Mark Levinson Subwoofer Issues
07-11-17, 07:21 AM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Mark Levinson Subwoofer Issues
Hey Guys,
I was wondering if anyone had this similar issue. I have a 2008 ISF and recently the subwoofer stopped working. However, there are times where I would just hit one of the speakers and it will come back on intermittently, but then go off again. I tested all of the speakers, and I don't believe any are blown. Could this be due loose wiring? I was going to take it into a mobile electronics store, and see if they can diagnose the issue but wanted to see if anyone had an idea, or had a similar issue previously. I am hoping it could possibly be just loose wiring, as I know to replace them they are pretty expensive.
Thanks!
I was wondering if anyone had this similar issue. I have a 2008 ISF and recently the subwoofer stopped working. However, there are times where I would just hit one of the speakers and it will come back on intermittently, but then go off again. I tested all of the speakers, and I don't believe any are blown. Could this be due loose wiring? I was going to take it into a mobile electronics store, and see if they can diagnose the issue but wanted to see if anyone had an idea, or had a similar issue previously. I am hoping it could possibly be just loose wiring, as I know to replace them they are pretty expensive.
Thanks!
07-11-17, 10:17 PM
#3
Definitely go aftermarket. MUCH better subs out there than the ML sub at 1/4 of the price. Pm me and I'll give you more info on some of the options I have in my shop (few under $100 that'll out perform the ML sub).
Also to answer your question, 99.99% sure there's no loose connection. Factory plugs almost never come "loose" or "disconnected" by themselves.
V.
Also to answer your question, 99.99% sure there's no loose connection. Factory plugs almost never come "loose" or "disconnected" by themselves.
V.
07-12-17, 10:21 AM
#4
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Definitely go aftermarket. MUCH better subs out there than the ML sub at 1/4 of the price. Pm me and I'll give you more info on some of the options I have in my shop (few under $100 that'll out perform the ML sub).
Also to answer your question, 99.99% sure there's no loose connection. Factory plugs almost never come "loose" or "disconnected" by themselves.
V.
Also to answer your question, 99.99% sure there's no loose connection. Factory plugs almost never come "loose" or "disconnected" by themselves.
V.
07-12-17, 12:22 PM
#5
Definitely go aftermarket. MUCH better subs out there than the ML sub at 1/4 of the price. Pm me and I'll give you more info on some of the options I have in my shop (few under $100 that'll out perform the ML sub).
Also to answer your question, 99.99% sure there's no loose connection. Factory plugs almost never come "loose" or "disconnected" by themselves.
V.
Also to answer your question, 99.99% sure there's no loose connection. Factory plugs almost never come "loose" or "disconnected" by themselves.
V.
The following users liked this post:
2UR (08-07-18)
07-12-17, 02:08 PM
#6
Driver School Candidate
I believe you have to modify the connection. When the stock ML system was working in my car the sound was perfect and balanced. I personally wouldn't get a different subwoofer system without changing all of the other components to keep the balanced sound,
01-30-18, 08:04 AM
#7
Driver School Candidate
Definitely go aftermarket. MUCH better subs out there than the ML sub at 1/4 of the price. Pm me and I'll give you more info on some of the options I have in my shop (few under $100 that'll out perform the ML sub).
Also to answer your question, 99.99% sure there's no loose connection. Factory plugs almost never come "loose" or "disconnected" by themselves.
V.
Also to answer your question, 99.99% sure there's no loose connection. Factory plugs almost never come "loose" or "disconnected" by themselves.
V.
Is there a good way to test if the subwoofer is active or doing what it should? How would/could I know?
Vitveet, where in NC are you located?
TIA
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01-30-18, 10:03 AM
#8
Just purchased a 2012 and have no idea what the ML is supposed to sound like. I will say that I feel the bass is currently lacking. I have turned off the surround at the recommendation of another thread and do hear some improvement, but still not sure what I should expect. I also have a 2010 Infiniti with a Bose system and it is much more robust, although much muddier overall.
Is there a good way to test if the subwoofer is active or doing what it should? How would/could I know?
Vitveet, where in NC are you located?
TIA
Is there a good way to test if the subwoofer is active or doing what it should? How would/could I know?
Vitveet, where in NC are you located?
TIA
If it does not read impedance, the sub is done (granted the wiring you are probing is indeed connected to the sub).
Another quick way to test if the sub is working is to take a 9v battery and quickly/briefly for a split second touch the pos and neg from the 9v battery to the POS and neg speaker leads in the sub and you should hear a quick "thump", verifying that it does indeed work.
90% of the time we disconnect the factory sub in vehicles and sometimes even remove them when we are doing aftermarket amp/sub installs with vehicles with factory amp/subs. Aftermarket will sound WAY better (if setup properly) and much cheaper than the factory amp/sub, etc. But I do get customers occasionally that want to keep a sub in the factory location, so we just swap it. Wiring is straight forward...no cutting wires is needed, etc. Just have to make sure you are replacing the sub with another sub of the same ohm load, otherwise you most definitely can damage the factory amp.
I/my shop am/is located in Oxford, NC.....about 20-25 miles north of Durham/Raleigh.
V.
The following users liked this post:
stunts (01-30-18)
01-30-18, 11:29 AM
#9
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (20)
Hello! Highly doubtful it's a connection issue unless someone has previously remove the wiring/connector. If you can get to the sub/wiring, just probe the POS and neg speaker leads with a multimeter (setting on 'ohms' of course) and see if it reads impedance. I'm not exactly sure what impedance it will read (I've tested some factory subs in vehicles that read 2 ohms in impedance, some 4 ohms, some 6 and some even 8 ohms.
If it does not read impedance, the sub is done (granted the wiring you are probing is indeed connected to the sub).
Another quick way to test if the sub is working is to take a 9v battery and quickly/briefly for a split second touch the pos and neg from the 9v battery to the POS and neg speaker leads in the sub and you should hear a quick "thump", verifying that it does indeed work.
90% of the time we disconnect the factory sub in vehicles and sometimes even remove them when we are doing aftermarket amp/sub installs with vehicles with factory amp/subs. Aftermarket will sound WAY better (if setup properly) and much cheaper than the factory amp/sub, etc. But I do get customers occasionally that want to keep a sub in the factory location, so we just swap it. Wiring is straight forward...no cutting wires is needed, etc. Just have to make sure you are replacing the sub with another sub of the same ohm load, otherwise you most definitely can damage the factory amp.
I/my shop am/is located in Oxford, NC.....about 20-25 miles north of Durham/Raleigh.
V.
If it does not read impedance, the sub is done (granted the wiring you are probing is indeed connected to the sub).
Another quick way to test if the sub is working is to take a 9v battery and quickly/briefly for a split second touch the pos and neg from the 9v battery to the POS and neg speaker leads in the sub and you should hear a quick "thump", verifying that it does indeed work.
90% of the time we disconnect the factory sub in vehicles and sometimes even remove them when we are doing aftermarket amp/sub installs with vehicles with factory amp/subs. Aftermarket will sound WAY better (if setup properly) and much cheaper than the factory amp/sub, etc. But I do get customers occasionally that want to keep a sub in the factory location, so we just swap it. Wiring is straight forward...no cutting wires is needed, etc. Just have to make sure you are replacing the sub with another sub of the same ohm load, otherwise you most definitely can damage the factory amp.
I/my shop am/is located in Oxford, NC.....about 20-25 miles north of Durham/Raleigh.
V.
i didn’t know you lived that close to Raleigh. What do you specialize in at your shop?
01-30-18, 12:35 PM
#11
01-30-18, 01:08 PM
#12
Driver School Candidate
Hello! Highly doubtful it's a connection issue unless someone has previously remove the wiring/connector. If you can get to the sub/wiring, just probe the POS and neg speaker leads with a multimeter (setting on 'ohms' of course) and see if it reads impedance. I'm not exactly sure what impedance it will read (I've tested some factory subs in vehicles that read 2 ohms in impedance, some 4 ohms, some 6 and some even 8 ohms.
If it does not read impedance, the sub is done (granted the wiring you are probing is indeed connected to the sub).
Another quick way to test if the sub is working is to take a 9v battery and quickly/briefly for a split second touch the pos and neg from the 9v battery to the POS and neg speaker leads in the sub and you should hear a quick "thump", verifying that it does indeed work.
90% of the time we disconnect the factory sub in vehicles and sometimes even remove them when we are doing aftermarket amp/sub installs with vehicles with factory amp/subs. Aftermarket will sound WAY better (if setup properly) and much cheaper than the factory amp/sub, etc. But I do get customers occasionally that want to keep a sub in the factory location, so we just swap it. Wiring is straight forward...no cutting wires is needed, etc. Just have to make sure you are replacing the sub with another sub of the same ohm load, otherwise you most definitely can damage the factory amp.
I/my shop am/is located in Oxford, NC.....about 20-25 miles north of Durham/Raleigh.
V.
If it does not read impedance, the sub is done (granted the wiring you are probing is indeed connected to the sub).
Another quick way to test if the sub is working is to take a 9v battery and quickly/briefly for a split second touch the pos and neg from the 9v battery to the POS and neg speaker leads in the sub and you should hear a quick "thump", verifying that it does indeed work.
90% of the time we disconnect the factory sub in vehicles and sometimes even remove them when we are doing aftermarket amp/sub installs with vehicles with factory amp/subs. Aftermarket will sound WAY better (if setup properly) and much cheaper than the factory amp/sub, etc. But I do get customers occasionally that want to keep a sub in the factory location, so we just swap it. Wiring is straight forward...no cutting wires is needed, etc. Just have to make sure you are replacing the sub with another sub of the same ohm load, otherwise you most definitely can damage the factory amp.
I/my shop am/is located in Oxford, NC.....about 20-25 miles north of Durham/Raleigh.
V.
I honestly dont know if it is even working, my guess would be no by the total lack of ooomph, however I will admit I dont know what I should be expecting. Heck, I dont even know what the volume max is. I read in another thread someone said they listen at 50, I dont think I have been above 30 (there's got to be a 'mine goes to 11' joke in there somewhere...). Fortunately the engine sounds more than compensate for the lack of good sounding tunes. More investigation needed!
Good to see what others are doing for options other than stock, thanks liquidtek.
01-31-18, 11:21 AM
#15
Just purchased a 2012 and have no idea what the ML is supposed to sound like. I will say that I feel the bass is currently lacking. I have turned off the surround at the recommendation of another thread and do hear some improvement, but still not sure what I should expect. I also have a 2010 Infiniti with a Bose system and it is much more robust, although much muddier overall.
Is there a good way to test if the subwoofer is active or doing what it should? How would/could I know?
Vitveet, where in NC are you located?
TIA
Is there a good way to test if the subwoofer is active or doing what it should? How would/could I know?
Vitveet, where in NC are you located?
TIA
Great system for classical music with highs and mids but the lows are crap...