Thanks for sharing this video and saving me the time that I would have wasted at the Lexus dealer. It’s a shame that this model doesn’t support discrete 5.1 audio playback.
OFFICIAL Vehicles with Factory Surround Systems
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Thanks for sharing this video and saving me the time that I would have wasted at the Lexus dealer. It’s a shame that this model doesn’t support discrete 5.1 audio playback.
Cygnus_X1
Active Member
Glad it helped, that channel has a lot of great info on audio sound systems. BTW, I'm not trying to talk you out of getting a Lexus, I just wanted to inform you since you were wondering about the 5.1 capability of the TX.
Multichannel playback is a must have for me. I won’t consider any vehicle that doesn’t have the feature. In fact whenever I am shopping for a new vehicle, the salesperson always looks at me strangely when I tell them I have little interest in test driving and rather test the audio system.
I feel sure those old Lexus supported 5.1 playback- or else they never would have made it into this thread. But those models are pretty old in the tooth.
I bought a 2012 Acura TL to get dvd-a and dts-cd playback. I considered getting a Lexus, which would also include DTS and DD on dvd, but they were just too old for me to invest in.
Of course the way to go to get surround in a newer car is to rip them to files and get an Acura that can play back those multi-channel files. There may be other makes that also allow USB MCH file playback- others with more knowledge than I can speak to that.
The hope is with some high-end models now coming out with Atmos, that may trickle down and make surround more available in less costly vehicles. Hopefully they will be accessible through files and not just streaming. But hard to believe discs will ever make a comeback.
I can attest the Lexus LX from that vintage does real 5.1, and I expect the rest do too if they were optioned with the Mark Levinson premium surround package. There's a menu option inside the A/V system to switch audio layers if the DVD itself doesn't have an on-screen menu. There's also a matrix surround option under the DSP menu that I think needs to be off, not positive though.
Too bad there's no audio layer button on the remote, but I guess there's only so much luxury one car can hold
For sanity check, I took a DVD-A out with me this morning to test (the Steve Wilson mix of Ultravox's Vienna) and it sure is discrete. Lots of vocal harmonies coming from the rears, and the synth doing circular pan at the end of "Western Promise" was a fun treat as always.
Don't know if my Aviators Revel Ultima 3D system qualifies, but it surely surrounds you in music. I guess its a drawback that it doesn't accept DVD's, but I use Apple music as my source and I have no complaints.
I spent 3hrs sitting in the car cranking the tunes and playing with the seats, the day it was delivered
I spent 3hrs sitting in the car cranking the tunes and playing with the seats, the day it was delivered
It looks like from the above list that the Acura MDX have ELS Studio 3D systems in it, and I'm assuming that includes the 2024 model. I am also only interested in being able to plug in a 1 TB flash drive with nothing but 5.1 flac files. Is this something that this model can do, or is this 3D system to downscale or alter my 6 discrete channels?
Also for Lennon..., Mercedes and Lucid have a few models that support Atmos files, but there are no Lucid showrooms within 4 hours, and I haven't gotten a chance to get to my local Mercedes dealership yet.
Also for Lennon..., Mercedes and Lucid have a few models that support Atmos files, but there are no Lucid showrooms within 4 hours, and I haven't gotten a chance to get to my local Mercedes dealership yet.
Cygnus_X1
Active Member
It can definitely play 5.1 FLAC files off a USB drive without doing any downscaling. I recently tested my USB stick in a 2023 MDX A-Spec and it sounded amazing. Even the Acura sales guy was shocked at how good it sounded, especially since he was using streaming services to show off the ESL to customers. Now he has his own USB stick. BTW, I use a Samsung BAR Plus 3.1 USB Flash Drive 128GB loaded with the Acura RDX 5.1 FLAC test files. The link to those files is on this forum somewhere lol.
There are certain rules you want to follow though, such as formatting the USB drive, directory structures, file-name length limitations, etc. JonUrban has a great post here detailing his experiences. I highly recommend reading through that for advice.
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...ls-3d-studio-5-1-surround-audio-system.25174/
Good luck, the MDX is a really nice vehicle.
Thx!
Thanks for the help and info, and I did look at that link. Unfortunately the link to those test files are no longer valid. I was wondering if you know if the flash drive has to be formatted specifically, or can the system read exFAT as well as FAT32? I moved between my Windows and Mac laptop, and the Windows can read both, Mac only works with exFAT, so my multiple flash drives are formatted to exFAT. Reformatting to what is needed will help greatly help and save me some embarrasment before I go car shopping.
. Unfortunately the link to those test files are no longer valid. I was wondering if you know if the flash drive has to be formatted specifically, or can the system read exFAT as well as FAT32? I moved between my Windows and Mac laptop, and the Windows can read both, Mac only works with exFAT, so my multiple flash drives are formatted to exFAT. Reformatting to what is needed will help greatly help and save me some embarrasment before I go car shopping.
The master list doesn't list a single Honda and I know it states "not for DVD-Video with Dolby Digital" but the DVD-Video system in the Canadian Odyssey Touring (called Touring Elite in USA) trim also supports DVD-V 24/48 dts 5.1 playback; they added Blu-ray in 2018 so with the top trim (Touring CA/Touring Elite US) you can take your SDE surround Blu-rays, Steven Wilson Blu-rays, etc, and enjoy discrete surround playback. Also includes dts Neural for stereo sources to play back in 5.1.
Does not support surround via USB and probably not the vehicle most folk here are looking for but if you have more than 2 young kids, it's a great option.
Does not support surround via USB and probably not the vehicle most folk here are looking for but if you have more than 2 young kids, it's a great option.
I will research applications and update the listing.
OregonSurround Fan
Member
Apologies if this has already been discussed, but my Acura service tech just told me that Acura plans to discontinue ELS in their cars starting in 2025. I hope that's not the case.
it is happening, you can read about the replacement here: https://acuranews.com/en-US/release...dio-collaboration-for-all-future-acura-models
"the first Acura models to feature the immersive, premium audio experience of Bang & Olufsen"
Sounds like it will play some sort of surround?
Sounds like it will play some sort of surround?
OregonSurround Fan
Member
It would be nice if they would define what they mean by "immersive"
OregonSurround Fan
Member
Thanks for sharing. It;s probably a longshot, but maybe they will keep ELS for a few years with some of the other models (TLX, RDX, etc.)? Meanwhile, the news release doesn't really specify if the B&O system will incorporate any type of lossless surround. I'll be curious to see.
My Audi A5 has the B&O surround system, it will play 5.1 flacs and does to some degree up-mix stereo to surround. Old fashioned Quad (with silent C & LFE) comes over better in the car than 5.1.
Hopefully the music selection software in the Acura will be better than that in the Audi - which doesn't have a back button from an album, so you have to go to the very top menu and go down through menus, scroll to the album, and select, so a 'bit of a pain' until you get to what you want - especially with a touch screen at 70mph. The playback software assumes we all listen from playlists on our phones, but that isn't necessarily possible for 5.1/4.0 flacs!
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Have you determined whether it's just reading the FL/FR from the 5.1 FLAC or can you create a 5.1 FLAC with 10 seconds material in each channel one at a time and hear it circle around the car properly?
Its true 5.1, its also the 2nd Audi A5 I've had with it.
