Ls430 Amplifier Playing Up?

aviator888 · December 23, 2014

Speakers in my LS430 crackling badly. When i got the car last week i tought passenger door speaker and sub need fixing or probably replacing. However changing balance left-right front-back sound is terrible unless i keep the volume very low.

Then yesterday i decided to go in with the tools, take the door cards off. Before commencing work, i turned the ignition on and the sound was awesome from all speakers?

Has anyone had similar problems? If it's defective amp, can You recommend replacement or repair shop?

Thank You

Mel

cruisermark · December 23, 2014

hi

the amplifier is a known problem on the 430

i have a 04 plate and recently my amp packed up - i had no sound no cackling - nothing - i had it repaired by SVT services in edinburgh - £285 inc return post - great service - ask for chris.

The amp is is located inside the drivers side rear wing - access is by removing the boot liner.

why did you speakers sound ok when you took the door cards off?

aviator888 · December 23, 2014

I switched the ignition on and sound was all good. Never got round taking off door cards... this morning it took it for a drive and crackling is back :outforcount:

Thanks cruisermark i will give them a ring after holidays. Can anyone confirm is that the same amplifier as in the pre-facelift models 2001-2003?

cruisermark · December 23, 2014

no its not - the facelift model part number is 86280 - 0W250

aviator888 · December 23, 2014

Cheers cruisermark :) all the best christmas wishes to You and all the members here.

The-Acre · December 23, 2014

My front speakers vibrate a bit if the volume is too loud. It's a shame that when the very proud Mark Levinson graciously agreed to have his system put in a car, he couldn't make it last as long as the vehicle. I'm just glad I haven't shelled out four figures for one of his systems at home. I'll stick with my Denon thank you Mr L.

aviator888 · December 29, 2014

Before sending the amp off for repair, i removed the door speakers and the subwoofer today. Seems all the ML speakers suffer the same problem with age: cone edges separate and this is what causing the noise.

Silicone repair is in progress, but can anyone recommend a good replacement for front door speakers and the sub?

The-Acre · December 30, 2014

Before sending the amp off for repair, i removed the door speakers and the subwoofer today. Seems all the ML speakers suffer the same problem with age: cone edges separate and this is what causing the noise.

Silicone repair is in progress, but can anyone recommend a good replacement for front door speakers and the sub?

Was it fairly easy to get the front speakers out? I so I may take mine out to see if they're repairable.

Chris Skelton · December 30, 2014

Not just ML speakers (rot).

Hi-fi my main interest.

Lots of speakers use foam rubber as edge suspension and, inevitably, it decays with age. You can get re-foam kits for hi-fi speakers-don't see why not for Car ones.

Some sensible makers use 'doped fabric' surrounds -like my Leak Sandwich units that were made in the mid 1960s and are STILL functioning!

ambermarine · December 30, 2014

Looking at the pics it seems the speakers are fastened directly to the door frame (I might be mistaken)

On the Ls400 Mark 1 that I dismantled the door speakers were in cabinets that were then fitted in the door.

Perhaps this is the problem, the units I took out of the car I stripped were stored in a outside garden store for 10 years as spares still worked when they were dumped.I never needed them, the system on the Mark 1 lasted the life of the car, I hope the system in the Mark 4 is the same.

aviator888 · December 30, 2014

Taking the door card off is 7 minute job, speaker bolted to the door frame with 3 screws. Silicone repair works ok, but i will order some repair kits and do it properly in a few weeks time.

Getting the subwoofer out was a complete nightmare. Took me a whole day and it was even worse to put it all back together.

I don't want to do it again :outforcount:

The-Acre · December 30, 2014

Ooohhh, that looks scary! Fortunately my subwoofer seems OK so I'll do the fronts for now. Thanks for the info!

ambermarine · December 31, 2014

Thanks for the update on installation of the speakers as I suspected the speakers are fastened directly to the door frame .That leads me to believe the failure is inherrent to the environment ,as there is no enscapulation of the speakers as there is in the Ls400 nakachemi system.

The electronics on the Mark Levinson system is world renowned but it seems the fabrication of housings is less so.

There is also the possibility that to give the wider cabin space in the LS430 they narrowed the doors slightly which in turn restricted the space available for a speaker cabinet.

aviator888 · December 31, 2014

Ambermarine You are right.. i was very surprised to find quite a lot of condensation inside both doors and in the back of the speakers. Surely this is not very good enviroment for paper cones.

Chris Skelton · December 31, 2014

Ambermarine You are right.. i was very surprised to find quite a lot of condensation inside both doors and in the back of the speakers. Surely this is not very good enviroment for paper cones.

Is this just because currently it's cold and the condensation is caused by this?

Those seat pics are frightening! All that gubbins!

ambermarine · December 31, 2014

The interior of the door is probably best described as a bathroom environment.

There is water flowing through it and it is subject to tremendous variances of temprature and cold bridging .If you think of a bathroom wall or window getting condensation on it, the door is the same .The warm tempratures from within the car cause condensation on the cold surfaces on the door skin and the components .This also works the same way in summer when the air con is creating cool tempratures on the inner panels and the sun is creating heat on the outside panels all this on top of the rain running through the door.

Neil E · December 31, 2014

The most cost effective way is to repair the cones. Replacing the speakers with aftermarket units is tricky as you need to be careful to match the ohm rating of the original drivers to avoid damaging the amp. I was fortunate enough not to have to replace the door bass drivers but I did swap the sub. I think Polk, Alpine and others make dual 4 ohm car speakers that can be wired as 8 ohm drivers.

aviator888 · January 2, 2015

Someone recommended to use 8 ohm Sub with output no more than 100RMS. These are not easy to find. And if the shape is slightly different then lots of work will be needed to make it fit..

I think i'll pass and go for repair kit. But just to let everyone know, a bit of silicone will do as a cheap temporary fix.

benfur · November 6, 2015

Hi would just like to add my name to SVT services of Edinburgh .

Great service and gave discount when mentioning Lexus owners club !

Was a tricky fix as had intermittent no sound to speakers , so wasn't convinced it was the amplifier - anyhow bit the bullet and sent it off to Chris at SVT , he is not a great fan of the Mark levinson amp , but was diligent in replicating the fault conditions and eventually found the problem.

Now re installed in my face lift LS430 and sound is back to normality .

So if you have sound problems and suspect the AMP I recommend SVT services .

cleverdick · November 7, 2015

Looking at the photos of the drive units, I'll be as brave as to say that the ML branding is simply badge-snobbery. There's nothing remarkable about these speakers (they've not even neodymium magnets for goodness' sake)! And the baskets are pressed steel, too (as opposed to die-cast) - although this is not as bad as the plastic which one very famous brand has gone over to!

For cone repairs, I'd strongly recommend DK Loudspeakers in Spring Gardens, Romford, Essex. David has done many drive units for me over the years - including a sagging 12" Leak Sandwich 600 LF unit (Chris S. take note!). :)