How To Pause Audio Playback In Mark Levinson Audio?

[TeesLS460]

I've only had my LS460 for a few days, but one thing is bugging me. How do I pause or mute audio playback from the driver's seat ? On my old Renault Megane, it was a simple case of pressing a pause button on the steering wheel, but I can't find anything like that on the Lexus.

Am I going mad, or have Lexus missed a trick here?

[Hunt.trophy]

I've only had my LS460 for a few days, but one thing is bugging me. How do I pause or mute audio playback from the driver's seat ? On my old Renault Megane, it was a simple case of pressing a pause button on the steering wheel, but I can't find anything like that on the Lexus.

Am I going mad, or have Lexus missed a trick here?

Turn the volume all the way down. Hold in the SET button on the steering wheel, beside the volume control till it beeps. Then when the volume is up, you'll just have the press the set button once for a moment and you'll have the silence you desire. It is not PAUSE, it is just MUTE. However, if you want PAUSE, the ON/OFF button is so close to the steering wheel, you'd have it knocked off as quick as you could press the missing PAUSE button!

No trick missed !

[TeesLS460]

Thanks for the tip - I do indeed just want to mute the audio temporarily and not turn it off, especially when playing CDs/DVDs. Unfortunately there is no Set button on my steering wheel or anywhere else in the car (except for the ones which control the electric seat memories).

On the wheel I have volume up/down, a button for voice commands, and the mode and up/down buttons.

[Haylands]

Thanks for the tip - I do indeed just want to mute the audio temporarily and not turn it off, especially when playing CDs/DVDs. Unfortunately there is no Set button on my steering wheel or anywhere else in the car (except for the ones which control the electric seat memories).

On the wheel I have volume up/down, a button for voice commands, and the mode and up/down buttons.

Hi

I can solve your problem at a stroke.... drive over to me and you can swap your poorly equipped LS460 for my LS430, it’s got a mute button!!!!!!

Pete

[Hunt.trophy]

Hi there,

sorry I got confused between the 430 & 460. The 430 has the mute button, but having spent some time in the 460 yesterday trying to find the mute button for you, I am sorry to report there is NONE.

Lexus has missed a trick. Back to the reno.

[TeesLS460]

Hi there,

sorry I got confused between the 430 & 460. The 430 has the mute button, but having spent some time in the 460 yesterday trying to find the mute button for you, I am sorry to report there is NONE.

Lexus has missed a trick. Back to the reno.

Thanks for taking the time to check for me. Never mind, no car is perfect I guess B)

[Hunt.trophy]

I beg to disagree. It is my opinion that the LS430 is PERFECT. I am sure the LS430 drivers out there would not be able to come up with one item or function missing from the top spec LS430.

I am sure that in the future, people will say 'Ah, the LS430 was when Lexus knew how to make a real car'...

There are several things that really annoy me about the LS460 (I drive it a lot)

1. When the wind-shield wipers are in the Auto position, you have to switch them to off then up to mist - just to get a quick wipe. In the 430 you simply pull the lever toward you and the job is done.

2. The roof seems to be about three inches lower down, meaning every time I get into the drivers side, I smack my head hard.

3. When you open the rear passenger door from the outside, it is longer than you'd expect and you end up smacking your belly on the very pointy end of it.

4. The lumbar support does not actually go low enough to be supportive where it is most needed

5. The cup holder is in where the ash-tray used to be, and the slick old cup holder from the 430 is gone. Meaning that you cannot fit the standard oversized water bottle in any more.

6. Visibility out of the car as a driver is VERY poor with a lot more blind spots.

7. The front centre A/C vents no longer move automatically.

8. No sun shade above the rear-view mirror - it is needed

OK... Enough bitching - at least it looks good!!! But seriously, has any one else noticed all these bad points on the LS460 or am I just obsessive?

[RayKhan]

Can you not just press the tape button, that would stop the cd where it was until you selected cd again and if you don't have any tapes then no sound will come out.

Thinking about it do they have a cassette player LS?

[Hunt.trophy]

No cassette deck in the LS460 (not missed either)

[paul_k]

There is a voice command "Audio off" But no Mute command.

Paul

[Haylands]

I beg to disagree. It is my opinion that the LS430 is PERFECT. I am sure the LS430 drivers out there would not be able to come up with one item or function missing from the top spec LS430.

I am sure that in the future, people will say 'Ah, the LS430 was when Lexus knew how to make a real car'...

There are several things that really annoy me about the LS460 (I drive it a lot)

1. When the wind-shield wipers are in the Auto position, you have to switch them to off then up to mist - just to get a quick wipe. In the 430 you simply pull the lever toward you and the job is done.

2. The roof seems to be about three inches lower down, meaning every time I get into the drivers side, I smack my head hard.

3. When you open the rear passenger door from the outside, it is longer than you'd expect and you end up smacking your belly on the very pointy end of it.

4. The lumbar support does not actually go low enough to be supportive where it is most needed

5. The cup holder is in where the ash-tray used to be, and the slick old cup holder from the 430 is gone. Meaning that you cannot fit the standard oversized water bottle in any more.

6. Visibility out of the car as a driver is VERY poor with a lot more blind spots.

7. The front centre A/C vents no longer move automatically.

8. No sun shade above the rear-view mirror - it is needed

OK... Enough bitching - at least it looks good!!! But seriously, has any one else noticed all these bad points on the LS460 or am I just obsessive?

Wow.... never been lucky enough to even sit in a 460.... I will continue to sit in my 430 and look smug then!!!!

Pete

[Hunt.trophy]

That's my plan... Maybe inheritance will lead to a 460, but cannot see it happening otherwise...!

[TeesLS460]

I beg to disagree. It is my opinion that the LS430 is PERFECT. I am sure the LS430 drivers out there would not be able to come up with one item or function missing from the top spec LS430.

I am sure that in the future, people will say 'Ah, the LS430 was when Lexus knew how to make a real car'...

There are several things that really annoy me about the LS460 (I drive it a lot)

1. When the wind-shield wipers are in the Auto position, you have to switch them to off then up to mist - just to get a quick wipe. In the 430 you simply pull the lever toward you and the job is done.

2. The roof seems to be about three inches lower down, meaning every time I get into the drivers side, I smack my head hard.

3. When you open the rear passenger door from the outside, it is longer than you'd expect and you end up smacking your belly on the very pointy end of it.

4. The lumbar support does not actually go low enough to be supportive where it is most needed

5. The cup holder is in where the ash-tray used to be, and the slick old cup holder from the 430 is gone. Meaning that you cannot fit the standard oversized water bottle in any more.

6. Visibility out of the car as a driver is VERY poor with a lot more blind spots.

7. The front centre A/C vents no longer move automatically.

8. No sun shade above the rear-view mirror - it is needed

OK... Enough bitching - at least it looks good!!! But seriously, has any one else noticed all these bad points on the LS460 or am I just obsessive?

1. I agree with you. It does seem a bit strange that pulling the wiper stalk towards you briefly doesn't create a quick wipe, but I guess if people leave the stalk in Off most of the time, it's not a big problem.

2. Being rather short (5"4) I don't have a problem with headroom, or smacking my head when getting in :-)

3. Not had this problem - just a case of getting used to it, I guess.

4. I have found the lumbar support to be okay for my back at least.

5. I didn't try the LS430, so I don't know what I'm missing here, but for cans of drink, and McDonalds drinks cups, the standard cup holders seem fine.

6. Not noticed the bad visibility problems, but again, I haven't compared to an LS430.

7. and 8. These would have been nice features.

Now my own pet peeves (Lexus, if you're reading - these are suggestions for improvement in the next facelifted model)

1. The reviews state quite correctly that the gearbox seems to hesitate when accelerating. I have noticed this too - particularly when you are travelling at 30mph and above, if you put your foot down, there is a pause while the car chooses the right gear, then goes. It is slightly annoying.

2. The American versions seem to get a hard disk audio system which can grab your audio from CDs. Why don't we get it here in the UK, especially if we have the Mark Levinson Premium system? (Of course, the American versions don't get laminated side glass unless they complain, and are limited to 130mph - they can keep those features)

3. The seats don't provide enough support when cornering hard. The car is capable of cornering safely at well over the UK speed limit, even if it does roll a bit, but you do feel like you are going to fall out of your chair. (When provoked, the tail can step out a little before the ESP kicks in, but that's just how I like it. When I want to drive properly sideways, I prefer to do it at my local kart track)

4. In cruise control mode, when setting the cruise to a lower speed, the car brakes to reach the lower speed more quickly. I think I prefer the car to coast to the lower speed, unless there is an obstacle in front.

5. Memory settings for the front passenger seat would be good. The other 3 seats have them so why not this one?

6. A Mute button for the audio please!

[Hunt.trophy]

Great response... Now let me comment on your comments...

1. I have never noticed a lag in acceleration in any Lexus I have driven. Perhaps this is due to having nothing to compare it to.

2. The LS460 I have has the hard disk to grab audio as standard. - I live in Ireland

3. Totally agree

4. I prefer that it brakes, as the coasting to a lower speed is an annoyance in the LS430 for me. It is good when coming into a special speed zone, you are at the right speed quickly, in case there is a speed trap.

5. & 6. AGREE & AGREE

IN reality though, we are very spoiled if we are even discussing this. In effect, we can travel at 155mph in the comfort of our sitting room - safely.

[dipstick]

Just to pick up on an earlier post in this thread - where is the mute button on a (2003) 430 then?

Mine has the set button, but no mute.

If you program the set button to produce volume zero, sure, it cuts the sound - but then only way of getting the sound back is by the slow old volume up button on the wheel which takes ages, or horror of horrors moving a finger to the volume control on the dash itself. If the set button toggled it would be solved, but it doesn't.

[Hunt.trophy]

Just to pick up on an earlier post in this thread - where is the mute button on a (2003) 430 then?

Mine has the set button, but no mute.

If you program the set button to produce volume zero, sure, it cuts the sound - but then only way of getting the sound back is by the slow old volume up button on the wheel which takes ages, or horror of horrors moving a finger to the volume control on the dash itself. If the set button toggled it would be solved, but it doesn't.

It's tough old world isn't it?

[dipstick]

"It's tough old world isn't it?"

It certainly is. The discovery and close perusal of a "wash and go" sticker on the windscreen yesterday helps though - lifetime membership too. Take the car to your dealer (prebooked) on a Saturday morning, and they clean it inside and out whilst giving coffee and pastries. All for free.

My kind of service!

Mind you, I've not tried it. I expect it will have been withdrawn two days after the car was sold.

[dmince]

I've only had my LS460 for a few days, but one thing is bugging me. How do I pause or mute audio playback from the driver's seat ? On my old Renault Megane, it was a simple case of pressing a pause button on the steering wheel, but I can't find anything like that on the Lexus.

Am I going mad, or have Lexus missed a trick here?

just hold the volume down button on the steering wheel until the volume goes to zero. i think there might even be a voice command to mute the audio but i havent had the time to try it out.

[BobB]

Just one more for good measure:

The 'secret' cubby holes under the front seats on the 430 are missing from the 460.

I totally agree with all the other 'failings' of the 460 - bloody quick though, isn't it?

[Chris Skelton]

The "banging your head on entry" bit applies to the IS too. I borrowed one for the day and was disappointed by this (AND the reduced visibility.) It's all down to the external look of the car now. High shoulders and curving look means less driver features? Muting CD? I just hit the 'Off' button on my (old but classic) LS Ser 4!

[Haylands]

Hi

The "bang your head on entry" I'm afraid will start to effect all cars, it is down to the fact that as safety standards rise so the size of the door openings shrink. Having a great big hole in the side of the car where mere mortals want to enter just gets in the way of the namby pamby/wrap everyone in cotton wool/health and safety brigade who want to make life so safe we all die of boredom....

Apparently you can't meet the latest safety specs with a "normal" size door so they are making them smaller to increase rigidity of the shell.

If they want to reduce casualties they should put a six inch metal spike sticking out of the middle of the steering wheel straight at the drivers face...... everyone would drive around so slowly there wouldn't be any accidents.....

I'll get off my soap box now

Pete

[Hunt.trophy]

Ha ha ha that is the funniest post I have ever read Haylands... Well done, I totally agree. You are so funny.

[Mike_B]

"It's tough old world isn't it?"

It certainly is. The discovery and close perusal of a "wash and go" sticker on the windscreen yesterday helps though - lifetime membership too. Take the car to your dealer (prebooked) on a Saturday morning, and they clean it inside and out whilst giving coffee and pastries. All for free.

My kind of service!

Mind you, I've not tried it. I expect it will have been withdrawn two days after the car was sold.

Yes, but it's also why your next service will cost n hundred pounds...

[dmince]

i am rele ****** off with lexus!!! i just heard that the 2009 LS (ls460 (and AWD) and ls600h) will be getting front passenger seat memory function!! it hasnt even been a year that ive had the LS600h and the car has been only on sale for just over a year and theres already revisions, which rele takes the *****. i dont see why the cars werent equipped with them in the first place. i know im just making a big deal for something so little but with a luxury car like this you want all the little bits and pieces because thats what makes the difference......Ahh!!

[Hunt.trophy]

It is the case that with each year a new button or new extra is added some where to these cars... On the LS430 Bluetooth phone kit was added in 2004 etc... Sorry to say, it is how they make you go out and buy the new model. Why else would you change?