Originally Posted by cdvmagic

Well Percy I'm too poor tobuy all that stuff you recommend me but there's one thing you say that I don't know if you made a mistake or I am reading it wrong but you say that my Alpine system is way better then Mark Levinson?

***Parts and component wise, yes, your Alpine is MUCH better than the ML amp parts. Plus with all the problems that I'm reading about the ML, it's scarry that they even put these things in a Lexus. Many of the problems have been about the speakers, especially the subs, burning out.***

Because Mark Levinson so far I know has really high quality audio and their stuff is really expensive.

***You'd be surprised at what they put in the car, and HYPE. The car gear that ML uses doesn't even COME CLOSE to the gear that is used in their home audio. If we put a "100,000 DOLLAR HOME SYSTEM" splashy, it makes the consumer think that the best stuff is being put in the car, or of the same quality. WRONG. Remember that ML/Harman has a BUSINESS. They have to make money. Unfortunately, most of it is on the NAME of MARK LEVINSON brand. The only thing that is kinda neat about the internals of the Lexus/ML amp is the Analog Devices SHARC processor, but those are only 40 dollars each in quantity. The rest of the components, AMP wise, I wouldn't even use to make an amp. QUITE substandard. And don't pay attention to the "reviewers" that praise the ML system. Many of them are PAID TO WRITE "fluffy" articles. And the more "fluffy" the articles, the more copies that the big companies will buy to HYPE MARKET their product. Now if it was Ken C. Pohlman and his Hammer Labs doing the test report, then I'd trust it. He's not known for flowery language.***

I heard that Lexus put Mark Levinson in their cars because it has yhe best sound quality and it really goes well with the quitness of the car so that's what I wanted to do let them build a costum system for my car but it's too expensive their stuff is way to rich for me so I decided to settle with Alpine.
But now you got me confused.

***Most of the ML cost isn't really due to "high end" parts, its more from tuning the processor and the software/firmware that goes into it. But still, even the ML in the GS and IS sound pretty crappy to me, despite what the paid reviewers say about the system. I had a couple of sound engineers (recording engineers) listen to the system and they couldn't even believe it passed for anything remotely high end. But, many people are happy with it since, to them, it's a step up, but it's not the ultimate high end in a car. For that, I would probably give it to the Volvo/Dynaudio system.***

Are you saying I'll have better audio then the newer sc430 and so with Mark levinson in them?

***Let's put it this way. If you had a complete ML system versus a STOCK electronics/pioneer/nak with Dynaudio speakers, the second option would completely waste the ML on SOUND QUALITY. I'm talking imaging, depth, clarity...the works. And I'm not exaggerating either. There are many others that have tried this combo and are completely satisfied.***

Because if it's so then I won'y bother with DynAudio or any of that stuff then the Alpine will be more then enough for me but I seriously doubt that.

***Change out the speakers. Weakest link has ALWAYS been the speakers.***

And I know that my car will lose value but the thibg is my stock unit is not working right and I already replaced the system last year with a used stock one and now it went bad on me again.

***Kinda sounds about right for the stock electronics.***

That's why I'm choosing aftermarket but I don't have the budget to do something big so that's why I chose this one the Total is $2500 for equipment.

***Speakers first! speakers first! speakers first! The stock papers are just JUNK. Seriously.***

I still need to pay some guy I know to make a bracket to cover all the holes he's gonna come measure my Stereo and make a special mounting bracket for this stereo and he'll also help me with the electrical system of the car.

***Special mounting bracket? For what?***

So I have that and maybe I'll have to buy wires and I don't know how much he's gonna charge me he's gonna help me do it me and him will do the instalation so I think it will run close to $3000 total.

***Learn about the audio and DO IT YOURSELF. It's NOT that difficult. I had to learn since there was a local shop that tore apart my car and really screwed it all up. It was a very bad experience. But, in the end, I now know much more than the 3rd rate installer, and I'm the only one that really knows what is in the car. The shady shops will make note of what gear you have, install it, and then steal the gear back. It's a bad thing.***

That's a lot of money so I'm keeping it there so I won't buy speakers and I won't go with more expensive stuff I'll stay with alpine right now till I buy another car.
I think in about a few years I'll go with a Mercedez S class and then I'll have a complete nicer car with everything.
I just didn't want to buy a new car now with everythibg that's going on(stock prices falling,oil prices rising,housing slump)so I went a cheaper way to kind of upgrate my car.
But in a year or 2 I'll have my S class with BOSE sound and I'll never have to worry with changing the Stereo again.

Originally Posted by Percy

It's always better to run speakers with more power than you think you'll need, as long as it's CLEAN power. Too little power will burn out the speakers more easily.

Originally Posted by cdvmagic

Anyway I'm not gonna go with Dynaudio because then we'll be talkning 4 to 5k here totally that's way to much for a car Stereo anyway I think percy must be a sales rep.for Dynaudio but anyway I'll be keeping the speakers because if I spend that much money on the stereo I might as well buy a new car!!!!