learned about this specific vehicle from day one. 🙏

 

Now that is "seat of the pants" diagnostics!!! LOL Glad you got er done. Its so kool to find the cause of an irritating problem which seems to have no logical explanation. Ive been through that with 3 old motorcycles that Ive customized over the past 20 years and a "breakthru" makes ya feel like a million bucks. I had one of those "moments" after I changed out the speakers last week. Congrats and best wishes for miles of smiles!

 

Thank you brother!! BEST FEELING IN THE World! I love how you said it because it's perfectly put LITERALLY! 😂 Glad to hear you found solutions with yours and know how good that can feel! 😊 I was border line losing sleep over it because I can't do anything half way and it's crazy how important the sound really is to me because every single car I've owned is the same thing. Right before I get the next one I always say "I'm just going to leave the system stock this time" and each and every single time I JUST CAN'T. 😅 I know alot of people on here may not be too happy with the ML system but believe me when I say that in all my years of experience with car audio and well over 200 systems done in my time, the ML in this car is the closest you can come to aftermarket amplified interior speakers in a stock manufactured released vehicle. 💯 The 450 watts for the sub channel is too strong with a lot of distortion at 0 level in my experience with this car. I have it set to - 3 on the stock head unit and the signal feeding into my LC2i Pro is wayyyyyy cleaner. I have the RCA bass output level on the LC2i Pro set to half way right now which is about 4-4.5 volts CLEAN signal being sent to my amplifier. If you keep the bass level at 0 or higher on the stock head unit the maximized light on the LC2i will come on way to soon at a lower volume and you want to be able to push the ML to around 46-50 volume and that's where I personally feel like it's really able to come to life off Bluetooth on iPhone 11 or higher in full Lossless Hi-Res Audio. If you keep the bass level on the head unit at 0 or higher you can't turn the LC2i level output higher than a quarter of the way and the distortion is real. With -3 bass I'm halfway RCA level output on the LC2i Pro and the maximized (distortion) light doesn't show till around 48-52 volume on all kinds of different music. Clarity that words can even explain from mids and highs in a stock lexus sound system. One thing to keep in mind that has been mentioned in this forum is that the ML Pureplay system needs to be fed NEW and CLEAN high quality music in order for it to really shine. New Dance, Trance and EDM sounds best to me on the ML output wise but if you're running Apple music off iPhone 11 or higher anything with the three output quality tags below will sound good. If iPhone 11 or higher you will also get to experience Apple's Spatial Audio and that's what the ML Surround Sound experience was designed and engineered for.🔥 Happy listening everyone and if anyone needs help with anything information wise please do not hesitate to ask. 🙏 Thank you

 

To those of you so disappointed with the ML system in our ES models, you'll be happy to know (or maybe not) that the ML in the IS sounds pretty much the same - little to no sound from the rear. And after driving an IS loaner for a day, I will be happy to have my ES back. The IS is pretty small inside.