I just bought a 2001 LS430 from the auction. It got delivered and the Levinson sub is blown. I've read how to fix it and I will give that a try but I'd like to know if there is a specific type of speakers that I could use to replace the sub as well as the rest of the speakers. My lexus was the 870th LS430 ever off the line. I figure the speakers are 10 years old now and as nice as they are, there must be newer technology out there. Any help?

 

I would recommend to check the LS forum. I dont know if the LS sound system was the same as the GS sound system.`

 

Hey Sakataj- Sorry to bring up this thread from LAST YEAR- but "next" year (2011 I'm going to be replacing my blown ML sub- which is driving me CRAZY on a daily basis!...along with the blown front center channel ML. I wanted to ask you about your install... How did you know the Impedence and Power Handling of that Diamond "mid-range" (?) speaker you used would be okay with the OEM ML amp? You ARE running it off the stock amp, aren't ya?

How's it sound man? I'm dying to get that replaced as well... I actually blew that speaker driving the car from Dallas to Pgh, PA... lol I figured it wasn't ALL my fault, per say.. b/c the car was exposed to the 100+ degree weather every day in Texas...u know.

Gotta say though- 9-10 years old or whatever... I'm a lil dissapointed with the "build quality" of the Mark Levinson speakers. It seems that people with the standard (Pioneer?) "Lexus Audio System"...don't have HALF the problems as us people that bought GS models with the $1250 "Mark Levinson" option!

 

Hey guys, after reading through all of the threads I think I've found a JL sub that will work... can anyone confirm? I got my car last year and the ML sub was already blown. I replaced with the factory sub OEM from the Lexus Dealership (i know, i know, big waste of money) and it's blown AGAIN already!

Here is what I found.... have a holiday heart for the noob

Thanks!

http://www.woofersetc.com/p2731/10W1...-Subwoofer.htm

 

My car is exposed to 100+ degree weather? It's older than your car too LOL.

Nakamichi is best...unless you're trying to go aftermarket on the stock amp and sub. Kind of a PITA

 

dont bother replacing this speaker, unless you have a processor its gonna overload this speaker and blow it again, i blew mine in the first month...

BTW im not running ANY of my aftermarket audio on my stock amp, only thing my ML amp is powering is the nav

true Parker BUT you don't have a speaker on the dash that's exposed to the heat thus deteriorating it faster....which is what he was saying helped him blow it, although i doubt this to be the real world case

 

bumpppppppppppppp

 

IUZ-GS- How's your Sub...sounds great still?
And yeah, Brian.. you're right- I was more-so referrring the front speaker being 'baked' in the Texas sun.. BUT- you're also right on the fact that the real world case MAY be, that I was JAMMMMIN all the home from TX, when I first picked up the car. LOL

So- what do you have up there now? And- is it possible to only run the door speakers (and Nav, of course) off the ML amp... and run an aftermarket amp on a "SOLID" (JL Audio, or even old-school Kicker?) FREE-AIR 10"..or maybe even 12" sub? I might just disconnect that F'in front center channel speaker. Dahhammit!

I BETCHA this would NOT happen to a BOSE stereo. Although, I AM very pleased with the overall "sound" of the Mark Levinson system.

 

4drferio - LOVVVVEEEE YOUR SPECTRA BLUE GS4 bro!!!!! GORGEOUS...

 

i have a speaker there but its disconnected. yes its possible i guess..i dunno why u wouldnt wanna put aftermarket speakers on the door though.

im running aftermarket speakers on the doors with component sets and their own amp, aftermarket sub on its own amp and nav off the oem ML amp

 

SO...Update for you guys! I FINALLY GOT A "NIB" JL AUDIO 10IB4 sub... Yessss... Now, I'm just trying to figure out if I should run it off a separate amp, or if the 150-watt (RMS power) 8-ohm JL Audio sub will sound okay running off the ML amp..?

ALSO- my ML must have a short in it or something... it's not turning on now, and doing it quite often. (SOMETIMES it comes right on though- like it did yesterday after the car sat outside all day and was about 80 degrees! Ha- seems to work when it's "WARM") I don't know...

So, maybe I should just replace ALL the door speakers- like you said Sakataj and keep the [BOGUS!] Mark Levinson in there to run the Nav voice and get TWO nice aftermarket amps to power two sets of component sets for the doors (MB Quart, probably...what do you think?)

Ahhh... WHY CAN'T THIS JUNK "MARK LEVINSON" STEREO HOLD UP...??? (THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN TO A BOSE, or NAKAMICHI <-- at least from what I've heard)

 

So basically... of the EIGHT Marl Levinson speakers in my 2001 GS430... TWO of the eight are blown to hell. (the front center channel AND the junky 10" ML sub!!)

The door speakers still sound good... BUT the AMP has now stopped working properly. Even when the car speakers have no sound with the radio/cd player ON... the Nav voice still works okay... strange huh?

The stock ML amp must have a short in it or something though- b/c when it DOES WORK.. it's perfect. So, it doesn't seem that it's overheating or anything like that.. the fans must be doing a sufficient job of keeping it cool enough, etc.

It's just not coming ON (or my speakers have NO SOUND) most of the time now...

Also- a VERY loud crackling noise will come through all the speakers now, occasionally- even when the radio is turned off (and the Nav screen says "AUDIO OFF")... Scares the hell of me! LOL What a pain the *** though...

NOT SURE IF I SHOULD HAVE THE ML AMP REPAIRED AND RUN THE JL SUB OFF OF IT, or just BYPASS IT ALTOGETHER...

Also- I DO have a brand new JL Audio CLEANSWEEP (Model # CL441dsp), that I bought to use in my g/f's suv- but never ended up even using it.


LASTLY...Should I just FORGET that front center channel speaker (disconnect it?) or REPLACE it with something else.. I don't know what to do.

Can't believe the lack of quality on the ($1250!) optinal Mark Levinson system though... the DSP feature that's apparently built-in the the amp is AMAZING.. the SOUND is AMAZING too..when it works! But speakers should not be blowing and the amps on all of these GS-owner's cars should not be failing this often. It's crazy...

 

Can anybody from this old post report back that their JL subs are still alive n kickin?

 

I have my L7 solobaric for more bass but when my 2 boys are in the car I wanna be able to turn off the L7 and just wanna run the JL replacement

 

did you guys drill holes into your rear deck to hold down the sub? that seems to be the easy way beside grabbing my dremel and going at it with the original subwoofer mount.