ajh77

I just got my 2008 LS460 the other day and the base stereo does not sound great. I want to spend bet 3k and 5k and upgrade it.

I have seen some threads on how people upgraded their mark levinson stereo, but I have not found any on how people upgraded their non mark levinson stereo.


What components did you upgrade your non mark levinson stereo to ?

nsaldanh

Some years ago a CMASTEN posted the steps that he took to upgrade his NON ML system. Please search for his posts and you will have what you are asking for.

mambo619

i just upgraded mine. i went with a Jl Audio Fix 82, JL Audio Twk D8, Audison and JL Audio amps, Audison AVK 6 components in the front, and Morel for the back doors and a 13W7 in the Trunk. . depending on what rout you want to take, you will either need a high low converter or preferably something that will flaten the EQ so you can start with a clean sound.

edit: and a whole lot of Dynamat.

ajh77

How do your upgrades sound vs the stock premium stereo ?

mambo619

Personally, i love it. just adding a sub woofer is enough for most people. But with the TWK D8, it brought my speakers to life. i was able to do time alignment, boost the pre outs and get more out of my mids.

Tron460

In the process of this now! Just got lc2i, amp, and sub in! Now on to speakers!

mambo619

the LC2i is JUST for the Subs. you will need the LC6I or LC7i ( if you want to stick with audio control) or the JL Fix 86 Or 82 to run an additional amp for your highs . Or are you planning on running the new speakers off the Stock amp??

Tron460

So thats where club lexus comes in. to my understanding i can run two amps off the lc2i, one for sub and one for speakers? but anymore than that then ill need the lc7i. i wanted to replace all speakers with a good priced/ quality speakers. I was looking at the rockford fosgate power series or punch series. Ideal plan is to replace speakers without adding another amp.

mambo619

Technically, yes the LC2i can work for an amp for the mids & highs, I personally never had a "clean " experience going that route. A few things to unpack here. the LC2i does not flatten the stock amp's EQ, and when replacing the speakers, a "clean" sounds is not guaranteed since you are amplifying the settings (EQ) specifically tuned for the cheap stock speakers. What the LC2i does help in, is restore Bass Roll off, in a synthetic way (they call it Accubass). i had a better experience going with the Jl Audio Fix 86 ( ended up upgrading to the fix82 linked to the Twk D8) since the Fix86 flattens out the EQ, giving you a clean canvas to work with. As far as speakers, what is your budget and what type of music do you listen to mostly? and invest in Dynamat, Fat MAt, Ect...... it really helps.

mambo619

agree that a little goes a long way ( i think the 25% rule applies here), However, it definitely makes a big difference. i mainly used it in my trunk, and rear deck lid ( the rear deck lid vibrates like crazy if you take out the stock sub) and it has made a HUGE difference. .

Tron460

Trying to keep cost as low as possible without sacrificing quality. Trying to avoid adding in another amp, or at least not adding another thingy (loc7i fix86) I would say mostly rap, rock, alternative. not looking for anything crazy just something a better than oem.

mambo619

If you run new speakers Off your stock amp, there is a possibility that the amp may not work for very long, it depends on what the impedance of the stock Vs new speakers is and what the stock amp is capable of. Example: If the stock speakers are at 4 ohms, and your new speakers are also at 4 ohms you should be fine. if they are at 6 or 8 ohms, and your new speakers are at 4 ohms (most likely), then the stock amp will be running hotter and under a bigger load since it is designed to run at a higher impedance.

As far as to what speakers, some higher end Herrtz and mid tier Focal's can be had for around $200-300 in the 2nd hand market. if you are looking for new around the same price, the JL Audio C2 and C3's can be found around the same price. the Hertz and JL audio seem to have an emphasis on mid bass. I put a pair of component C2's in my dads Tundra and was surprised at how much they put out in the low end (bass). the tweeter was just a bit too bright for my taste, but once they broke in, they sounded better. if you are on a real low budget, i was pleasantly surprised by Kicker's speakers (the red ones, not the yellow). i believe they are the KS, but i cant remember. i heard them in a F-150.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

Given the integration of the sound system into the the cars physical, electronic and control systems, I wouldn't be too quick to go tearing it out. I'd start with a good sub and amp ( signal taken off the full range input to the stock amp).