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In everyday driving (highway as well as rural rough roads) my seat of the pants test reveals that my 2015 S550 non-sport on 19s is definitely better riding and is quieter than my 2013 RR SC on 22s. On smooth roads the heavier RR seems more stable and has a greater luxury ride float.
Can I make a suggestion? The decibel meters on our phones are...not professional, but if you have both the older S and the newer S, can you please do a quick test? Turn off the HVAC, music, and just drive at the same speed on the same bit of road and and see if there's a difference.
Me too - glad I found this thread - How much are those recorders and where do you mic them?
I do the odd car review and I recently started adding in notes about the DB level - granted I am only using a phone but its better than nothing as a comparison.
Example of one of my MB reviews
Anyhoo.... I have a 740 - and the noise is driving me nuts. Almost every car is quieter or about the same - not what I want from a £x car.
The Touareg was actually the quietest car I have driven running at 46db on the rubbish small wheels. Again not as acurate as your meter.
I am also measuring in DB not DBA perhaps I should be measuring DBA.
I like the quietness of your examples I think also the RR is quiet because you are further from the wheels too - which helps.
If MB where not so hideous in this country for aftersales I would already have an S and not a 7
I think frequency or pitch has a lot to do with the perception of noise as well as the dB.
Per the video of the OP, I prefer a lower frequency background noise rather than high pitched.
What you need is an ANSI approved decimeter weighted A.
Having tested these cars on the same road on the same conditions, it basically boils down to this:
From noisiest to quietest: (at 140km/hr)
Genesis G90 non RFT
W222 20" RFT
Lexus LS500 (also RFT) 19"
W222 19" RFT
W221 (I only tested non RFT)
--gap-- below cars very close.
2018 Lexus LS460 (non RFT)
2019 Audi A8 20" tires/rims (non RFT)
2019 Audi A8 19" tires/rims (non RFT)
I suspect a W222 19" non RFT would match the W221 but I never got a chance to test it.
For people not wanting to trust some strange penguin on the internet, just go to Car and Driver and look up the instrumented test ratings. They have a instrumented test sheet that they manually fill out which they allow people to view as a PDF. They test the DB at idle, 70mph and at WOT.
The W222/221 are surprisingly quiet cars, but they are beat by the 2019 A8 which can only be beaten in one condition by the W222 Maybach although I forget which category (maybe at idle?) Surprisingly though the D5 A8 has now dethroned the S class for ride comfort and quietness.
I recognize that people are super passionate about cars and that there is a subsection of the population that own a certain car and then start bashing other car owners. I will NEVER be one of those people but thought I'd comment on this subject of noise as I was very passionate about this and got very detailed when it came to measurements and such.
Last edited by superangrypenguin; 08-07-2019 at 10:31 PM.
I find it interesting that so many put so much stock in our cars being so quiet, that it's such a fabulous and wonderful thing. Others want the noisiest exhaust they can get in their cars for that "macho sound" which I personally despise. Personally, I don't care how dead quiet my car is, though I've noticed it's pretty darn quiet for sure. If there's a rattle or noise in the car I notice it more since the car is so quiet. Passengers in my car have mentioned that it's the most comfortable car they've ever been in, particularly due to the reclining back seats with those pillows. I'd love to be driven around in my car one day and luxuriate in the back but honestly, I don't trust any of my friends to drive it. My luck is that the one time they drive it we get hit or they lose control for some odd reason. I took this picture when I first saw my car for the first time at the dealer's lot. I had no intention of buying it, I was just there to look.
2015 S550 Palladium/Deep Sea Blue, 2016 Tesla Model S 70D, 2015 Volvo XC70
Apparently some cars, even mainstream cars, employ active noise cancellation through the audio system, though from this list at least, German cars don't seem to.
Apparently some cars, even mainstream cars, employ active noise cancellation through the audio system, though from this list at least, German cars don't seem to.
They don't need to. The other issue with active noise cancellation is that it seriously impacts the sound quality of the highest end sound systems out there. No, the 'standard' Burmester stereo in the S class doesn't count, but the 26 speaker version obviously does.
Passive noise insulation is best, but it adds weight. Cars at the level of the W222 don't need active noise cancellation. They are already spookily quiet.
2015 S550 Palladium/Deep Sea Blue, 2016 Tesla Model S 70D, 2015 Volvo XC70
Originally Posted by superangrypenguin
They don't need to. The other issue with active noise cancellation is that it seriously impacts the sound quality of the highest end sound systems out there. No, the 'standard' Burmester stereo in the S class doesn't count, but the 26 speaker version obviously does.
Passive noise insulation is best, but it adds weight. Cars at the level of the W222 don't need active noise cancellation. They are already spookily quiet.
Interesting point, but W222 still allows enough noise intrusion that people here say they perceive big differences between runflat and non-runflat tires, for example. Though I don't think I've sampled active noise cancellation in a car, imo it might be nice to have that option in an MB...but an option that can be bypassed if desired, a bit like a "pure direct" switch on some audio gear.
Doesn't the Audi have noise cancellation? I have been one and it is very quiet. Problem is the car just has zero identity.
I am sure Tire Rack also tests for noise and used to list that on their site.
I do believe that most relate quality with a quiet smooth ride in a luxury vehicle.
There is an article on Bentley Spotting about the lengths they went to on the 70-80's rolls Royce to isolate sound and its very interesting in such a mechanical age how the achieved this. Everything from winding their own window motors to gear selectors being isolated . It's a great read to anyone thats is into sound in a vehicles interior.
Doesn't the Audi have noise cancellation? I have been one and it is very quiet. Problem is the car just has zero identity.
I am sure Tire Rack also tests for noise and used to list that on their site.
I do believe that most relate quality with a quiet smooth ride in a luxury vehicle.
There is an article on Bentley Spotting about the lengths they went to on the 70-80's rolls Royce to isolate sound and its very interesting in such a mechanical age how the achieved this. Everything from winding their own window motors to gear selectors being isolated . It's a great read to anyone thats is into sound in a vehicles interior.
Active noise cancellation does not exist on the D5 A8 thus far (55 TFSI). I believe it may be coming on the 60 TFSI but no, it doesn't for the existing models.
Originally Posted by syswei
Interesting point, but W222 still allows enough noise intrusion that people here say they perceive big differences between runflat and non-runflat tires, for example. Though I don't think I've sampled active noise cancellation in a car, imo it might be nice to have that option in an MB...but an option that can be bypassed if desired, a bit like a "pure direct" switch on some audio gear.
Neat concept for sure. The only thing that is turn on-able or turn off-able is the fake sound option on some Audis (and some MB vehicles). I think runflat tire drone is an ideal candidate to be actively cancelled out due to the constant pitch and the fact it's a mid tone pitch. That said, don't ask me why the W222 doesn't have active noise cancellation! You're right in the sense that MB should have considered it given their asinine love of run flat tires (eyes rolling to the back of my head!)
01-24-2018, 03:27 PM
