Automatic Sound Leveler

How does ASL work on the Entune radio - does it have a microphone that detects ambient noise and raises the level accordingly, or does it sense the speed?

 

It's probably based on speed, that's how gm does it

 

The GM version is much better than the Toyotas, though does work.

 

The one in my wife's Lexus works great. So traveling at 30 MPH with a bunch of in and outside noise it doesn't react??

 

Are you asking because it doesn't do jack-squat regardless of the setting you have it on?

Asking for a friend who has the same issue.

 

Actually it works pretty well on medium. Have you tried adjusting the sensitivity?

 

Yeah... Low, med, high, and everywhere in between. The volume never changes. I'll check into it when the weather warms up.

 

I can tell when I move the volume comes up, and when I stop, it goes back down.

 

Have you ever notice radio sounds better when auto leveler is turned off? I have notice that more in my GS 350 f-sport, but that does have Mark Levinson system( 800+ watts, and 17 speakers) in it. They should offer that in our Tacoma.
Could be just me...

 

I never even noticed that we had that feature on the radio, guess I'm gonna have to try it out.

 

I have liked the ASL feature in my vehicles, but I too have noticed that it doesn't sound as good once I installed my stereo system. It's because as the volume increases, the system is also changing the EQ levels ever so slightly. In the case of our Tacoma's, the stock speakers suck at higher volumes, so the radio is changing the EQ in an effort to make up for the shortcomings of those speakers.

Once we installed a new stereo system, we can hear things better (especially when you're amplifying it). Basically, we are hearing the changing EQ messing with our nicely tuned systems as it gets louder.

The one time I was able to use an ASL feature with an aftermarket headunit that used a microphone to determine how loud to make things. It didn't mess with the EQ settings because it wasn't developed for any specific speakers or vehicle. A bonus with the microphone was that it turned things up even more (at the same speed) when I put the windows down!

 

IMO that's the way ASL SHOULD work!

 

I just went in for my 10k service. I had them update the radio and now the sound leveler is actually noticeable.

 

Do you have the Entune Plus system? How do you tell if an update is available? What version did they update to?

 

This.

I noticed recently when testing out the range of the speakers and amp I just installed, that the EQ in the Entune Premium limits the bass output at high volumes. This is frustrating to me. While the clarity of everything is fantastic, I notice the higher the volume over 30 (amplified), the lower the bass level goes. I do believe the only way I'm going to overcome this is to have a sound processor in there, like the Fix 86 to flatten-control the output to the amp.

 

A sound processor won't overcome this as far as I know. They help correct/overcome factory EQ settings, but they only do it at that level you tuned it at...which is usually when your vehicle is sitting still and being very quiet. They don't adapt as the cabin noise gets louder or as your speed goes up. They also don't adjust as you turn up the volume on the factory HU.

Now, there are sound processors that do adjust the EQ as you turn up the volume, but only if you are turning up the volume on the sound processor (not the HU). Unfortunately, I don't know if there are any newer sound processors that have some way to implement their own ASL...but it may be out there now. I haven't looked at them in a few years since mine is still going strong. I'm using a JBL MS-8 sound processor and used to use an Audison Bit1 before that.

 

I just got my 2018 in April so I will assume it has the latest software update. I hear no difference between high, mid, low, or off. Just coming from a Jeep Renegade, I am familiar with its version of ASL, worked pretty well - Taco's, not so much.

Here's my issue - I just bought a set of Kicker speakers, the CS series mentioned in another thread, and was going to install them this weekend but I'm thinking I should take the Taco back to the dealer to look at the ASL before I change the speakers, just in case they try to tell me my problem is with the aftermarket speakers. Or do I just install my speakers and turn off ASL and try to forget that it exists?

 

My wife's '01 ES300 had a GREAT sound level equalizer - went down to a whisper when stopped and then louder as the car gained speed. Her '02 works well but NOT as well. The Taco I can hear it lower when stopped and gain volume as I gain speed, but you really have to listen to it!

 

It wouldn't hurt to have them look at it, but chances are that the ASL is working properly (by Toyota's standards). That just means you'll have to lower your standards to match.