Hey all,

Just a quick note...you guys with the ELS system are very lucky...excellent system. I hated the ELS on the TSX, but the ELS on the TL is amazingly good. Staging from all seating position is good (sucks on the TSX). Imaging is pretty good too. Subwoofer (even on "0" setting) is a bit much, but at least you can adjust for it independently. The sound is just so smooth and rich...no harshness on any of the test tracks that i used.

Hell, i might just buy it for the sound system! I have tested the ELS on the TSX, TL, and the BOSE on the RL. By far, this ELS on the TL is the best of the bunch...and one of the best i have heard in a car...a close second to the Lexus LS460 Mark Levinson Reference system.

Finally, "ELS" lives up to it's name with the TL system.

I envy you guys...and enjoy your car in good health.

 

Right on Tig, it's a great stock sound system comparatively speaking. Does the Mark Levinson reference system have mid-range EQ adjustments, because the ELS does not? I guess they figured most people won't mess with the mid, just bass and treble. The sub is worth mentioning again comparatively it's good, but falls short for true audio tweakies like me. A box in the trunk would yield better results for low end. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with it, but a few more adjustments and it would be perfect!

 

I haven't heard the LS460 Levinson system, but the '09 TL's ELS system is the BEST I've heard for sure, and it will cost me more money now as I'll have to stock up on DVD-Audio disks!

Nice to see others (besides me) use audio quality as a significant discriminator when selecting their ride!

 

My '09 TL Loaner with the ELS system was indeed one of the best stock systems I've heard... I've heard the mark levinson in the GS350 and i thought this sounded better. Audio is VERY subjective, as you know, but i'm very impressed.

 

I believe that the ML system does have mid-range adjustment...but i do not think that it has a subwoofer adjustment. This is all from memory...so, i am not 100% sure.

 

The Mark Levinson system in the GS is NOT the Reference sound system that is found in the LS460. So, it is probably true that the ELS in the TL is better than the GS ML system.

 

I woudl agree. Coming from 5 different 3G TLs the ELS hype in the 3G was a little over blown, it was good, but lacked power and really only shined on DVD-A. The 09 TL ELS is a huge improvement. The power increase is welcome and while it still starts to fall flat aboce 2/3 of volume it is awesome. I have not heard the Levinson in the Lexus, but the ELS is exceptional, the Lexicon in the Genesis is on par withth e ELS with each having some pros and cons over each other. The RIDE was my primary attractions to the AWD TL, the nav and ELS were right up there. I was so close to pulling trigger on a G37 Sedan, but their lame NAV didn't cut it and their Bose SOW while on par or better in some ways than the 3G's ELS can't hold a canlde to the 09 ELS.

 

I own an '07 ES350 with the Mark Levinson system. It's very nice and it does have a controller for midrange as well as bass/treble. There is no subwoofer adjustment, however. And while I have not auditioned the ELS system too extensively, I have to say it's at least as good as the Levinson system based on what I have heard.

 

[I wanted to add this but the time limit for edits locked me out]

So...
And I have to say the DVD-A format is as dead (or deader) than the similarly fated SACD format. Both were introduced at around the same time and both were met with a collective yawn from the audiophile community. Sales of the hardware were very poor (although SACD did better than DVD-A) and, predictably software sales languished. They're both specialty items now only available from a few sources. Advances in CD playback technology has been amazing when comparing them to the first generation players which were universally hard and 'digital' sounding. The best CD players now rival top notch analogue reproduction. I don't know how much the inclusion of this technology (DVD-A) added to the cost of the ELS player, but IMO whatever it was was a waste.

Hey, they could have added an electronic tilt/telescope steering column for that money (lol)

 

I wonder if the TL's "BASS" setting is really more like a midrange setting in the Lexus, while the "SUBWOOFER" setting is like Mark levinson's "BASS" setting.

 

The ELS Systems does sound excellent. I still enjoy playing DVD Audio discs in the system-even though they are difficult to find. The 3G's ELS System sounds great, but I'm sure the 4G system is even better. I'm sure the ELS System came out when DVD Audio and SACD's were launching into the marketplace. It's a crying shame neither format made it. People don't know what they are missing. Because it wasn't as easy to set up at home, the formats died (just one reason). People are so convenienced oriented that they'd rather have their crap-assed squished down MP3's instead....sacrificing quality for quantity.

 

You hit the nail on-the-head there!

 

LOL, with the death of 'real' audio equipment, most people cannot hear the difference anyway. BUT I'm even more cynical. IMO formats that are virtually impossible to copy will fail cause people want to copy (and share)!

 

It's a good theory Colin, and your probably right, look at MP3's, it really took off! It's easy to convert, it's a small file size, easy to remember acronym, and it sounds like shit, so people love it!

This whole what sounds good to one's ears really sucks! I was in the dealership last month listening to other Acura sound systems, the TSX is decent, the TL non tech is just okay, but the TL tech pack is very good. One of the salesman said "have you heard a better system?", and I looked at him laughing and said, "of course I have". This stock is really good, but when you start pointing things out, then they realize there's limitation, as did he after I got done with him, but he comes back with, "people don't know the difference, and don't care?"

True the everyday listener doesn't hear difference, but it's my job to make things clearer to my clients so that they become "refined" listeners and viewers of HD TV. Guys we have to teach these common listeners and raise the bar, one at a time! It's not going to happen overnight, but I feel good when a client says I'm now hearing "this" when I play my new sound system, or I can see "that" on my HD monitor. Spread the word, that mediocre is not okay!

 

This is the same thing is all the facets of life but mediocrity is what most people can attain...or want to attain.

Raising the bar one at a time is a worthy goal bmode and you win my "altruistic poster of the month" award for such a commendable effort.

I had the luck to be raised by a knowledgeable mother who has a passion for classical and baroque music so for me, the melody is much more important than the lyrics. You can guess a good sound system is important for me! I'm quite happy with the ELS sound system.

 

What bmode said. No one will know what they're missing until the veil is pulled from their eyes and the cotton from their ears. Then it's up to them to settle for blah or spice up their A/V experience. I'm doing my part to spread the love!

 

DVD/A, & SACD/Hybrids

As I've stated before, I probably own about 50, all in.
To me, the music is CRITICAL!
The ELS basically, blows away the competition.
If you don't have an "ear", for sound, it's NOT going to matter
When I was a kid, I was a classical pianist; no more
Anyway, my musical taste is primarily, 60's, 70's, classic rock, with some Steely Dan intertwined; lol
Some of the SACD/hybrids, sound phenomenal, on the ELS
Although, not TRUE surround, it's matrix, because of the Dolby Pro-logic
Just listen to Pink Floyd/Money, or Derek & the Dominoes/Keep on Growing; AWESOME!
DVD/A, although, not popular, still provides the finest surround music, EVER.
IORR, but I like it!

 

Agreed, this sound system is amazing. This is the first stock car stereo I've heard that I've been satisfied with.

The first time I heard the stereo in the G37 I thought it was great, then after I heard the 09 ELS, I knew that the bLose in the G was just another marketing tactic.

 

bmode, what do you do for work?

 

Custom AV installations.

 

you got a website? company name?

 

Where do you buy dvd audios?

 

They really did a superb job with the 09 TL sound system!
It cranks!

 

http://www.elusivedisc.com/ and Amazon (other sites mentioned from earlier threads) - but selection is limited and next to nothing from anything that is fairly recent / new - that's my issue - great sound, but limited selection

 

I had a loaner TL base and I felt that even that system sounded better than the ELS in my TSX. I'm very jealous..

 

ELS SOUND SYSTEM: the only reason that got me spend extra 3500 bucks for tech model. lol
it sounds amazing.