Hello:

I have had a LS400, LS430, and LS460. Not being too much of a tech junky I never did get the upgrade on the nav. I had the standard stereo and a\c blah equipment. My 460 has been paid off a while now and decided to keep it and put a little cash in it. Re tinted windows, new rims, top to bottom in and out detail... and now I'm thinking about an upgrade -

Friends - what are my options to pull out the boring stereo equipment and do an upgrade replacement? Is it just finding the original upgrade equipment or is there is an option from a higher end stereo and nav equipment from someone other then Lexus?

thanks

Coy

 

You can get a nav unit/stereo from a car audio place, but really if you don't care you should just leave it alone.

 

Given the integration of the OEM audio system into other workings of the car, and the general high sound quality, I wouldn't go replacing it. My observation over 40+ years of car ownership are that systems in recent cars like the LS460 can be improved upon in basically one way - add (or replace) the subwoofer and sub amp. It's really the only limitation of the best OEM systems and it's simply a matter of cost and size for the car maker. And I'm not talking bass-head boomers - just filling in that bottom octave that get drowned out by road noise. I added two 10" dual voice coil subs and a 75wpc amp to my previous BMW 530i and it transformed the entire system. The LS460 ML system is even better than the BMW (with the exception of that bottom octave).

 

I agree on adding the subwoofer. Do you have the Mark Levinson system or the standard? I have the ML and added a in line convertor, amp, and subwoofer. Makes all the difference in the world. I also included a volume control for the subwoofer so I can tweak it depending on the song and passengers. I'm very pleased with it. I did it all myself for less than $300. Also being a home audio guy for many years, I never realized how important a subwoofer was until a neighbor gave me his 15" sub. Having a sub in any stereo really makes a difference. I found the ML sub just wasn't enough. I only put a 10" sub in my car and rarely turn the volume past 50%. It's not overpowering unless I want it to be. It is in a tuned box that can hit 30hz with only -3 decibels.
Just my 2 cents.....

 

So you have a OEM Nav unit in there now or is your car without Nav? If you car didn't come with Nav I would install a double DIN Nav/DVD unit. If you have factory Nav, I would leave the head unit alone and you can always upgrade the amp and speakers.