2015 LS 460 Mark Levinson disappointment
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From: Texas
2015 LS 460 Mark Levinson disappointment
I recently bought a 2015 LS 460 Crafted Line (traded my 2013 M5). One of the reasons I was excited about this model was the Mark Levinson audio system. However, it has been the biggest disappointment so far about this car. I even took it back to the dealer, and we compared the sound of my system to one in another identical LS on the lot, however it sounded the same way...
The disappointment is that when I set the system to SURROUND SOUND ON, it sounds like 95% of the sound is coming from the front center dashboard speaker. There's no surround sound effect at all... you can't even hear the other speakers. My wife's comment was "it sounds like a transistor radio!!". The other car on the lot was the same way, so it's apparently not something wrong with just my car. I've been keeping the SURROUND SOUND OFF and the sounds seems a little better balanced, in terms of being able to hear sound from other areas of the car. Still not really that impressive though. And it also seems that it's necessary to change the Front/Rear balance about two notches towards the Rear, otherwise all the sound seems to be coming from up front. One would think a system that's supposed to be all about surround sound and high quality would be better balanced and that the "center" setting would be where it should be set for best audio quality, but that sure isn't the case.
Anybody else found this to be the case with the ML Surround Sound setting? Or have any suggestions on how to set the system up to better perform?
Thanks!
Andy
The disappointment is that when I set the system to SURROUND SOUND ON, it sounds like 95% of the sound is coming from the front center dashboard speaker. There's no surround sound effect at all... you can't even hear the other speakers. My wife's comment was "it sounds like a transistor radio!!". The other car on the lot was the same way, so it's apparently not something wrong with just my car. I've been keeping the SURROUND SOUND OFF and the sounds seems a little better balanced, in terms of being able to hear sound from other areas of the car. Still not really that impressive though. And it also seems that it's necessary to change the Front/Rear balance about two notches towards the Rear, otherwise all the sound seems to be coming from up front. One would think a system that's supposed to be all about surround sound and high quality would be better balanced and that the "center" setting would be where it should be set for best audio quality, but that sure isn't the case.
Anybody else found this to be the case with the ML Surround Sound setting? Or have any suggestions on how to set the system up to better perform?
Thanks!
Andy
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Joined: Jul 2010
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From: SC
First, what source of music are you listening too? To take full advantage you need at least a CD or high quality music source. MP3s and XM radio are very compressed. That makes a lot if difference is sound quality.
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I've been trying differences sources and different settings, and unfortunately I have to say I am still very disappointed in the overall sound of this system. CDs and DVDs do indeed sound better than Sirius/XM or MP3s from a USB. However, even with that the major complaint I have about this system is the incredibly poor balance of sound among all the speakers. Why does a system need 19 speakers if all you can hear is one? (the center dash speaker).
The marketing hype about the ML system is how it is finely tuned and balanced to match the interior design of the car. Well, to me that should mean that when the fader and balancer are set to the center settings, the balance should be close to optimum. It is FAR from it.
To get the system to the point where you can hear any speaker other than the center dash speaker, it's necessary to move the fader FOUR notches to the rear. Also it's necessary to turn Surround OFF. With Surround ON, it appears to focus even MORE sound to the center dash speaker which is quite counter intuitive.
Overall, the stock system in my M5 simply blew this system away in terms of surrounding you with a rich balanced sound. I took it back to the dealer and we compared the system in an identical car they had on the lot, and it was exactly the same, so it doesn't appear to be anything malfunctioning in my system - it's simply not very good.
The marketing hype about the ML system is how it is finely tuned and balanced to match the interior design of the car. Well, to me that should mean that when the fader and balancer are set to the center settings, the balance should be close to optimum. It is FAR from it.
To get the system to the point where you can hear any speaker other than the center dash speaker, it's necessary to move the fader FOUR notches to the rear. Also it's necessary to turn Surround OFF. With Surround ON, it appears to focus even MORE sound to the center dash speaker which is quite counter intuitive.
Overall, the stock system in my M5 simply blew this system away in terms of surrounding you with a rich balanced sound. I took it back to the dealer and we compared the system in an identical car they had on the lot, and it was exactly the same, so it doesn't appear to be anything malfunctioning in my system - it's simply not very good.
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From: Texas
Interestingly, this weekend, when driving my wife's RC350, I was experimenting with the sound system settings on it (stock system) to compare to the issues I have with the ML in my LS. When I set Surround ON in the RC, voila, it actually has a very nice surround effect. When I turned Surround OFF, it was a much flatter and localized sound field. So, it seems to be working as one would intuitively expect. Just furthers my disappointment with the ML...
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Joined: Mar 2013
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From: Berkeley,Ca
and THIS is why- although initially disappointed that i didnt get the ML, I decided to make lemonade out of lemons, and did the whole system over in my LS...
Sorry for you're disappointment though, spending that much on a car to not be FULLY satisfied blows.
Sorry for you're disappointment though, spending that much on a car to not be FULLY satisfied blows.
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Rookie
Joined: Dec 2015
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From: Florida
I work in car audio/home audio retail. I am a dealer for Mark Levinson home audio products. The factory products installed in vehicles are not quite up to snuff with actual consumer-level products. Generally, most any OEM branded system I have gutted, regardless of car manufacturer, is quite simply lackluster speakers mated to moderate levels of external amplifier power with tons of non-defeatable DSP applied. You want to talk about disappointing? Check out the Bang and Olufsen system in a new BMW 7 series sedan.
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^^^. Again which is why I state unless you really don't care about sounds, sometimes the best way IS the basic way. Sadly as I've been shopping for cars for my wife also, in order to get what you want you have to pkg deal things. She wants heated/ cooled steering wheel and with that comes the sunroof that she doesn't want as an example. My last car I special ordered the way that I wanted and the dealership almost had a heart attack. I didn't want their navi, nor their leaky sunroof yet into order to get that I had to get the H/K system. Took 6 weeks for them to locate a car like it. Of course that was 6 years ago and I'm sure things have changed since. 
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From: CA
I've been trying differences sources and different settings, and unfortunately I have to say I am still very disappointed in the overall sound of this system. CDs and DVDs do indeed sound better than Sirius/XM or MP3s from a USB. However, even with that the major complaint I have about this system is the incredibly poor balance of sound among all the speakers. Why does a system need 19 speakers if all you can hear is one? (the center dash speaker).
The marketing hype about the ML system is how it is finely tuned and balanced to match the interior design of the car. Well, to me that should mean that when the fader and balancer are set to the center settings, the balance should be close to optimum. It is FAR from it.
To get the system to the point where you can hear any speaker other than the center dash speaker, it's necessary to move the fader FOUR notches to the rear. Also it's necessary to turn Surround OFF. With Surround ON, it appears to focus even MORE sound to the center dash speaker which is quite counter intuitive.
Overall, the stock system in my M5 simply blew this system away in terms of surrounding you with a rich balanced sound. I took it back to the dealer and we compared the system in an identical car they had on the lot, and it was exactly the same, so it doesn't appear to be anything malfunctioning in my system - it's simply not very good.
The marketing hype about the ML system is how it is finely tuned and balanced to match the interior design of the car. Well, to me that should mean that when the fader and balancer are set to the center settings, the balance should be close to optimum. It is FAR from it.
To get the system to the point where you can hear any speaker other than the center dash speaker, it's necessary to move the fader FOUR notches to the rear. Also it's necessary to turn Surround OFF. With Surround ON, it appears to focus even MORE sound to the center dash speaker which is quite counter intuitive.
Overall, the stock system in my M5 simply blew this system away in terms of surrounding you with a rich balanced sound. I took it back to the dealer and we compared the system in an identical car they had on the lot, and it was exactly the same, so it doesn't appear to be anything malfunctioning in my system - it's simply not very good.
After reading this thread and posting, I went back to play with Audio Settings. I grew up with music (Taught at an early age by my grandfather), played music throughout school, played in a Metal Band, and later became a school Drum instructor because Music is still a passion. My little brother took his musicianship all the way to College and has developed a better ear than me for balance.
The reason I state all this is that yesterday, after adjusting the settings, he was surprised at how deep and how much FULLER the sound was and asked in the one week of ownership if I've added a Sub in the back. The answer is NO, just have to update your settings a LITTLE bit.
After you adjust your Settings for Bass/Treb/Mids (This is to personal Taste, but take your treb just over HALF then bump the Bass to one two notch beyond the Treb and keep the Mids right in the MIDDLE) you simply move the Sound Point.
Instead of aiming the Sound right in the MIDDLE of the car as it shows in the default, just move that sound point to the console where you rest your arm. Right in the middle between you and your passenger. Aim it where your Elbow rests, because this is where Ear is typically aligned.
This is what made the WORLD of difference. Instead of hearing the music just behind you, and getting the acoustics bounced around the cabin and losing all that impact. The music is aimed where you are sitting 1st before being bounced around the Cabin. Just this morning I was smiling at how much more I can FEEL the music with this setup at Lvl40 vs being 50+ and still not being fully immersed.
Hope this helps anyone looking to maximize the sound from there ML system.
Cheers!
The reason I state all this is that yesterday, after adjusting the settings, he was surprised at how deep and how much FULLER the sound was and asked in the one week of ownership if I've added a Sub in the back. The answer is NO, just have to update your settings a LITTLE bit.
After you adjust your Settings for Bass/Treb/Mids (This is to personal Taste, but take your treb just over HALF then bump the Bass to one two notch beyond the Treb and keep the Mids right in the MIDDLE) you simply move the Sound Point.
Instead of aiming the Sound right in the MIDDLE of the car as it shows in the default, just move that sound point to the console where you rest your arm. Right in the middle between you and your passenger. Aim it where your Elbow rests, because this is where Ear is typically aligned.
This is what made the WORLD of difference. Instead of hearing the music just behind you, and getting the acoustics bounced around the cabin and losing all that impact. The music is aimed where you are sitting 1st before being bounced around the Cabin. Just this morning I was smiling at how much more I can FEEL the music with this setup at Lvl40 vs being 50+ and still not being fully immersed.
Hope this helps anyone looking to maximize the sound from there ML system.
Cheers!
I have to admit I agree with you. I'm also disappointed that there is little to no adjustments for a 19 speaker system and yes I too am waiting to see where this immersion comes from. I have even tried my "audiophile standards" like Dire Straights Brothers in Arms Hybrid SACD and Dishwalla Opaline DVD audio to no avail. I totally get what you mean by all the sound comes from the center channel. It's like it's set up for home theater where 80% of the content comes from the center channel. I'm dying to hear of a solution here. Even the Entune in my Tacoma sounds better.
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I don't have the ML surround in my '15 GS 350 but I noticed it too pushes too much sound through the front center speaker with surround mode ON and offers absolutely no adjustment to the center speaker. My 2012 Acura TL with the basic sound system offered adjustments to the center speaker volume, even with surround mode off. On the TL, I actually turned the center volume UP a few notches so comparing Acura's sound system to the Lexus systems, you can tell someone in the Lexus audio department seems to think they don't need that adjustment feature on their cars or believes their sound engineering expertise entitles them to choose for the consumer and not give them the option but they obviously aren't quite in touch with the consumers feelings on that subject!
I don't have the ML surround in my '15 GS 350 but I noticed it too pushes too much sound through the front center speaker with surround mode ON and offers absolutely no adjustment to the center speaker. My 2012 Acura TL with the basic sound system offered adjustments to the center speaker volume, even with surround mode off. On the TL, I actually turned the center volume UP a few notches so comparing Acura's sound system to the Lexus systems, you can tell someone in the Lexus audio department seems to think they don't need that adjustment feature on their cars or believes their sound engineering expertise entitles them to choose for the consumer and not give them the option but they obviously aren't quite in touch with the consumers feelings on that subject!