brucewayne

Hello everyone,

I've been lurking on this board for several months and decided to register once I decided to seriously consider an IS when my lease is up in December. On my list are the TSX, TL, and G35; I was specifically leaning toward the TSX due to the interior and handling, but I'm not crazy about the new front-end, rims, and revised gauges (maybe they will look better in person)

What flipped me to the IS is when someone posted pix of an Onyx Blue IS with Cashmere interior last week, and well, lets just say that I think I fell in love.

I priced out an IS250 MT/blue onyx/cashmere/premium package/18" G-Spyder Rims. (I'm assuming these are the split 5-spokes) on the lexus website and it seems like it will fit my budget and desires. If it can run a mid-7 second 0-60 that should be fast enough for me.

On to my question: I've searched but didn't find an answer, What are the sizes and locations of the 13 speakers on the non-ML (base) audio system?

Thanks

jlin101

the G-spyder rims are not the stock 18" wheel, but are dealer-installed accessory--they cost, if I remember correctly on the GS, about $2k. The base stereo system has 13 speakers (ML adds a front center speaker) that have the same sizes as the ML. Of course, size alone does not makes a system sound great; although even the base system in the newer Lexuses sound better than a lot of the upgraded system in other makes.

cooney

The stock audio system has the same set (or at least the same-sized set) of three speakers in each door, 6¼", 2½" & 1", plus an 8" woofer on the rear deck.

The Mark Levinson premium system changes this a bit -- it not only adds a 2½" speaker in the top of the dashboard, but also reduces the rear door mounted speakers to two, 1" & 4", and adds two 2½" speakers to the rear deck. I'd guess the added front and rear deck speakers are for center (dialog) channel and rear (ambience) channel signals, which is consistent with the DVD and DVD-Audio capability in the ML system, at least if ML is part of the nav system. I'm pretty sure all 14 of the ML speakers are different from the speakers used in the stock system.

There have been posts on these boards that the ML system without DVD capability, is available as a stand-alone option, not bundled with the navigation system, for $940. That would be a very attractive option, which unfortunately is not listed in any of the "official" Lexus websites or brochures. Time will tell if it is actually available -- things are more than a little confused right now in the first days of the rollout of the new IS.

Hope this helps.

brucewayne

Thanks for the info

I've noticed that some photos of the rear doors show tweeters molded in near the door handle, and some do not. Maybe the ML mounts the 1" tweeter where the 2 1/2" mid is and the 4" mid goes down to the 6 1/2" hole.

Do you know if the center channel grille/opening still exists on the non-ML front dash?

I agree about the confusing details, cooney. Lexus is only compounding it all by not listing everything on the 'build your IS' site. For instance (at least in my Zip Code) I cannot build an IS of any model with ML or Navi.

I'd be more likely to install an aftermarket system if the ML is buried within a $7K option package.

Hopefully I'll have a chance to stop by the local Lexus dealer later this week.