I'm looking to buy an rx330 in the next few weeks and the question is , does mark levinson sound as good as bose in infiniti fx ??? I drove both of them a few days ago and regular system in rx sounds terrible but i liked the bose in infiniti a lot. It might affect my whole vehicle purchase . Which one ???
Thx in advance

 

i never thought the bose system in the fx sounded that great. the bose 5.1 in the m35 sounds awesome though

 

In this case you have to listen to it yourself. The ML system in the RX is not on the same level as the ML system in the GS/LS. It is an improvement over the standard system, but not as big an improvement as in those other Lexus cars.

 

Since you will base your decision on sound quality, then you are more of an audiophile.

Sound is so perceptive and each individual have their own preferences. Analytically and qualitatively when ever I set the audio responce based on measurement, what I hear does not appeal to me and after a day or two of restraint, I end up changing the setting.

So run your tests, bring your CD etc and make your choice. For me, what I hear on radio (NPR plug) , conversations in the RX, road noise etc, puts very little demand on the sound quality. That said, RX sound is not shabby but certainly not very good.

Salim

 

Teh bose in Nissan/Infiniti is very sub-par. Owners clearly acknowledge many opportunities with that system. It on par with the stock Lexus system.

The ML BLOWS it away, not even close.

 

I had a Bose system in my Mercedes and I never enjoyed it. The sound was way too bright.

 

If you speak to 10 audiophiles, perhaps 9 of them would advise you to stay away from anything Bose. Their products are inferior, the materials are sub-standards, the design is gimmicky, etc. However, they have really really great marketing. And I mean really great, because if you talk to 10 people in random, I am pretty sure 8 of them would recognize the name Bose and associate the name with high-end sound.

Personally, I think the sound is too bright (ironically most people would equate that with good equipment) and way too distorted. It has nothing reseembling the actual sound it tries to reproduce.

But then, perspective is hard to change, certainly not with messages you read on a message board.

 

How about a simpler question. I just have the standard stock stereo in the RX350. It is not too bad, but needs a little more low end. I was thinking of just buying one of those amplified "bazooka" woofers and tossing it into the wayback. There is a cigarette lighter plug back there, so power is not an issue. BUT, where can I get access to the speaker wiring. Is there a hidden wire back there for upgrading to the better sound systems, and all I have to do is dig it out, or am I going to have to tap into one of the rear side door speakers for a connection for the subwoofer?

 

I thought the RX 350 ML sounds fine but not amazing like the GS\IS\LS models. The Bose initially gives you this perception it sounds fine but then after awhile you will realize it's sound quality is poor.

Off topic but my Mazda's cheap 4 speaker sound system blows away the Bose in my Pathfinder. Must say Bose is not worth it.

 

I have the RX330 with ML and while it is a step up from the standard system it doesn't exactly blow you away. My previous GS300 had the standard system in it but they have a subwoofer and deliver a stronger and deeper bass. The RX even with the ML does not have a subwoofer so if your looking for that deep, vibrating bass you won't find it with the ML in the RX. The ML does sound much better when playing CD's compared to the AM/FM radio and that is where it is better than the standard system. As for Bose, I'm really not sold on it that much. As some had said in earlier replies, Bose has a great marketing system. If you check out Consumer Reports on home stereo and theater systems you will find that Bose is only about average in actual sound reproduction. There are much better systems that often costs less. So if Bose for the home stereo and theather systems is only average you would think that car systems really aren't too much different. Would I go for the ML upgrade over the standard system? Maybe yes, maybe no. In my case with the Thundercloud Edition the ML came as part of the NAV upgrade, you couldn't get one without the other and I wanted the NAV. IMO I wouldn't purchase an FX over the RX just because I thought the Bose was better than the ML. To me the RX has it over the FX in too many other things to just narrow it down to one over the other because of the stereo.

2005 RX 330 Thundercloud, Thundercloud Mist, Gray/Black interior with Black Birdseye Maple trim, NAV, ML, HID with AFS, Rain Sensing wipers, Headlight washers, Towing Package with OEM Hitch, 18 inch Thundercloud rims with Michelin MXV4s.

 

I could not agree with you more. You nailed it!