Lars2

I am aware of that. I am connected to Android via Bluetooth. I tried turning my cell phone off to see if I could ask for songs and artists then. But NO it still said I need a subscription. I didn't find the fact that you need CarPlay or Amazon Music except in the car itself. When you either press the talk button on the steering wheel or ask Google or Lexus to play a song or artist (with the audio in USB), the screen says you need a subscription for this function and allows you to send a link to your cellphone.

I too have all of my music recorded as MP-3s on a flash drive plugged into the USB connection. My older ESs (I lease a new one every 3 years) worked great by asking for song or title after pressing the talk button on the steering wheel and it too did a great job. I also usually left it in "random play" and "all folders" (I have 3 folders). But my new 2023 ES300h doesn't work the same. Apparently the system uses the software of either Amazon Music or Apple Music to reproduce the sound. You have to choose one of these two under set-up. I can see no other choice. You would think that the USB music would work without a subscription if you were listening to it with the Android Auto turned off. But that doesn't seem to be the case. I use Android Auto, not Apple Play, but I don't think there's much difference. I Made a mistake in my last message. The subscription for Amazon Music comes with a 3 month free trial (not one year) just like Apple Music. Amazon Music is $2 less per month however.

Sorry George. I'm new to this and apparently goofed. But I will respond to my own comment here first, and then go post it in the proper place. I will answer myself since I have figured it out after a bit of digging (not that easy). First, make sure you are not is guest mode. For some reason my ES300H sometimes switches to guest mode when I start it up even though I was the last one to drive it. Then either press the talk button on the steering wheel, or say "Hey Lexus" and say "USB." Once you are in USB, use the "Hey Lexus" or use the button and give command "play song ..." The car responds with Ok and the name of the song. Then the car tells you that you must have a subscription to either Amazon Music or Apple Music in order to use this feature. It allows you to send instructions to your phone. I thought I had Amazon Music since I am an Amazon Prime member. But not the case. The Amazon Music subscription costs $8.99 per month, though you can get one free year by signing up right now. I intend to do this. Apple Music runs $10.99 per month. Now this sound like nickel and diming and hardly worthy of a luxury builder like Lexus. But I guess that if you can afford a Lexus, you shouldn't complain.

I will answer myself since I have figured it out after a bit of digging (not that easy). First, make sure you are not is guest mode. For some reason my ES300H sometimes switches to guest mode when I start it up even though I was the last one to drive it. Then either press the talk button on the steering wheel, or say "Hey Lexus" and say "USB." Once you are in USB, use the "Hey Lexus" or use the button and give command "play song ..." The car responds with Ok and the name of the song. Then the car tells you that you must have a subscription to either Amazon Music or Apple Music in order to use this feature. It allows you to send instructions to your phone. I thought I had Amazon Music since I am an Amazon Prime member. But not the case. The Amazon Music subscription costs $8.99 per month, though you can get one free year by signing up right now. I intend to do this. Apple Music runs $10.99 per month. Now this sound like nickel and diming and hardly worthy of a luxury builder like Lexus. But I guess that if you can afford a Lexus, you shouldn't complain.

As far as the performance of the Mark Levinson in my 2023 ES300H, I find that the tone has been improved. In past ESs I have had to make large adjustments to the treble, mid, and bass adjustments to get satisfactory sound. Very odd to me that when set to flat, the tone was terrible with WAY TOO MUCH TREBLE. Also, using a flash drive plugged into the USB in older ESs, the volume had to be set very high (sometimes at the max of 60). I thought it might be because it was recorded too low, but the same flash drive had no such problem when played on other devices. The my new Lexus no longer has this problem. For the first time, I am totally satisfied with the sound of the Mark Levinson.

I have just one problem. I put my music on a flash drive plugged into the USB terminal. In my past ESs I could say, "play song..., or play artist..." But my 2023 ES300H doesn't seem to have this capability. Perhaps there is a new way of doing this, but I have tried everything I know of without success. Anybody else having this problem???

I keep my music on a flash drive plugged into the USB terminal. In my past ES350 I could say "play song, or play artist" and the Mark Levinson would play the requested music. My new 2023 ES300H doesn't do this. Am I missing something??? This was one of my favorite functions on my past Lexuses.