What do you guys think of your Mark Levinsion ICE compare to other system? i.e. Bose, Harman kardon, etc etc

Whenever I buy a car, I always spec up the ICE, during the test drive in the Lexus, I briefly played about with the system, and if I'm being honest, it's good when you turn it up, but nothing to shout about at low to medium volume.

Unlike other system which gives you depth and bass even at low volume, even the std ICE from Volvo XC90, and std 8spk from Mercedes in the ML sounded amazingly good...

Mark Levinson is much better of keeping with the Studio & Home Cinema systems rather than In-Car.
I believe it is only a consultancy role rather than being a genuine manufacturer like Pioneer, Fujitsu etc.
I've heard it in the IS250 & the GS450h, not heard it in a LS yet though.

Good for a factory fitted system, but not worth the premium paid IMO.

The Bose system fitted to my previous car (Honda Accord Executive) was very good indeed for a factory
fitted system. The front speakers especially deserve extra praise, as did the radio (excellent reception).

Not actually true there, it used to be more of a consultancy role with Nakamichi, but as far as I know now ML pretty much design and create the system.

I'm interested by your opinion though, don't know much about audio (whereas you do ) but I really like good quality sound, and I've always been pretty impressed by the ML systems. Our Merc has the HK system in it, and have to agree that it does have more bass at low volume, but I think ML system is fantastic when it comes to pure sound quality.

Haven't heard it but I think only the £5000 B&O system in the A8 really betters the ML system, but I remember an episode of the gadget show a while back where Jon Bentley still actually preferred the sound from the ML rather than the B&O.

To be honest, to recreate the quality of sound from the ML system would cost you a "lot" more than what Lexus charge for it (because it's obviously heavily subsidised through the bulk manufacture)

And I'm not talking about power here, this is about the best SQ with pure tone and clarity. Obviously SQ is very subjective though, so different people will prefer the sound created by different systems

How ironic how these days Mark Levinson has left the company and gone off to found another company,
as has Hiro Nakamichi

The blurb on the net seems to say the systems are built by Harman International which manufactures auto and
home sound systems under the Harman Kardon, JBL, Infinity, Lexicon, Revel and Becker brands.
Harman International also happen to own the Mark Levinson brand.

Again after trawling some net resources, it was a consultancy role in the amplifier, speaker design and speaker placement stages, plus accoustic EQ regarding the specific cars interior. Mark Levinson don't actually manufacture the components themselves. Obviously other branches of Harman then do the rest, keeping it effectively 'in house'.

Yep you're right about that actually, they are one company. Technically we don't actually know who manufacturers MLs home audio stuff.........

I have to say one car system that really surprised me was a Boston Acoustics system in a Chrysler 300C I had as a rental in the US - it only had 6 speakers but the power, clarity and tonal range was very impressive...........I'd definitely look into their speakers if I was ever doing a custom install.

Mark Levinson is manufactured by Harmon Kardon for home and car.