Nakamichi Vs. " Premium " Stereo

[jsmith20]

I'm looking for '98-00 LS400 and have in my head that I want the Nakamichi...but why? What are the benefits for the Nakamichi of the Premium Stereo? Does on the Nakamichi have the amp? Different speakers?

I have a '96 with the Nakamichi and really like it, but when I listened to a premium stereo the other day, it sounded nice as well

Thanks.

[SW03ES]

The Nakamichi is an excellent stereo...better than the systems in the newer cars

[1990LS400]

The 98-00 LS400 Nakamichi has different speakers, more power (280 watts vs. 195 watts), at least one less feature (ASL = automatic sound level), and different shaped tone, fader and balance control knobs.

I don't know how rare Nakamichis are on the 98-00 LS400. Of the four 99-00 LS400's I've been around on a varying basis, two have the standard Pioneer and two have Nakamichi.

I have been told by the owner of one of the larger car stereo repair businesses in the U.S. (Car Stereo Repair in Florida) that repair parts for Nakamichi systems are no longer available. Nakamichi tanked long ago and the current Nakamichi is not the same company. I assume parts are still available for the standard Pioneer system but I have not confirmed that. New or rebuilt components for both the standard Pioneer and the Nakamichi are no longer available from Lexus but used components pop up on eBay and these car forums from time to time.

It has been explained to me that the internal designs of the Nakamichi and Pioneer are very different and that some functions performed in the Pioneer head unit and amp are done it the opposite components of the Nakamichi. The wiring harness for the 98-00 LS400 Nakamichi and Pioneer systems are different including a different number of connectors (four vs. five) on the amps under the front passenger seat. The CD players for the two systems don't have the same part number so they may or may not be interchangeable.

I liken the sound of the two systems as being like the difference between digital and analog stereo systems with the Pioneer having a bit crisper digital sound and the Nakamichi having a slightly "fuzzy" (for lack of a better word) warmer analog sound.

The Nak in my 00 LS sounds great but I haven't spent all that much time in 98-00 LS400's with the standard Pioneer system. My Nak can play incredibly low, loud base notes with zero distortion as I've sometimes demonstrated to amuse/frighten people by playing Joni Michell's "Love is Gone" during which the lowest base notes can be felt though the seats and steering wheel even at half volume.

My Nak CD changer has no problem playing music CD's I burn on my PC in "cda" format but it won't play MP3. I assume the Pioneer CD changer can do the same.

I didn't go looking for the Nakamichi and probably would have been happy with the Pioneer. The Nak just happened to be on 2000 LS someone found for me back in 2003.

[jsmith20]

The 98-00 LS400 Nakamichi has different speakers, more power (280 watts vs. 195 watts), at least one less feature (ASL = automatic sound level), and different shaped tone, fader and balance control knobs.

I don't know how rare Nakamichis are on the 98-00 LS400. Of the four 99-00 LS400's I've been around on a varying basis, two have the standard Pioneer and two have Nakamichi.

I have been told by the owner of one of the larger car stereo repair businesses in the U.S. (Car Stereo Repair in Florida) that repair parts for Nakamichi systems are no longer available. Nakamichi tanked long ago and the current Nakamichi is not the same company. I assume parts are still available for the standard Pioneer system but I have not confirmed that. New or rebuilt components for both the standard Pioneer and the Nakamichi are no longer available from Lexus but used components pop up on eBay and these car forums from time to time.

It has been explained to me that the internal designs of the Nakamichi and Pioneer are very different and that some functions performed in the Pioneer head unit and amp are done it the opposite components of the Nakamichi. The wiring harness for the 98-00 LS400 Nakamichi and Pioneer systems are different including a different number of connectors (four vs. five) on the amps under the front passenger seat. The CD players for the two systems don't have the same part number so they may or may not be interchangeable.

I liken the sound of the two systems as being like the difference between digital and analog stereo systems with the Pioneer having a bit crisper digital sound and the Nakamichi having a slightly "fuzzy" (for lack of a better word) warmer analog sound.

The Nak in my 00 LS sounds great but I haven't spent all that much time in 98-00 LS400's with the standard Pioneer system. My Nak can play incredibly low, loud base notes with zero distortion as I've sometimes demonstrated to amuse/frighten people by playing Joni Michell's "Love is Gone" during which the lowest base notes can be felt though the seats and steering wheel even at half volume.

My Nak CD changer has no problem playing music CD's I burn on my PC in "cda" format but it won't play MP3. I assume the Pioneer CD changer can do the same.

I didn't go looking for the Nakamichi and probably would have been happy with the Pioneer. The Nak just happened to be on 2000 LS someone found for me back in 2003.

Thanks Jim - more detail than I was expecting...very insightful