i had a 2007 is250 before and now have changed to is350
have anyone here experienced that the ml system is much quiet than the standard audio system on 2is? even i turn the bass to max...it still cannot compare to the standard one...is it just my problem

 

I had ML in my 08 IS250 and i loved it. I just turned that lease in and picked up a 2011 IS350 without ML.. the non-ML system seems quieter to me.

 

ML System is much stronger than the stock one.
If you feel it more quiet than stock, then there is something wrong.

 

Do the f-sports not come with the ML system? I got my 2011 USB IS350 and was wondering why the stereo sucked so much.

 

ML has nothing to do with the primary package on the car- it's a standalone option...

For 2010+ it's only available bundled with nav... so basically a car 2010+ can come one of 3 ways, regardless of the main package on it-

No nav at all, which also means no ML
Nav without ML
Nav with ML


(prior to 2010 models "ML without nav" was also a possibility, though extremely, extremely, rare)

Personally when I get a loaner from the dealer, which is always a non ML car, I have to put it on NPR as any actual music is a noticeable drop in quality from my ML car.

 

I have the ML in my 06 350 (with nav) & it blows away the non ML loaners I get from the dealer. At 75 mph with the speed control volume working I have the bass set about 4 notches lower than max and it still rocks pretty hard. Around town I turn it back up but never to max.

 

Hmmm this is wierd... I have an 06 non ML with nav and my stereo sounds GREAT, however last time i got a loaner from the dealer it was a non nav non ML and it sounded like total dog crap compared to mine.... Maybe there is a difference between non ML with nav and non ML without nav???

 

So if my '11 F-Sport is fully loaded it does have the ML stereo? Is it supposed to have any insignia on the speakers like all the other companies (Bose, Bang & Olufson, Alpine, etc?) How can I tell besides looking at the sticker?

 

Cars are almost never fully loaded.

If it's F-sport it's already missing a bunch of features... (rain sensing wipers, memory seats, vented seats, power tilt steering, auto dim/tilt mirrors, etc, etc...).


Mark Levinson stereo would say Mark Levinson on the head unit, see pic here with logo-

http://www.dragtimes.com/images-clas...0623397708.jpg

In addition to that it'd play DVDs (the non-ML system, or even the ML without nav system, does not)... additional ways to tell are to look at the amp in the trunk, which says ML... or just look at where your rear speakers are. Non-ML systems have 3 speakers in each door. ML systems has TWO in each door, then two on the rear deck, for surround sound.

 

My non ML has 3 in each door and 2 on the rear deck???

 

I use my ipod most of the time in my 2011, and the stereo sounds pretty damn good...of couse using sat radio you have to turn it up more but when I use the ipod I have to turn it down. I have the non ML system.

 

I thought ML had 3 speakers in the rear door, just like the front. I guess I never paid attention to it though. Best way to spot an ML (from the outside) is to look through the rear window to see if it has the two rectanglular speaker grills which are the surround rears.

 

ML has real audiophile specs with low distortion and ruler flat response from 20 hz to 20k hz so it isn't adding any phony bass. If you want bass you have to dial it up yourself. Most car units (including the non ML Lexus units) have more distortion down low and may not even have any output less than 150 hz or so, so the designers manipulate things to make it sound like it has bass. (If you ever listen to a home based high end audio system you won't be blown away by the bass on most recordings unless the bass is actually in the music, often it isn't. But if you listen to some well recorded jazz that has a bass instrument in it you'll be blown away at the deep bass that a good system puts out.) In a car system the acoustics are so compromised that the designers have a tough job making a unit sound like true hi fi. Most stock units are pretty mediocre, for the additional cost the ML is a huge step up from the stock unit, too bad it is so hard to find.

 

Thanks everyone. I'm going to check now.

 

No it doesn't.


Non-ML car has:

3 speakers in each front door (6 total front)
3 speakers in each rear door (6 total rear)
1 subwoofer in the trunk/rear

13 total speakers


ML cars have:

3 speakers in each front door
1 speaker in the front center dash
(7 total front)


2 speakers in each rear door
2 speakers in the back shelf
1 subwoofer in the trunk/rear
(7 total rear)

14 total speakers




Pictures:

NON-ML system:
http://is.sewellparts.com/images/oem/700x500/862566.jpg

1. front tweeters
2. front mids
3. front woofers
4. rear tweeters
5. rear mids
6. rear woofers
7. subwoofer



ML system:
http://is.sewellparts.com/images/oem/700x500/862548.jpg

1. center speaker
2. front tweeters
3. front mids
4. front woofers
5. rear tweeters
6. rear woofers
7. rear mids on the back deck
8. sub


The amps are different too of course... the sewell price on the non-ML amp is $947... the ML one is $2272...

I wanna say it's like 180w vs. 300w but that's just from memory