Smithfield Lexus Owner Seeks LS 460 Audio System Upgrade

A client from Smithfield recently dropped by Adrenaline Autosound for some help with a 2007 Lexus LS 460 audio system upgrade. He had purchased a subwoofer system from another shop and wasn’t happy with its performance. After talking to the client and having a listen to the vehicle, we suggested an upgrade solution that would address all the factory sound system’s weaknesses.

Audiofrog Speaker Upgrade

The tweeters were mounted in the factory location on custom adapter plates.

Audiofrog speakers were chosen as a big improvement over the factory system.

We started the project by removing the front speakers from the Lexus and creating mounting adapters for a set of Audiofrog GS10 tweeters and GS60 midrange drivers. The HDPE plastic adapters bolt directly to the factory speaker hardware and negate the need for any permanent modifications to the vehicle.

As always, we ran new speaker wires to the Audiofrog speakers to deliver power from the amplifier efficiently and reliably. A set of acoustic coupling rings was added to the midrange drivers to help focus the output into the listening area, rather than losing that important acoustic energy behind the door panel.

Factory Audio System Integration

Great care was taken to neatly route all the wiring.

The amplifier fit perfectly in the factory location.

The next step in the project was to use a JL Audio TwK-88 digital signal processor to take the audio signal from the factory amp and manipulate it to create a realistic and natural soundstage in the vehicle. We mounted a JL Audio TwK-88 processor and a five-channel XD1000/5v2 amplifier to HDPE plates in the corners of the trunk. Both devices are secured to the trunk floor using existing hardware. We relocated the factory amplifier and satellite radio receiver to a location in the quarter panel to give us space for the new equipment.

As is our standard practice, all the system wiring is routed neatly and securely using automotive-grade cloth and fleece tapes. The equipment is easily accessible and serviceable.

JL Audio System Subwoofer

To accommodate the client’s request of minimizing intrusion into the storage compartment, we created a compact enclosure for a single 13.5-inch JL Audio 13TW5v2-2 that fits against the back of the trunk. We added a trim panel to the enclosure to give the system an integrated look. The five-channel amp provides a healthy 600 watts of power to the sub.

LS 460 Audio System Tuning

The final and most important part of the installation was to configure the DSP and the amplifiers to create a realistic and stable soundstage in the vehicle. The tweeters in the dash and woofers in the doors each have dedicated amplifier channels. This fully-active configuration allows us to set crossovers, signal delay and equalization in such a way that sound from each speaker in the system arrives at the listening position simultaneously.

The client returned to Adrenaline Autosound in Clayton to experience his LS 460 audio system upgrades. He was thrilled with the realism of the system and loved the deep, tight bass response. He was also impressed with the trunk layout and the fact that he still had most of the storage space available. If you are in the Raleigh area and are looking for assistance in upgrading the audio system in your luxury vehicle, drop by Adrenaline Autosound and speak with our team. We’ll explain the options available and show you how we can make your car stereo sound like a recording studio or a live performance. For more information, give us a call or send an e-mail using our contact page.