Will the mark levinson system sound better with an external amp. Has anyone added an amp and maybe a sub?

 

People have run wiring, an additional amp and a sub with positive results.

I wouldn't mess with the stock stuff just add on a sub box with its own amp.

 

I don't no how anyone can answer that question unless you tell us what it is that you don't like about the system. Speakers are usually the main opportunity to improve the sound (or maybe a better way to put it is to make the sound to your liking).

 

Thank you!

 

Yeah, you need to tell us what you think is missing from it. Speaker count and wattage are awesome. 5.1 dolby decoding is awesome. This is an audiophile-class system and so it may lack bottom end thump, which is why alot of people just add a sub and leave everything else alone (which is a great idea in my opinion).

 

This is my second ML and its so much better than the one on my GS 3rd gen. I can't imagine why you would want to add anything to it but do let us know if you do and what difference it made.

 

If all you want is louder, cleaner bass, adding a sub and amp would be fine. I added a sub to my non ML GS and it sounds a lot better. The bass is slightly louder and the kick drums are a lot punchier and makes my music sound richer.

 

I could very well be wrong, but I've always heard it is more difficult to modify the Mark Levinson system vs. the standard system.

 

It should just be a matter of intercepting the audio, crossing over the bass frequencies to your discrete (extra) amp, and passing the rest of the audio through to the ML amp. I'd be interested to see if my theory is anywhere near being accurate by anyone that has done this though.

 

As far as I know, the base stereo and ml are both amped so I don't think one would be more difficult than the other as far as adding a sub and amp.

 

No. Possible but not what most would do. I'm not sure how easy it is to "intercept" the audio before the ML amp and how much processing and switching is in the amp vs the head unit. A wiring diagram would provide the answers. I just intercepted the speaker wire to the ML sub and fed the high level signal to a sub amp that has an external volume control. Set the low pass on the amp pretty low. Right now it's at 50 Hz so the stock ML sub and my second sub play at the same time. ML handles "normal" bass and my second sub plays the deep bass only. Sound is quite amazing.

Overall I like the sound quality of the ML but I think soundstaging could use some improvement and unlike you, I don't find the surround sound "amazing". It's not even discrete surround sound. In other words, it will not decode 5.1 discs. It only creates a surround effect from a 2 channel source. Big deal! I tuned a more pleasing surround on my Toyota 4runner.

I upgraded my Toyota 4runners system with a DSP, amps and pretty cheap Infinity speakers and a better than stock sub. Nothing too expensive but the sound blows away the ML. It's all in the tuning! Soundstage is pinned eye level and dead center. Sound quality is excellent. I gotta think the ML speakers themselves are much better sounding than the Infinitys I put in the 4runner. Amps for most people's taste, probably equivalent. If I could intercept the signal before the ML amp, run through a DSP and then back through the ML amp, that would be ideal and I'm sure a worthwhile adventure. I just don't know if the amp has discrete inputs for each channel or only left-right inputs with all of the channel distribution and crossovers handled by the amp (like in the 4runner).

 

Unless you're one of those guys that love to bump your music so loud around the neighborhood, there's really no need to upgrade the ML system. The Bose I had on my G37S was good until I got the ML on my GS and I feel that it's better than the Bose. Good bass and clear sounds already. Can't complain much since I've been to that point in my life where I've upgraded my car sound system before.

 

This is true IF you're not using a surround source. Myself and others have confirmed that 5.1 decoding WILL and DOES work on the ML system. I have a David Bowie DVD-A disc with both 2 channel and dolby 5.1 mixes and there is a noticeable difference between the two. Throw in a DVD movie with 5.1 dolby surround and you'll hear it. Two key elements of surround sound are having vocals and dialog front and center, and ambient sounds forced to the rear. Listen for these elements.

Sad fact is though, 2 channel stereo forced through a surround DSP will create some weirdness and isn't always ideal. Sometimes the DSP will think volume changes in a 2 channel track means "this goes to the back" so you get weird phasing of instruments and even vocals. Not ideal but hard to avoid.

Anyway, there's a thread dedicated to ML and surround, so I'll stop before I bore anyone, just wanted to point that out.

 

Cause it sounds different don't mean it's decoding it. It's still just making surround out of 2 channels. Do you have a quality true surround system at home? If yes, compare it. That is discrete surround!

 

What are you talking about? DSP does not think and send sound to the back. DSP does nothing with volume changes. I'm talking about a real DSP tuned manually with o-scope and RTA. Not the bull**** that auto manufacturers use.