I am ordering a 2016 IS300 F Sport and want to know if the base audio system is a good system. I'm coming from a 2013 Ford Fusion Titanium with the 395 Watt Sony system which is awesome! I am going to miss the Sony system and want to make sure that the base system in the IS is going to live up to my expectations. I don't want to add the ML if I don't have to since it is a significant price jump.

 

The base system is good but it is lacking in the bass department. Coming from an Acura ELS system in my former '09 Acura TL, I do miss the bass and better separation of sound. But after having the Levinson in my wife's last 3 Lexuses, it is a very good system but not worth an extra $50 - 60/month in payment if leasing. Just my 2 cents.

 

I have checked my IS's ML system back 2 back with a base system which I think its a non branded "Pioneer" system. No difference at all in bass whatsoever. only thing that was a little noticeable was the clarity of treble at high volumes in the ML system. asthmatically you get a red dot light next to ML logo on the dash (How cool is that? ) and I think also different color volume *****.

Overall I like the quality of my ML. not a bass addict my self. only complaint i have is separation. even with the surround mode on I feel like most of the volume is coming out of the center speaker above the Nav screen. one expects that the additional number of speakers in the ML package should provide noticeable better sound separation but that is not the case at all.

 

Until recently I thought the standard system was very good and clear since I tried many other cars such as the mazda 6 and old Porsche Cayenne bose system . However I was surprised to find that my other car ( Hyundai Veloster Turbo) has a better sound system in clarity & base !

My point is try it before you buy it, because if your old car's system is better you may not like the standard system, and the opposite is correct.

 

I think the ML system is good for a stock stereo system upgrade. It won't top the modest $1800 setup (focal polyglass fronts, JL 10 inch sub in the back, JL amp + alpine 4 channel amp)I had in my old honda accord though. I had a loaner without it and was surprised at how crappy the non-ML system was.

 

The stock mid and tweeters sound fine. I find that the system really lacked bass. The stock system in my GTI and my wife's Pilot are much better. So I replaced the stock subwoofer(back parcel shelf) with a 500 watt shallow mount Pioneer sub with a compact Rockford Fosgate 300 watt amp all for $180 with install kit. Turn factory system bass down to 2 and that woke the system up.

Save money on the ML upgrade and buy a sub and amp instead. If you don't want a box in the trunk like I didn't just put the sub where the stock sub was. The amp fits perfectly in the little pocket on the left side of the trunk

 

If you care about sound quality, I'd get the ML system.

Funny enough, when I bought my IS, the sales rep kept insisting that the ML system was not required, and that the stock system sounded "good enough". So we sat in one and he played a CD, and... while it was good, coming from a premium sound system in my old 07 335, it wasn't good enough.

But, as mentioned in other posts, you could save money from the ML upgrade and get speakers elsewhere.

 

Get the ML, for around $900 it's worth it

 

the ML is a good system. it is well regarded even on the car audio forums. better than the base system for sure.