LX vs LC which stereo is better? ML vs JBL (1 Viewer)

[1world1love]

Awesome. Many of those tracks often show up in audiophile circles as demo or test tracks. Seems like you might have been hanging around some of them.

Bad thing as it's potentially another very expensive hobby. Mod this, upgrade that...

I should also add that I am not an audiophile at all. Having lived in Nashville for many years, I have been lucky to have friends that engineer, mix down, and master for a living and the things I learned were more on the production side rather than the listening side.

It is an opinion piece written by Greg Milner but it is a great read, with actual data:

Opinion | They Really Don’t Make Music Like They Used To (Published 2019)

If the Eagles or Marvin Gaye fan in your life is complaining about this year’s Grammy songs, this might be why.

www.nytimes.com

 

[grinchy]

I can't believe this wasn't on that list

 

[1world1love]

I can't believe this wasn't on that list

I know, right? Its an oversight on the list author's part

To be fair though, this is probably a better example of the manifestation of the "loudness wars"

 

[Madtiger]

I don’t know about all above but these two songs sounds great in the LC:

Andrea von Kampen - Forever Young

Forever Young performed by Andrea von Kampen from the Hafod Hardware 2019 Holiday advert. Available to stream/download here: https://avk.fanlink.to/foreveryo...

youtu.be

I just sit back and listen….

 

[grinchy]

I don’t know about all above but these two songs sounds great in the LC:

Andrea von Kampen - Forever Young

Forever Young performed by Andrea von Kampen from the Hafod Hardware 2019 Holiday advert. Available to stream/download here: https://avk.fanlink.to/foreveryo...

youtu.be

I just sit back and listen….

Alphaville in my 6disc changer at the moment. . . Zeppelin 4 too

 

[1world1love]

I don’t know about all above but these two songs sounds great in the LC:

Andrea von Kampen - Forever Young

Forever Young performed by Andrea von Kampen from the Hafod Hardware 2019 Holiday advert. Available to stream/download here: https://avk.fanlink.to/foreveryo...

youtu.be

I just sit back and listen….

Man. I remember back when I was shortly out of high school, everybody was into the crazy subwoofer setups. All of the shows and competitions used What a feeling. Or that synth instrumental that released Christmas albums. Mannheim something or other.

 

[Madtiger]

More info on Lexus ML Reference system:

Lexus LX 570-Mark Levinson brochure - MotorShow

Lexus LX 570-Mark Levinson brochure - Read more about levinson, surround, lexus, reference, audio and automotive.

www.yumpu.com

Besides the speaker arrangement differences, it is the ML amp specs that separates it from lesser systems (e.g. LC JBL). ML amps are rated with all channels driven at same time and at low THD. Most other amps are listed with just one or two channel driven…thus, you see much bigger “wattage”.

 

[grinchy]

More info on Lexus ML Reference system:

Lexus LX 570-Mark Levinson brochure - MotorShow

Lexus LX 570-Mark Levinson brochure - Read more about levinson, surround, lexus, reference, audio and automotive.

www.yumpu.com

Besides the speaker arrangement differences, it is the ML amp specs that separates it from lesser systems (e.g. LC JBL). ML amps are rated with all channels driven at same time and at low THD. Most other amps are listed with just one or two channel driven…thus, you see much bigger “wattage”.

View attachment 2665779

View attachment 2665780

Finally explains why there are only 12 powered channels. They have 15 100w channels and bridge 3 of them, for 12 different powered channels.

 

[Madtiger]

Ok a larger center channel. It certainly gave off some base. The LX has more than slightly more bass.

No. The speakers and amp have been the same throughout LX200 lifespan. It is just your imagination.

 

[Madtiger]

Finally explains why there are only 12 powered channels. They have 15 100w channels and bridge 3 of them, for 12 different powered channels.

Yup. The front door woofers (6x9) and the cargo subwoofer take up most of the wattage from that amp! Bass needs lots of wattage.

I am 99.99% sure that the LC JBL also does the same thing in terms of bridging the front door woofers and subwoofer. This is common practice among the JBL and ML systems.

 

[dnh1]

No. The speakers and amp have been the same throughout LX200 lifespan. It is just your imagination.

I wish it was just my imagination that you would stop posting.

 

[Madtiger]

I wish it was just my imagination that you would stop posting.

Uh oh did i offend someone today? Grow a pair dude.

Facts are facts. You stated something that is wrong. Sorry.

 

[dnh1]

Uh oh did i offend someone today? Grow a pair dude.

Facts are facts. You stated something that is wrong. Sorry.

You start an argument with someone new every day. I have never been in an argument on here with anyone in the 12 years I have been on here, other than you and the random dude who went crazy about the Heritage at me.

Nice whitewalls, 1980s much?

 

[Madtiger]

You start an argument with someone new every day. I have never been in an argument on here with anyone in the 12 years I have been on here, other than you and the random dude who went crazy about the Heritage at me.

Nice whitewalls, 1980s much?

Love 1980s. That was a good decade in music. Whitewalls? How can you deny how good my KO2s look?!

 

[Reckless]

Its been many years since I was in a LX but what I remember I liked it slightly more because sound was cleaner and soundstage felt higher. The JBL system is a bit punchier. After driving LC for some years I have gotten used to the punchier feeling. It goes well with my slightly aggressive chicago driving (10mph over the limit).

 

[grinchy]

Yup. The front door woofers (6x9) and the cargo subwoofer take up most of the wattage from that amp! Bass needs lots of wattage.

I am 99.99% sure that the LC JBL also does the same thing in terms of bridging the front door woofers and subwoofer. This is common practice among the JBL and ML systems.

The factory ML amp is a miracle of miniaturization if the wattage figures are correct. Even using tech 10+ years newer I could barely get 12 channels of amplification to fit under the driver seat. I need to recheck what it was fused for, I think it was 40 or 60 Amp. Each of the replacement amps I used was fused at 30 amp (120 amp total).

 

[linuxgod]

I've only driven an LX a couple times and I didn't really crank the audio so I can't compare JBL to ML directly. That said...

The JBL in the LC (at least the 2013) is pretty decent, but you need to turn it up a bit. At low volume it doesn't drive the speakers sufficiently and it's just average car audio sound. My 2008 Acura MDX had better sound at low volume.

At higher volumes (~15+ on the unit) it's not half bad. Definitely not as clear or clean as the Definitive Tech speakers I have at home (which are from 2007), but IMO it rivals most other factory stereos.

Adjusting the audio settings and turning off the simulated 5.1 sound from the center speaker helps the audio quality a lot IMO.

As some others noted the audio source does make a big difference. XM audio is compressed a lot and crappy if you're an audiophile. Ditto for FM. BT in the 2013 is pretty good, but CD or USB audio is better.

 

[Madtiger]

For me, i use volume 18…Apple Watch confirms that dB at that volume is not high enough to damage my hearing. All audio settings in neutral (middle/zero). Surround is ON.

 

[Madtiger]

Toyota JBL System Specs

www.toyotanation.com

This is specs for a Highlander JBL system. Different but you can extrapolate. Like i wrote above, JBL wattage is PEAK. RMS/continuous rating is probably around half.

The 6x9s can go down to around 28 Hz…but probably only useful to about 30-40 Hz. The cargo subwoofer and front door 6x9 speakers represent the BASS of the system.

 

[MrX]

I've always found JBL audio to be "boomy" with the bass. Not a bad thing but expertly tuned I don't think they are, at least what I've been in.