TLX to keep ELS Audio
#41
Three Wheelin'
Obviously those of you who believes the ELS sounds good have never had the please of listing to a proper car stereo. Comparing the ELS in my TSX to my GMC Acadia Bose system. The Bose beats it on every level! And that's say a lot since I don't even care for the Bose system either. All of my past vehicles I have always replaced the stock stereo with aftermarket. Once you run brands like Alpine, Audison, Dynaudio, JL Audio, Morel, Pioneer, Precision Power, Phoenix Gold & Zapco. Nothing in a stock form will ever be pleasing to listen to. And I'm not talking about ghetto bass.
#42
If Dollars & cents makes for a better ELS system. Take a guess at which car has the better unit. I'll give you a hint below.
TL » 2012 » 4DR TECH » KA6AT
39186-TK4-A12 AMPLIFIER ASSY., AUDIO (ELS) 001 2012 TL $434.50
39176-TK4-A32ZA TUNER UNI*NH716L* 001 2012 TL $4347.33
TL » 2012 » 4DR TECH (SHAWD) » KA6MT
39186-TK4-A12 AMPLIFIER ASSY., AUDIO (ELS) 001 2012 TL $434.50
39176-TK4-A32ZA TUNER UNI*NH716L* 001 2012 TL $4347.33
TSX » 2012 » 4DR TECHV6 » KA5AT
39186-TP1-A71 AMPLIFIER ASSY., AUDIO (ELS) 001 2012 TSX $1059.58
39012-TP1-A52 TUNER ASSY. (ALPINE) 001 2012 TSX $8919.55
Last edited by evo9; 04-21-2014 at 07:54 PM.
#43
I am happy they are returning the ELS. I agree it is a very nice system for the money and certainly satisfies my ears in the car. I don't NEED anything better, as I am not in the car long enough for it to matter THAT much. I have a nice tube audio system at home when I do critical listening. Not worth duping 5K or more in a car system that will reside in a noisy car.
As a result, I've always regretted getting the base TSX instead of the Tech package with ELS audio. (I could have gotten it with 6MT in 2010, which I believe was the last year this combo was possible.) The base system isn't terrible, but it lacks the warmth of the HK system I had in a 2001 Saab, and starts to sound somewhat harsh as the volume climbs. It does seem accurate though, and hasn't been that bad for testing mixes of my band's recordings. For example, if the bass is too boomy, that comes through on this system.
So, if I get a TLX, no question I'm going with the best audio system available. It would be worth the cost over the long haul.
#45
It still has a faint heartbeat, plus there are a ton of DVD-A's out there. Problem is, how do you have this great ELS audio system if you don't have any way to feed it 5.1 HD audio? It astounds me that the RLX has 2 different ELS systems AND the Krell...with no way to input 5.1 HD audio other than maybe DTS CD's. You defeat the entire purpose.
#46
Just bought The Yes Album on DVD-A...sounds great. I also have a few Porcupine Tree DVD-A's which are amazing. I probably have 40 DVD-A's total.
I can also download regular FLAC and 5.1 FLAC files and convert them to DVD-A. Pink Floyd's DSOTM converted from SACD to DVD-A sounds really good.
DTS CD's also sound good, not as good as DVD-A but pretty close. There's a best of DTS from The Police I really enjoy listening to.
Lots of stuff out there that once you get used to it you can't go back to CD or MP3.
#47
I love the fact that Acura still supports DTS and DVD-A. Too bad their system won't play SACD. I just hope they offer a real center channel speaker in the TLX this time around instead of the cheesy 3" wizzer cone wonder in my 07 TL Type S. I also wish they would bring a mid/tweeter on the front doors closer together instead of throwing the mid driver on the floor and the tweeter in the dash. Just a ridiculous compromise and no integration at all. Also the so called 8" subwoofer in the 3G TL is a joke. Still for OEM it's at least a listenable system.
Last edited by Audioholics; 04-27-2014 at 05:12 PM.
#48
Grandpa
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To a great extent what we hear depends on the medium.
We're never going to get but so much out of satellite, and it's too bad because it's the most accessible thing out there.
On those rare occasions that I can sort my thoughts and get my act together completely before I start a trip, my iPhone sounds a hell of a lot better on the Krell than anything I've ever heard with an iPhone before.
Someone told me that the main reason Acura retained the media slot was because of a "lossless" format that audiophiles are going to want, no matter how much they've improved everything else.
And although I do not listen to broadcast radio very much, I have to say that the HD signal over the Krell has impressed me on those occasions I have found broadcast that could hold my attention for a while. This is my first experience with a car that would receive HD, however, so I don't really have anything to compare it with.
I am such an audio nincompoop that I didn't even know that an HD station had three different channels until my RLX.
#49
Grandpa
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Do I gather there's been no mention of Krell in any of the TLX material so far, not even in the Advance package?
#52
Burning Brakes
![Too Cool](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/toocool.gif)
#53
Advanced
Don't you need DVD-A?
I have a 2006 TL, and, correct me if I'm wrong, but a DVD-A disc is needed to truly take advantage of ELS. Right?
Otherwise, if you're listening via satellite radio, FM radio, iPhone, etc - you're not really getting all of the benefits of ELS, correct?
If so, why the hell is Acura still building this into their new flagship 2015 product?
1) DVD and CD media is quickly becoming obsolete. I can't remember the last time I carried a CD into my car.
2) DVD A discs are very hard to find, obscure, and have an extremely limited selection.
I just don't understand Acura's thinking. They claim to be highly technologically advanced, yet they still built cassette tape players into my generation of TL, and are building obscure DVD-A systems into the TLX. ??????
Otherwise, if you're listening via satellite radio, FM radio, iPhone, etc - you're not really getting all of the benefits of ELS, correct?
If so, why the hell is Acura still building this into their new flagship 2015 product?
1) DVD and CD media is quickly becoming obsolete. I can't remember the last time I carried a CD into my car.
2) DVD A discs are very hard to find, obscure, and have an extremely limited selection.
I just don't understand Acura's thinking. They claim to be highly technologically advanced, yet they still built cassette tape players into my generation of TL, and are building obscure DVD-A systems into the TLX. ??????
#54
Suzuka Master
DVD-A is stil being made today. I have a collection of them and love listenign to them.
Yes, it's not a huge thing in today's thumbdrive-streaming media society. Audio quality is not as important to most people as it once was. Clipped audio files are fine, it seems.
As I understand it, you get your wish and DVD-A is no longer supported
Yes, it's not a huge thing in today's thumbdrive-streaming media society. Audio quality is not as important to most people as it once was. Clipped audio files are fine, it seems.
As I understand it, you get your wish and DVD-A is no longer supported
#55
Advanced
Dvd-a?
I'm confused - so in the new 2015 TLX, is there a CD/DVD-A slot? If I put a DVD-A in there, will the ELS system take advantage of it?
I get your point that many folks are not as concerned with fidelity anymore. But if Acura is going to include a nice hi-fidelity feature in its audio system, why not do HD radio? It's far more mass market, and the examples that I've heard sound very nice.
I get your point that many folks are not as concerned with fidelity anymore. But if Acura is going to include a nice hi-fidelity feature in its audio system, why not do HD radio? It's far more mass market, and the examples that I've heard sound very nice.
#56
Suzuka Master
I'm confused - so in the new 2015 TLX, is there a CD/DVD-A slot? If I put a DVD-A in there, will the ELS system take advantage of it?
I get your point that many folks are not as concerned with fidelity anymore. But if Acura is going to include a nice hi-fidelity feature in its audio system, why not do HD radio? It's far more mass market, and the examples that I've heard sound very nice.
I get your point that many folks are not as concerned with fidelity anymore. But if Acura is going to include a nice hi-fidelity feature in its audio system, why not do HD radio? It's far more mass market, and the examples that I've heard sound very nice.
As far as I know and have read, Acura dropped DVD-A for the MDX, RDX and RLX, so I assumed that would be the case for the TLX as well. I wish they still used it because, like you said, why have such a nice system (5.1?) and not take advantage of 5.1 surround like DVD-A and DTS surround.
I think the CD slot is for CDs only...
I hope to verify soon.. I'll take my CD case with both DVD-A's and DTS discs with me on the test drive
Last edited by Stew4HD; 08-05-2014 at 05:51 PM.
#57
Grandpa
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The ELS will go to full rate with your iPhone or iPod. However it's recorded is how it'll be played back, up to and including the maximum iPhone rate.
But it's not zero loss as with some rare DVD...which you're not really going to own, anyway. :-)
Krell Audio does better with satellite because it employs some kind of routine that decompresses it. ELS does not do that. Perhaps it's mostly the speakers that I'm hearing, but satellite on Krell Audio is definitely better than ELS.
#58
Some details about the TLX implementation of the ELS:
2015 ELS Studio/TLX System highlights:
Two Hybrid Titanium Dome Tweeters designed to deliver transparency, stunning vocal reproduction, dedicated amplifier channel for each tweeter
Three 8-centimeter Super Dynamic Range (SDR) speakers with double-press polypropylene cone, providing low distortion and extended bass
Four 17-centimeter Super Dynamic Range (SDR) speakers in the front and rear door featuring extremely lightweight designs
20 centimeter Super Low Distortion Driver (SLDD) Subwoofer with extended bass response to 20Hz keep
DSP Multi-Channel Power Amplifier with 490 watts of system power
Reference: http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwgeek...8#.U-jTF4BdVSI
2015 ELS Studio/TLX System highlights:
Two Hybrid Titanium Dome Tweeters designed to deliver transparency, stunning vocal reproduction, dedicated amplifier channel for each tweeter
Three 8-centimeter Super Dynamic Range (SDR) speakers with double-press polypropylene cone, providing low distortion and extended bass
Four 17-centimeter Super Dynamic Range (SDR) speakers in the front and rear door featuring extremely lightweight designs
20 centimeter Super Low Distortion Driver (SLDD) Subwoofer with extended bass response to 20Hz keep
DSP Multi-Channel Power Amplifier with 490 watts of system power
Reference: http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwgeek...8#.U-jTF4BdVSI
#59
Instructor
I've owned both a 2004 TL and a 2009 TL and loved the sound system. I now own several hundred DVD-As and DTS-CDs, and I upgraded my home system so I could listen to them at home.
Since Acura is responsible for me getting into this in the first place, it would be nice if they had continued to support the DVD-A format. Especially since they still support physical discs! How hard would it have been to keep the software that reads the DVD-A format? This makes me hesitate to look into the 2015 TLX when there are still other vehicles that support DVD-A.
By the way, there is a still a steady stream of DVD-As coming out, especially if you are a classic rock fan. They are currently putting out classics by Yes, ELP, XTC, King Crimson and others on DVD-A and many of them sound great.
Since Acura is responsible for me getting into this in the first place, it would be nice if they had continued to support the DVD-A format. Especially since they still support physical discs! How hard would it have been to keep the software that reads the DVD-A format? This makes me hesitate to look into the 2015 TLX when there are still other vehicles that support DVD-A.
By the way, there is a still a steady stream of DVD-As coming out, especially if you are a classic rock fan. They are currently putting out classics by Yes, ELP, XTC, King Crimson and others on DVD-A and many of them sound great.
#60
^ it appears you are not alone on this one. My pricey collection of DVD-As will probably end up on ebay if I trade in my 09... sadly.
#61
Instructor
Some of them are pretty rare and in great demand, you could get a decent return on some of them. But on the whole I just wish Acura would maintain support for the format, since they are the ones that got me into it in the first place! I'm hoping that maybe they will get some complaints and add it back in - 2016 model?
#62
Some of them are pretty rare and in great demand, you could get a decent return on some of them. But on the whole I just wish Acura would maintain support for the format, since they are the ones that got me into it in the first place! I'm hoping that maybe they will get some complaints and add it back in - 2016 model?
#63
Suzuka Master
I verified that the TLX does not play DVD-A's. BUT! BUT!! it does play DTS Audio discs. I took both a DVD-A and a DTS (Toy Matinee). When I put in the DVD-A, I got the 'CHECK DISC" error.. when I put in the DTS.. WOOT! ELS sounds superb !
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#64
Instructor
Thanks for the update - I think it plays DTS CDs, but not DTS DVDs. of which there are also quite a number. At least it's something! And I do like that Toy Matinee disc.
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Stew4HD (08-13-2014)
#66
Suzuka Master
Some artists are still making them. Rush has been re-issuing their catalog in a bonus remastered Cd and DVD-A set. Some artists, like Porcupine Tree (one of my very favorite bands) has most of their releases on DVD-A still in print.
DTS-CDs are also available and will play in the TLX
#67
Hundreds? That's not much in the overall volumes of hundreds of thousands ( Millions?)of songs that exist now. I haven't seen much I'd be interested in buying even at the high prices they sell for. As it stands, ELS needs to handle the MP3s and Cirrus input far better than it does.
#68
Suzuka Master
Hundreds? That's not much in the overall volumes of hundreds of thousands ( Millions?)of songs that exist now. I haven't seen much I'd be interested in buying even at the high prices they sell for. As it stands, ELS needs to handle the MP3s and Cirrus input far better than it does.
For a system to do much with MP3, it has to assume a lot.
#69
Instructor
And I'll stop beating this dead horse - I agree that for someone new to the TL(X), starting to invest in DVD-As at this point may not be worth doing if you hadn't already done so. But you'd think there must be thousands if not 10s of thousands of Acura owners that now have them. If they went to the bother of putting in a disc system in the TLX, how hard can it be to have it play one more format?
#71
Three Wheelin'
I have not tried it but the manual suggests that it will playback DTS encoded CD's, and these can be 5.1 formatted. So if you have DVD-A media it may be time to research how to convert and burn CD's encoded with DTS.
This may not be idea, but do not shoot the messenger!
This may not be idea, but do not shoot the messenger!
#74
Does the TLX have the same folder and number of files limit that the 4th Gen TL does?
I guess I should phrase this a bit better and ask if it is still dependent on the FAT32 File System and can still only see 700 folders and 15000 files?
I guess I should phrase this a bit better and ask if it is still dependent on the FAT32 File System and can still only see 700 folders and 15000 files?
Last edited by tenstrum; 09-17-2014 at 01:14 PM. Reason: worded better
#75
Intermediate
The els system REALLY lacks bass/base however it's spelled... I don't need it booming but it sounds cheap, and the more I drive the more it bothers me. I have tried every kind of setting, max sub, max base, low treble, my next move is an audio shop. This is pretty much my only negative on my I-4 tech so far.....
#76
I've owned Magneplaners for 40 years, and agree with your description. They do seek quality over quantity.
The latest , however, do offer a lot of "quantity", as well. Have the 3.7's currently, and have heard the 20.7's. No shortage of "quantity" in these ones!!..))
The latest , however, do offer a lot of "quantity", as well. Have the 3.7's currently, and have heard the 20.7's. No shortage of "quantity" in these ones!!..))
#77
And I like the sound of the ELS system ...The listening environment itself places sever restrictions on what an audio system can accomplish, unless loud , thump base is the goal.
It sounds quite clear, and doesn't break up when the volume gets pushed. Not bad for a car!
It sounds quite clear, and doesn't break up when the volume gets pushed. Not bad for a car!
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Stew4HD (09-23-2014)
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