I took my 2014 GS 350 AWD with Luxury Package to my dealership for Missouri emissions inspection this morning. While I was browsing the showroom I noticed that there was a new GS with the Mark Levinson audio system. I've always been enamored with the sound of base system my GS. It sounds so much better than other premium systems I've had in other vehicles including my Bose system in my 2008 Infiniti G35x and my Mark Levinson in my 2008 Lexus GX470. In my opinion, the audio systems in G35x and GX470 sounds great. But in the GS350 I always considered the sound really extraordinary. So I'm thinking, I need to check out the sound of the GS350 ML system, with over 800 watts it must be significantly better than the standard GS audio. I bought my GS off the lot, and at the time didn't even think to consider a ML system. To my surprise, my ears were telling me that my system sounded better. Can this be possible? Granted, I could hear the GS ML audio sub was pushing more air than the standard sub; but to my ears, the standard audio in my GS seemed to have better separation, crisper highs, tight bass and genuinely sounded more realistic than the ML system. I paired the ML system with my phone and played a couple of my favorite songs. BTO's "Lookin' Out For #1" and "Blue Collar" sounded better with standard audio in my GS350 -- really. I tried flat tone settings and my preferred settings of treble one notch from extreme right, mid-range two notches left of center, and bass 1 notch right of center. It could be to each his own, and it's just the way my ears are tuned ... but wow, I couldn't be happier with my unintended choice. I listen to the same songs on the way home from the dealership, and reconfirmed that the sound quality was better. I've notice that when my Lexus dealer put me in loaner vehicles (e.g. ES and RX), the GS standard audio always sounded better to me. I can't seem to find much information on the standard GS audio, I believe it's a 300W Pioneer unit. Does anyone have additional information about the standard audio in the GS?

 

Certainly many debates on this very topic - lots of opinions and lots of great information on various threads. I think the standard audio is more punchy and has a better low-end than the ML system...its 12 speakers and 300Watts. However, the ML system sounds crystal clear. Personally, I wouldn't pay extra for ML - if i bought certified used and it came with it, that would be great.

I think this is one the best threads on this topic including diagrams and speaker locations for both systems: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...r-sucks-3.html

Another pretty good thread: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...m-audio-6.html

 

Well, I'm another one. When I was buying I test drove over half dozen different GS 350s, a few of which had the ML system. The very first GS 350 had the ML system, but it didn't sound all that good. I mentioned this to the salesman and he tried to adjust the settings, but it still lacked the sound I thought it should have. The next GS 350 I test drove had the standard system and it sounded very nice, thus I thought maybe the ML system in the first car just had a problem. A few days later I test drove yet another GS 350 with the ML system...and it sounded just like the first one. I test drove one more GS 350 with the ML system - same thing. All the GS 350s I test drove with the standard system sounded better to me than all the ML systems. I never understood why that was the case...

 

 

ML is well known name for audiophile class in the audio business. Acoustic engineering is still quite empirical science. Name alone does not cut it. Good acoustic design has to be well executed. Just installing them
without careful testing will mean poor result. For a simple example most important speakers has to be located at certain spot with good acoustic property re; no SWR, vertical and horizontal dispersion, etc. Now there
is new Dolby format Atmos came out calling for different speaker designs, etc. Personally I don't care much about mobile audio. I have GOOD music listening 2 channel stereo as well as prosumer level HTPC system for family, and an audio station for recording music. (My son is into guitar and drum) Took a while setting them up but without spending whole lot more $$$, I squeezed out all I could with the set up. I never heard anyone who has 100% satisfaction out of his or her system at any cost.

 

One huge problem with the ML system is the drivers side console switch bank resonance. It basically makes that speaker sound blown out with any amount of
bass, because in a ****load of 13/14/15 cars at least with ML, they all do it, given enough bass. You have to pop out the switch bank and tape that thing with electrical
tape to get it to stop vibrating. (thx to itzflyyo for posting a video on YT on how to fix this... easy fix!)

IMHO the ML system would be way better if the system actually had more than 3 EQ adjustments, that's probably the biggest achilles heel of the whole thing. If they added 2 more bands to the EQ and a sub level control, you could probably make it sound pretty amazing. Actually even a sub level control would probably make a
huge difference; bring up the low lows without adding more mud...

This is hard to explain, but let's put it this way. With the JBL premium system in my 2010 Camry , I could make that car thump pretty darn good without causing
ear fatigue- it was possible to make that system loud but not painful... it's a lot harder to do that with the ML... if that makes any sense.

It also doesn't help that most people are going to test the system with ASL and Surround on. Both of these are pretty much garbage and don't help at all. Or at least I don't think they do... they always made it worse.

All of this aside I'm still glad I got the ML; because if the std audio is anything like what's in my mom's 13 ES, that system doesn't put out nearly enough thump for any kind of bass heavy music.

-Mike

 

This does help too, I suggest people tinker around with this setting....

-Mike

 

GS ML system is not great. It's better than standard, but not by much. The ML system in the GX was probably the best I've ever heard. Can only imagine the LX or LS being better, but I think they have the "Reference" system or something. IMO.

I have noticed that if you connect an AUX cable to your phone, that greatly enhances/boosts the sound. Like 10 fold. I'm assuming that the phone equalizer and volume settings act as an additional amplifier. Doing this sucks though because then you have to skip songs by actually fumbling with your phone. Plus it's a hassle to get your phone out and hook it up.

 

You aren't really assuming a GS audio system is comparable to an ES audio system, are you?......

 

I have ML in my GS (and had it in our RX). After being very disappointed in the standard audio in my IS350, ML was a requirement this time around. No complaints.

As I recall, ML was improved for the '15 model year, so that may make a difference from some of the earlier years.

 

Sirius XM sounds really bad on my ML system. Same with both my RC and old GS MLs. I think the ML just doesn't have enough punch. The standard system is made by Pioneer I think.

 

Haven't heard the ML system, but my non ML sounds very good to me.

 

The interesting thing about the ML system is how absolutely killer it sounded in the GX, considering the level of controls available, cheap paper cones, etc. It does sound good in the GS, but as been stated, a 5 band EQ would have been a big improvement. Since most of this is software driven, I'm surprised Lexus hasn't at a minimum updated the front/rear fade settings or added two additional bands. Not like you have to wire anything up or drill holes for *****!

 

I consider myself an audiophile. I've had GS with both std and ML systems, and here is my opinion. Std system is very good and one of the best std systems I have heard. The ML is just slightly better sounding under the right conditions!

The ML system only really shines with DVD-audio discs, which sound exceptional. I doubt whether very many people have (or ever had) this now obsolete DVD-A format....but these discs are the best sounding car audio source (and for some reason many car audio systems still play them....most home DVD players don't, and never did, play DVD-A.

Music on SAT radio sounds awful on all car systems I have heard. AM/FM radio and other sources are about the same on std and ML.

The ML system seems to over emphasize very low bass frequencies (ie bass drum), and this seems to cause some distortion on many sources if the bass EQ is even turned up slightly. Conversely, mid-bass is weak, so you may feel you want to crank the bass EQ. So you have to constantly fiddle with the bass EQ depending on what you are listening to if you like a nice bass sound. A real inconvenience and real poor design on ML's part.

So my bottom line is the ML is slightly better under the right conditions, sound sources, and proper EQ; but certainly not worth the extra $$.