Can I Change The Head Unit?

[Ellerbeck24]

Is there anyway I could change my head unit on my is350? I was just thinking I could change the car reciever. I was looking at this one, but did not know if it would fit.

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Ite...=5684&avf=N

Thanks for the help.

[smooth1]

You can find out for yourself by going back to the website your posted the link to and go to car audio and video, then select "outfit my car" and put in the year, make and model of your car, then Crutchfield will tell you what head units fit and what won't. As of right now, as far as I know, any hu replacements for the ISX50 would be considered a PIA custom install, and there are no aftermarket direct fit kits available, as the radio is seperated and other car functions are incorperated into the unit along with the voice command system and the steering wheel controls. So aftermarket comapnies would have to make a radio specifically for the IS model, as now they just make hu's and then make mounting kits for individual cars.

[Knightshade]

Yeah, the install itself would be custom, and you'd have to keep the factory head unit brain wired into the car somewhere (usually glove box or trunk) in order to keep the AC and such functional.... folks have certainly done it, but it's not as simple as pull out the OEM unit and pop in a new one.

[Ellerbeck24]

Here I don't want to change the top part but just the bottom part.

http://www.leasetrader.com/photos/actual71...-350-Sedan.jpeg

I want to change just where the line underneath the SOS button and under the temp buttons. I dont want to change the top with the screen and all. Would i still have to get a custom head unit?

[smooth1]

I don't think you can get a custom made head unit, I would think you would have to find one that fits the bill for what you want and then make it fit and completely rewire the install. I'm sure you will lose some features, but anything can be done with enouph money.

[rishithen7]

I don't think you can get a custom made head unit, I would think you would have to find one that fits the bill for what you want and then make it fit and completely rewire the install. I'm sure you will lose some features, but anything can be done with enouph money.

dude that head unit looks kinda cheap no offense. the OEM head unit matches seamlessly with the dash. im sorry dude but when i think

of non-oem head units i think of junk honda civics. def no lexus.

[Ellerbeck24]

i know its cheap. thats why i want to buy a new one or something do you have any ideas for a good one that would fit in the lexus an OEM?

[bartkat]

There are several threads about that. One unit seems to be a favorite aftermarket item. Some of the threads have been combined, so a search ought to find them.

[linn]

Anyone knows if any manufacturer offers speakers (or anything else that improves the sound) specially designed for the IS?

linn

[Knightshade]

Anyone knows if any manufacturer offers speakers (or anything else that improves the sound) specially designed for the IS?

linn

Yes, the Mark Levinson option :P

Other than that it'd be DIY.

[linn]

I've got this option: If you are just a little kind of an audiophile: Forget it ;)

DIY will never work on the 2nd gen IS, there are too many speakers and nobody knows the sensitivity of them. (if you put just 14 good speakers that fit into the IS, it might sound even worse)

linn

[Knightshade]

Only 13 speakers if you don't have ML... and honestly they're just component separates (4 tweeters, 4 mids, 4 woofers, then one sub)... size and wattage are well known... the ML has a different setup (2 surround speakers in the back deck and a center speaker in the dash, plus swapping the 3-part sets in the rear door for a bigger mid and a tweet...and a digital amp).

Personally, the ML sounds pretty close to much much more expensive systems so that was plenty enough for me, and way cheaper, than looking at the aftermarket.

If you already have the car with the factory Non-ML system though it wouldn't be that tough to replace just the speakers... The woofer and tweeter sizes are pretty standard... you'd just have to find a 3-way component set that had a small enough mid... here's a set for example that'd work but for the 3" mid (instead of the 2.6")... it's possible a 3" would fit in the mounting location but I haven't taken the doors apart and measured how much space is back there-

http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseac...product_id=4312

Those are a bit spendy, but nice... you can see why the ML system's a good deal though :P

[linn]

To know the wattage is not enough, you have to know the sensitivity! (this gives the information, how loud a speaker plays - you can't say how fast a car goes if you know it has 200hp; if you don't know the sensitivity of each of the speakers, the result could be that e.g. the midrange plays much louder than before, but the bassrange much less - this will sound horrible, even if you installed the best speakers!)

The cheapest and easiest way to improve the sound would be to "hack" the DSP of the ML-System. The factory-setup is bad and the sound-options-menu influences the wrong frequencies

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THERE IS A KIND OF "HIDDEN MENU" WHERE YOU CAN CHANGE MORE THAN THE STANDARD-SETTINGS?

linn

[Knightshade]

To know the wattage is not enough, you have to know the sensitivity! (this gives the information, how loud a speaker plays - you can't say how fast a car goes if you know it has 200hp; if you don't know the sensitivity of each of the speakers, the result could be that e.g. the midrange plays much louder than before, but the bassrange much less - this will sound horrible, even if you installed the best speakers!)

The cheapest and easiest way to improve the sound would be to "hack" the DSP of the ML-System. The factory-setup is bad and the sound-options-menu influences the wrong frequencies

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THERE IS A KIND OF "HIDDEN MENU" WHERE YOU CAN CHANGE MORE THAN THE STANDARD-SETTINGS?

linn

No hidden menu. And honestly the only thing you really need to do to "improve" the ML system is wire in a $2 resistor to tone down the center channel speaker... it's nice for movies but a little strong for regular music. Frequency response is fantastic on the ML, it's just the staging is a bit off due to the center channel being a bit overpowering normally.

[Lex Law]

I contributed to this thread that shows you how to mod your ML to turn down the center speaker.