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RickBullotta
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My service manager is checking in with Lexus today to see if there's an new info on a timeline for the GX.
Mark Levinson upgrade disappointing
- Thread starter PlumberCrack
- Start date
We just took delivery of our '25 (built April '25) GX last weekend and the sound system does the same as the issues that others are explaining. Opened a ticket with Lexus Brand Engagement today.
Lexus corporate asked that we bring it to a dealer to be documented. Need to find time to do this.
To be honest I’m coming from a 2021 Subaru Outback Touring XT and the sound system in that vehicle was FANTASTIC! It had a subwoofer that was very reactive and the system in total never gave me issues with anything I put through it. That car was 35 grand brand new, first owner. Flash forward to 2026 and I just bought a brand new, first owner, Lexus gx550 OverTrail+ and this sound system is worse than my 2011 Mazda 2. My Mazda at least sounded good at all volumes without having the equalizer nearly pinned all the way up in each channel.
I’m not one for a lot of bass so I’ve never had to mix my audio like this before to try to get it to sound somewhat good. Looking at it on the screen, my bass is the highest and it still sounds like there’s no power, no umph behind my system as a whole. Like, where tf is my subwoofer? I’m upset I paid so much for a cruddy sound system and a roll of a dice for engine issues. So far my oil changes haven’t shown any debris… but that’s another thing. I’m here to chat about this bs sound system.
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If we really want this fixed - it will take everyone here to file a customer complaint with Lexus NA. When they ask if you have talked to the dealer - just tell them the dealer referred us to Lexus NA since they had no information about the issues.
Since this thread is now a year old - Lexus is not exactly running to fix it
Since this thread is now a year old - Lexus is not exactly running to fix it
I traded my GX P+ for a Tundra pickup and a large check. The Tundra rides better and has equal or better stereo. Lacks a little in noise canceling compared to the GX. The ML stereo was a joke. I've heard great sound and this wasn't it. The only thing worse would be Bose or Klipsch claiming to know something about electronics.
I would prefer Bose over this system.
I went to the dealership a few days ago and asked them about it. The guy I spoke to hadn’t heard any claims of the system lacking and proceeded to say that all the other Lexus’s he’s been in have had a thumping system, like they shake the mirrors and doors.
I told him, “mine doesn’t do any of what you speak of.”
So then he asked me, “what volume do you put it up to?”
“36 with the windows down, 15-20 windows up, that seems loud enough for me.” I said.
He says, “well that’s probably why, our systems can go up to 70!”
For someone who already has tinnitus, the thought of that hurt my ears knowing that 36 is sometimes too loud for me already.
I’m not looking for a loud system where I could open the doors at the beach or on a trail, which I’ve already done since learning this, and yeah it does rock hard at that high of a volume. I’m just looking for something that sounds full at a lower volume. It’s kind of stupid to make a system that only sounds good when it’s loud. That’s like my tubed Marshall amp, it only sounds great when it’s on 11 lol.
He ended up coming outside to see for himself and he couldn’t believe that it wasn’t as kickass as any of the other Lexus’s he had driven.
I told him, “mine doesn’t do any of what you speak of.”
So then he asked me, “what volume do you put it up to?”
“36 with the windows down, 15-20 windows up, that seems loud enough for me.” I said.
He says, “well that’s probably why, our systems can go up to 70!”
For someone who already has tinnitus, the thought of that hurt my ears knowing that 36 is sometimes too loud for me already.
I’m not looking for a loud system where I could open the doors at the beach or on a trail, which I’ve already done since learning this, and yeah it does rock hard at that high of a volume. I’m just looking for something that sounds full at a lower volume. It’s kind of stupid to make a system that only sounds good when it’s loud. That’s like my tubed Marshall amp, it only sounds great when it’s on 11 lol.
He ended up coming outside to see for himself and he couldn’t believe that it wasn’t as kickass as any of the other Lexus’s he had driven.
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I have found the system pretty good, minus the bass response below volume in the 30s. The sub is just way too small and/or underpowered. The front door lower speakers start bass punch above 30 or so. But ultimately, there are no very low frequencies being made with enough strength and loudness to feel at lower volumes.
I think it's an unfortunate feature, not a bug, of this system, so the easiest way to fix it is to add an LOC/amp/sub that can do what the factory system should have been designed to do. I decided to do this and am now very happy with the sound.
Should anyone have to do this for a luxury vehicle like this? No, but I don't think it's a high priority for Lexus, and fixing it yourself is likely the only option.
I think it's an unfortunate feature, not a bug, of this system, so the easiest way to fix it is to add an LOC/amp/sub that can do what the factory system should have been designed to do. I decided to do this and am now very happy with the sound.
Should anyone have to do this for a luxury vehicle like this? No, but I don't think it's a high priority for Lexus, and fixing it yourself is likely the only option.
What is an LOC? I was looking into getting a small compact, kicker or alpine powered sub that I can put under the passenger seat.
Line output converter.
Here's a pretty good write up that I used for reference:
www.lexusgxforum.com
I used this harness to avoid splicing the factory wiring and to find the front door speakers easily. One side of the harness is + and the other is - (I think its the half-black wires). Just grab a AA battery and put it between + and - to hear a buzz and determine the correct speaker lines. You then join all of the harness lines except for the two front door speakers, where you join and add the new lines that go to the LOC. If I remember right, the front doors are the first two lines opposite the yellow and black power ones that come continuous.
Here's a pretty good write up that I used for reference:
JL 10W7 Subwoofer and 750/1 Amp installed
Hi Everyone, We have a 2024 Luxury Plus and as discussed in another thread that the Mark Levinson sound system was lacking significantly in the bass department. I’ve added subs/amps in a bunch of my prior cars (Focus RS, Subaru STU, Civic SI, etc) but am by no means a professional. There are...
www.lexusgxforum.com
I used this harness to avoid splicing the factory wiring and to find the front door speakers easily. One side of the harness is + and the other is - (I think its the half-black wires). Just grab a AA battery and put it between + and - to hear a buzz and determine the correct speaker lines. You then join all of the harness lines except for the two front door speakers, where you join and add the new lines that go to the LOC. If I remember right, the front doors are the first two lines opposite the yellow and black power ones that come continuous.
for anyone looking for an easy way to show how crappy the ML system is, just put on some music with that has a decent amount of bass and move the fader to the rear. supposedly where the Sub is mounted. The bass just disappears. Gone. There's literally nothing outputting any sort of bass in this car other than the front speakers.
this, btw, is on the TX TSB as a way to repro the issue, so if you do have bass when you move the fader all the way to the back, please let me know what model year / sw version you have.
As for the fronts, it's like no matter what I do, the sound seems to come from that little center speaker on the dash. I know it's not just from there, but it's really sounds like it's mostly from there, with or without 'surround' whatever that is.
I'm not an audiophile like I pretended to be when I was 16, but my other car is a Jeep JK with alpine stereo with tiny little speakers and it just sounds so much better.
The GX is the first car I've had where I get a headache trying to listen to any music because of the distortion at the high frequencies. I got spotify on Lossless, I tried a wired USB connection, i tried FM radio. It's just garbage. It's not about 'not sounding as great as you'd expect at the price point', it's literally a headache of distortion and complete lack of rear. This is not a 21 speaker system.
Yes, I canceled ESE and ANC. no noticable difference.
I have a '24.
this, btw, is on the TX TSB as a way to repro the issue, so if you do have bass when you move the fader all the way to the back, please let me know what model year / sw version you have.
As for the fronts, it's like no matter what I do, the sound seems to come from that little center speaker on the dash. I know it's not just from there, but it's really sounds like it's mostly from there, with or without 'surround' whatever that is.
I'm not an audiophile like I pretended to be when I was 16, but my other car is a Jeep JK with alpine stereo with tiny little speakers and it just sounds so much better.
The GX is the first car I've had where I get a headache trying to listen to any music because of the distortion at the high frequencies. I got spotify on Lossless, I tried a wired USB connection, i tried FM radio. It's just garbage. It's not about 'not sounding as great as you'd expect at the price point', it's literally a headache of distortion and complete lack of rear. This is not a 21 speaker system.
Yes, I canceled ESE and ANC. no noticable difference.
I have a '24.
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