Audiophiles w/ Model 3's

[groovyd]

Just got my AWD Model 3 and consider myself a bit of an audiophile. While the audio is pretty good for a stock configuration I wanted to start a thread here for other audio fanatics to discuss opinions and improvements that may be made; for example equalizer settings for a true flat response? potential subwoofer additions? interior treatments to improve the sound? etc...

I'll start off by saying I found the sound improved by a +1.0 boost in the sub-bass (second slider from the left) and a 20% fade to the back. Immersive mode I am still experimenting with but find the auto volume on speed attitude of the car is not very good. Really wishing they added a replay gain feature.

here's some threads I found around the webs about Model 3 audio...

Optimal Audio Equalizer Settings | Tesla
Audiophiles share your best Model 3 audio settings for overall best sound quality [Discussion] : teslamotors
Thoughts on Immersive Sound on the Model 3
Frequency sweep and response test in Model 3

 

[mswlogo]

I ran REW with an ECM8000 MIC, TasCam USB Preamp on a MAC.

If anything the low bass already very high. Levels are not calibrated (i.e. only look at the data as relative).

Flat is not always the best. I'm showing MIC at Left ear and Right Ear. Other locations looked similar.

I

 

[groovyd]

Found these EQ settings from someone who use RTA and pink noise to correct to flat with immersive enabled...

'Left to right 1.0, -1.0, -0.5, 2.0, -4.5'

 

[groovyd]

The things I found immediately lacking were mid-bass and the highs above 10khz. the highs don't seem fixable by their eq but the +1.0 on the second control from the left seems to do a decent job correcting the mid-bass, it just isn't well defined. Wondering if using dynmat and sealing the doors helps enough to spend the time doing it?

 

[TaoJones]

Recommend having a conversation with Cliff Johnson from Reus Systems - for years they've had the best sub-$20K solution for the Model S (then Model X) and now have something for the 3 as well. I don't know what the Model 3 pricing is, but the packages for the S/X are in the $3K-$5K neighborhood. Emphasis upon accuracy and a credible center channel. Am curious myself to know how or if the Model 3 packages differ from the S/X packages.

As well, the system moves from your current Tesla to your next Tesla for the cost of labor - in other words, it's the last audio upgrade (at least for the car) that you'll buy.

I've had 2 cars so far done by them - excellent customer service (both during and especially after the sale) and well worth the road trip. That said, Cliff often travels for multiple installs (see your local or regional owners clubs as that's a popular avenue for those since splitting the travel costs between 4-6 cars makes things cheaper than driving to CA).

Reus Systems, Orange, CA - 714.633.6636

At minimum, between Cliff and the owner (Rick Reus), you'll get no-bs answers to any, and I mean any, car audiophile-caliber questions regardless of whether you invest in one of their solutions or decide to do the whole thing yourself.

 

[groovyd]

Great info... really wish I was in Cali right now. Maybe they can post here about making a trip to ATL for us easterners to have good sound

 

[TaoJones]

Great info... really wish I was in Cali right now. Maybe they can post here about making a trip to ATL for us easterners to have good sound

That's a great idea - I bet if you email/call him he'd do just that. They do post here every now and again - I can't remember the username though. That would be useful info especially if there's an upcoming trip to, well, Atlanta or even somewhere in South Carolina or Florida.

The last update available from Reus which I learned of a couple of months ago was to add a treble adjust knob (the only visible indication when you get into the car that anything at all has been done is a small (~7mm) knob near the driver's seat controls, and that's for the bass/sub(s) - so now there would be two knobs) and something else having to do with the high end. Maybe another speaker. Oh, and do ask him about the different crossover options.

 

[groovyd]

got my eye on this page at the moment... hoping wishing waiting

https://www.badesignworks.com/model-3

 

[groovyd]

I ran REW with an ECM8000 MIC, TasCam USB Preamp on a MAC.

If anything the low bass already very high. Levels are not calibrated (i.e. only look at the data as relative).

Flat is not always the best. I'm showing MIC at Left ear and Right Ear. Other locations looked similar.

I

I'd be curious to see this with no audio playing or subtracted off. Seems like a background noise profile with signal on top?

 

[tv4184]

got my eye on this page at the moment... hoping wishing waiting

https://www.badesignworks.com/model-3

I like how they take the guess work out of it.

 

[groovyd]

I like how they take the guess work out of it.

Yeah, i'm totally cool with a kit style package that you can install yourself but has been purpose designed. Wonder if it would come with dampening foam to stick on the door panels etc. To be honest I think just swapping the door woofers and tweeters and rear trunk sub and amp would be all it needs to really sound great. I don't think the rear door or dash mids are as critical. The weaknesses are in the clarity of the midbass through lows and the very highs. Good tweeters up front would also help smooth the mids.

 

[mswlogo]

I'd be curious to see this with no audio playing or subtracted off. Seems like a background noise profile with signal on top?

Those are two different positions. Left ear and Right ear I'm showing. If I shut Audio off you wouldn't see much at all. This was parked in my closed garage. I think if you "Played Silence" it wouldn't show much either. If there is high frequency noise or something I can't hear, I don't care.

I may do another pass at this. The response of the car's equalizer was pretty poor. I might try another MIC.

 

[JGard]

Found these EQ settings from someone who use RTA and pink noise to correct to flat with immersive enabled...

'Left to right 1.0, -1.0, -0.5, 2.0, -4.5'

For no particular reason, I'm going to try these settings. I usually set my EQs to U-curve, so it sounds drastically different initially... More flat I guess? Hard to know what's "better" since it's so subjective

 

[mswlogo]

I'd be curious to see this with no audio playing or subtracted off. Seems like a background noise profile with signal on top?

I did your silence measurement here

REW (Room EQ Wizard) on Model 3

 

[mswlogo]

Found these EQ settings from someone who use RTA and pink noise to correct to flat with immersive enabled...

'Left to right 1.0, -1.0, -0.5, 2.0, -4.5'

Those are not flat, not even close. Nor would you ever want it to be flat.
The bass is high and the highs are low and you just tilted it further in the wrong direction.

 

[Trevor B]

Those are not flat, not even close. Nor would you ever want it to be flat.
The bass is high and the highs are low and you just tilted it further in the wrong direction.

What would you recommend instead?

 

[mswlogo]

What would you recommend instead?

I personally run most systems flat. It's really a personal thing and applying filters alters what the designer of the system intended you to hear. And probably did extensive testing.

 

[dfwatt]

The things I found immediately lacking were mid-bass and the highs above 10khz. the highs don't seem fixable by their eq but the +1.0 on the second control from the left seems to do a decent job correcting the mid-bass, it just isn't well defined. Wondering if using dynmat and sealing the doors helps enough to spend the time doing it?

Yes that what exactly was my question whether someone had done Dynamat yet. That stuff is amazing and it actually helps your door feel a whole lot more solid. Do we have any Dynamat pioneers on the Tesla Motor Club forum? And would they do us the great service of posting their work so we can see how and what they did? Including particularly how to disassemble the door properly without damaging it!

 

[flashflooder]

Yes that what exactly was my question whether someone had done Dynamat yet. That stuff is amazing and it actually helps your door feel a whole lot more solid. Do we have any Dynamat pioneers on the Tesla Motor Club forum? And would they do us the great service of posting their work so we can see how and what they did? Including particularly how to disassemble the door properly without damaging it!

The door is extremely easy to disassemble. There are only 3 bolts securing it in place, and you just pry the trim off by going around the edges. The bolts are near the "emergency" door release (there's a plastic cover to pop off underneath), in the map pocket area (near the light), and underneath the red reflective cap on the end of the door (this bolt does not exist on the rear doors).

In fact, just about everything in this car is easy to remove and reassemble without fear of breaking anything.

I am in the process of designing/printing speaker rings to accommodate my Focal 8" woofers in the doors (it's a tight fit!). But, I have some dynamat I'll be applying in the door and I'll upload pics when I get to the install.

 

[mswlogo]

I added front and rear Tesla Sun Screens to help reduce road noise. I think they helped a ton. Car feels so much more luxurious. I also think it helped the Audio system. Glass surfaces are always problematic in room acoustics. Having all that glass 3 inches above your head isn’t a good thing. Keeps car cooler in summer (less energy) and warmer in winter too.