How’s the sound system in Model Y?

[psuKinger]

I’ve not yet seen any video content or threads covering this, but apologies if I missed.

Asking folks who have accepted delivery or gotten first-hand time in the Y. How’s the sound system? Is it pretty equivalent to what we get in the Model 3?

I don't have a Model 3 to compare it against. But I do have a lot experience/runtime with a lot of audio "gear," headphones and speakers alike, at a wide range of pricepoints, to compare it against. And you can put me down for the same opinion as this poster:

The Y's sound system is surprisingly good for an OEM, better than expected.

For factory installed OEM car audio? I think it's pretty great. If you have a "good ear" and some familiarity to higher-end audiophile quality gear, it's definitely not that. But it's "good enough" for me, in terms of what I want out of an audio system in my car...

Easily my biggest complaint with the car audio is the fact that Spotify is the only integrated streaming service. I have a Tidal "HiFi" subscription and a Qobuz "sublime" subscription, and over Bluetooth, all SQ advantages they have over Spotify disappear. Natively-integrated Spotify sounds better, to my ears, inside the car. The obvious problem being that I don't want to pay for Tidal, Qobuz, AND Spotify.... and it's not like the Spotify integration is "great" by any means. As a new Spotify subscriber trying to make this work in his new Tesla, I "followed" a bunch of my favorite artists, so that I could use the spotify app in the car to pull them up quickly... but my list of "favorite artists" isn't short, and the manner in which the Spotify app in the car is sorting that list is both 1) confusing/unintuitive and 2) apparently not customizable? It's really not great....

I bought a 500 GB SSD drive for Teslacam, and partitioned it for 1/3 Dashcam/Sentry and 2/3 music. FLAC file playback at all combinations of bit depth and sampling rate that I personally have available to me in my library (16/44.1; 16/48; 24/44.1; 24/48; 48/88.2; 24/96) all play for me without error. And the audio system in the Tesla *is* good enough to make a discernible difference between the files and any of the streaming options (bluetooth or integrated), if only a little bit... for car audio it's "good enough" for my needs, I just wish I could use any streaming service I want, not just Spotify, without having to use my phone (for both convenience and SQ).

 

[N1L CO2]

Having taken the time to track down a rattle to the amp rack, I can confirm that the subwoofer is on the right side of the trunk along with the amp and NOT in the hatch.

 

[angus[Y]oung]

He speaks to the quality of the sound system as well how quiet the ride is. I concur the increase area of the cabin leads to a better acoustical space for the sound system.

@FreqFlyer very helpful video, thanks for linking it.

 

[MGsurf]

Standard MY sound system isn't the same as LR or MYP. MYP sound system is too good. Especially with Immersive.

 

[angus[Y]oung]

Standard MY sound system isn't the same as LR or MYP. MYP sound system is too good. Especially with Immersive.

There is only one sound system for Model Y. You're thinking of Model 3 where the SR+ lacks the premium audio option.

 

[rjpjnk]

I think the sound system in the Y is excellent. The greatest disadvantage in my opinion is the lack of any way to stream high resolution/CD quality source material. We are limited to Bluetooth at 256 kbps AAC. This is still pretty darn good. To my knowledge, the built-in Spotify is limited to only 64 kbps. I haven’t tested it but if so streaming from an iPhone should sound much better than the built in app.

 

[Blastphemy]

How does the Model Y sound system compare to the 2021 Model X sound system? I noticed a significant improvement between my 2018 Model X and my 2021 Model X. If the Model Y has the same audio system as the Model X, my musician wife will be thrilled and will likely buy it when her current lease runs out.

 

[Jigglypuff]

How does the Model Y sound system compare to the 2021 Model X sound system? I noticed a significant improvement between my 2018 Model X and my 2021 Model X. If the Model Y has the same audio system as the Model X, my musician wife will be thrilled and will likely buy it when her current lease runs out.

Dunno how it compares. Haven't heard an X in years. It's a good OEM stereo. Top 10%, but short of the best. Doesn't go down quite low enough on the bass. More like 50-60hz than 30hz. The frequency response seems somewhat uneven. The EQ doesn't have enough options. A bigger sub and some good EQ would work wonders. I suppose there's probably some phone-based solution somewhere for the EQ.

 

[WillwayGTO]

It's pretty good for streaming content. I've yet to try with lossless files.

I have over 4000 lossless files. Im impressed with the sound. Much better than my Avalon with Jbl Premium. EQ is helpful.

 

[Lucas007]

If the sub are in the trunk and rattling the license plate, is there such fix to this problem?

 

[rjpjnk]

I have over 4000 lossless files. Im impressed with the sound. Much better than my Avalon with Jbl Premium. EQ is helpful.

How do you play the files? How do you navigate the collection and control playback?

 

[Geech72]

I have a January 2021 build MY and am really pleased with the sound system. It’s the best OEM system in any of the cars I’ve ever owned. I’ve been that guy in the past who’s had his whole trunk taken up by subs and amps, and really can’t tell much difference for actual music. I was concerned that there would be a bunch of rattles because of the fit and finish stories I heard before delivery, but mine is clean with no vibration issues. I have no idea where the sub is as it’s never been an issue and I have no reason to search for it. My only complaint is that there isn’t a Sirius/XM app in the infotainment system. Seems like that would be a really simple enhancement.

 

[Dasitman]

Anyone have some good sound settings to use?

 

[Jigglypuff]

If the sub are in the trunk and rattling the license plate, is there such fix to this problem?

Blue tac on the license plate?

 

[Blastphemy]

Dunno how it compares.

Then why would you respond just to tell me that?? Sheesh!

 

[Jigglypuff]

Then why would you respond just to tell me that?? Sheesh!

Because Tesla is using almost the same parts across the models, so it should provide useful information.

 

[GregalseT]

I've had a Lexus LS 430 and have a Lexus IS 350 with Lexus' Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound system. We have an ES 350 w/out premium sound.

I think the Model Y 2021 sound is really good, though perhaps just a tad worse than the Mark Levinson. At the very least, it's different. For example, listening to LCD Soudsystem's "Dance Yrself Clean" I can hear a better or more pleasing stereo spread in the Mark Levinson. That said, I enjoy listening to music in the Model Y and it's way better than the non-Mark Levinson in our ES 350.

Perhaps an odd music choice to cite, but when listening to Paul McCartney's "Let 'Em In" at full volume you can definitely feel the bass and bass drum, rattle free.

I will also note that the same song streamed from Youtube Music on my Google Pixel in the car will sound different than streamed through Spotify. Not necessarily better, but different.

 

[Daniel L]

Sound system is definitely better than my wife's Mercedes GLC low end Burmester at rest. However, at highway speeds it gets drowned out by road noise and I dont think there is any sort of volume or frequency compensation so it's start sounding very tinny.

 

[Seminole]

If the sub are in the trunk and rattling the license plate, is there such fix to this problem?

Get two more license plate screws and screw in the license plate using all four holes.

 

[WillwayGTO]

How do you play the files? How do you navigate the collection and control playback?

all the files are on my iPhone 12 with 500gig storage. I just stream them off the phone. Just hit play in music when phone is selected in the music area of car and it will stream them. It will show on screen what’s playing.