ladqvx1

I've got a 97 ES300 which is very quickly turning into the best car I've ever owned. I've got about 140k on it and it runs/drives like new. One of the very few "issues" I have involves the stereo. I've got the Pioneer head unit and like so many of them, the LCD is blotto. For reasons that may only make sense to me, I'd like to keep my audio OEM. I've read many posts here that suggest there is little to no appreciable difference in sound quality between the two systems. If this is the case, why the difference in price (perhaps a question better answered in a different forum, but speculation suggests you are paying more for a premium name....anyway.....) I would like to call on all audiophiles to weigh in on this and let me know if it would be worth the effort to completely swap out my pioneer equipment with the Nakamichi system. I would appreciate any data comparing the two systems and even personal opinions or experiences on the matter. I would also like to know if there are any other Lexus OEM audio/video/nav equipment that may be better that might fit in my 97 ES300. I'm very excited about owning my first Lexus and am now sold as a Lexus owner for life. Feel free to contact me here or at markabrayton@yahoo.com. Thanks for all your future help.

Mark

mdbrown

Within the constraints placed on them by Lexus (in keeping the design outward identical to the pioneer) as well as cost I would venture a guess that the Nak unit and the Pioneer unit differ very little in performance. All of my research pretty much validates that. With that in mind, if you wanted to keep the stock appearance but improve the sound then a set of true component speakers in the front doors, a set of coax speakers in the rear doors (make sure both are of high quality and efficient) and a good (jl audio, boston acoustics, Polk) 8" sub (which will allow you to keep the stock appearance) and a good amp for the sub and you will improve the sound quite a bit.

TF109B

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Nakamichi are the better company at producing this type of electronics. My dad was into the electronics industry and he always held Nakamichi is high regard, called them some of the best sounding speakers there are.

mdbrown

Nakamichi produced the best cassette decks ever made. They are much less of a player when it comes to speakers, amps, and so forth. It's why they are struggling now... they also tend towards a minimalist design. I like that but most don't. Don't mistake what Nakamichi made for Lexus with what they sold under their own name... big difference.

yeskay

i purchased my car with NAK unit. no you cannot replace the pioneer head unit with NAK. NAK is a customized option that include, nak cd player, nak head unit and nak speakers.

ladqvx1

I would like to thank everyone that has weighed in on my issue very much. The reponses I've receive so far have confirmed much of what I've read and learned from other, less reliable sources. So, keeping in line with my original plan, I think the direction I'm going to take is to just replace my pioneer head unit with a new or remanufactured one. However, from my research, I think my only option is a refurb. So far, I haven't located anyone that sells them brand new with the exception of the dealership and frankly I shudder to think what they would charge for one. I have found a company that seems fairly reputable that sells and guarantees a refurb for around three hundred bucks and this would address the LCD problem that seems fairly common. I'm hoping this will address the only other issue that I have with the pioneer unit. Whenever I play a CD, I only have to turn up the volume a little bit and it sounds pretty loud and pretty clear, probably among the top ten best sounding stock stereos I've heard, however, if I'm listening to the radio, I have to turn the volume almost all the way up to achieve the same output, even then I still don't get nearly the same highs and lows that I achieve with a compact disc. I know there is a difference in how the signal is processed and all, but the difference in sound quality and volume is unacceptibly different, this is particularly evident when the cabin temperature rises above 80 degrees or so. Does this stereo have a separate amp like the Nakamichi or is the sole amplifier in the head unit itself? I really am a novice at this so forgive me if I'm asking the wrong questions.

mdbrown

It has an outboard amp but the problem you describe wouldn't be with the amp since both the CD and the tuner signals both originate in the head unit. I would venture a guess that a replacement head unit would solve that problem. The speakers are the weakest part of this system and what I will be replacing.