Acura TL w/DVD-A

[JonUrban]

Anyone here test drive one yet. I was thinking about it, just to hear the sound system.

I had a 2002 Acura TL-S, but the tranny kept dying so I traded it in on an Infinity. If I knew they would throw in a DVD-A player in the 04 TL, I might have waited.

If I do it, I will bring a few DVD-As with me. I wonder if it does DTS??

:-jon

 

[johnrd]

Jon,

I test drove one this past weekend. They actually have a demo dvd a that has cuts from nightfly, homecoming, what's new and I guess the dts/dvd-a re-issue of your precious love.

I also brought Tab's moody blues transfer -so yes it most definitely does dts! How wonderful it was to have this system preloaded in such an incredible car and do it for 35K. As prices keep climbing for cars, this really isn't out of line.

 

[JonUrban]

WELL............How GOOD did it sound???

Now I am jealous.........

 

[Nick Satullo]

It goes to show how infected we can become. I, too, have started to look at the Acura TL, for when I replace my current car in May, purely because of the DVD-Audio. After all, what could be more important in a car than its audio performance?

Acura is a pretty good car, though, and it's at least in the running. There was a thread over on www.hometheaterforum.com, in its music section, on someone that had actually auditioned the system.

Nick

 

[JonUrban]

Nick,

I "loved" my 2002 TL-S! Unfortunatly, there is/was a defect in the contruction of the transmission in the 2002 and early 2003 TLs that would render the car inoperable. After one tranny, I was about to pass a truck, stepped on the gas, and nothing happened except the tach buzzed up! AFter that incident, I traded it in.

I would buy a TL today, however, if I needed a new car. For the price, that sucker has a lot going for it. The DVD-A is the clincher!

For those who want to learn more about the TL, there is a great forum over at

http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/index.php

 

[johnrd]

WELL............How GOOD did it sound???

Now I am jealous.........

Jon,

At this point I am just drooling. Regarding the sound though, it didn't seem to pull the richness out of hi-rez. In fact, I did read someone else's summation that it sounded anemic. I unfortunately kind of agree.

I'm not sure what speakers were used in this package but even the narrated intro on the demo disc needed more mid range oomph.

It is still quite a system and I hope it inspires further developments.

 

[JonUrban]

The speakers are probably the weak link in the system. I bet they are just the plain paper cone jobs that were in my 02 TL. I had them replaced and it made a big difference.

 

[Bob Romano]

The speakers are probably the weak link in the system. I bet they are just the plain paper cone jobs that were in my 02 TL. I had them replaced and it made a big difference.

Found this info....

Standard equipment on all 2004 Acura TL models, the system is named ELS (Scheiner's initials). The 6-disc in dash unit plays CD's DVD-Audio and DTS discs (another audio format). It does not play DVD movies, DVD-V, DVD-R/RW, MP3 or WMA format discs however. The DVD Audio, usually abbreviated to DVD-A, in this Acura will rival a several-thousand dollar audiophile home system for sound quality and does it with only 225 watts of power.

Part of the incredible sound comes from the six-channel reproduction; five channels plus a sub-woofer. The Acura TL uses 8 speakers to provide the six channels: three on the dash, two on the front doors, two in the rear package tray and a sub-woofer to surround the occupants with sound. As I listened to a demo disc, each channel played one instrument or vocal part, demonstrating the distinct 6-channel playback, but when all channels were combined, the sound was a unified musical piece that enveloped the occupants. It didn't seem to matter where I was positioned in the car - it sounded like I was sitting in the middle of the band!

Nowhere have I found any other specific info on the type of speaker so I suspect Jon is right about them using factory speakers.

 

[Bob Romano]

Going for a test drive this Friday with the wife... the Acura TL would be for her... the sound system would be for me:banana:. I will report back as soon as I go. Boy I hope she likes it!

 

[JonUrban]

Going for a test drive this Friday with the wife... the Acura TL would be for her... the sound system would be for me:banana:. I will report back as soon as I go. Boy I hope she likes it!

Actually, I may be doing the SAME THING! My wife just totalled her truck. (She is OK, but very sore from seat belt/airbag injuries, and she has a broken ankle, so she's in a cast) When she recovers, I am having her test drive a TL! If she likes it, then we'll have DVD-A/DTS in the car! Cool!! (PS - It's a nice car to boot, I had a 2002 TL-S and it was great - except for the tranny. But that's a different story for a different forum)

 

[JonUrban]

YIKES! I checked this car out today, It is amazing. What a NICE CAR!! There is a DVD-A logo on the "radio", along with a DTS logo. This alone makes this car great, but the fit, finsih, power, interior design....WOW! It is really sweet.

The exterior looks a little odd until you see it in person. Other than that, it is a winner with me. They have a model called an "A-Spec" that is all tricked up, but the standard TL as well as the NAVI model both have the DVD-A units as STANDARD!!

The audio system is made by Panasonic, and designed by Elliot Scheiner. You can read more about the ELS audio system at his website

http://www.elssurround.com/

Oh yeah, you also get XM satellite radio!! Very nice!

This is now
THE OFFICIAL CAR OF QUADRAPHONICQUAD!!! :banana:

 

[Bob Romano]

You forgot the most important part...

How does it sound? What did you play?

 

[bizmopeen]

You forgot the most important part...

How does it sound? What did you play?

Also, I'm curious as to whether it can play (specifically DTS encoded) CD-Rs. My current Panasonic home DVD-A unit does NOT. (If I remember correctly, it's the A7 model...) Any ideas?

 

[JonUrban]

You forgot the most important part...

How does it sound? What did you play?

Well, first off, all I heard was the demo DVD-A. It is actually a well put together demo disc, with a "Here is stereo, here is DVD-A" bit at the beginning. Here is the scoop on that disc:

1. Introducing the ACURA/ELS Surround Sound System
2. CD AUDIO INTRO
3. THE DOOBIE BROTHERS ('Long Train Runnin') CD Quality
4. DVD-AUDIO INTRO
5. THE DOOBIE BROTHERS ('Long Train Runnin') DVD-Audio Quality
6. DVD-AUDIO IN THE 2004 ACURA TL
7. TL ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
8. I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World), Donald Fagen
9. VENTURA HIGHWAY, America
10. WINELIGHT, Grover Washington Jr.
11. YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
12. IT WAS A LOVER AND HIS LASS, Zephyr
13. WHAT'S NEW, Linda Ronstadt
14. PATIO DEL MORO, Ziroq
15. WHEN I'M GONE, 3 Doors Down
16. GREY SKIES, Josh One
17. TIME TO START, Blue Man Group
18. MORNING MOOD, London Philharmonic (Grieg)
19. FLAMENCO.A.GO.GO, Steve Stevens
20. DRAGON ATTACK, Queen
21. GET UR FREAK ON, Missy Elliot
22. 5.1 MULTI-CHANNEL SYSTEM CHECK
23. BUILDING A SURROUND MIX
24. DVD-AUDIO IN YOUR TL
25. TL ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY IN-DEPTH

I heard the start of the disc and some of the Fagen. It sounds pretty damn good to me. I don't know if I was swayed by the fact that I was thrilled that there was 5.1 in a car, but I could live with it! The bass was not too "boomy", and although I did not tweak the controls, as I said, it sounded great.

You are not going to rattle any stop lights with this one, but for a factory system, it's pretty impressive. I did not bring a Q8 conversion to try. Maybe next time.

 

[Bob Romano]

I will bring one on Friday or Saturday when I go just to see.

 

[daved64]

I sat in one today! Sparked up a conversation with a guy at BB who was looking at the Silverline Fleetwood Mac disc....I told him to "put it back and don't even think about it!" He thanked me and we started talking....I asked what player he had...he said "the TL".... I was like...OH! Is it here! Can I hear it?!!!! Nice guy, took me to his car and gave me a demo....sweet! I thought not being in the sweet spot would be a big deal, but it sounded great.

 

[FredSoles]

I will bring one on Friday or Saturday when I go just to see.

Well Bob, did you drive it???

 

[Bob Romano]

Well Bob, did you drive it???

Unfortunately, the day we were supposed to go it poured!! My wife didn't want to test drive anything in that kind of rain. So it is back on our list of things to do. I will remember to bring a DTS cd-r when I do go.

 

[bear]

Well, I went to the local Acura dealer today & drove a TL. Great car and super sound system. The disk that the dealer has is mostly DVD-a and has a few comparisons by A-B ing at song as a CD and then as DVD-A. ( Doobie Bros "Long Train Running".) I also brought a DTS sampler I'm made and it had this wierd chirp every 10 sec's or so but it was random. I though it might be the disk but it played fine in my 45A when I got home. Don't know what up with that. Anybody else try a DTS cdr in the car?

Barry

 

[Obbop]

Call me an old fogey, call me quaint, if you're a fine looking babe just call me....

However, I find myself calling it a DVD-A unit with a car attached!!!!

Conceptualize a dancing tropical fruit right here---------> X

/slinks off to await the flood of messages by bodaicious babe-type babes