Is this the best sounding Tesla?

[fabricator]

After listening to the system for a few weeks now, I'm still trying to determine whether such a high investment was worth it. There is no question that the sound is way better than the stock UHFS system. However, when playing heavily compressed music, there is not a significant difference and in fact, the sound coming out of those very expensive speakers may cause your head to spin in agony. However, when playing CD quality or high resolution music, the difference is significant. To really feel the true power of this system, you need to invest in a quality DAP and a collection of hi-res music. Everyone who's listened to the sound has been in awe of it. They all say it feels like they're at a live concert and it really does!

Is this the limit for optimal sound in a car? As great as this system sounds, was I expecting a little bit more? Does the improvement in sound justify the high cost of the system?

I'm enjoying the system, but I still have those questions and hopefully, I'll be able to answer them in the next few weeks.

With respect to the sound dampening/deadening, I can't really say that the reduction of road noise has been significant. When the car is at rest, you're basically in a music studio. However, when it's moving, I still hear a lot of road noise. Perhaps, most of the noise is coming from the roof? I am not sure, but I still hear a lot of noise.

Great write up. I often like to make analogies with home video because we can all understand what we can see. Listening to Hi-Res music is the only way to go once you experience it. It is like watching a bunch of 4k movies on your new high end 4k TV, then all of the sudden trying to watch a standard DVD or VHS tape. It would make you want to vomit. Once you know the potential of something, that is your new expectation. Many people install audio systems in their vehicles and stay with a phone that has a crappy DAC while playing compressed music. Sure you make progression with sound quality, but if the signal does not improve, you will not heavily notice it on your equipment. They often say "crap in, crap out". Unfortunately, the Model S has a ton of glass on the vehicle and that is one thing you can not sound dampen. Most of the road noise comes from such. However, Tesla does not do a good job addressing the metal on the vehicle. So with the doors and floors done as such, we at least addressed all that we could. It always surprised me when Tesla owners would complain of a ton of road noise. I soon came to realize that since there is no engine noise, they focus heavily on the ambient road noise, which they are not used to.

 

[andrewket]

I guess I'll find out in August

 

[EVTechPioneer]

I recently took my car to Safe & Sound for a non-audio related project and given that the speakers were broken in, Matt decided to retune the system and created a new setting on the Mosconi DSP with more dynamic range and bass. All I can say is WOW! The sound is out of this world. To quote one of my friends, "This is not a system, this is an experience!". I can now say without a doubt that the investment was well worth it. Even the OEM sound was retuned and it sounds great. I've been using my Astell & Kern SP-1000 as the source and there are no words to describe the sound coming out of my car. I can't recommend Safe & Sound enough for audio work and Matt, like I said before, is a genius.

As for the sound dampening, I still don't think it's made a big difference.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

It would be cool if one of the tint companies made sound damping laminate for the glass in cars, I bet that would help with the ambient noise.

Glad to hear it is broken in and retuned! I have been toying with the idea of a nice portable DAC, but do I really need another damn device that I have to manage..... (iPhone, iPad, iPad mini, macbook pro, kindle, drone, the list goes on and on...plus all the devices that my wife and kids have that I have to manage)

 

[fabricator]

Just want to update people following this thread that I am now at Sound FX in Lewes, Delaware (no state sales tax!) I can be reached at (302) 729-2495 or [email protected]

 

[fabricator]

Here are the reuploaded walk through videos from the build in this thread.

 

[bhzmark]

Even the OEM sound was retuned and it sounds great.

what does this mean? do you mean just playing through slacker sounds better?

I found with my uhfs that playing FLACS through USB is much better than slacker and a million times better than satellite radio. with a good source I find the UHFS quite good.

 

[fabricator]

what does this mean? do you mean just playing through slacker sounds better?

I found with my uhfs that playing FLACS through USB is much better than slacker and a million times better than satellite radio. with a good source I find the UHFS quite good.

Slacker is 256kbps-320kbps....Satellite radio is 32kbps- 64kbps.......Flac 16bit 44kHz is around 1600 kbps (cd quality) and DSD far supersedes that of cd quality. Up to 512 times that of cd quality......

Satellite radio is the VHS of audio
Slacker, Pandora, and iTunes is the DVD of audio
FLAC is the BluRay of audio
Highly sampled FLAC 24bit/96kHz and higher is the 4k of audio
DSD is the 8k of audio

 

[gjunky]

What An incredible installation and craftmanship!

I am curious, does all this sound deadning also help keep the sound from exiting the car? In our Model X, you can hear everything that comes out of the speakers outside the car as clearly as inside the car. This is truly not cool for phone calls and annoying when you have music playing. If the sound deadning works both ways, it might be worthwhile getting some installed. I realize it doesn't help with all the glass but I think the sound "leakage" comes from the front doors.

 

[fabricator]

What An incredible installation and craftmanship!

I am curious, does all this sound deadning also help keep the sound from exiting the car? In our Model X, you can hear everything that comes out of the speakers outside the car as clearly as inside the car. This is truly not cool for phone calls and annoying when you have music playing. If the sound deadning works both ways, it might be worthwhile getting some installed. I realize it doesn't help with all the glass but I think the sound "leakage" comes from the front doors.

Yes, it works both ways. But the Model X provides a challenge with the motorized doors. Adding enough weight to those doors, they will come back down as it gets up to the hinge point (they will think they are being pushed back down). Unless Tesla can reflash the sensor to accept more weight, you will have to go light on those doors.

 

[andrewket]

Yes, it works both ways. But the Model X provides a challenge with the motorized doors. Adding enough weight to those doors, they will come back down as it gets up to the hinge point (they will think they are being pushed back down). Unless Tesla can reflash the sensor to accept more weight, you will have to go light on those doors.

Pushing on the FWDs does not cause them to close. I don't think that would be an issue. If you add excessive weight, the electric motors may not be able to open the FWDs, they may open slowly, or cause premature wear and failure of the mechanism.

 

[fabricator]

Pushing on the FWDs does not cause them to close. I don't think that would be an issue. If you add excessive weight, the electric motors may not be able to open the FWDs, they may open slowly, or cause premature wear and failure of the mechanism.

What happens is once it hits the top of the hinge, the weight creates torque and it starts to close. I have seen it on the Model S trunk with to much sound dampening.

 

[arcus]

Just want to update people following this thread that I am now at Sound FX in Lewes, Delaware (no state sales tax!) I can be reached at (302) 729-2495 or [email protected]

I guess I would have to plan vacations in Delaware at some point

 

[fabricator]

I guess I would have to plan vacations in Delaware at some point

I have a customer from Houston, TX shipping his P100D next month.