tigerbait

Is there any difference between the 9 speaker and 12 speaker system beside
3 more speakers or is there a wattage difference? And has anyone considered
upgrading their system? I know it sounds crazy buying a 42500 car and
trusting someone to tear it apart to upgrade the sound but the 9 speaker is
imo subpar.

snow001

We have the 12 speaker system and while it does the job, IMHO you will definitely be better off with a dedicated low level sub woofer matched with titanium tweeters and a good mid range. However, being that it is my fiancee's car, I am not messing with it since she seems to be satisfied with the way it sounds.

if you are however an audiophile then you will notice the difference. The Ipod interface with the navigation system works like a charm so you will definitely be looking for more bass and treble while driving around on a nice day playing house/techno music with the sunroof and windows open. just my .02 cents

Hal56

Has anybody seen a '10 with the Levinson package and been able to compare it to the 12 speaker package?

My dealer told me it was not worth the extra money--that could be true or they just do not build many with the Levinson package.

Btmnk21

iTrader: (1)

Levinson also plays DVD's in the front. Possibly also Ipod videos? I would have gotten it if I could have without going to the Lux package.

The 12 speaker, which I have, is just fine for my audio tastes though

Hal56

I am more interested in sound quality-crispness, etc.

And I will probably have to order a car to get the options I want.

So it's almost time fo rme to "declare" what I want.

Also, I am wondering what happened to the cash for clunkers deal the govt talked about? It puts thru 800 billion pork stimulis packages overnight going to banks--but this type of thing takes forever.

If I can get the 4500 rebate that just about pays for the hybrid.

BTW-in a strange event, i saw two '10s today with dealer plates--meaning to me there is sufficient inventory out there to waste on a dealer take home car.

Btmnk21

iTrader: (1)

There will be a limit to the MSRP that you can trade-in for. I last read it was at $45K, meaning a hybrid with options would not qualify. I had the same idea to wait, but this thing could take weeks in debate and then to not even qualify- just wasn't worth it.

I do agree it is messed up it took days for a $1 trillion to be written up and allocated, but a few billion for auto buyers or the auto companies requires checks, debates, and 6+ months???

johnpg

i have the Mark Levinson in mine, but never did a true test of the sound in the other RX's. I will say that when playing from a good source the ML sounds good. It's very clean and can get loud enough, but I'm not blown away by it. It sounds terrible when playing the radio or SAT though.

John

Hal56

it's our government at its best LOL--(but crying)

they probably do not want to even give the credit for pure imports. Even though it creates income and jobs for our population.

These folks in DC are too far removed from reality. Things were bad enough when the big 3 had bean counters running the show--now we will have bureaucarts running the show.

I have to find a way to hear the difference between levenson and 12 speaker somehow in the next couple fo days.

tazdevl

John... check yer PMs.

That has to do with the SAT transmission... not the audio system. Same thing has happened in the last few cars I've owned. XM sound quality is worse than Siruis, which in reality doesn't have enough body when compared to a good FM station.

Now that they're merged... I haven't bothered to listen close enough to see but my guess it has something to do with the sampling rate or compression algorithm.

My wife has Levinson in her 2008 RX350... sounds much better than the Bose system in my EX35 and 2007 MDX with ELS. I think it's worth it.

Hal56

The sat systems are dependent on the individual satellites. If I remember correctly, XM decided to have its sats farther north of equator than Sirius-- or vice versa-anyway, the effect there is how to receive signals thru windows--better to have the sats lower in teh sky to reach into a room than to have above a house where the roof gets in the way.

Second, XM launched its second generation sats and more powerful sats--Sirius ran out of money when it hired howard stern first and did the NFL--Xm countered by making Oprah more wealthy and siging up MLB for an obscene amount.

What started out as a simple low cost to produce music subscription service went nuts. with their costs. Both ran out of cash--and merged.

But I do like business radio and thats why I have sat radio. My ipod has mostly replaced the need for the music on sat.

tks for the opinion on levinson. Trying to justify it. Probably will do it as I think it has to be better and I do like music when the market is not open. (I trade for a living).

rxets

Agreed. Levinson seems better than Bose or ELS. If you'd like to get the better sound system, please get it or try to upgrade by your own.





IMO, Bose or ELS seems better than 12-speark/9-speaker on '10RX.

rxets

11 Channels, 330 Watts
The all-new Mark Levinson digital processor/amplifier produces a total of 330 watts (true RMS rating) with all channels driven at 20-20kHz with less than 0.1% Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)

15 Speakers
Discrete 5.1 playback in a 7.1 channel surround sound architecture with separate side and surround channels to provide a greater sense of envelopment and depth for all passengers:
(4) 25mm Tweeters
(1) 90mm Midrange + 16mm Coaxial Integrated Tweeter
(2) 65mm Midranges
(2) 90mm Midranges
(2) 152 x 229mm Woofers
(2) 160mm Mid-woofer
(1) 200mm Subwoofer

Proprietary Metal Cone Midrange and Tweeter Transducers
Metal cone geometries offer greater rigidity and lower mass
Neodymium magnet/motor structures provide higher magnetic flux levels in a smaller and lighter package
The combined sonic benefits of metal cone and neodymium magnet construction are lower distortion, higher resolution, greater sound pressure levels and extended frequency response

Mark Levinson Surround (MLS) Audio Software
Optimizes discrete 5.1 playback for Multiseat™ listening in a 7.1 channel speaker architecture and provides a surround sound experience for stereo source material such as CD and FM
MLS is the only expression of surround sound that is designed and optimized specifically for the unique characteristics and sonic challenges of an automotive interior

Broad Media Compatibility
CD, CD-R, DTS 5.1 CD, DVD Video and DVD Audio discs

Extensive Format Compatibility
2-channel stereo (analog and PCM), 2 channel surround sound, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, MLP, MP3, WMA, and an auxiliary input for mobile audio products

Enhanced Connectivity
USB, auxiliary input jack and Bluetooth connectivity allows playback of an iPod or other mobile audio player through the Mark Levinson Premium Surround Entertainment System

RX Voicing
Over 1000 man-hours of meticulous laboratory and on-road fine-tuning for the unique acoustic characteristics of the RX cabin


http://www.marklevinsonlexus.com/overview.asp?model=rx

(some info on the site isn't accurate... they have to update it... what's wrong with Lexus!? Brochure has the wrong info. So does Website.)

Hal56

thanks-this would indicate a significant improvement in teh new system-330 watts vs 210 in the old system?

15 vs 11 speakers--or was I looking at the mid level system?

The G Man

It depends on which Levinson system you are comparing it to. The high end Levinson reference system found in the LS and the LX is better than the high end Bose, but the regular ML is not as good as the high end Bose system. The best system out in market right now IMO is the Bang & Olufsen system in the Audis, you have to hear it to believe it.

rxets

I don't know the model. You're right with it.

When testing Q5, we're impressed. Its Bang & Olufsen did perform well.