I've owned an ES with a Nakamichi system, a GS430 with a ML system, and currently a GS 460 with a ML system. I would never consider anything short of the best stock sound system I can get. But then I base a lot of my purchase decision on the audio system. I love listening to music in my car.

Does the standard premium system even play DVD-A in 5.1? DTS? I'm surprised I don't see this discussed on the forum.

The ML system in the GS 460 was capable of decoding DVD-A, DVD-V and DTS. To my disappointment, the DVD-A did not decode well at all, in fact, it wasn't true 5.1 and there were instruments completely absent as a result. However, DTS was outstanding (even as a slightly lesser standard than DVD-A) and resulted in discrete 5.1 channels of sound.

I went to "audition" the ML system in the 4GS recently. All DVD-A decoding problems in my 3GS (GS 460) were gone and completely resolved in the 2013 GS 350. Now the ML system decodes and produces 5.1 discrete channels very nicely. The only thing I didn't think was produced as well in the 4 Gen was the punch in subwoofer that I enjoy in my 3rd Gen. It was very good, just not quite as robust.

The best ML system I have heard in 5.1 is in the 2012 LS460. Its got me giving it a look.....

 

As it should. Its the flagship car and features the Mark Levinson Reference Audio just like in the LX 570.