I recently purchased a 04 TL after driving a 2000 TL for almost 2 years. I can honestly say that the sound system in the 04 is a serious downgrade from the fabulous bose system the 2000 has. The bass has ZERO range even with the SUB! The highs are 10 times more natural in the 2000 than my new ride. Im not sure anyone will agree with me, but thats just my 2 cents.

 

no, i am pretty sure people will agree. but for some reason i think the audio changed a little after 04, but i could be wrong.

there are a lot of discussions on how to make things sound better. i know just upgrading the four corner speakers can make a huge difference. DVD-A discs sound the best by far, but everything else is a little bland sounding.

 

Yes, the audio systems were improved in 05+ TLs. I'm not sure exactly what changes were made, but it has been discussed here before.

 

ah well... bought the wrong year i guess.
I am a stickler for sound, will upgrading the speakers alone make a big difference?

 

i think i remember reading that the 04s had more of the sound through the center channel, and the later models had the sound dispersed a little more throughout the corners.

 

I didn't know this but I'm glad I got an 05 then I guess...

 

In the 2004 TL, the system was tuned more to a bose way, the fronts provide the power and the rear's are filler with 2 channel audio. But in 2005+ models, it was changed so the rears and front provided equal volume/power. As for the OP's post, I suggest you mess around with the audio settings, I have heard both systems too, and I like the 2004+ ones better, the highs are much clearer, the lows are present, but you have to turn up the bass level up to +5 and the subwoofer to +5 if you plan on keeping the volume under 4.

 

as soon as i got my car (04)... i ripped those freakin ELS crap out of there.... got me sum Infinitis but will change them soon this is wat i got powering them... yes the hidin of the cable i will do them soon been lazy lately lol



and have my lil 10"L7 trust me it bangs

 

you guys have any "optimal settings" for treble/bass/centre etc? i've tried but i just can't seem to find anything close to the 2G's.

I use:

+2 BASS
0 Subwoofer
+5 Treble
+2 Center

 

what volume do you keep it at usually? Also the center channel (+2) is useless unless you listen to DVD-A encoded in 5.1 or unless you have an 07+ TL with the Dolby feature.

 

i usually set volume from 10-20 depending on the mood. But usually around 14.

 

damn i seem to be like deaf in that case.....lolz....

i keep it on 25-34 (max 36).......well them again i luv listenning to hip hop with that bass......all my mirrors vibrate all the while am driving :P

settings: bass: 6
treb: 2 or 3
sub: 6
center: 6

 

Yes, replacing the speakers can make a world of difference. If you have crappy speakers you have crappy sounds no matter what your system is. You MUST have good speakers to have good sound. So an upgrade will help a lot.

I have the ELS system in the 08 TL-S and I find it is superb! Very crisp sound and awesome bass. It's loud at only 10 on the volume level. Much better than the system in my old TSX.

 

same here! I have an 05 TL so I am stuck using the tape adaptor for my ipod, until I get that mod later on maybe. It sucks cause I always have to have my volume 25-34 and it sounds ok I guess but It def could be better!

 

yup yup 05 TL me too.....

i dont have a tape adaptor thow......a lil more advanced......lolz......got a FM transmitter.....but yeah quality is still low.....

in girl's civic.....she used a FM transmitter and quality sucked till i discovered she has an AUX input while detailing her car......since then she uses AUX cable and dang it sounds some like (TL - subwoofer bass)......pretty good for a civic.....

wish TL came with an AUX port.......or some like that......but well yeah i like the cassette thing there.....looks like cute :P thow obselete......

 

My '08 has an aux input in the bottom of the center console glove box, just below the aux power outlet.

What year did they add the AUX in?

 

i think 07.....i think not sure.....i think i shud run outside and check in my car.....i know for a fact i dont have aux but well just in case.......girl didnt know she had an aux till my "anal" ass wanted to detail the interior as good as i can and i was like "babe ur car has an aux input".......never seen her happier than that :P .....

 

treb +4
bass +3
center console +3
subwoofer -2 + Basslink

and the dynamic pushed further up front instead in the middle.

I have an 04 and if anything, yea ~ the next thing i'll do is swap out all the tweeters and what not,

it really depends on the audio quality of the CD you're putting in tho, and yea, i have to say DVD-A is the way to go.

plus anyone that goes with a basslink I or II, make sure you dont just disconnect the sub, instead turn both down, and i promise you'll be very happy;

for those who are extremely serious, you'll need to get a closed box; but basslink was just right for me.

 

pix???

 

Like yourself, I owned a 2G and now a 3G TL and the sound system in the 3G is 100 times better than the POS that was in the 2G.

 

1. The bass in the bose 2G had far more low bass response than the 3G (stock of course)
2. The highs sounded much more natural and not "tinny" as in the 3G
3. The FM antenna in the 2G has much more range than the 3G
4. When volume set to low on 2G the bass was still responsive, where bass hardly is heard on the 3G on anything lower than 9 or 10 volume.

 

i have an 04...... i disconnected the factory sub and installed 2 12's and an alpine sub... im happy enough...... blah...

 

Don't know if this has been mentioned already but the new RL will come with BOSE premium sound, hopefully new TL will go back to BOSE Premium sound I would definiately prefer BOSE over ELS Premium sound. I had BOSE in my Maxima!