Advice on Packages & Audio

[bigsmooth469]

Just placed my order and was invited to configure. I am curious about a couple of packages. Specifically am wondering:

* Is the audio upgrade worth the $$$? I love my music and have in the past ordered very expensive sound systems in cars as well as put in aftermarket systems. I have the audio upgrade in my Model S but I don't find the system to be very good in terms of audio quality. I'm wondering if I could save the $$$ and get a Reus system installed without having to spend the initial $2500?
* Is there any ambient lighting if you do not order the premium upgrades package?
* How good are the ventilated seats? Do they cause any issues?
* The pictures show the Alcantara headliner in the design studio, even if I have premium package deselected. Does this come without the premium package?

 

[Tdriver]

Initial reports indicate the X upgrade is an improvement over the S system. I can vouch for the Reus system...a noticeable upgrade for the optional S system.

 

[ptsagcy]

Truthfully, on the highway, I don't think it's worth it because of the wind and road noise. The wind noise is better after the gasket replacement and other tweaks, but still noticeable at highway speeds. The road noise, with the Michelins, is also very noticeable We'll see what happens when I switch to the Continentals, but I'm glad I didn't get the sound upgrade.

 

[Blastphemy]

I haven't had the opportunity to hear the base Model X sound system, but I can say that the Ultra High Fidelity Sound System is reasonably good but not spectacular. However, I'm very glad I didn't stay with the presumably inferior base system, since it must be rather bland if the Ultra High system is considered premium.

If you're expecting something along the lines of the spectacular Mark Levinson system found in the Lexus LS460, it ain't even close. (And this is coming from a professional musician who would know the difference.) But imagine the alternative if you don't upgrade, so I'd recommend spending the bucks... but limit your expectations. It's a solid system with good fidelity, but the low end could be tighter and more pronounced, and the soundscape could be much wider. It sounds like it was built by very competent engineers using instruments to measure everything, rather than having an aural expert use his ears to craft a work of art.

We didn't notice any appreciable road noise in the X we drove, but perhaps we had better roads or less crosswinds?

 

[Camera-Cruiser]

Truthfully, on the highway, I don't think it's worth it because of the wind and road noise. The wind noise is better after the gasket replacement and other tweaks, but still noticeable at highway speeds. The road noise, with the Michelins, is also very noticeable We'll see what happens when I switch to the Continentals, but I'm glad I didn't get the sound upgrade.

If Tesla could fix the road noise, all audio systems would sound better. Road noise and poor Nav are my only real pet peeves. Of the two, I'd prefer the road noise fixed. My iPhone can solve the nav problem, but not the noise. Sorry, off topic.

 

[Blastphemy]

I haven't had the opportunity to hear the base Model X sound system, but I can say that the Ultra High Fidelity Sound System is reasonably good but not spectacular. However, I'm very glad I didn't stay with the presumably inferior base system, since it must be rather bland if the Ultra High system is considered premium.

If you're expecting something along the lines of the spectacular Mark Levinson system found in the Lexus LS460, it ain't even close. (And this is coming from a professional musician who would know the difference.) But imagine the alternative if you don't upgrade, so I'd recommend spending the bucks... but limit your expectations. It's a solid system with good fidelity, but the low end could be tighter and more pronounced, and the soundscape could be much wider. It sounds like it was built by very competent engineers using instruments to measure everything, rather than having an aural expert use his ears to craft a work of art.

I can't edit my original post since the edit window timed out, so instead of revising my prior post, I will post amended comments here.

First off, IGNORE what I wrote above! Silly me, I forgot an axiom of testing sound systems: the audio source makes all the difference. When testing out the sound system the first time, I relied on radio, Slacker, Bluetooth streaming from an iPhone, and my friend's USB stick. All sound was reproduced well, but it wasn't anything special.

Fast forward one day, and I returned with my own professionally-mastered USB stick (just a fancy way of saying I converted my lossless iTunes tracks to VBR Unconstrained AAC on a USB 3.0 thumb drive), with hand-selected tracks designed to put the Model X Ultra High Fidelity Sound System through its paces. What a difference!!

While I still don't believe the Model X sound system rises to the level of the Lexus Mark Levinson, I take back my ignorant and uninformed statement that it wasn't close. The Model X ROCKS when the right source material is played. The only track that seemed to overtax the subwoofers was - funny enough - 1984 by Van Halen. (I've seen that opening track from the 1984 album literally destroy subwoofers before, so this isn't anything for Tesla to be ashamed of. The good news is that it almost pulled off reproducing those bass bombs.)

From "Toccata and Fugue in D minor" from Don Dorsey's Bachbusters album, to Van Halen's "1984," Mahler Symphony No. 8 as recorded on Telarc by Robert Shaw, Angela Hewitt's Bach cycle, ABBA Gold (and More Gold), E-Type's "Last Man Standing," Fun.'s "Some Nights," Pharrell's "Happy," Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," John Williams' "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," The Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams," and so on and so forth, everything sounded spectacular.

The only issue I noticed was that "Happy" and "Blurred Lines" caused a lot of rattles in the car along the door trim, but other tracks that were just as bass-heavy didn't. So there must be certain frequencies in the car that mess with the fit & finish.

So my whole-hearted recommendation is that anyone who is serious about good sound invest in the Ultra High Fidelity Sound System in the Model X. Using good source material, you won't be disappointed.

 

[mikevbf]

Thanks for your revised report. I was not impressed with the audio when listening to the radio during a test drive, but took it with a grain of salt because I had not brought any good source music to test the system. I am glad you did and will keep my uhfs in my configuration based on your testing.

 

[Rdainer]

so what you are saying is that if you aren't going to bother using good source material then the standard system should be just fine? Frankly, I am a musician and studied music all my life - can hear all kinds of differences in whatever...but am too lazy in my car to do anything other than stream Apple Music off my iphone....so....will it matter that i got the standard system or will I notice it and be sorry i didn't upgrade to premium?

 

[pvogel]

so what you are saying is that if you aren't going to bother using good source material then the standard system should be just fine? Frankly, I am a musician and studied music all my life - can hear all kinds of differences in whatever...but am too lazy in my car to do anything other than stream Apple Music off my iphone....so....will it matter that i got the standard system or will I notice it and be sorry i didn't upgrade to premium?

I can *definitely* tell a difference with the UHFS using just my iPhone over Bluetooth over the quality of sound in my fully loaded and sound-upgraded Prius. I haven't heard the standard sound system in the X, but I think it does make a big difference.

 

[elguapo]

I regret no ordering the audio upgrade, but I was concerned about how much space subwoofer takes up. I love music, but had to draw line somewhere.

 

[Rdainer]

I'm sorry to hear that elguapo - thank you so much for the feedback, though - I called today and upgraded and paid the change fee. The cool thing was I found out I was just hours under the window before my order totally locked as my car is going into production!! So excited!! thank you all for your advice What really swayed me was the fact you could tell with just streaming iphone music and that there is supposedly a better user experience for my kids sitting in the back seat.

 

[jerry33]

so what you are saying is that if you aren't going to bother using good source material then the standard system should be just fine? Frankly, I am a musician and studied music all my life - can hear all kinds of differences in whatever...but am too lazy in my car to do anything other than stream Apple Music off my iphone....so....will it matter that i got the standard system or will I notice it and be sorry i didn't upgrade to premium?

There are three factors here:

1. The recording quality that was done in the studio.
2. The compression method used.

It's pretty obvious that #2 won't matter if #1 was poor to start with (and there are many poor recordings, as I'm pretty sure you're aware of being a professional).

The third factor is that the Tesla audio system is a garbage in garbage out system. It doesn't have anything to help mask poor recording or lossy compression the way some non-car systems do. You'll get what was recorded less any compression losses.

A number of folks have put in the Reus system in their Model S and are very happy with it. However, there are several different options depending upon whether you have the premium sound system or the standard sound system so going with the standard and then adding Reus may not be the best way to go. (I don't have any first hand experience with Reus.)