gstern1994

Has anyone done a direct comparison? I have an opportunity to buy a very competitively priced 04 without nav, but I'm bummed that I would be giving up the ML system as well as the nav if I chose to buy the base LS.

I get the idea from the forum that it's reasonable but I haven't found anything specific. Thanks!

LS430inDE.

I'm not sure why I've seen (what I think is) an unusually high number of complaints with the ML system, but I think it's phenominal, as do all of the reviewers at the professional car mags.

My 02 Acura RL has the stock Bose system, and I thought that system was fantastic---that was until I listened to the stereo in my 430 that has ML.

With the Levinson system, if you play a DDD (all digital) recorded/mastered CD at volume level #50, you will not perceive ANY distortion, and your ears will be ringing if you play it at that volume for any more than 20 seconds. I have not cranked up the volume past #50 yet. I hear superior imaging, centering, staging, and spaciousness in all music ranging from The Gypsy Kings to Snoop Dogg...

Also, it's not how LOUD you play music that destroys or "blows" your speakers, it's the distortion FROM THE AMP that ruins the speakers. All systems distort and clip the sound when they no longer can amplify the music any further..so if you really like to play music loud, ML is the way to go. (unless you install a new headunit, but that could be involved with the 430?)

For what it's worth, for my home system I have all separate components, consisting of a Carver TFM-55 amp, Denon TU-1500 tuner, Adcom GFP-600? preamp, Sony es-series cd player, and Infinity Cascade-9 speakers...so yea...I like CLEAN sounding music, as I pay attention to how the music sounds (at all volume levels) more than the average Joe who just turns the radio on.

Again..still unsure why several members have negative remarks about the ML.

To the OP/question, I'm sure the standard system sounds fine to the average listener. Are you an average listener or do you consider yourself an audiophile? If the latter, and you also want the potential to play it LOUD and clean, I advise finding a 430 with the Modern Lux package. There are a lot of them.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

I recommend that you go to a dealership and park two (ML and non-ML) side-by-side and compare them on the same source material -- ideally a CD that is representative of the music you enjoy and one that you are familiar with. That's what I did, and the ML definitely sounds better. It's not as if the non-ML sucks compared to most systems, but the ML clearly offers more depth, clarity, and sounds more musical, IMO. The ML is actually very good on some source materials, IMO. On some it is kind of marginal, but on the right materials, I think it's very good compared to other factory systems. Of course a well chosen and well-set-up aftermarket system will blow pretty much any factory system out of the water.

I don't really use the nav system in my LS and I don't particlularly like the Nav system and the consequential punching the I Agree button, punching through the "menu" to get out of the nav system to adjust the AC, change the song, etc., so I would have been just as happy without the Nav. I went to the dealership and did the comparison I mentioned above and the difference in the sound quality made me get a car with the Nav/ML.

gstern1994

Thanks guy's, I did just listen to both systems,and you guy's are right. The ML is superior. I wish the vehicle I was looking at did not have it bundled with the nav. sigh.