Back in the September 2005 issue, I had the pleasure of reviewing the Mark Levinson 5.1 Surround Sound System in the new 2006 Lexus GS300. Despite the smooth and detailed sound crafted by the engineers at Lexus and Mark Levinson, I predicted that some GS owners would be left yearning for a little more, particularly in the sub-bass department. Without looking too hard or far, we encountered one such owner that turned his GS over to Roadstarr Motoring in Los Angeles,CA, for a little "bling" and sub-bass makeover.
Although the sub-bass level of the factory system is conservative by aftermarket standards, it's linear and well matched to the rest of the system. Simply dropping in any run-of-the-mill subwoofer and amplifier setup may create "louder bass" but would not yield a true "improvement" in sub-bass performance. To keep in tune with the high-end pedigree of the Mark Levinson system, Roadstarr selected Alpine Type X 10" subwoofers to pump more air and Alpine MRD-M605 amplifiers to provide the power. Signal to the amplifiers was diverted from the factory subwoofer speaker leads through a simple high-to-low converter. A sealed enclosure was fabricated behind the rear seats with the woofers firing towards the trunk. Clear and mirrored acrylic, highlighted with red and blue LED lighting, was utilized to tastefully display the product.
After some minor tweaking of the MRD-M605 amplifier settings, I hopped into the driver's seat and auditioned the "Alpine-enhanced Mark Levinson System." The improved output and impact of the Type X drivers was immediately evident when listening to my test tracks. Drum beats and bass synthesizer notes were more authoritative without being overbearing. The sub-bass level blended well with the rest of the system for most of the tracks. I would have liked a little more output with some songs and a little less with others, but the bass equalization control of the head unit's audio menu did not allow for as much adjustment as I wanted. This is often the case when I switch from a bass-heavy R&B studio recording to a live jazz or rock track. As with any subwoofer system, I would highly recommend adding an adjustable bass level control so that the subwoofer volume level can be easily adjusted for various types of music.
The addition of the Alpine subwoofer system definitely scores as an "improvement" to the already excellent Mark Levinson system, but while it enhances one aspect of the listening experience, it creates another "issue." With this GS no longer lacking in the bass department, the mids and highs are now the limiting factor when cranking up the volume, leaving you wanting more. Although visual and performance upgrades are next in line for this lucky Lexus in the form of a coilover suspension and 20" Continental wheels and tires, it may only be a matter of time before this GS takes another trip to get an aftermarket audio upgrade