Which car manufacturer has the best factory sound system? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Millie Miglia · 13th April 2003, 13:10

Hi guys,

I've just been wondering, which car manufacturer has the best factory fit sound system?

As for me, of all the cars I've experienced, the best sound system has to be the Mark Levingson system fitted to the Lexus LS430 & SC430. Although, I suspect that part of the reason why the system sounds so good is because the car itself insulates the exterior noise so well.

I've read that the sound system fitted to the new RR Phantom is pretty amazing.

Millie

13th April 2003, 13:23

I putting my votes in for the...

Aston Martin Vanquish with the Linn sound system

VanCooper · 13th April 2003, 13:24

Without a doubt the Mark Levinson sound system in the Lexus LX470! MAN does it sound good! My friend who usually hates classical/jazz type of music came out of the sound demonstration of some of the Lexus products offering the Mark Levinson sound system VERY impressed and to that I answered: "With a sound system this good, you can't hate that music!"

P.S. As Klint mentions, I would expect Linn in the Aston Martin Vanquish to either come close or rival the Mark Levinson

TriflowM5+M3 · 13th April 2003, 20:31

I suspect that the new LS from Lin. to have a good system. Only one that is THX certified!

Mark Levinson and Linn are both good but....Come on, THX!

chazzy · 13th April 2003, 20:41

I was very impressed by the 760Li. Not sure if all the 7s have the same thing, but it sounds very, very good in the front for a factory system. Of course, after adding a pair of 12s in the back, it sounded even better!

Rezf · 17th April 2003, 04:03

The Lincoln LS is fitted with the world's first THX certified sound system in a car.

ycchan · 17th April 2003, 05:25

Have any tried the Volvo C70 Coupe?

DynaAudio!

My5 · 17th April 2003, 08:53

Lexus have always had really good OEM sound systems. I had an SC400 years ago that had an incredible nakajami ( I know that's not how it's really spelt, but it's late and I'm tired!) system.

Not counting on too much from the M audio when it arrives, but then again that's not why I bought an M5

Peter

MEnthusiast · 17th April 2003, 09:40

Id give the top honors to (in alphabetical order)

aston martin/linn in the vanquish

bmw/ harmon (lexicon's logic 7) in the 7er

lexus/mark levinson

havent heard astons but knowing Linn, I wouldnt bet against it.

Hamann7 · 18th April 2003, 09:27

If I had a Vanquish, I wouldn't even bother to turn on the radio, even though the Linn system is good.

Have you heard the exhaust and the music that its V-12 makes?

It's better than anything any sound system can make.

BTW, who cares about THX certification. That stuff is all marketing BS anyway.

First of all, THX only matters if you are running home theatre in the car, which you can't even fit in a Lincoln LS.

THX does NOT mean your system sounds great-- it is merely a standard with certain sound processing gimmicks like the bipolar speakers and stuff like that.

You don't see Krell, Theta, and Wilson Audio really giving a rat's a*s about THX, do you?

I wish Krell made car amplifiers... oh well, again, that's what an exhaust is for... so you can save weight by not needing an audio system.

ycchan · 18th April 2003, 17:41

agreed

Millie Miglia · 18th April 2003, 17:47

Quote:

Originally posted by Hamann7
If I had a Vanquish, I wouldn't even bother to turn on the radio, even though the Linn system is good.

Have you heard the exhaust and the music that its V-12 makes?

It's better than anything any sound system can make.

I TOTALLY agree....I guess that's why Ferraris have (relatively) crappy sound systems. Who needs one when you have a V8 (or V12) which sounds like that?

That also explains why lexus has fantastic sound systems fitted as standard. There's nothing else to listen to

Millie