At lower volumes (and slower speeds) it’s fairly balanced, with just a bit of coarseness and sharpness higher up in the frequency range giving some cause for concern. But if you crank it up (while the Taycan is very quiet, the tire noise can become disproportionately intrusive at higher speeds) and much of its composure lets it down. The more you pile on the volume, the ragged and clunkier it gets. Each area of the frequency range decides to compete with each other, and the result is no different than being in someone’s migraine.
Ultimately, this system is only a little unrefined at reasonable volumes and then openly unrefined. Strange really, that something related to Porsche (relatively speaking) falls apart when asked to shift into a higher gear.
Rating: 5/10
Bose System: Channels: 14 – 4 x 19mm tweeter, 5 x 100mm midrange, 2 x 165mm bass, 1 x 200mm subwoofer, 2 x 220mm subwoofer. Power: 710 watts. Amplification: Class D. Bluetooth Codecs: SBC, AAC. Apple CarPlay: Yes
More speakers and more power. It’s the audio upgrade story in a nutshell. But Taycan’s Bose option also includes something called SoundTrue (a system that aims to recover lost information from compressed digital music files) and an option to switch between “linear” sound (read “stereo”) and surround sound. .
Both functions are handled quite quickly. Surround offers a certain Dolby Atmos-style spatial audio, and because it’s subtle, it’s quite effective. SoundTrue just pushes the midrange forward and is no less lossy sounding than the original.
In general, this is undoubtedly fuller, more dynamic and more faithful than the standard system. Yes, it’s midrange-forward, but it’s less of a problem here than elsewhere, as the tonal balance is generally quite naturalistic.
The bass performance is especially impressive. There’s all the depth and thump you could realistically ask for, plus speed and control. So low frequencies don’t wallow, don’t overwhelm the midrange, and don’t hang around to make the door panels resonate.
However, the top is problematic. It is clear to the point of hardness, and at significant volumes almost verges on “shrill”. And that really doesn’t seem to be necessary, as the noise entering the cabin is often much lower in the frequency range. Turn the treble back down using the EQ and it gets a little less upfront, but no less splashy and thin.
So what you buy $1,200, in basic terms, is a big, enveloping and quite impressive sound with too much emphasis on the top end.
Rating: 7/10
Recommendation: Upgrade! But it’s hardly a no-brainer.
Tesla Model 3 Standard and Premium Audio
Photo: Tesla
Telsa owner Elon Musk cares a lot about the sound of the company’s cars, as reflected in the design of the audio systems in its best-selling car. Both the standard and premium systems that the Telsa team have put together are immersive and well tuned, making them a joy to listen to in such a quiet cabin. Unfortunately, you can’t just upgrade your audio system as an option on a Model 3. You have to opt for the Long Range or Performance models to get the more expensive setup, which costs an additional $9,000 for the Long Range and $14,000 for the performance. .
Standard System (unofficial): Channels: 8 – 1 x 1-inch tweeter, 7 x 4-inch midrange, 1 x 8-inch subwoofer. Power: 350 watts. Amplification: Class D. Bluetooth Codecs: SBC, AAC. Apple Car Play: No.
The smaller Tesla audio system you’ll find in the Model 3’s standard range may have six fewer drivers in total, for a total of nine in the cabin and trunk, but that doesn’t mean it’s slow.
You get less overall soundstage and detail, but the entry-level OEM still outperforms most, thanks to the clever cabin design and the same excellent speaker placement. The system may have a single tweeter, but it’s expertly focused on the center of the dash, using the windshield as a waveguide.
