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Found a easy solution to rectify Prius’ biggest weakness

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by Hokiehigh, Oct 24, 2019.

  1. Hokiehigh

    Hokiehigh Junior Member

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    Had the car for almost a year and 12k miles. My biggest complaint is the noise especially driving on highway. I drive highway solo a lot, also have another car for family road trip...

    My solution is simple, Bose QC 35 II noise cancelling headphone. It works brilliantly. I can enjoy music or just the peace and quiet if not playing anything. It only filters out the ambient noise. I can still listen to conversations or anything else going on, as long as the music is not cranked up too loud.

    Granted it is not really cheap, but I already have it so it’s a “free” solution for me. Now the Prime is almost perfect :)
     
  2. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Is it OK to wear a headphone (regardless of noise-canceling or regular audio type) while driving in the states you regularly drive? It seems to be OK in CT, but not in MA. The laws seem to differ by states, so be aware.
    Headsets - AAA Digest of Motor Laws
     
    #2 Salamander_King, Oct 24, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2019
  3. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    Would sirens of Emergency Vehicles fall into the "ambient noise" category?
    If yes, it would give me pause to wear them.
     
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  4. FuelMiser

    FuelMiser Senior Member

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    Foam earplugs a lot cheaper!
     
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  5. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    Here in Texas at least, you’re allowed to have ear phones of whatever sort on one ear, but not both.
     
  6. Hokiehigh

    Hokiehigh Junior Member

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    I can def hear sirens as its frequency is constantly changing. Actually by filtering out the drone noise, it’s easier to hear everything else around me.

    Earplugs basically dampens sound in all frequency, not the same thing.
     
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  7. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Yup, earplugs to help reduce the sound without stopping it. In motorcycling circles, they are highly recommended and effective in reducing fatigue on long rides. In fact, I wore them every time I rode.
     
  8. smyles

    smyles Active Member

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    That's the dumbest thing I've ever read on PC. Granted I've been here less than a year, but still....
     
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I'd pass, but then, I can't even hack sunglasses when driving.
     
  10. Prius Maximus

    Prius Maximus Senior Member

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    Edit: Not sure why the link disappears, but search "Ear Dials" at Amazon. Or another brand of high fidelity ear plugs that let mostly clear sound through while reducing noise.
     
    #10 Prius Maximus, Oct 24, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2019
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  11. Rieuk

    Rieuk Member

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    Right? How is wearing headphones a solution? Smh...
     
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  12. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    *Noise-canceling* headphones — critical distinction there!

    What s/he’s describing would be perfect, except for three considerations:

    First, those headphones would need to be of the nature of the first pair of noise-canceling headphones I ever owned: they were open-air headphones. They did not *block* any appreciable amount of sound from going into the ears; they only *cancelled* sound, and the sound they cancelled was limited to constant-rumbling sorts of sounds. They had no audible effect upon sirens, for example.

    That capability existed 15 years ago; no technological breakthroughs needed. However...

    Second consideration: They would have to only be usable for noise cancellation; it would have to be *impossible* listen to music through them.

    Third, they would have to be impossible for the police to mistake for headphones that *are* capable of playing music.
     
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  13. m8547

    m8547 Senior Member

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    I don't understand the problem. How is it different from driving a luxury car with great sound deadening?
     
  14. Rieuk

    Rieuk Member

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    It's different in that you now have to have these expensive headphones on you whenever you're driving. Furthermore your passengers will call your bs when they sit in your noisy car.
     
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  15. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    S/he’s suggesting a way to approximate that in a Prius, which doesn’t have great sound deadening (although that’s arguable, depending upon what sorts of sounds we’re talking about).
     
  16. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    o_O The Prius is one of the quietest cars I've ever driven.
     
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  17. Rob43

    Rob43 Senior Member

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    There's a two part solution to this problem that's a real fix.


    Rob43
     
  18. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    Same for me. Our 2017 Prius Prime is considerably quieter than our 2009, including the engine (on the rare occasions it runs!).

    The big exception is ... not the car itself: it’s their Bridgestone Ecopia Plus tires. Actually, the tires in themselves are very quiet, but they play road texture like phonograph needle!
     
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  19. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    I wouldn't cut a raw diamond in one either. Perhaps I just don't expect or require library silence in motor vehicles.
     
  20. m8547

    m8547 Senior Member

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    Here's a hack to instantly upgrade your audio system:

    Put on ear plugs, or your noise reducing device of choice. Then turn the music up so that it's a comfortable level to listen to through the ear plugs. The ear plugs reduce the volume of everything, but since you turned up the music to compensate, the signal to noise ratio is effectively reduced.

    For example if you normally like to listen to music at 80dB, and the background noise in the car is 60dB, that's only a 20dB SNR, which is pretty bad. But if you put on ear plugs with 20dB of attenuation and turn the radio up to 100 dB, you still are listening to music at 80dB at your ears, but the road noise is effectively reduced to 40 dB. The SNR is doubled.

    Of course this only works if you have ear plugs that attenuate all frequencies evenly, and if everyone in the car wears ear plugs.