Yonith

Hey guys. I have a '14 GS350 F Sport and am interested in upgrading its sound system to ML. I'm coming from an Infiniti G37XS with Bose and miss the premium audio. Does this forum have an OEM parts vendor that may be able to give me an itemized list of parts and prices to accommodate the upgrade? I'm also considering just getting the ML receiver and going aftermarket amp and speakers depending on how pricing works out. I'm willing to drop some coin on this but I guess it depends on how outrageous it will cost to get new door panels and such. Anyone with experience in this area I'd be interested to hear your input. Thanks!

AJLex19

I believe the ML speakers are expensive to replace. However, better sound is defined by you and you only. Everyone's taste and ears will tell them a different story about how a system sounds to them...I can definitely respect the OEM Bose sound in the nissan/infiniti cars as so many in my fam have owned them throughout the years (my cuz had an '89 maxima with bose and it sounded amazing back then).

This thread may be helpful with lots of diagrams, commentary and suggestions regarding the 4GS standard and ML systems: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...r-sucks-3.html

Yonith

Did some research and it ain't pretty!

The ML receiver model is 86130-30B20. Used on eBay I'm seeing it costing about $2000. Not seeing a new price for this item. I'm really curious if there's any hardware differences between the stock receiver model 86130-30B10. They look identical (besides Mark Levinson branding) and have all the same ports on the back.

The amp model is 86280-0WA00. These appear to go used for about $750. Lexus Parts Now says $2530 new.

Getting pretty pricey considering this doesn't include speakers, door panels, other hardware, and install labor costs.

Yonith

Thanks for the link!

dchar

Maybe do a search for a totaled GS350...there has to be one out there with ML. Then talk to the yard about buying the receiver. Depending on the damage to the car, the receiver might still be ok.

spoogenet

I love my ML sound and all, but if I were looking to upgrade the car from base, I'd probably go and buy other, commercially available, components and upgrade that way. Is there any reason you're particularly interested in the ML upgrade vs. getting speakers/amps/etc.?

Yonith

I like the idea of keeping things stock and the idea that I'd be getting a quality balanced system. Im hesitant to trust some random dude in a car audio shop that might just be trying to push a certain product or brand. Or worse damage my door panels be they aren't familiar with this car (the horror!). I may be a bit scarred from when I had a Maxima in my teenage/early twenties that had an amp which kept falling off the back of the back seat where it was mounted and a sub in the trunk that came loose and would roll if I went around corners fast enough lol.

I can't see spending $6k though for ML if this is going to involve expensive door parts to accompany extra speakers. The amp is supposedly very high quality so maybe I could still buy that and just upgrade all the speakers. I reached out to Pioneer to find out what the technical differences are in the two headunits (base and ML). That was another seemingly ridiculously priced item.

Ill reach out to my local dealership tomorrow and see if they can quote me so I have a reference.

darylcf108

Why go through the hassel of upgrading to ML when you can get some aftermarket subs that will really Bang!! ???

Yonith

I'm not really interested in bass so much as I just want a clear and powerful system; basically what the ML is although I do hear that bass is a bit lacking in it.

I spoke with the dealer today and he basically said that no the upgrade isn't doable because it would be exorbitantly expensive. I guess my next step would be to see what my local car audio installer says. Of course my buddy who works at an auto body shop put the fear of God in me saying that they may crack a door panel, cause rattles, or ruin sound dampening seals....ugh! Lol.

SW17LS

I would take the car to a good audio shop, tell them what attributes you want, give them a budget and let them upgrade the system for you. You'll wind up with a better system than the ML for way less money.

Personally? I don't get the hype about these ML systems. I had standard audio in my GS and do in my LS (GS standard audio was better). I just drove another LS460 for a member who was considering buying it with the ML audio and I just don't think it's noticeably superior...

spoogenet

I didn't test the base audio in the GS much, nor do I know how much it compares to the '17 ES, but after suffering through a '17 ES for a day with base audio I sure was glad to get my ML GS back.

What you hear is the combination of converting the source into electric signals (the player, pre-amp, amp, etc.) and converting that electricity into compression waves (speakers). I would be inclined to replace the speakers before replacing the amp. And with that, as you're already removing door panels, the options are much wider.

P.S.
The beauty and curse of audio is that it is highly subjective and everybody's tastes differ. For some people, high-end audio (thinking home audio stuff here) can be a challenge because it exposes all the flaws of the recording and medium used to present it, and one source may sound better on a lesser system. The more accurately it reproduces the source, the more exposed its flaws are. If you don't know what I'm talking about, take your favorite CD into a serious home audio store and listen to it -- you'll likely notice all sorts of "stuff" in the songs you've never noticed, and some of it may be unpleasant. Extra sibilance, compression artifacts, etc.

peteharvey

These days, most head units put out a very good signal, so there is little point in teplacing the head unit, and if you want the integrated look, you won't be able to change the head unit anyway.

For best value for money, upgrade the speakers.
Eg try good Pioneer tweeters & 6.5" mid-bass on all four doors.

Next, use a good quality powerful amplifier.
A reasonably powerful amplifier won't have to work hard resulting in distortion, lack of clarity, lack of separation & more background noise lowering the signal to noise ratio.

If you love bass, you will have to have a sub, or replace the sub, and include a huge amplifier because subs use a lot of power.

SW17LS

I think that's part of the issue with me and the ML audio. I primarily listen to Satellite radio and music streamed off of my iPhone. To me those sources sound better with the standard audio than the ML. I'm sure a CD would sound awesome on the ML, but I don't even have any CDs anymore.

Mike728

^^Bingo!

However, high quality streamed music sounds pretty good on the ML. Pandora has this option if you're a paying subscriber. It just uses more data.

SW17LS

I would pay for Pandora, it's just a PITA to use.