fm500

Does anyone have a S600 and a DB sound meter?

I want to know how loud this car is at 70 mph on the interstate, with the reading taken from on top of the center console.

If you don't have a db meter, there's a cell phone app for Android that works called "sound meter". However, the calibration is probably crap... unless you're testing on a Galaxy note 4 as its the same phone that I have (it's all relative...)

Welwynnick

It will vary a great deal depending on the road surface.

Best information wil probably comes from published road tests.

Nick

tusabes

Smartphone Db meters are useless for the minor differences between cars you want to know about

Welwynnick

Its fairly quiet, but not as quiet as small engined model with small wheels and tyres. They're super-quiet.

Nick

fm500

Thank you. I did not find consistent information on the internet. I would be after mild all-season tires in stock tire sizes.

The thing about road noise is probably true. I have a late model dodge-ram pickup, and all the noise is wind -- the distance from the roadway shield the occupants from lots of noise as related to the noise and tires. The cabin is actually pretty damn silent.

When I go to a site like this and sort by DB, I see that my truck is more quite than anything on there, but I don't believe it. http://www.auto-decibel-db.com/

Android apps suck; that's why it would need to be someone with the same phone. It would be precise as a comparison but inaccurate as a number as I have the same phone. That's why I prefer a real DB meter.

In any case, if anyone has a comparison to a commonly driven car in a rental car lot, it might do. For example, I found the brand new ford fusion pretty damn quite myself.

I also wonder how much noise cars gain with age .


In any case... I like quite cars and wanted to know if the merc is really going to be better than my truck.

kraut56

I would venture that what you are trying to do first requires a clear set of definitions:
1) tires used
2) type of road surface
3) vehicle speed.

My S600 can be extremely quiet, but, with the tires on certain road surfaces(rough surface asphalt) it can get worse.

Surprisingly, at higher speeds things get quieter, and on winter tires at low speeds the car appears to be quieter.

Don't forget, this is all very subjective, and I doubt a simple DB meter gives good results.

The only proper way is to use several microphones, and a proper frequency recorder. Now you are talking big bucks.

(done that, been there on engine noise noticeable in cabin on aircraft).

fm500

Every A/C I've flown involves a big *** headset to shut up the huge hunk of uninsulated and unmuffled motor two feet in front of me . Forget about wind noise.

On an unrelated note, thats' likely the biggest thing I will need to get used to in a sedan. The proximity to the ground combined with performance tires make tire noise more of an issue than wind noise.

kraut56

Hehehe!
I'm talking about 600 mph passenger jets with paying paxes in the cabin, not the cockpit (which is usually even quieter).

Enjoying the conversation!

BTW: If you want a quiet S600, stick to the 17 inch wheels; on my E350 AG the 18 inchers make a *****load of noise!