How much difference is there? I currently have a soft top on my 2011 and I found a used hard top. I was just wondering about the differences I might expect. I drive about 25 miles a day on the interstate and the soft top noise is to loud to use the blue tooth connections, actually, it is a little loud to talk on the phone if I am holding it up to my ear. I realize some of the noise is tire noise but how different is it really?

 

I did some tests (not so scientific) with a db meter app on my phone and it showed the soft top was about 5-10db louder than the hard top depending on speed and environment (rain etc.) ... yes, I do alot of boring freeway miles. The only time it bothers me is on the freeway in a rainstorm. It probably looks funny, but I usually wear earplugs in that kind of weather on the freeway if I'm driving more than 2 hours. db levels are up in the 85-90 range if you want the radio blasting enough to hear it over the noise.

 

I use a hard top for about half the year and soft top the rest. I just put on my soft top last weekend.

The soft top is loud as heck compared to the hard top. Hard top is pretty close to a regular car (like an accent or corolla) but not nearly as quiet as a higher end vehicle (mercedes, volvo).

In fact, when the soft top is on I have to remind passengers not to make, um, comments about people standing nearby or say things they think are private because the soft top does not muffle their voice very much.

 

Funny, that's exactally what <someone else I know> does. When driving for 6 hours on the interstate, it makes a big difference. I'd do it also, but it's illiegal in Florida to drive with earplugs (wink).

 

Some days the noise actually hurts. Driving at 80 and hitting a 40 or 50mph gust of wind just sucks.

 

it's one of the only reasons I like the HardTop because I know I can hear the cell phone and the radio in the Winter.

 

You can make the hardtop just as quiet as a regular vehicle by fitting insulation panels (check out Hothead liners; he's a vendor on this forum) to the ceiling, freedom panels and hardtop sides; makes the aircon/heating much more efficient too.

 

Because the hard top must have some give in it, I find it to be very squeeky and loud-not from road or wing sounds, but from the flexing against the Jeeps frame.
I was amazed by the quite of the soft top-even quiter when the tops down

 

Hard Top is pretty quiet. More quiet than previous version of the Wranglers. Soft top is more quiet than I expected on the 2011. I love both of them as they each have their own advantage.

The best I can describe the differences is with the hard top you dont hear the car next to you when driving. With the soft top you know someone is next to you when driving.

 

I have the hardtop and like the others state, it's almost as quite as a normal vehicle/truck. Higher speeds noise increases due to the offroad tires.