So I am out in the garage and cleaning up the back seat on the IS. I had the iPod running cause I was doing some general garage duty and wanted to hear a few tunes. Soon I find myself sitting in the rear seat just kinda checking it out. Only the second time I have sat in the back seat (first time was the first day I got it). That’s when it hit me. I grab the iPod and pick out a good tune, shut the door and turn it up.

Sounds like an entirely different system from the back and it sounds real damn good for a stock system. Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed the ML system a lot but it is not perfect. My biggest complaint is the dominant center channel. To me, the center channel it unbalanced with the rest of the system. You also have no direct single control of that channel but only the obvious front and rear fader deal.

The bass also breaks down but not until a fairly decent level.

By sitting in the back seat, I was able to tone down the bass since I was sitting against it basically, and distance myself from the damn center channel. If you have not done this, go check it out. I think you will be fairly impressed. So I ended up listening for about 45 minutes and then get the idea to throw in a video disc and check it out in the back seat for the first time. In goes Pulp Fiction and a quick tour of a few select scenes with tracks. All I can say is……damn, just plain damn.

I wish the folks at ML had set the system up for the driver position a little better. Granted, having the bass against your back allows for less bass level at higher volumes so it remains much cleaner. Got to add a sub/amp to get that up front. But they could have staged the center channel with user control. That is my opinion anyway. I’m sure some audiophile will tell me that the center channel is set up correctly. I tell them to sit and the back and tell me that the driver positions sounds just as good.

wife comes out to garage and looks at me like I have four heads and wonders what the hell..."you have a stereo inside you know"...I know, I replied, but you won't let me bring my car inside.

Anyway, just a random review from a guy who likes and listens to music a lot and enjoys the volume up a bit

 

.......{Napoleon Dynamite} LUCKY!!!

 

Yup, many non-ML IS owners are in denial, they claim their stock pioneer system sounds 'just as good' as ML. So I tell them to put in a surround sound DVD movie like the opening sequence of Star Wars III and give it a listen on the ML system, then ask themselves does the stock system still sound 'just as good' ??? (me thinks not) . . .

 

I wish i could bring my car inside and sit in my room infront the computer in my room... in the car while looking at pr0n *COUGH* wait i didnt mean pr0n i ment... umm... err... ways to help the uhh.. global warming YEA, global warming stuffs.

 

DUH!!! its a upgrade, it better damm well sound better than stock...shezz... but its no custom setup... its still a FACTORY system.

 

I noticed this the first time I popped in a 5.1 DVD too. The sound was way more immersing and just plain better from the back seat. Maybe not as crisp or anything, but somehow more enjoyable, mainly as OP posted because of distance from the center channel.

 

If you want the most amazing sounding mobile music, get a set of these. Absolutely amazing!

http://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Resea...outThisProduct

Koz

 

Good thing I got the ML LOL

 

Ah.... The look of satisfaction that only electronics can give. I try not to get caught with it.

Are you sure that there is no "pink noise" fuction to set-up your ML? Many 5.1 systems do.

 

What is "pink noise?"

The ML systems only has a fader and balance control for the front and rear speakers. The basic seperate bass, midrange, and trebble are the only other controls. My and I'm sure everyone elses home system allows control of the center channel seperate from the other channels. ML really blew it in my opinion for not doing so. If it is such an important part of the system, how could you not allow for fine tuning with it??????????

 

Yeah an aftermarket system is much better where you have finer controls over the whole system. ML is a great system, but it still is a stock system with the same stock controls that you can find on a Nissan Sentra.