irishbrahm

Not if the technician (1) doesn't hear it (even on a ride-along); (2) cannot reproduce it; or (3) says that the car is "operating as designed."

CJS57

With the ML system set at near factory neutral How loud are you playing it? I am at 30 to 48 with pop, country and rock.

AnthonyMJ

Is it intermittent? Even so, there's always a reason. Sounds like the tech may be blowing you off. There are methods to check for air leaks; the most common is probably the compressor and a soapy liquid. Ask to speak to the service Manager. If she or he still blows you off, contact Lexus directly. You bought a $50K car. Don't accept less than excellence.

howiegunby

This is ridiculous. Dealers did not even know about this situation. I think they need to recall every 2019 and fix this issue. If I had known that the rear speakers would only play a certain % then I would have bought something else.

jstagn

95bat

Why would they recall every 2019 to fix something that is working as designed? That's one recall I'd adamantly deny. I love the ML stereo.

One way of knowing how the rear speakers play is to listen to them before buying the car! How hard is this?

georgechen

I don't understand. I drive my car and the ML system sounds amazing. Too bad if it doesn't sound as well for my kids in the back.

AnthonyMJ

What I learned... It's a stereo surround-sound system. Not all sounds come from every speaker. And the amount of separation comes from the quality of the input. On a high-fidelity classic Theolonius Monk CD, I could hear Frankie Dunlop's high-pitched cymbals twinkling from the back speaker. A search of this very internet will give much more info on how surround systems work.

jfz219

ES63

What i will add to this whole thing , keeping in mind right now im holding off on my opinion of whether it is as designed or not. As having a former career in Yacht entertainment / automation systems. when we used to install very high end to mid range 5.1 sound systems and EQ them to the room . an often issue espressed by owners esp one that werent familair with house surround sound is mixed even in movies, was "there doesnt seem to be sound from the speakers behind me" even an explanation and demonstration with a surround disc/movie , showing them how its "designed" . They still wanted to hear sound from those speakers. Especialy when say just listening to music.

That being said , many of the recievers had a switch ( though that caused much confusion too ) that did enable different sound processing . Dolby/pro logic/ etc. But they also had one for music that played the sound basicaly from all speakers equally essentialy divided into the "traditional" Stereo left right ( as most older music was mixed mastered to) . This did give the esential feeling to some poeple of "room filling sound".

My point to this long story is perhaps as this is being sorted out, and or if it was designed as front stage biased , surround set up what ever. perhaps a software/firmware update that would allow a button , just like the surround on off , but to process more that way ( and yes taking into account of speaker type and placement, not sending highs and mids to subs etc. )
Just a long thought....

User 41924

You are awesome!! I can almost hear the cymbals myself!!

User 41924

This is my biggest complaint with Lexus service. Whenever they can't find something, or they just don't want to try, you get "operating as designed." I had this on a CT that I took in 4 times complaining about a tapping sound in the engine compartment. When they finally fixed it, they said "it was a known issue"!

Mike728

Most, if not above 99%, of music is mastered in 2ch stereo. If there is a surround mix, such as usually available on SACD, DVD-A and even Blu-Ray now, they are remastered. The thing is, the Lexus audio player is incapable of playing SACD's and Blu-Rays. The ML system, at least in the past, could play a limited ammount of DVD-A's. For some, you had to be in "Park" with the parking brake on. So, if you chose to turn on the surround setting, all it's doing is matrixing the 2ch audio to play out of all speakers. As has been mentioned, not all speakers in the setup are full range and actually block certain frequencies. My opinion based on experimentation on both the last gen and the current gen ML systems, is leave that setting "Off". It makes the music muddier and less "as intended". The one thing I forgot to try in the current gen is if it still plays DVD-A's.

nsaldanh

There are two forms of audio on DVD discs. DVD-Audio that can provide a max of 24 bit/192 Khz tracks in 5.1 format or the sound portion of DVD-Video that can provide a max of 24bit/48 Khz uncompressed sound also in 5.1 format. At least on the LS cars DVD-Audio was offered on the 2007 - 2012 MY. Starting in 2013 they stopped offering DVD-Audio. They still seem to advertise DVD-Audio though -- but no DVD-Audio disc that I own will play on the ML system in the 2014, 2017 and now 2018 LS that I have owned. Audio tracks on a DVD-Video play though -- and you will see a message on the dash saying that no video signal will be displayed while the car is not in Park.

What you might be able to do is take a DVD Video disc of some movie that you know has lots of surround effects and play that in your car. To get it started the car needs to be in park. See what happens and then decide for yourself if surround actually works or not.

Now for those who feel that there is not enough sound on the rear speakers -- I suspect Lexus/Harmon changed the type of DSP processing that they used on the earlier cars where they simulated multi channel sound from two channel recordings. The LS500 has adequate sound out of the rear speakers and I suspect that it's still using the same DSP processing as the earlier cars. However on the 2019 ES they moved to the Mark Levinson Pureplay system. They don't provide much detail, but I suspect they changed the DSP processing even when surround is turned on.

Mike728

In my 2013 ES with ML, I can access the high res layer on about 1/2 of my DVD-A collection. Some I can start while in "Park" and then continue to listen while driving. Others only play the DD 5.1 layer. It's really hit or miss. So much so, I don't really bother anymore with it. The sound is incredible on the ones that do play the high res layer.