Good day. I recently picked up a 2017 IS350 AWD F sport with the Mark Levinson stereo. Something seems wrong with my sound quality. I've been into the adjustments on the treble and bass and also the position section to move it around the cabin. I put it nearly in the back window and it still feels like its up front. It sounds like 90% of the sound is coming from the front center speaker. Top volume is hardly loud at all and it sounds like I'm listening to AM radio, even though I am on HD fM channels. I looked through the amplifier problems thread but didn't see my situation. Can someone point me in the right direction to look? Everything works, but it just sucks. Thanks

 

That doesn’t sound right at all. To isolate the issue, load a good quality MP3 on a USB drive or better yet stick in CD if you have any. Put all the EQ slides in the middle and turn off surround and any other processing. When you move the balance and fade, it should be very apparent as the sound moves to the corners of the car.

 

I second this. Are you sure all speakers have volume coming out of them (ie. aren't blown)? Check the amp too.

 

Thanks I will try a CD when I get home. Also How do I "check" the amp?

 

Turn the volume to let’s say half max volume, put balance and fade to the center so sound should be coming out of all speakers. Physically check if sound is coming from all speakers.

 

OK so I put a CD in (Glee Christmas is the only one I could find) and followed the procedures above. I went to all the speakers I could see and they are all making music. With the CD in the system sounds a little then the radio, even on HD channels. Yet with the balance and fade in the center it seems like 75% is coming from the front center speaker. ?? My last two cars, '06 BMW with Harmen Karden and '16 GTI with the Fender system made way better sound than what I hearing now.

 

Do you have surround mode turned off? This might be what’s causing the sound to come from the center channel. With surround off, it should just be Stereo for front and rear. Are you certain most of the sound is coming from the center speaker on the dash? Just stating the obvious, but what you might be hearing is just stereo imaging.

 

I have always noticed that the sound in the IS and RC (with ML) to be very front biased so what you are describing is what I hear as well. I have mitigated the issue by putting the fade setting a bit more to the rear and it does help a little seems to always decrease the overall sound loudness so I have to then put the volume a bit higher. The best OEM car stereo I ever had was in my Acura products with the ELS system.