tallcaguy

I'd like to check all speakers. You used a "cal mic"? If that's calibrated microphone, where do I find one? LOL somehow I doubt Target carries them

ltd76gold

Just used one of my old calibration disks from my ISF days and ran frequency sweeps holding a Radio Shack Spl meter set on slow and C- weighted. Held the meter about 1foot from each speaker and set the meter level at 70 db. Ran the sweeps which allowed me to check each for extension. Then checked with pink noise with a 500 hz tone.

The Mark Levinson amp allows for the sub to reach down to about 40hz. It drops off pretty quickly after that but can still be heard at 28 hz. Not the last octave but way down there for music listening. A bigger amp and sub would obviously reach lower... But I have those in my theater cave and personally the ml system is the best all around system I have ever heard in a vehicle for overall tonal balance and clarity.

​​​​​​​If you do wish to check your speakers find a Cd test disk, set the spl meter as I mentioned and move the meter to each speaker. If you find one in the doors other than the tweets that is seriously quieter at say 500hz, chances are the foam is rotten. Since you have to remove the speaker anyway, imo, it is a no brainer to just order up new surround and do the work to clean the old stuff off the basket and cone, hit the basket with some glue that usually comes with the foam kits, place the foam on the basket and press evenly to seal. Once dried repeat with the foam to the Cone. Let that dry. RESIST putting the speaker back in place and cranking up the decibel level to nosebleed for at least one whole damn day. I know... I know, but ya gotta have some patience. 😃

Btw.. If you are not able to find a spl meter (I like the older analog version) you may certainly use a phone app. Their accuracy is in doubt due to the really cheap mics used in most cell phones but for this job it might work OK.

​​​​​​​Doug k

greg s

Replaced hood struts. The new ones make my hood shoot up like a rocket!

warminwisc

Put the Pirellis on took off the X ice 3. Both real nice quiet tires The michelins drive pretty decent for a snow, pirellis got me back in the race mode

2KHarrier

Just finished installing the VAIS Soundlinq unit in my 2001. Went pretty easily and works like a champ. It's nice to have finally added Bluetooth to the car. I like the ability to display the song info on the radio display.

ltd76gold

Very happy that it went well! On my to do list.

Quick question that has probably been answered elsewhere but here goes anyway... Since the Bluetooth connection allows you access to your tunes, does it allow you to use your phones nav?

Thanks
Doug k
​​​​​​​

2KHarrier

I paired the phone, but it only works to payback audio from music, not the phone calls. I'll try the Nav in the morning. My 2001 does not have the Nav screen in it, only the ML radio...

ltd76gold

Ahhhhh. Well the tunes will be a great addition I'm sure!

I'll amble over to the Vais site soon and fine whether the phone nav will work through the Nav screen. BTW, imo, you are missing very little without the Nav screen/nav system.

Thanks for the comeback!
​​​​​​​Doug k

Scootymad

I took a reading of the colour on my LS with our fancy little spectrophotometer gadget, and even after being touched up countless times, I still got a reasonable match rating for the 6S5 Lighter variant. Bumpers also came off and I proceeded to hack off about 6 or 7 layers of paint off them. Perks of being a car painter....

2KHarrier

Yeah, my 2005 has the Navigation system and we really don't use the on board GPS. My wife doesn't like it and frankly it's a pain in the rear to program. Phone is much easier...

Johnhav430

After sitting all weekend, drove it to work with the snow tires still on, and the oil still over 5k. It'll live. Also talked my buddy out of looking at used LS', you don't want this car when you have money, imho, and are used to a more modern car like a '14 Audi (this is the dilemma, when people want to stop the perpetual payments, they start looking at what they can get with cash and be done--feels good imho). We're going to be autocrossing the new BMW G30's at an event (people always ask, what does that cost, $0, because it's indirectly promotional in nature), and I'm not kidding myself, if I had a spare $75k, I'd go light on the options and possibly get one (no B&W stereo or all that safety stuff, stick with performance)....

lildann

Last weekend I took her and my wife's GS to Riverside Meet in Chattanooga. Very fun and laid back event.

4cylinder

I sold it and am driving a base model Chevrolet Malibu rental for my last days in California. Already miss the cooled seats and their super comfortable leather But the Malibu has a backup camera and Android Auto which makes techies like me happy

Johnhav430

I had a Malibu in Montréal when I was up there in Dec., and chose it over the Chrysler 300 which I normally would have selected. The Chrysler had NY tags so it lacked snow tires, which are required in Québec. I was actually surprised how good the EPS felt, better than BMW which I don't get. Then, I had a Pathfinder when in Toronto in Feb, also had decent EPS. Oh yeah on the Malibu I showed the GM when we went out to lunch how the dash was in French. He said that's odd, I can see km vs. mph and you've put it in mph...

The LS got to sit this weekend, even though I think it's a 300k car, it's nice to give it a break once in a while too. I'm planning on having the 2nd drain/fill done on the tranny in a few weeks, and likely gonna wax myself soon (dealer detailed in Oct.). Really needs nothing at this point, maybe proactively do motor mounts in 10-12 mos...but the rear tranny mount has shot up from $63 to $89, should woulda coulda bought them @ $63...

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Installed This and It seems to be working like the VAIS and GROM units.