Spacepig

I'm looking at several 98 Ls's this weekend. All have the cd changer setup, and one has the Nakamichi sound system, but the head unit appears identical other than having that logo. Anyone know what the differences are, and/or whether I'd hear much of a difference in a 10 yr old car (or 10 year old speakers, to be more exact)? Also, the car has the factory phone setup. I assume that is just a collectors relic from the last century, and not something that can be used with a contemporary cellphone to provide hands-free.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

factory fone is pretty much useless

the Nak does have a slight quality bump but the stock premium sound on the 98-00 is MUCH better than the previous systems.

Kansas

The standard audio system has ASL (automatic sound level) and the Nak doesn't. The balance and tone ***** on the Nak stick out and the ones on the standard system are almost flush.

The Nak in my 00 LS sounds great but I have not spent much time in a 98-00 LS with the standard system to see how it compares.

I may be the only person in the U.S. that cares, but it is possible to interface a variety of aftermarket phone kits with the standard 98-00 LS400 audio system using a relatively inexpensive plug and play cable from the U.K. - provides power, ground and mute to an aftermarket phone system and plays the phone call through the door speaker just like the dealer installed phones. These adapter cables (called mute leads in the U.K.) can't be used on 98-00 LS400s with Nak since the amp connectors are different.

In the long run, the standard system might be better if you keep the car a long time in that it might be a little easier to get a replacement radio if you need one.

I've noticed that 98 LS400s with Nak are usually equipped with options not always found in cars with the standard system - options like HID, seat heaters, wood wheel and gear shift. There were a lot of 98s sold without HID but few 99-00s were sold without HID.

98LSfromNJ

Kansas/Pure what are the actual parts (speakers, amps etc) that differeniate a Nakamichi from the premium stereo, can you list them or point to somewhere that I can find them?

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

amp, headunit, and possibly harness.

Kansas

The wiring harness is very different on the 98-00 Nakamichi which has four connectors on the amp instead of five that the standard Pioneer/nav system amp has. Some of the functions that are in the standard/nav amp are in the Nakamichi head unit -- the architecture of the standard and Nakamichi systems are very different ... or at least that is what a car stereo repair shop tech told me.

Also, the CD changer with the 98-00 Nakamichi is different -- or at least has a different part number.

According to the website of the car stereo repair shop I used, it is getting difficult or impossible for them to obtain parts for Nakamichi systems. I'm guessing that if my Nakamichi has a problem again, I'll be installing an aftermarket system -- not something I'm looking forward to doing on a nearly nine year old car.