The audio system in my TSX was of superior quality to the paper speaker sounding system in the TLX, kinda of disappointing. ID rather they make a car cost $35000-$36000 and be of better quality than skimp on things like radio, suspension, and transmission and have it cost $33,000.

 

I've owned two TSX base models and now the TLX base. The TLX audio system sounds much better than the TSX. Maybe you need to let the speakers break in? How many hours do you have on the speakers?

 

I have about five minutes on the speakers. The sub woofer, if there even is one, has no power and sounds very papery. The mids and highs are very flat and inexpensive sounding. I will give it some more playing time but the stereo certainly sounds inadequate in my car.

 

I won't defend the audio system in the X series (that's why I own a 2014 TL SH-AWD with the Tech Package ) but make sure you've tried some good CD's in your system to test the sound. XM, BT, and MP3's are all garbage formats with low fidelity bitrates. CD's and SOME FM radio stations will give you enough KPS bitrates to really tell what your speakers will or won't do.

 

I play my DTS-CDs in my car and find the audio very warm and full. I find it on par or better than the Mark Levinson and ELS of the 4G TL. But that is just.

I think that type/genre of music is a factor. Any bass heavy or thumping genre most likely would sound flat.

I am rock/prog rock fan. I find that Pandora sounds quite decent on the ELS.

 

From the Pandora Site " Pandora on the Web plays 64k AAC+ for free listeners and 192kbps for Pandora One subscribers. All in-home devices play 128kbps audio, and mobile devices receive a variety of different rates depending on the capability of the device and the network they are on, but never more than 64k AAC+. " CD bitrate is 1411 Kbps, DVD-Audio is 9.6 Megabits per second!!! And there is a reason why, after ditching the ability of the Acura to play DVD-Audio, no one will make statements like " the new ELS system takes you to musical places heretofore unheard of a few years ago. For anyone who enjoys music, it’s a must-have option. For those fortunate enough to be in the market for a new Acura equipped with the Technology Package, your stairway to sonic heaven has arrived...." when comparing the TL's audio to the best in the world. But the audio reviewer restates my point... " On the best DVD and DVD-Audio disks, the sound is as real and palpable as one can imagine. But then play some mediocre fare, and the sound comes out sounding as such. The old adage, garbage in, garbage out, applies here "

 

Give those speakers about 25-50 hours of playing time and report back. I think you'll change your mind.

 

Good info, thanks.
I do have a Pandora account. I didn't realize that I got better bps than non sub'd.

When I went to see the first TLX that arrived at my dealership last year, I took 3 discs with me, a DVD-A, A DTS-CD and a std CD. I wanted to know what the capabilities were. I was sad to see the message "unreadable disc" when I popped in the DVD-A. I was glad the DTS-CD played flawlessly and sounded great. This was in a brand new TLX that still had the white protective sheets on some of the body panels and plastic on the seats.

As for speaker break in, it's a subject that many say is a fallacy. There is nothing to break-in. The paper cone's properties do not change. Some say that speakers need time to become warmer sounding , some say there should sound the same out of the box as they do one year later... *shrug*

 

My XM SAT radio source in my Tech package sounds much better than my TSX Tech. My setting have always been set flat 0 with speed volume on med. When the speed volume turned off in my TSX, the system lowered the volume level across the whole scale. I have tried Pandora and HD radio with similar results in the TLX. Many people complaining about ANC module. It is under passenger side lower dash cover. Silver square box. I checked the part number on V6 tech package and mine ends in 111 where I was only able to find part number ending in 11. Not sure if updated module. Intried disconnecting it but the overall volume lowered and it sounded worse even thou some say disconnected theirs sounded better. I do remember when I first got my TSX I thought it was weak compared to my previos car. Not sure which model you have as there are 4 different ANC modules - 2 for the 4 or 4 tech and 2 for the V6 or V6 Tech. Might try disconnecting it since it only takes less than 5 minutes. Might sound better. If not just reconnect.

 

I have only tried FM, but it sounded like a cheap $80 son
My bathroom radio this far.

 

I've found when I have odd smells in the cabin, it's usually because my cabin air filter needs replacing.



Replace your cabin air filter and that stink should go away

/redtext

 

I have owned numerous Acuras and a few other recent brands and am somewhat of an Audiophile. I find the ELS system to be an excellent system. The one issue that most people have with systems like ELS, ML (Lexus), etc, is that these systems are designed to be more accurate in fidelity than most audio systems. What occurs is people are used to listing to systems that have boomy subs or that are inaccurate across the frequency range and thus when they hear something that has higher accuracy they feel it is not as good. All car audio systems have the deck stacked against them, they are in a car that is far from acoustically ideal for listening to high fidelity audio. My Infiniti and Audi had Bose and I will take ELS any day over those. The ELS is far cleaner and bass is tighter than most systems I have heard. I do wish Acura would look at bring the Krell down into the TLX say for the Advance models.

 

Well the reason mine stinks is because I do not have the ELS, I have the standard audio system. It by no means is as good as the TSX was with it standard audio system.

 

I will say that in my 1 day of ownership, I am a tad disappointed that the ELS in the TLX is lacking in bass/sub power, even when cranked all the way up the lows seems to be lower than I would expect. They are there and clean, just not as powerful as I would expect.

 

I have noticed the ELS in my TLX has less lower end punch than the ELS in her 16 RDX. I may make a trip to dealer to sample another TLX.

 

I've noticed the bass in mine seems to have gotten better with more time on it. I have also noticed that with a few duffels in the trunk the bass is better... might be just my perception, but bass is directly tied to the air cavity behind the driver (aka, the trunk space).

 

My father swears his radio in his 4th gen TL is way better than my new TLX. Personally, I cant tell a difference and am very satisfied with the sound quality but he cares a tad more than I do.

 

I might agree with your father, but just as far as low frequency reproduction. I have sub and bass cranked al, the way and it is weak, gets better at higher volume, but the gf's 16 RDX sounds better.

 

It doesn't surprise me that the RDX sounds much better than a TLX given the same audio components. I am a long time audiophile and I can tell you that cars with a more rounded more subtle interior shape and open cab provide a smoother roll off which is very noticeable to the listener. Very engulfing sound. In my opinion, wagons/hatchbacks provide the best listening experience and the RDX is just a beefed up version of those. If you expect the TLX system with a subwoofer stuffed in the trunk and it's cubicle interior layout to provide you with comparable sound you will be sorely disappointed in the outcome. The electrical components may be the same (apples to apples) but any installer or any avid car audio enthusiast will tell you that's only half the battle and that proper speaker placement and tuning according to your cars acoustical characteristics will provide the listener a true "high fidelity" experience. Basically what I'm saying is, your GF will always have a better system than you.

 

The RDX also appears to have a larger sub and located in an open area, not jammed into the back deck like the TLX. I do agree, the system in the my 16 RDX does sound better then my TLX.

 

That is just pain sad! The fact is the 4G TL had better low end response. I am guessing maybe 2 things led to this in the TLX, first they were tired of fixed buzzing rear decks due to bass and/or they smaller TLX sub and probably lower spec. Honestly the trunk should act like a big box sub where the RDX has very little box volume behind the sub.