LDM

Newbie here. Have read many of the voluminous threads re failed Mark Levinson amplifiers. I have confirmed my unit has stopped working (dash unit checks okay). United Radio currently charging $675 for repair. There’s currently a new ML amp (new old inventory) on eBay for $475. With all the posts about ML failures I think I would be throwing good money after bad.
Is there a thread here that discusses swapping out the ML amp with an aftermarket unit? Believe the amp interfaces with the navigation unit - but we use smartphones. I have also unplugged the mast antenna and only rely on the windshield antenna. Also looking to maintain original look of dashboard - hence the desire to replace just the amp. I’m sure I’m leaving something out here.
Thanks in advance.

Bgw70

I have two SC430s, 2002 and 2007. So far so good, like so many other owners.
question, are all of the speakers OEM or aftermarket?

offer these guys $200 and ask if they will provide a warranty.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/02-09-SC430...cAAOSwYCRb5g7N

LDM

Thanks for the eBay link. They are honest by not claiming they do anything to the amps.
Stopped by Best Buy - after looking at the schematics they said to convert to an aftermarket amp would be custom work at $100/hour.
Crutchfield doesn’t have a plug & play harness to convert aftermarket amp.
A local high end, high customer rated auto audio shop said it would be cheaper to send original amp to United Radio (also very highly rated) in Syracuse.
🤔

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

This is what I was looking at. It would be a nice setup.

Metra 99-8161S Double DIN Dash Kit for Select 2002-2010 Lexus SC430 Vehicles (Silver)



And

http://www.beatsonicusa.com/stereo/s...xus/sc430.html

And

Pioneer AVH-2300NEX Multimedia DVD Receiver with 7" WVGA Display/Apple CarPlay/Android Auto/Built-in Bluetooth/SiriusXM-Ready/AppRadio Mode +

ivanj

Which amp is broken? which speakers don't work?

editordz

I don't think you can replace just the amp. I think the amp and the head unit are fairly tightly integrated. But I'm sure other people know more about that than I do.

Personally, I replaced everything. My top display, where the Nav was, is now a Raspberry Pi based Android Auto screen. I replaced the head unit with a Pioneer double-din NEX unit, and the stock amp with an Alpine amplifier. I replaced all the speakers as well, including the sub. Aside from the speaker wires running from the trunk to the doors, I did not re-use any wiring, but ran my own wiring.

I would imagine all that would be pretty pricey at $100/hour, as it took me quite a while to do . But for me it's a hobby, so I enjoy being a masochist .

Good luck to you, and enjoy the car!

ivanj

I don't know what the failure point or MBTF for the ML amps but it is primarily the capacitors in amplifiers that dry out or leak due to age. Therefore I would not want to acquire a NOS amp of that age without at least a capacitor renewal. I don't know United Radio but if they do a complete overhaul testing resistor values, transistors, replacing capacitors,I personally would consider it if it comes with a warranty. My taste is to keep electronics stock. BTW the reason for the high impedance speakers in that era was that the lower wattage amplifiers based on 12V could drive them more easily. And people's tastes in music were different.

Today there are voltage inverters, 600 Watt amps and 2 Ohm rather than 50 Watt amps and 16 Ohm speakers in the stock system. You do the math.

Here's my take on it: Mark Levinson was and is an iconic figure in the history of high end home and studio audio. However, he was not as good a businessman, lost rights to his own name as part of the deal with Madrigal and then Harmon. He had nothing to do personally with the system in the Lexus. At that time the ML brand sound system was probably better than most in terms of engineering but it did not use (what was then) "marine grade" speaker components, etc.. Hence, the failure of speaker surrounds and so on. American manufacturers were still using paper cones and foam surrounds that came from the early acoustic suspension era. So, these speakers dried out in the more difficult temperature environments of a car versus a home. This was exacerbated by the fact that most of these SCs were sold in the South with hot temperatures as a rule. Madrigal/Harmon was into decent engineering but its components were not up to snuff because it was running on the cheapest implementation they could get away with - badge engineering with "cheap" speakers...

I think it is quaint they refer in the repair Manual as tweeters, squawkers and woofers.

LDM

Thanks for all the replies - I don’t check for replies as often as I’d like.

Briefly, I met who is considered the most knowledgeable audio tech at BestBuy in our region. He explained that to migrate to a third party amp will cost between $1,200 and $1,500. He further stated that United Radio is an excellent audio repair company. As I am not looking for top shelf sound quality in a car, I guess I’m going the United Radio repair route (and most economical) for $675.

Bgw70

Did you say all of the speakers were stock?

Also, an eBay amp is probably the least expensive route.

digitatc

If you are 100% sure the amp is dead, then follow Bgw70 advice and get the amp from Ebay. That is 1/3 the price of your repair route and save 2/3 for upgrading the head unit later on or just have some fun.
My personal experience, if the radio works, but you can't hear anything even the vol is all the way up. At the same time, navigation volume is still working fine, then your amp is gone.

leexed

This is the metra kit installed with a pioneer aftermarket head unit

sorry about the sideways photo