I have an 09RX350 without the upgraded sound system. The sound is certainly much less good than it was in the old RX300 with the Nakamichi system, and I attribute this primarily to the lack of a separate woofer and associated circuitry. Does anyone know if there is an inexpensive (read: no 'new head unit') way to improve/clarify the sound of my system? Are there two or three way self frequency distributing speakers that might allow a simple change of speakers to get rid of the muddy bass and the muffled mid-range? In advance - tks!

 

don't all second gen's (depending on nav vs. non-nav) have the same headunit? It is the Amp and speakers which are configured differently. Mark Levinson, Alpine/Pioneer, etc?

 

What they are asking, is if there is a way to upgrade the sound system without changing out the head unit (Stock from Lexus) like is there something they could add or replace speaker wise to enhance the audio...

pauljcl: How do you have your audio settings set?

-Joe

 

Hi Joe!
The audio settings are set to favour front passengers, and generally 'flat'. If I remember correctly, maybe a +1 in treble. The problem is not there. It is in the low quality sound of the system. I know (=am sure) that changing the head unit and providing for a separate woofer would allow better sound, but am wondering if:
1 Changing certain speakers (I am thinking of the door speakers) would 'clarify' the sound, and
2. There exist two or three way speakers which would prevent one speaker (i.e. like the original speakers) from having to carry mid and bass.
I am sure that there would be some improvement in sound if I changed speakers to higher q. speakers, but I am not willing to spend much money, particularly if the results will be only a slight improvement. If anyone has changed just a couple of speakers or so and found great improvement, I would like to hear from them. I fear that the head unit itself is not very good.

 

how many speakers do you have? Since you said its standard i am thinking you have 2 tweeters + 2 mid + 2 door sub + 2 rear composite (2 way so 2x2) so 10 speaker setup.

 

Honestly, I don't know. Whatever the 'standard set-up' is. I doubt there are any sub-woofers: the bass is too muddy. The sub-woofers probably only come with the upgraded 'Mark Levinson' model. In the old RX300, I had the Nakamichi (I believe it was the upgraded model but I bought the car used, and it was not described) and it had much better and clearer bass, probably due to sub-woofers and a separate (amp) power circuit for them.

 

I would recommend a processor such as the Alpine PXE-H660 and adding an amplifier to run the system.

 

Interesting - tku!

 

There is plenty sound processors out there that can take your wiring to get a RCA signal. The alpine mentioned above, the JL Audio Cleansweep, JBL MS-8, Audiocontrol LC8i, Audiocontrol LC6i, MTX re-Q5, Rockford Fosgate 3sixty.2. There are others, but I would stick with these brands and maybe a couple others.