Low Profile, Low Noise Tyres (...and An Audio Question As Well)

[B13]

Hi all,

I'm looking to replace the tyres on my mk7 Fiesta Sport van because the noise they throw up from the road is HORRENDOUS!!! At speed, I can't even hear the engine (let alone music...), the noise from the road is so bloomin' LOUD!

I've got the standard 16" x 5", 5 spoke alloys, with the tyre rated as 195/45/R16.

So... what low profile tyres would you recommend that are good in dry, wet and snow and that generate low noise? Or am I asking for the impossible...

:D

Also, the sound from the van's stereo system is RUBBISH!! Any kind of even moderately low frequencies distort like HELL (I'm using my iPod through the Aux input) - is this a known problem? (It's the same standard unit that you find in the car, by the way.)

Are the bog-standard Speakers unable to cope ... or is it the amplifier stage of the unit?

Again, advice and suggestions for suitable replacements would be greatly appreciated!!

Cheers!!

:)

[Willy]

1. try turning the volume up to full first and make sure you have turned off the ear protection thingy on the ipod as this reduces sound.

2. tyres. I use Hankook ventus v12 and they are good for the money at £70ish a corner.

[Mike77]

To check out tyres, most advertised ones now have information on how many decibels they put out on the road, how good they are in the wet, and how fuel efficient they are, so this should make your choice easier.

[FOCA]

Hi all,

I'm looking to replace the tyres on my mk7 Fiesta Sport van because the noise they throw up from the road is HORRENDOUS!!! At speed, I can't even hear the engine (let alone music...), the noise from the road is so bloomin' LOUD!

I've got the standard 16" x 5", 5 spoke alloys, with the tyre rated as 195/45/R16.

So... what low profile tyres would you recommend that are good in dry, wet and snow and that generate low noise? Or am I asking for the impossible...

:D

Also, the sound from the van's stereo system is RUBBISH!! Any kind of even moderately low frequencies distort like HELL (I'm using my iPod through the Aux input) - is this a known problem? (It's the same standard unit that you find in the car, by the way.)

Are the bog-standard speakers unable to cope ... or is it the amplifier stage of the unit?

Again, advice and suggestions for suitable replacements would be greatly appreciated!!

Cheers!!

:)

You can get Goodyear tyres that are exellent in the dry, and good in the wet, are very quiet, last a reasonable amount of time and are reasonably fuel efficient

They are however, expensive and no good at very low temps (normal summer tyres are not designed for below 7 degrees C) in ice or snow

You can get winter or snow tyres that are very (or fairly) noisy very innefiecient (for MPG) but exellent in the snow ice, low temps and or mud

I use the Goodyears in the summer and Vredstiens (wintrac extreme) in the winter and have a spare set of rims for the winter tyres

The vredstiens have a "chunky"/ "blocky" tread pattern like an offroad tyre for a 4x4, - they are awesome in the snow and the fwd mondeo outperforms 4x4s in the snow (by a lage margin) - some winter tyres have "regular" tread patterns, the compound is different - for low temps - these would be quieter than the Vredstiens - but not as good in the snow mud or in extreme conditions

Moral - whatever tyre you fit is a compromise - you won't get 1 type of tyre that would be quiet, good in the dry, wet AND snow and you will probably have to compromise on an "adequate" all rounder (I doubt you can find a tyre that can do all that) or go for 2 sets of tyres (summer/ winter) - i recommend you get a set of cheap alloys or steelies for your winter tyres if you choose to get a set

MP3s always sound like garbage - you don't notice on the ipod earphones - try listening to a CD instead - have you adjusted the EQ? - Perhaps the van is missing its rear Speakers compared to the car? and/ or vans can be a lot noisyer than cars - even putting the seat down in an estate can make a surprising difference to the sound/ noise

Carpet on the floor/ deck? acoustic tiles? upgrade your stereo?

[hotrodian]

Its a Van at the end of the day, and thus will be manufactured cheaper than a car, and probably because of this doesn't have the same amount of sound deadening fitted that a car has, different carpets for one I would of thought. So you will inherit some road noise because of this.

Cheers Ian

[B13]

Hi folks,

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated!

I'm going to go for a set of Goodyear tyres and a pair of 'snow socks' or snow chains for use in snow (I live in a TINY flat and have no space to store a set of wheels!!) I live in the south, so we don't generally get tooooo snowed in...

Audio-wise, yes, .mp3s are the work of the devil, so I encode everything at highest quality AAC and yes, I've adjusted the EQ. Snag is, the Speakers in the Fiesta are so rubbish that ANYTHING with lower-than-average low frequencies causes the damned things to distort/flutter/have a screaming hissy fit.

It's bloomin' ridiculous that the Speakers in a 3 year old Fiesta are WORSE than the Speakers in my previous 15 year old Focus...

I've nosed through some other posts on the forum and it seem like the best solution is to go to a proper audio specialist, get new speakers and the correct speaker surrounds (wood, not plastic) and deaden the insides of the door panels. Does that sound right?

Because of the industry within which I work (video and audio) I've managed to source some (very) heavy-duty sound dampening panels, which I will cut to size and see if it helps. Snag is, we're talking about a box-on-wheels and unless I want to spend the next few months stuck to the bulkhead with mastic while building in floating floors, etc ... I'm stuck with the 'Best as it Gets' solution!!!

:D

Failing that or I shove a stonking great big sub-woofer into the spare wheel well and rattle the damned thing off it's suspension...

B)

[FOCA]

Here is the Pioneer active "spare wheel well" subwoofer -

http://caraudiosecurity.com/ts-wx610a-spare-wheel-space-saving-amplified-subwoofer

Its not cheap (you could probably find one at a cheaper price) but it is "self contained" (only a feed from the head unit and power required) obviously fits into the wheel well (with wheel as well) without modification, and can be moved from car to car without modifiing the sub or car

It only weighs 5kgs (including built in amp ) so is a lot lighter than a monster sub that takes up all the boot space (20-30kgs)

with the sub installed you could connect passive "infrasonic" (subsonic means slower than the speed of sound) filters/ crossovers to your door Speakers (so the sub handles the bass, not the door speakers) this could make a big difference to the sound quality and actually increases the power handling/ headroom of the door Speakers and overall system with the sub installed - these filters progressively reduce the bass the lower the frequency - reducing the load on the Speakers and power amps, and means the amp/ speakers do not have to amplify/ handle the lower registers (only a reduced bandwidth) the voice coil/s would be deflected less and there would be less intermodulation distortion (subtle) at low frequencies there would be a point- source (the sub) so no problems with phase - interference from the other speakers - with the filters you may be ably to leave the door speakers as they are and still get a good (decent?) sound - i could help you select the right values/ x-over frequency if you wish

It sound like you are very particular about your music/ sound quality - its never going to sound like a high- end hi-fi (or an entry level one - even!) but you could probably get it to an acceptable level with a bit of work

Edit the Pioneer sub is expensive - this Beat under-seat sub is cheaper - its 340x230x70mm

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beat-BSW8ACT-Amplified-Subwoofer-Controller/dp/B005E6GZIG/ref=pd_cp_ce_0

Pioneer under-seat sub 280x200x80mm (different size to the beat one) -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PIONEER-TS-WX110A-UNDERSEAT-CAR-SUBWOOFER-AMP-BUILT-IN-/250895619141?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item3a6a8b5445#ht_765wt_932