I just finished completing the audio install on my Z. The car has a Kenwood 7019 mp3 head unit, Focal Utopias component front stage, focal coaxials for rear fill. The Utopias are powered by a Cadence 75wx4 channel amplifier bridged. That feeds them with around 250w each. The coaxials are amplified by the head unit. I have an Infiniti Basslink amplified sub cut at 50 hertz. The doors are completely dynamated.

After a lot of tweeking I placed the Utopias tweeter crossover at -4 decibels, I also placed the front tweeters out of phase because the sound was a little forward. I spent close to 4 hours listening to my test CD's in both my SC430 and the Z until I was satisfied with the Z sound.I must say that the Utopias are like a surgical scalpel and the midbass from the woofers (6.5in) is incredible. Im sorry Mr. Mark Levinson! I can say that my Z's audio system its much better, eventhough the SC430 has the best sounding factory audio system in the market.

 

Focal utopia 165w is considered as one of the best sounding 2-way set of speaker made. I used to run the 165w in my mitsubishi 3000gt in kicks and the midbass is amazing. If you are impressed with the midbass in doors, you will be more impress if you can somehow find room for them in kicks. The 6.5in midbass need around .2 cubic foot to sound like a mini sub upfront. Where do you have the tweeters mounted by the way.

 

The tweeters are surface mounted on the A pillars. I also have another set of utopias in my is300

 

It's really not hard to beat the Mark Levinson's in the Lexus. The system is massively 'dumbed down' compared to most of his normal stuff. By far one of the best factory sound systems though.

The Focal Utopias are great speakers but I find their overpowering midbass to often times detract from total sound quality, much like the Boston Rally RC620s. Still one of the best speakers out there and their tweeters are absolutely beautiful sounding.

 

For my info,

I have some JL tweeters in the A pillar. They are wayto bright for my lking and have trouble finding a comfot zone with them.

Someone mentioned something about wiring them out of phase would this help??

Thx.

 

Maybe I'm being a bit picky but I thought Mark sold the brand to Madrigal years back and has had a couple other things goin, currently Red Rose.

BTW, anyone else see the Stereophile review of the Linn system in the AM Vanquish? 4 3-ways each triamped w/ 75 watters as I recall.

 

yep, you are correct, Mark isn't nearly as involved as he used to be (if at all) most/all of his time is spent with Red Rose, Levinson as people use to know them are a thing of the past.

 

Mr. "ls350z":
I completely agree with your accurate description of the Mark Levinson in the sc430 and the focal utopias. Never the less in the Z, in which the front speaker grilles are covered 50% with plastic, blocking the sound waves, and the tweeters are a lot closer to your ears than the woofer, I believe that the focal woofers being a little forward sounding is a convenience for the reproduction of the musical information in this specific vehicle.



Mr. "Principe", wiring your tweeters out of phase will help a lot with the harshness of the high frecuencies. Also facing them one in front of the other away from your ears will also aid in the problem because of the cancellation of the frecuencies in that specific spectrum. When you wire them out of phase, changing the polarity of just one tweeter, will act like a time delay for the tweeters so the sound from both transducers will arrive at your ears more sincronized.



Mr "Spoe" and Mr "Rodh" You are both right when you say that Mark Levinson sold his co. to Madrigal, that actually belongs to Harman Corp with investments in Clarion, Directv, Zenith, etc. At the moment, Mark, during the day is busy using the SACD from Sony (the same one that I have) in his 5th Ave. recording studio and during the night he divides his time between his wife, Kim Catrall (Sex and the City) and playing his centuries old cello he bought during a trip to Europe.
Tks for your reply - Carlos

 

actually he does a bit more that "using his SACD from Sony", he actually produces some of the best quality SACDs on the market, I have about 3 of his SACDs from Red Rose, they are VERY good for demos.