gainesey

Will the addition of an amplifier help with the sub issue?

95bat

What issue are you talking about?

Jms1

I am looking at the ES350 (have a lease expiring in October).

Based on what I am seeing in this thread it looks like we should wait till the 2020 models come out in hopes of a 'fix' for the radio issues being applied by Lexus.

AZSteve

In my opinion, yes you should (wait) and hope they do something. I LOVE the car, but I HATE the audio (non-ML). This is my 3rd ES (1998...2008...2019). I'd give anything to have the Nakamichi back from my '98!

mikemu30

Listen to it yourself. I have the ML system which is wonderful IMO.

95bat

Agreed. Put some music on a flash drive or take a few of your favorite CDs and make up your own mind. Don't let the internet make up your mind for you.

Many of the unhappy people don't have a taste for what the system is designed to do. They basically want stereo music, left and right channels front/rear at equal volume, which this system is not designed to do. I find it odd because that's not the way music works in home theater or in real life... I guess to them car audio should work differently. Oh well, everyone likes what they like, but there is not an 'issue' or 'problem' with the ML system. It just doesn't match their listening preference.

Jms1

We are on our 4th ES350. Always with the standard sound system. We have never had to upgrade to the ML system to get descent audio in a ES350.

Based on responses it appears that with the 2019 ES350 an upgrade to ML is necessary if the customer wants a solid sound system.

Can't recall there ever being this much negative feedback on a Lexus standard sound system. Disappointing that after 12 years with the Lexus ES350 it has come to this.

pgiinc

My ES300H with Mark Levinson sound system is amazing and so is my car it has every option even illuminated door and trunk sills
it sounds best with carplay and the iphone hooked up
second would be itunes bluetooth it's better than spotify and siriusxm I don't play cd or usb but I sure it would be good
sounds better then my 2016 es300h with ML

Philip
2019 ES300h ULeminent white pearl/chateau
2019 NX300h Leminent white pearl/crème
traded in sold
2016 ES300h UL eminent white pearl/parchment
2015 NX300h L atomic silver/black

jno

I recently bought a new 2019 ES 300h. The sound sysem is a huge disappointment. When I use fade there is no sound coming from the back. Only the two front speakers work. I'm not sure why they decided to ruin the sound system but this is a big enough issue for me that I won't be buying another Lexus and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

kalel2127

You're beating a dead horse with this so-called issue. Go over all of the information provided on this thread. It's been discussed why there may not be sound from the rear speakers.

pgiinc

If you cut it up the sound will come out the back speakers

horsey

I don't think you are beating a dead horse. The fader in my ES 350 is definitely not working. Neither is the surround on/off button. Like others, I can only hear sound coming for the front speakers. This is a DEFECT, not a design choice. The whole purpose of the fader is to allow the user to adjust the balance. If someone actually prefers to only hear the front speakers, then they can adjust the fader. Lexus may want you to think that this bias is by design, but that is ridiculous. If they really thought people only wanted to hear front speakers, why put in rear speakers???? What are they for -decoration?

I think everyone needs to keep calling Lexus and asking for a fix. Faders have been around a long time. How hard could it be to fix it?

kalel2127

You might have a defective amp and should have a dealership inspect it.

horsey

I spoke with Cindy twice at Lexus this week (Aug 1). Lexus is NOT acknowledging this as a defect or that they are working on a fix. They only acknowledged to me that they were aware of "some" complaints. Neither the fader nor the surround feature is working in this car. Does anyone have a fader that actually works? I hope so because that would mean there is a solution.

We need to keep calling Lexus until we get a fix.

jimv1983

My fader and surround features work just fine. The front seats have 6x9 door speakers while the back seat doesn't so there is some amount of front bias but not to the extent that is noticable to me or anyone I've had in the car. I leave the fader in the default middle position since that is where I like it and I keep surround mode on.

I do have the ML system but I didn't notice any problems like you are mentioning on the standard Pioneer system either.