Genesis G70 Lexicon Sound System

[Chicagostyx]

So I went ahead and downloaded TIDAL HD (30 day free trial) and set it up in the car. It definitely sounds better than any other streaming service I’ve used in the ‘19 G70 so far, especially when playing TIDAL Masters songs (360 Reality Audio is a cool gimmick but the content just isn’t there on this platform yet, which is a shame, especially considering all the good 5.1 and 7.1 content that is out there.)

It still doesn’t sound as good as the DVD-A player in my ‘12 R-Spec though... but it’s pretty damn good.

Did you download the songs to your device or stream them? I'm going to give it a try.

 

[DocOfTheDead]

I’m a stereo guy. I have to have decent audio systems in my cars. The G70 Lexicon system is surprisingly good, especially in respect to quality and clarity. It doesn’t boom like some other systems but that’s usually a compensation for lack of mids and highs. At the Chicago auto show last year, the reps had a USB with high quality audio and we tested it in the LS500. My jaw dropped. I almost bought the car after that.

Now for the branding... the Mark Levinson in the LS is miles ahead of the Mark Levinson in my LC. The G70 is probably a little better than my LC. Same brand, vastly different systems. However, the new Lexus IS has an updated Mark Levinson system for 2021 that takes the system up two speakers to 17 and the wattage is now rated at 1,800, which is likely a very similar system to the current ES. I can’t wait to try it.

If you want a REALLY good audio system, check out the top trim Acura RDX. They designed the stereo with a Grammy winning sound engineer BEFORE the car was made and had the other engineers design around it. It’s bonkers good.

 

[Comp625]

Are any G70 owners experiencing sibilance (tonal harshness especially noticeable with talk radio content)? I'm hoping answer is No.

Over on the G80 side, the 2018+ model has sibilance issues and is problematic with any talk content (in other words it's not a SiriusXM compression issue). Here's a link to the thread.

 

[MrMegadeth]

I listen to NPR, Houston, on HD almost everyday and I think it's really clear and natural. I keep all the surrounding settings off.

 

[Ruissimo]

Did you download the songs to your device or stream them? I'm going to give it a try.

I stream... but I may start downloading as my service up here is atrocious. Tidal is almost unusable in the 20 mile radius around my house.

Sounds great when I have service, but it cuts out so much (and just plain doesn’t play) most of the time by me. I think I’m about ready to trade some quality for the ability to listen 100% of the time.

 

[[NOBODY]]

I cannot comment...but the Bang and Olufsen in my Audi is the BEST I’ve ever heard.

Hopefully the G70 comes even close.

I'll tell y'all that the stock Audi stereo is not good (10 speaker system), and most people with audis do not have the B&G. That being said, that B&G system is ridiculously superb.

 

[roady]

In my Audi, the Bang & Olafsen system has 19 speakers and has remarkrdonable clairity...am now looking at trading my 2nd car, a Volvo V60 for a G70...

The Volvo has a Harmon Kardon...and it is not as nuanced as the B&O...I hope that the G70 is B&O like...

 

[roady]

After a couple of days...the Lexicon is nuanced...nice sound...bass may be a little light, certainly not boomy....

I prefer clarity of sound above all...no muddiness here...I like this system like I like the B & O in my Audi....

 

[Husky]

I’m a stereo guy. I have to have decent audio systems in my cars. The G70 Lexicon system is surprisingly good, especially in respect to quality and clarity. It doesn’t boom like some other systems but that’s usually a compensation for lack of mids and highs. At the Chicago auto show last year, the reps had a USB with high quality audio and we tested it in the LS500. My jaw dropped. I almost bought the car after that.

Now for the branding... the Mark Levinson in the LS is miles ahead of the Mark Levinson in my LC. The G70 is probably a little better than my LC. Same brand, vastly different systems. However, the new Lexus IS has an updated Mark Levinson system for 2021 that takes the system up two speakers to 17 and the wattage is now rated at 1,800, which is likely a very similar system to the current ES. I can’t wait to try it.

If you want a REALLY good audio system, check out the top trim Acura RDX. They designed the stereo with a Grammy winning sound engineer BEFORE the car was made and had the other engineers design around it. It’s bonkers good.

As a side note, I get a kick out of these automotive sound system wattage ratings. I wonder if they're using something like the old "music power" or peak power ratings that were commonly used by manufacturers in the 70s to boost their numbers. Never mind that 1800 watts at 12v requires 150 amps! (I know the battery is usually at around 13.8v, but allowing for drops at that kind of current). Imagine all the extra weight of a wiring harness to the amp and speakers designed to carry those kinds of currents!
Has anyone seen the speaker wires on a car with this kind of power rating? Are they like monster cables, or much smaller (which would support the argument that the power numbers are inflated)? I suppose you could argue that with 18 speakers, it's only 100w each, assuming the power is equally divided, which it's not of course.
I think any more than about 40w of true RMS power in a closed car environment ought to be enough to make your ears bleed. Many big guitar amps that are VERY loud are only like 50w. Most good home stereos (before the advent of even lower power blue tooth speakers and the like) were rarely more than 100w RMS per channel, and they could blast you out of your house with good speakers.
The current automotive sound system power numbers just seem exaggerated and pointless to me. (We won't even get into how important it is to hear what's going on around you, outside the car, like sirens, etc...)
Sorry for the rant, haha. The curse of being a EE.

 

[petraman]

Is it just a placebo effect, or does the stereo break in after a while? I swear, my highs don't sound nearly as shrill as they used to.

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[Bhavie]

Is it just a placebo effect, or does the stereo break in after a while? I swear, my highs don't sound nearly as shrill as they used to.

I've noticed this too. The highs used to be unbearable at times and I would manually lower the treble to compensate.

I switched back to default some time ago and haven't really noticed it since.

 

[Kirk]

Is it just a placebo effect, or does the stereo break in after a while? I swear, my highs don't sound nearly as shrill as they used to.

I've noticed this too. The highs used to be unbearable at times and I would manually lower the treble to compensate.

I switched back to default some time ago and haven't really noticed it since.

Same here... the highs are not harsh like they initially were and the bass feels / sounds louder. Subs definitely break in over time, maybe the same for aluminum dome tweeters...Im not sure. I initially had bass turned way up and the mids/highs turned down. Now after 4k-5k miles Ive readjusted the EQ to have a slight bump in bass and neutral mids/highs.

 

[riteonempk]

Hi owners! I am a soon-to-be G70 owner. I'm wondering if somebody could comment in a bit more detail on the quality of the G70 Lexicon sound system? Every review seems to entirely gloss over this point. I have no experience with Lexicon (and little with Harman Kardon, its parent company).

I am a bit of an audiophile and I listen to a lot of music in the car, so I'd appreciate a nitpicky response. Any highlights / criticisms of the sound system?

I'm coming from a Mercedes C300 with a Burmeister sound system, which has been EXCELLENT. When I test drove the G70, I was not thrilled at first blush with the sound, but I think some of the setting were whacky and I didn't have time to fiddle or customize?

Thoughts? Grateful for any feedback!

the sound system could be much better especially it having 14 speakers, unless am doing something wrong in my 2021 g70 sport, the system is weak. my sound has a vw tiguan and the system in there is really load???

 

[Beefer]

^ you are doing something wrong

 

[Bastiat]

I Have never heard a Burmeister system, but I know Its reputation is stratospheric. That said, I believe the G70 sound system is excellent, if not at that level. I have not found it ”weak.” It is capable of sound levels that are almost painful. As with most car systems, it cannot match a quality home system; however, with careful adjustment of the base, treble, and mid range, it is very, very good.

 

[[NOBODY]]

I Have never heard a Burmeister system, but I know Its reputation is stratospheric. That said, I believe the G70 sound system is excellent, if not at that level. I have not found it ”weak.” It is capable of sound levels that are almost painful. As with most car systems, it cannot match a quality home system; however, with careful adjustment of the base, treble, and mid range, it is very, very good.

I am a former audio engineer, and imo, the system is very good. It has issues with a lack of low-end that would be better and more accurately represented by a decent subwoofer (if you turn the bass parametric sweep they have up to get a proper lowend, then the low-mids get very boxy and muddy - that's where you need the sub.). it needs more punch below 100 to 80hz. It's also a bit artificial sounding in the 5-10k area, it has some odd artifacts that make it sound a bit strident and metallic and not natural. Not sure if it's tweeter materials or construction, or the processing. I think a good outboard processor from Crutchfield, et. al., would do the system a lot of good. I'd be hesitant to replace speaker components because, for better or worse, they are designed to work with each other and the minute you change one, it disrupts the balance between all of the speakers and will probably lead to even more imbalance of sound.

But that's nit picking, though. Overall it is a very good and accurate system (imo) that can get loud, too loud for ear health, tbh. It's just not a bass-heavy, scooped-mid sort of EDM or rap / hip hop system that will rattle your windows.

Also, the number of speakers has zero to do with sound quality or loudness, I do not know what car makers are in this ridiculous race for 'number of speakers equating to more awesomeness' - my audiophile home system has 5 'speakers' and it sounds amazing, 10 times better than any car system I have experienced, because all of the components are high quality, manufactured well, and matched with very low distortion amplification and great processing. Car makers will dump 17 2-ohm speakers of crap into a car, match it with a relatively weak amplifier with mediocre to poor total harmonic distortion characteristics as well as a BBE-style processor and tone stack (to fix the sound quality issues created by the crap components), and suddenly you have a 17 speaker pos that cost you a 1500 monroney markup.

 

[Bastiat]

I am a former audio engineer, and imo, the system is very good. It has issues with a lack of low-end that would be better and more accurately represented by a decent subwoofer (if you turn the bass parametric sweep they have up to get a proper lowend, then the low-mids get very boxy and muddy - that's where you need the sub.). it needs more punch below 100 to 80hz. It's also a bit artificial sounding in the 5-10k area, it has some odd artifacts that make it sound a bit strident and metallic and not natural. Not sure if it's tweeter materials or construction, or the processing. I think a good outboard processor from Crutchfield, et. al., would do the system a lot of good. I'd be hesitant to replace speaker components because, for better or worse, they are designed to work with each other and the minute you change one, it disrupts the balance between all of the speakers and will probably lead to even more imbalance of sound.

But that's nit picking, though. Overall it is a very good and accurate system (imo) that can get loud, too loud for ear health, tbh. It's just not a bass-heavy, scooped-mid sort of EDM or rap / hip hop system that will rattle your windows.

Also, the number of speakers has zero to do with sound quality or loudness, I do not know what car makers are in this ridiculous race for 'number of speakers equating to more awesomeness' - my audiophile home system has 5 'speakers' and it sounds amazing, 10 times better than any car system I have experienced, because all of the components are high quality, manufactured well, and matched with very low distortion amplification and great processing. Car makers will dump 17 2-ohm speakers of crap into a car, match it with a relatively weak amplifier with mediocre to poor total harmonic distortion characteristics as well as a BBE-style processor and tone stack (to fix the sound quality issues created by the crap components), and suddenly you have a 17 speaker pos that cost you a 1500 monroney markup.

 

[KusaKusa]

I am a former audio engineer, and imo, the system is very good. It has issues with a lack of low-end that would be better and more accurately represented by a decent subwoofer (if you turn the bass parametric sweep they have up to get a proper lowend, then the low-mids get very boxy and muddy - that's where you need the sub.). it needs more punch below 100 to 80hz. It's also a bit artificial sounding in the 5-10k area, it has some odd artifacts that make it sound a bit strident and metallic and not natural. Not sure if it's tweeter materials or construction, or the processing. I think a good outboard processor from Crutchfield, et. al., would do the system a lot of good. I'd be hesitant to replace speaker components because, for better or worse, they are designed to work with each other and the minute you change one, it disrupts the balance between all of the speakers and will probably lead to even more imbalance of sound.

But that's nit picking, though. Overall it is a very good and accurate system (imo) that can get loud, too loud for ear health, tbh. It's just not a bass-heavy, scooped-mid sort of EDM or rap / hip hop system that will rattle your windows.

Also, the number of speakers has zero to do with sound quality or loudness, I do not know what car makers are in this ridiculous race for 'number of speakers equating to more awesomeness' - my audiophile home system has 5 'speakers' and it sounds amazing, 10 times better than any car system I have experienced, because all of the components are high quality, manufactured well, and matched with very low distortion amplification and great processing. Car makers will dump 17 2-ohm speakers of crap into a car, match it with a relatively weak amplifier with mediocre to poor total harmonic distortion characteristics as well as a BBE-style processor and tone stack (to fix the sound quality issues created by the crap components), and suddenly you have a 17 speaker pos that cost you a 1500 monroney markup.

Thanks for your assessment and contribution! I think the bad low-end issue may be because the subwoofers underneath the seats has a ridiculously low crossover frequency. I've only heard them turn on once in the entire time I've owned the G70, and it was very noticeable. Did you manage to hear those in use?

Have you used the Burmeister (Mercedes), Bang & Olufsen (Volvo), or ELS (Acura) sound systems before to provide a point of comparison? Reviewers say those are the ones to beat in the segment. The Mark Levinson (Lexus) is also pretty good.

 

[Bastiat]

Same here... the highs are not harsh like they initially were and the bass feels / sounds louder. Subs definitely break in over time, maybe the same for aluminum dome tweeters...Im not sure. I initially had bass turned way up and the mids/highs turned down. Now after 4k-5k miles Ive readjusted the EQ to have a slight bump in bass and neutral mids/highs.

I am a former audio engineer, and imo, the system is very good. It has issues with a lack of low-end that would be better and more accurately represented by a decent subwoofer (if you turn the bass parametric sweep they have up to get a proper lowend, then the low-mids get very boxy and muddy - that's where you need the sub.). it needs more punch below 100 to 80hz. It's also a bit artificial sounding in the 5-10k area, it has some odd artifacts that make it sound a bit strident and metallic and not natural. Not sure if it's tweeter materials or construction, or the processing. I think a good outboard processor from Crutchfield, et. al., would do the system a lot of good. I'd be hesitant to replace speaker components because, for better or worse, they are designed to work with each other and the minute you change one, it disrupts the balance between all of the speakers and will probably lead to even more imbalance of sound.

But that's nit picking, though. Overall it is a very good and accurate system (imo) that can get loud, too loud for ear health, tbh. It's just not a bass-heavy, scooped-mid sort of EDM or rap / hip hop system that will rattle your windows.

Also, the number of speakers has zero to do with sound quality or loudness, I do not know what car makers are in this ridiculous race for 'number of speakers equating to more awesomeness' - my audiophile home system has 5 'speakers' and it sounds amazing, 10 times better than any car system I have experienced, because all of the components are high quality, manufactured well, and matched with very low distortion amplification and great processing. Car makers will dump 17 2-ohm speakers of crap into a car, match it with a relatively weak amplifier with mediocre to poor total harmonic distortion characteristics as well as a BBE-style processor and tone stack (to fix the sound quality issues created by the crap components), and suddenly you have a 17 speaker pos that cost you a 1500 monroney markup.

I couldn't have said it better.

 

[Beefer]

The B&O system in my 2013 A4 was only slightly better.