Car and Driver Tests Acoustically Insulated Tires in Tesla

[cab]

I posted this is another thread, but it is probably worth its own thread. Hardly a super comprehensive test, but their limited test does seem to show a reduction in "tone" at certain frequencies. In addition, "impact nose" seems to be where more of the reduction in tone occurs.

Enjoy:
Tested: Do Acoustically Insulated Tires Really Hush Road Noise?

 

[Snerruc]

I've got the Goodyears. Tire thump doesn't seem to be reduced to my untrained ears

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

This post will probably save me money down the road.

Thanks.

 

[Got-EMF]

Might be due simply to new tires as commented on in the linked article, but for my 2013 less insulated model, there was a noticeable difference. I would say more in the 500Hz range.

 

[FlatSix911]

Not exactly a ringing endorsement ... Sounds levels actually increased on smooth asphalt.

 

[typhune]

Seems like the best approach would be for tesla to add noise-cancelling to tech to the stereo. Same principle as the headphones, just reverse the soundwaves and pump it through the inside speakers. Voila, no noise.

 

[Lightmatrix]

Those noise reduction tires almost screwed me when I got a nail in the tire. The local Goodyear shop would not fix the flat without a Tesla SC blessing that this tire could be repaired. When I called the SC they said it could not be repaired, which seemed unbelievable to me. While the Goodyear shop tried to find the same tire to order to replace mine, I did some Google ninja work and located the European flat fix manual for those tires online.

Good enough for the Goodyear guy, fixed the flat for free, and learned something new.

 

[typhune]

Those noise reduction tires almost screwed me when I got a nail in the tire. The local Goodyear shop would not fix the flat without a Tesla SC blessing that this tire could be repaired. When I called the SC they said it could not be repaired, which seemed unbelievable to me. While the Goodyear shop tried to find the same tire to order to replace mine, I did some Google ninja work and located the European flat fix manual for those tires online.

Good enough for the Goodyear guy, fixed the flat for free, and learned something new.

Could you post it, or the link to it? That might come in handy...

 

[Lightmatrix]

Here you are:

http://blobs.continental-tires.com/...1788336b/contisilent-repair-download-data.pdf

 

[artsci]

With my own several expriements with acoustical lining of tires -- including shipping tires to Europe to have them foam lined and lining them myself -- I've concluded that foam lining of tires does little to impact road noise in the cabin. The biggest effect is on frequencies that make very little sensory difference to the ear. So I've concluded that it's all hype by the tire manufacturers to command a higher price and margin from the sale of tires.

 

[Chopr147]

In theory it sounds good but in reality it will just cost me more money whenever I have to buy new tires.

 

[pilotSteve]

In theory it sounds good but in reality it will just cost me more money whenever I have to buy new tires.

My 2012 sig came with 21" Continental tires that always sounded quite noisy to me. I haace a winter set of 19" rims with Primacy tires that was significantly quieter. However I used my referral credit to get ContiSilent 21" replacement tires and they are by far the quietest of all.

I don't have any DB or SPL readings just my ears. Personally I would buy them again.

 

[iffatall]

Seems like the best approach would be for tesla to add noise-cancelling to tech to the stereo. Same principle as the headphones, just reverse the soundwaves and pump it through the inside speakers. Voila, no noise.

I read somewhere that active noise cancelling is difficult in a car technically (although it can still be an advertising gimmick), because the active cancelling noise that the speaker generates can only really cancel the noise for one point in space. The same cancelling noise can become additive at a different point in space. In other words, it is hard to cancel noise for all passengers in the car at the same time. It can be done theoretically, but needs very complex speaker and mic systems.

It is easier to use noise absorbing materials to dampen the road/wind noise.

 

[CSFTN]

Don't forget, the decibel scale is logarithmic ... increase in a value of 10 is actually 10x as intense, twice as loud ... and dBA adjusts and distorts the true difference.
The Decibel Scale: What Is a Decibel (dB)? Noise and Sound Units

 

[ICUDoc]

Seems like the best approach would be for tesla to add noise-cancelling to tech to the stereo. Same principle as the headphones, just reverse the soundwaves and pump it through the inside speakers. Voila, no noise.

It does sound good, but is there a difficulty in trying to cancel noise in a large cabin (cf small ear- or head-phones) because of the phase effects / time delay of the noise coming from different parts of the cabin and reaching different ears at different times?
Maybe a good reduction can be effected by a "close-enough" approach for some frequencies / some sources only?

 

[hmmm]

Reviving this thread as needimg new tires never gets old.

What's the current consensus for quiet tires om staggered 21s?? Conti vs Michelin vs PZ4? Are the Pirelli decent? I hated the ones I had on my previous car (911) so have sort of a negative bias there but could be wrong.

Also, I just noticed a new Franken on tirerack and these seem almost too cheap to be any good. What's the reputation of that brand in general?

Falken Azenis FK510 for 2016 Tesla Model S With Staggered Tires P90D

Thanks in advance

 

[silentsnow31802]

Reviving this thread as needimg new tires never gets old.

What's the current consensus for quiet tires om staggered 21s?? Conti vs Michelin vs PZ4? Are the Pirelli decent? I hated the ones I had on my previous car (911) so have sort of a negative bias there but could be wrong.

Also, I just noticed a new Franken on tirerack and these seem almost too cheap to be any good. What's the reputation of that brand in general?

Falken Azenis FK510 for 2016 Tesla Model S With Staggered Tires P90D

Thanks in advance

I just saw these on the website. I am in the need of new tires and will be ordering them soon. I quick searched them a bit and they seem decent especially for the price.

I have heard good things about Falken Azenis tire line in general.

 

[BrokerDon]

You definitely need Falken tires to match your Falcon doors on a X

LOL

 

[Chopr147]

Looking into tires myself. I'm not happy one rear tire is already going bald at 15,000 miles. Maybe some spirited driving helped it along but it's only 1 tire. The other three look fine. Now i'm a little apprehensive about getting a flat. Maybe tires and rims used.

 

[Villa-Lobos]

I had a flat on the goodyear grand touring with sound reduction tech. They are definitely quieter than the Primacy but at a walmart in the middle of nowhere they had no idea how to plug the tire at first. Finally after 90 minutes and tearing out all the foam around the hole a second time it worked. If you do plug them make sure to rebalance the tire as taking out some of the foam to repair throws it off balance once you get past 65mph. The plug worked though as we traveled another 1200 miles at highway speeds and still good.