mk5

Over-compression is definitely a factor. Just play a song in your car via CD vs.your phone/bluetooth and you will tell the difference immediately. Also, I have read about turning off the Active Noise Cancellation because it is mitigating the fullness of the audio system. Several folks have posted they have had good results after disabling the ANC. I've not tried it and don't intend to, but it's another option.

pyrodan007

Ya, was also going to mention ANC, but I think it gets re-enabled when car starts. As for DTS Neural, I turn it off since it makes sound too focused on the center speaker.
I really don't know why Acura messed around with a system that won awards. The amount of stuff people need to do to make it sound "good" is insane! In my previous TL, you turned it on and it was fine. I believe they tried to tune it for greater noise cancellation but screwed up on actual music reproduction.

DLM1213

Decided to do a more objective comparison on the sound system by bringing a CD to listen to several songs off of it. Listened to the CD in the 05TL on the way over to test drive some cars on Sunday 2/19. (The wife and daughter along for some additional opinions.)

First up was the Q50 with a 16 speaker Bose system. This one was very comparable to the TL. I noticed the settings BASS and Sub-Woofer were maxed out but sounded pretty good driving around.

Next up was the TLX. I listened to audio system at the car show since they had it running on a power supply converter there; sounded pretty good. On Sunday to start off with, with the car at idle we set the BASS & Sub-Woofer for the MAX and surround sound was turned on. Did not sound too bad but still short of the 05TL. I turned the engine off and really did not notice that much difference. Next we took the car for a drive on the highway along with some main and side streets. What a major drop in sound quality! The bass all but disappeared and the sound became very flat. To even get any bass we had to crank the volume up but then it was too loud to listen to comfortably. It was an unanimous decision that there was a definite change in the quality of the sound.

pyrodan007 I think you said it best. "I really don't know why Acura messed around with a system that won awards. The amount of stuff people need to do to make it sound "good" is insane! In my previous TL, you turned it on and it was fine. I believe they tried to tune it for greater noise cancellation but screwed up on actual music reproduction." I totally agree with you. At this point I am trying to solve this issue because the TLX is on the top of my list at this point but this is a deal breaker for me. Otherwise every time I get in this car I am going to be extremely disappointed with the sound system, and 10+ years is a long time to live with something you are not happy with.

DLM1213

Feedback on some other cars we test drove:

• Audi A4 Prestige: Drove and rode very well, some road noise, only issue I noticed was, 12 years with a V6 and test driving other V6 cars, the TURBO 4 just does not compare to the V6. LED technology for lights front and rear, awesome, also the use of LED on the interior. The configurable electronic dash was the best of all of the cars. Did not like the video screen stuck in the top/middle of the dash though, looks like they forgot to build it in. Audio system, very good as well. I can see why the 2017 A4 is selling so well. Seemed smaller inside to us than the TLX so with that and the Turbo 4 we have ruled this one out.
• Test drove the Q50 Sport AWD version this weekend. The twin turbo V6 with 7 speed transmission very responsive, seemed very quiet, sound system sounded good. (Not to the same level as the 05TL or the Lexus system (THE BEST) The interior looked very nice, very luxurious and the center console was laid out almost identical to the 05TL. The wife commented it looks more like the TL than the Acura TLX. It is interesting that their AWD is biased for RWD and the TLX is biased to FWD. But from articles I have read, it sounds like the TLX SH-AWD is a much better system. The wife felt this car had the most room on the inside and was more like what she would expect in a luxury car. Also another plus no fake wood like in the TLX, what happened to the carbon fiber? Or the Alum trim in the Q50? As for the exterior of the car, can't say I am big fan of it, sport wheels were really good looking, If only the outside looked as good as the inside.

I found an article that discussed the sales of luxury cars and for the TLX: 2016 Sales: 37,156 Vs. 2015: -21.1% (7th on the list) and the Q50: 2016 Sales: 44,007 Vs. 2015: +0.3%(5th on the list) So I think my choice is now down to these two cars. I will say for the options included and the price, the TLX is a better value for your money than the Q50. For me the styling inside and out on the TLX is the best but the sound system is a deal breaker for me, I hope I can find an adequate solution for it. Hate to say it....the Q50 though could fit the bill if there is no solution.

kurtatx

Get the TLX. The Q50 is a complete screw up by Infiniti. And I totally understand not wanting to go back to the 2.0T. It's definitely different than the NA feel.

Civic2TSX

I agree that the system does not quite sound as good as the system in my previous '14 TL. I didn't have a 3rd gen TL but I did have a 1st gen TSX, and always thought that sounded louder than cars that followed. In the TLX so far, I have the best results with DTS Surround ON (which I had OFF in the TL) but with the SVC (Speed Volume Compensation) OFF. I think that's what may be throwing off your sound results. Turn off the SVC. I do not have the Center or Sub maxed out and prob never would. Bass is at +2 or 3. The center is two marks higher than I had in the TL, and 4-6 marks for the sub. I had the sub at -4 most of the time in the TL but now +2 for most types of music. I noticed a big difference in clarity once I turned off the SVC. I have not noticed the Surround being too center heavy. It seems to make the music sound fuller. I may eventually turn it off but I like that songs sound a bit different vs. how they sounded in the TL.

Interesting, I park next to a Q50 and I love looks of the TLX so much more even if the Q50 has more power. Actually, I'm not sure if it's a 2.0 or 3.0. Are there any outside cues to tell? It's def not the S version though. Never drove it though as it was not on my short list. I did drive the A4, Civic Touring, Civic Hatch, Accord Touring. The IS was also on my list but I never got around to driving it. There are probably 6 in my bldg's garage. I think 2 Q50s and now 2 TLXs with mine.

DLM1213

The Q50 has 2.0T or 3.0T on the side front fender. The Q50 drove very well, the steering is little light so not much road feedback. Really was not on my list because I was not a fan of the outside of it, seen it at the car show and interior looked nice, the TLX is so much better looking on the outside. The Q50 interior was really nice looking in the Sport version, very Acura looking, thought I was back in my 05TL almost.

The Acura dealer is willing to let me take the car for a couple of days if it's available when I want to take it on an extended drive. That would give me more time to play with the sound system settings. I have also read on this forum about disabling the ANC by either the settings or disconnect the input microphones. Might have to check into that a little more.

I have just read some new posts where some customers said they are very happy with their purchase and would buy again. That gives me more confidence that Acura has fixed some of the earlier issues and the 2017 model should be pretty solid. The TLX is my first choice at this point, I just hope I don't have to settle for a audio system that is not up to par with the 05TL.

Adoniram

I just bought my TLX SH-AWD in December, and I generally love everything except the audio situation. I absolutely love that I get 37+ mpg on my long commute to work, but also get serious power when I need it.

Gonna try disabling the SVC tomorrow and will report results. Makes sense since people have reported bass dropping out once you get moving. Dealing with re-encoding MP3's via Audacity has been a pain, but a workable solution otherwise. Disabling ANC only works for the current driving session and takes a minute to do. I prefer getting in my car and going immediately, but if you don't mind spending a minute playing with it, it could help. However, others have reported that it's purely a placebo effect...

More tomorrow.

Adoniram

Ok, so I've driven over 2 hours today in both heavy and light traffic. Speeds ranged from 0 to 70mph, and I tested audio with SVC on and off. The results, according to my highly tuned and calibrated instruments (ears), are that SVC is exactly the same as turning your volume knob.

It does not appear to be adjusting only certain frequencies, but acts exactly like the volume knob, which is good.

Friday, when I'm back in the car for hours, I'll test ANC on and off (again) just to reconfirm that it didn't really do anything for me.

BigKat103

Hi DLM, not sure where you are in your process. I recently purchased a 2017 AWD Advanced. I traded in my '09 RL Tech.

Comparibg the 2 cars is night and day. I do adore my RL as it served me well, but it was time to trade her in as she went out of warranty and the miles were getting up there.

As to the TLX, love the tech of this car, I learn new things everyday that are only enhancing my appreciation for it.

Only other car I looked at the was the Q50. In the end, the value of the TLX and my prior Acura experience tipped the scale for me.

Comparing things between the RL and this car that we're important to me...

I will say the improvements on the AWD system is noticeable. The TLX is much more responsive and intuitive. Handles better than my RL for the weight. I feel very much "in command" of this car no matter how I drive it.

I love the driving modes. They really do fit your moods and drive differently. I do wish you could customize it. Love the steering of Sport, but the shifting in Normal. In the end, Sport is the most fun, but go to normal with the kids in the car, ha.

The transmission is excellent. Any issues it may have had, I don't see it, but I have no reference point. The old 5 speed I had to the 9 has been a fun change.

This car would blow my 3.7L/ 300 HP RL away off the blocks, it's definitely quicker. The Brake Hold feature is my new best friend for that. I don't know how I lived without it.

I do feel it is very quiet, got her up to 100 MPH and felt like I was going 35, it was smooth and firm to the road the entire time. My RL would shudder a bit over 80 towards the end.

All in all I am very happy with my purchase. I went with the 2017 for a couple reasons. First, Acura running 0.9% financing, that's free money. Second, I honestly like the look of this model over what I have seen of the spy pics for 2018. So took the plunge.

Any questions, let me know and I will
answer the best I can. I think the TLX is very under appreciated for the technology in this car.

on a side note nice to be back on the forum. Been awhile, been enjoying learning about the little things from other owners. Need to change my profile info, won't let me from the mobile site. At least I haven't figured it out yet.

DLM1213

BigKat103, thank you for your feedback, very useful and appreciated.

Here is where I am and agree very much with your comments, I am glad to hear you are coming from a 09 RL, so I think that's a good comparison to the TLX. I am in no hurry so I have been taking my time with reviews, reading forums and doing test drives. I drove the Q50 last and was impressed by that car but you bring up some very valid points. For what you are getting and the additional cost not sure the Q50 is worth it, the TLX is a very good value for the money. As I have said I have had Honda/Acura for at least 35 years so I have thoroughly enjoyed the products they produce. (I even have a Honda lawn mower! :-) )

I have driven the 2017 TLX advanced twice now and I did not notice any of the transmission issue mentioned here on this forum as well, so I am thinking Acura has addressed the issue. It is a fun car to drive, quite and a comfortable ride. I too am not impressed with the 2018 spy pic version either so I am thinking it is a 2017 or move on to another car brand. The dealer has offered me an extended test drive for a day or so which I will take him up on.

Where I am struggling badly is the audio system in the car. the ELS system is no where near the quality as in my 3rd gen 05TL. I have test driven the TLX twice with my wife and daughter and we all found it noticeably flat and no bass. We have MAX'd the bass, the sub-woofer and had the surround sound on. There are others on this forum that says the ANC is causing the issue however there are contradictions to that saying turning it off has made no noticeable difference. So if it not that then what is the issue? $45k for a car and the TLX has the weakest/poorest sounding audio system in it. The Lexus system was awesome, the best, the Q50 was pretty good as well. Here is where I am stuck. I love the car outside and inside, and the drive, but the sound system is just not up to par. Really want to buy the TLX; continue to look for a audio solution, and ready to buy today if I can find an answer.

pyrodan007

If planning to keep the car a while, I'd suggest to update the car's amp and driver for the sub-woofer. Should help with much better bass since midrange sounds decent. Sounds bad though to have a new car and already upgrade it for a major flaw. I gave up on trying to make it sound better, it's a physical problem to my eyes/ears.
Good luck with the test drive!

DLM1213

Definitely planning on keeping he car for a while. Unfortunately just not that much familiar with the after market audio equipment or what I would need. Then the issue is, would it really solve the problem after I have spent all that money? Also then do you void your warranty on the audio system since you have modified it?

Adoniram

You definitely won't void the warranty. Adding line level equipment means just splicing into a wire. That's it. I would suggest going to Car Toys or some reputable audio shop and asking them what they think. Let the experts guide you as to whether this will really fix the issue. In my opinion, it definitely will, but they may have their own suggestions.

mapleloaf

If you find it that disappointing, I would definitely ensure the DTS neural sound is turned on. I came from a TSX with ELS when I got into my first TLX and did not notice any significant difference. I did notice an improvement when I went from my 2015 3.5 to my current 2016 2.4, as Acura boosted the amps from 415 to 440 (or thereabouts). I would also say that I notice the system is a little sharper when parked, perhaps due to the ANC. However, I am still pleased with the system overall, particularly when you are driving at 80 mph on a windy day and you will notice how much quieter this car is than your 05 TL and how easily you can converse or listen to music with a minimum of outside noise.

Adoniram

^ that's a good point. I always thought my wife's 05 TL-S was quiet and comfortable (compared to my modified Subaru Legacy 2.5GT), but now that I'm used to my TLX, her car sounds quite windy/noisy on the highway. Bluetooth conversations are clear and easy to hear at any speed.

DLM1213

You guys do bring up a good point, I did notice on the short test drive that it did seem pretty quiet driving it. I also notice the sound parked, especially with the engine off was better than when driving, which lead me back to the ANC. I think next weekend depending on the weather and the availability of the demo, I'll check with the dealer about the extended test drive over the weekend. That would give me a chance to drive it on our usual weekend running around and then a trip into work on Monday. If it is the TLX....probably pull the trigger towards the end of the month.

mapleloaf

Further to the sound system, I hate to sound low tech, but I usually listen to the music I have recorded from CDs (bought and borrowed) on the Hard Drive and find the sound quality superior to most other mediums available. I also find that the classic rock tunes, jazz, and classical music I listen to is the real strength of the system (I'm not into heavy bass music for the most part). I find the ELS system has good clarity and depth for these music genres. The odd DTS recorded CD I have found sounds great, much like the DVD-Audio CDs that I managed to find for the ELS system on my last TSX. Sadly, these are hard to find.

DLM1213

I got a chance this weekend to pick up a 2017 TLX Advanced on Friday night to drive the weekend and returned Monday night. Here is my opinions on this car and I agree with many of you on this forum. (Sorry for the long post)

For the money and options you get with the TLX, this car is a real bargain and is really nice. I drove it on my normal routine trips I make every weekend so I could easily compare it to my 2005 TL, lot of highway and suburb driving. You guys were correct about how quiet this car is, and the ride; great. There is one part of the expressway that has groves cut in the concrete for traction in bad weather. In the 05TL this part of the expressway is extremely noisy. I was just driving along this weekend and realized that I was about halfway through that area and did not notice anything, amazing! The seats are comfortable, the control are easily within reach, I tested out the AAC and Lane Keep assist, both worked well. Blind spot monitor and cross traffic for backing out of the driveway worked well. I also noticed as others have mentioned, my green grass was more reddish/brown in the display???

Couple of things I did not care for. After almost 50 years of changing gears with a shifter, pushing buttons to change gears will take some getting used to. I found getting in and out of a parking spot needing to switch between drive and reverse was taking some time to figure out what I needed to do. In the 05TL that would just be an automatic motion. Not a big deal, I figure that is something I would get used to.

The other thing I did not care for was the auto engine stop at the lights. I tried this several times on my trips around town, to me it just seems like more wear and tear on the starter and drain on the battery. I don't understand why I need to turn this function off every time I get in the car. For the IDS mode I can set what the default mode is, so why can't I choose to turn this off? Once again a minor detail compared to all of the pluses of this car.

Here is where I am still struggling, and the reason I wanted to have a good 3 days with this car. As I have said this is now my 3rd test drive on this car and I am glad I have a dealership/salesman that is great to work with me.
Mapleloaf, sorry this is where I have to respectfully disagree with you and in your other post you have in the Audio section of this forum about the ELS system. I have driven my 05TL with the ELS system for 12 years now listening to XM/FM/AM/CD/and the rare DVD. The ELS Audio system in the 3rd Gen is what put it over the top for me to buy that car. The first time I drove the TLX that was the first thing that jumped out at me....what have they done to the audio system. I have had my wife and daughter with me on these test drives and they are in total agreement, especially when we can jump from one car to another and listen to the same CD. So I do not think I am putting to much stock in my 3rd Gen audio system when I can compare side by side. You are right about one thing, it is a VERY quiet car.

I spent hours tweaking on the settings listening to all different types of music and found that if I biased more to the rear than the front that helped some. I also noticed that at the volume level of 5/6 which was loud enough for me the sound was shallow; not a good full sound. If I turned the volume up to 10 I noticed the quality of the sound got much better. This was listing to XM, CD, and some CDs off of the hard drive. This would almost make me think the speakers are not very efficient, and more geared to more power. For me 10 was way too loud. On the way to work I like to listen to talk radio in the morning on AM. The guy I listened to sounded like he was in a cave and talking about 10 feet away from the microphone. I took our IT manager out for lunch today and we were discussing it, I turned on the AM radio because he likes to listen to the same guy in the morning. He could not believe how bad it sounded, shallow is the word he used; he thought the XM sounded better. I really like this car so I do not think I am carrying any issues over from other faults with this car. I have not experienced any of the issues with the transmission, vibrations or issues with the VCM system.

I had a long talk with my salesman when I turned the car back in tonight, and he assured me that I am not the first person that has made the comment about the ELS audio system. He said it's not like you are listening to the base audio system and he could offer me the upgraded system, that was the upgraded system. I told him this is where I was struggling with the car, and if it was not for this, that car would be in my garage tonight. He understood and repeated it was not the first time he heard that. He told me for 2018 they are updating the Infotainment system, so at this time we are in agreement to wait to see what that brings in another month or so. But for me the 2017 TLX is a great car for the money and I really want one in my garage....that's why this was my 3rd test drive. I also do believe for a lot of people the ELS audio system sounds great, and I don't fault their opinion, just not for me.

mapleloaf

Well, we both agree that a good sound system is an important part of our selection. It is a shame that DTS surround CDs are so few and far between. My Sting DTS CD has some songs that are hauntingly good and really show off the 5.1 Neural sound, much as my few DVD Audios were in my 2012 TSX. If you sampled some of the 5.1 surround files from the net, as per the Acura mechanic who posted on the audio forum, the sound is pretty amazing. All of this to say that the ELS system, while not the best out there, is still an excellent system. I can only compare it to my 2012 TSX Tech and the 2013 TL Tech I drove as a loaner, and can't really find appreciable differences (for me). But as you pointed out, I can't go back and forth between the cars to make a full comparison.

There is no doubt in my mind that the type of music (and quality of the recording medium) can vary the sound output provided by the ELS system. For example, a quality Classical CD with lots of layers has a full sound ( and yes, volume around 8-12 is usually ideal, but that also depends on the recorded CD. Similarly, for example, a Diana Krall jazz CD with piano and her husky silky voice really play well on this system. As for the AM, I listen to a lot of news and sports chat programming, and haven't noticed any issue with sound, but I don't listen to AM music so it's not something I would focus on a lot. Perhaps you are simply more discerning of differences that most of us don't pick up. I am curious as to whether you notice differences as to sound quality with different genres of music?

Have you had a chance to compare, for example, the new MDX Elite ELS with 546 watts and 12 speakers to see if you find the same concerns?

DLM1213

It is kind of ironic, I started this thread trying to get feedback on any issues on the 17TLX SH-AWD Advanced. My concern was with the transmission and vibration issues I had been reading about and was hoping Acura had resolved them for 2017. Since there has not been any/little feedback along those lines, it seems they must be fixed. I know on the car I drove I did not notice any problems; I really concentrated to find them and the conditions of when they reportedly occurred.

It has turned out for me at least, the audio system to be the issue, so this thread has gone in a totally different direction than what I was expecting. I know many owners are very happy with their ELS audio system and it is better than a lot of them out there. Mapleloaf, I like your suggestion of listening to the MDX. It is a larger vehicle with certainly different acoustics than the TLX but it may be an interesting comparison. I certainly am in no rush so I am going to stick with the plan to wait and see what the 2018 brings since the salesman seems to think it will be out in a month or so. I can then listen to 2018 version and the MDX at the same time...unless I'm up there sooner for maintenance.

mapleloaf

Good luck with your choice!!

BTW, I opted to go with the 2016 2.4 8 speed, when the dealer gave me a sweet deal to get out of my 2015 SH-AWD Tech. I loved many things about that car, but I decided that I really did prefer the 8 speed tranny and the nimbleness of the 2.4. However, I did also drive the 2016 SH-AWD extensively and found the 9 speed to be much improved, without the notched shifts from 1-2 and 2-3. Downshifting was also quicker. The vibrations were never any issue for me with the 15 (occasionally a little bit noticeable at around 60 KPH), and I did not notice any issue with the 16.

kurtatx

I tested both, and I went a different direction, but the TLX 2.4 8 Speed is fun and no slouch. Really great car.

F23A4

Although I went with the V6, I spent some drive time in the 2.4 and was seriously tempted to get that w/Tech over the base V6. If didn't already have an Accord Sport, I'd have been quite content with the 2.4. (I really wished that my Sport had the TLX DCT; hated that CVT.)

Civic2TSX

I still can't believe that Honda called that car a "Sport" version with a 2.4 AND a CVT! The guy across the hall from me has one and it looks great but I always think about that one oddity.

F23A4

So long as you get the 6MT model, it's fairly sporty and pretty quick for an NA 4 cylinder mid size family sedan.