"Ultra High Fidelity Sound" option - worth it?

[jak]

I know it's too soon to tell, but I'd like to start a thread on whether people think the new "Ultra High Fidelity Sound" option is worth it until we actually see some new cars with this "$2500" option. Given that the car is pretty quiet, I'd like to have a good sound system.

AFAIK, the top end sound package went from $950 (Studio Sound) to $2500 (Ultra High Fidelity Sound), but it doesn't seem as if anything changed other than $1550 worth of pretty words around it. If indeed, nothing has changed, it seems the $2500 (or more) is better spent on an aftermarket system. I heard Reus does a great job on aftermarket sound.

Thoughts or facts?

 

[scottf200]

Would be great if it had active cabin noise cancellation (tire noise, wind noise, surrounding cars!, etc). Other vehicles that can drive only on electricity do. Yes, electric cars are quiet but not like a sound you can control in a room (unless sitting still).

 

[AC1K]

absolutely NOT, the price increase does not mean you are getting a different system as confirmed by another user, you get the same sound system but pay more than twice as much.
the stock system i would imagine is horrible since the upgraded system is also horrible.

the amount of aftermarket equipment you could get for $2500 would blow your mind, its much better spent on a third party system.

 

[mulder1231]

That's not what I was told at the Menlo Park event yesterday. The Tesla Specialist at hand said that it involves new hardware: new speakers (but same number of speakers) and new wiring. He didn't want to commit to a yes or no on whether the option would become available as a retrofit. But he also said he was not the expert on the sound packages...

the stock system i would imagine is horrible since the upgraded system is also horrible.

I disagree, the upgraded system (original sound studio) is actually pretty good--certainly better than anything I've had in a car. I'd be very interested in upgrading though, if the new ultra can do some amazing new stuff, e.g. real surround sound.

 

[Volker.Berlin]

absolutely NOT, the price increase does not mean you are getting a different system as confirmed by another user, you get the same sound system but pay more than twice as much.

Sounds like you designed it. Your choice of words makes you appear quite confident but what evidence do you have for this allegation? (No, "it was mentioned somewhere on the internet" doesn't count.)

 

[VRK]

Well I talked to an employee at the tesla store and they confirmed that the speakers are the same and that the new codecs may make it slightly better. As for the price increase, I was told 2500 is just a new price so they can get more money. I waited and know it makes no sense to get a 60 because the difference between the 60 I want and the 85 is minimal. Now my dilemma, get a 85 with technology package, fog lights, parking sensors, and upgraded sound, or get a p85 with the same options as the 85 but take out the sound package. Any suggestions?

 

[bollar]

It sounds like the Tesla people in the field don't know exactly what is in this package and given the conflicting information are repeating hearsay themselves. Let's hope for communication from HQ on what's really in the package today.

 

[markb1]

It sounds like the Tesla people in the field don't know exactly what is in this package and given the conflicting information are repeating hearsay themselves. Let's hope for communication from HQ on what's really in the package today.

For Tesla, that's par for the course, unfortunately.

 

[GasDoc]

That's not what I was told at the Menlo Park event yesterday. The Tesla Specialist at hand said that it involves new hardware: new speakers (but same number of speakers) and new wiring. He didn't want to commit to a yes or no on whether the option would become available as a retrofit. But he also said he was not the expert on the sound packages...

We're getting conflicting info. The person I spoke to at Menlo "Cars and Coffee" yesterday says that they don't know yet but she believed that it was the same speakers but with upgraded equipment.

I think that the jury is out until we can get someone who has firsthand experience listening to both systems or an official word from Tesla.

 

[Volker.Berlin]

Here's someone presumably citing an authoritative source that says the sound system isn't substantially different from the previous "Sound Studio" option:
Old Options vs New on P85

 

[yobigd20]

Here's someone presumably citing an authoritative source that says the sound system isn't substantially different from the previous "Sound Studio" option:
Old Options vs New on P85

"New Sound package is unchanged from previous studio sound" except for the price increase, of course.

 

[omarsultan]

So, as context, I consider myself a sensible audiophile and I have owned home rigs that have rivaled the cost of my MS...

The one thing I have noticed is that most of the audio sources kinda suck--XM, Slacker and iPhone over Bluetooth are all compressed to one degree or another and all sounded pretty bad to the point I was feeling a bit regretful about springing for the Studio upgrade. When I finally go around to putting some AAC files on a USB and listening to those, I immediately noticed a tremendous improvement in sound quality--better resolution (less muddy midrange), smoother highs, more open soundstage, and while the bass is not gonna rattle fillings, it is pleasingly tight--its not going to be mistaken for a Mark Levinson system, but certainly work the upgrade price.

I guess we will have to see what new system entails. I would be surprised if its simple re-packaging of the existing system. I believe Tesla made their own drivers up this point--perhaps they got smart and are sourcing drivers from someone with a bit more experience in that realm.

On a side note, I wonder if anyone had down any analysis on the impact on range of aftermarket systems like the Reus or if it really makes any difference in the scheme of things.

Omar

PS I wish Telsa would hurry up and enable iPhone audio over the USB connection.

 

[jammerdjc]

One thing I've discovered is I turn off the Dolby. By default all the internet sources have Dolby on and it completely washes out all the tone.

 

[onesixeight]

I have the old studio sound option and if its the same, it's certainly not worth the price increase. I only bought it because I wanted XM to listen to live news and sports but the sound quality is no where as good as the B&O system in my F10 M5 (and that's not even a great system).

Unless you absolutely want XM, I'd say skip this option

 

[AmpedRealtor]

I've had two Senior Delivery Specialists confirm to me, on two separate occasions (and once with Jerome sitting next to one of them) that the "new" sound system is nothing more than a re-priced version of the old system. I wouldn't think they would be giving out inaccurate information with their boss sitting right beside them. Others have confirmed the same after speaking with their contacts at Tesla.

The air suspension was also renamed, but it's the same old air suspension - nothing "smart"er about it.

 

[Linux64]

...most of the audio sources kinda suck--XM, Slacker and iPhone over Bluetooth are all compressed to one degree or another and all sounded pretty bad...

Please take a moment to send the following email to [email protected]:

Subject: Please enhance your Bluetooth with aptX codec support

Hi Tesla,

When playing audio over Bluetooth the stock SBC code is used.

However, many smartphones (including mine) support the aptX Bluetooth audio codec for much better sound quality.

It would be great if my P85+ with the Sound Studio Package (VIN XXXXXXXXX) supported aptX.

Maybe you could add aptX support only to the upgraded Sound Package as a differentiation?

aptX - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks!

 

[TommyBoy]

Damnit! Somebody figure this out! :biggrin:

I'm waiting on this to place my order. New speakers, new amps and new wiring with software tweaks - I'm all in! Same old system I disliked on my test drives only now it's $2500 - I'm all out!

It appears different reps have different opinions. It's going to take somebody on the assembly line that used to install THIS speaker and now installs THIS speaker to really let us know.

 

[Banahogg]

I know the Santana Row store has a fully loaded car in the store with the new options - one of the SoCal stores may as well and you can just go and listen.

 

[4SUPER9]

My rep told me a few minutes ago that it's absolutely the same system. I am really hoping he's wrong.

 

[TommyBoy]

My rep told me a few minutes ago that it's absolutely the same system. I am really hoping he's wrong.

I've seen that it's different speakers. Instead of Tesla-made speakers they are now name-brand. That's a huge difference! Same with the amps. But to a employee it could still be 12 speakers with 500 watts which is "exactly the same as before".

I'm going to wait this one out and maybe take a trip out to Fashion Island to check out the cars there.