Jekyl- what did your research find?

In my experience with whirlpool tubs is the noise varies, depending on where its located (on an upper floor....) how high you turn on the jets or bubbles.... Ours never woke up any of children (bedrooms beside and below) and you can always sound insulate any walls or floors to reduce the noise.

As Yulia posted the new trend is air tubs, quieter and said to be cleaner due to no stagnant water sitting in the water tubes.

We have a Kohler Devanshire (sp?). When in the tub I just hear the sound of the water. If the tub is being used and I am downstairs I hear a faint humming sound.

Research sound proofing for your whole bathroom. Hard surfaces bounce sound, soft absorb.

I've never used one that was so loud it would wake someone in an adjoining room, but many are loud enough to be annoying to bathers, or at least make quiet conversation impossible (particularly those 2-person tubs that are configured so you're face to face at opposite ends, rather than facing the same direction. My favorite tubs are shaped in a way that make both arrangements comfortable, and yet aren't so wide that you're wasting alot of water if you bathe alone. 72" x 36" i find about right). Sound insulation around the motor (but allow adequate ventilation) or if possible, remote motor location helps keep things quiet. I wish a rheostat was a standard feature on whirlpool tubs, but they're relatively rare.

And yes, I'd happily drive for 100s of miles for a showroom full of displayed tubs, even if most were unplumbed just to check for comfort. There are a few of these, but most of us in the US aren't close enough to one.

Wow, funny to get so many replies yesterday... I thought my post was lost and forgotten!

Anyway, I have only a partial update. I ended up choosing the Hydro-Systems Lacey 66x32 tub. I went with it because I was able to sit in one and it was waaaaaayy more comfortable than the Kohler Underscore. Also, the company allows you limited customized jet location, and most importantly for me, they have a "remote pump location" option. So, i was able to put the pump in the adjoining attic space on the other side of the bathroom wall.

We are still under construction so I haven't been able to use the tub yet. I will say that it looks beautiful! Unfortunately I cannot recommend the company so much. They screwed up multiple times on my order, causing significant cost and delay. They finally got the correct tub to me, but they still haven't made up for the whole fiasco as they said they would. But, fingers crossed... hopefully they will and hopefully the tub works well. I'll post again when those questions can be answered.

Okay, so here's my update. As I said in my last post, I chose the Hydro Systems Lacey 66x32 jetted tub. It comes with 6 adjustable jets (3 on each side). I also added an optional back massage package which has 6 additional smaller jets right where your back is.

While, I can't recommend the company, the tub itself is great. It is very comfortable and so far, works very well.

I will say this however, one of the selling points for the company is their "HydrOzone" cleaning system. It's supposed to "feel like bathing in bottled water" and keep the tubing clean of mold, etc. The first few times I used the tub, it smelled like a highly over-chlorinated pool. I mean, I could taste it. It burned my throat, eyes, etc.

When I called the company to complain, they said, "Yeah, well, that's the HydrOzone system. Some people smell it, some don't." I almost lost it. I spent almost $4k on this tub and they screwed up the order, then lost the tub, then finally returned it in the correct configuration but forget to include any manual or instructions as well as the overflow! And now this.

To their credit, they sent out a technician within a few days and he replaced the HydrOzone controller with a new one. There is still a slight smell, but it is much much milder. And the tech told me it should keep getting better. So, hopefully that is true.

And in terms of noise. While in the tub itself, the noise is what you'd expect. It sounds like a small vacuum. It is fine. If I have music playing, I can hear it no problem. I've been able to talk on the phone with the jets on, no problem. So, that's great. But you can definitely tell the tub is on in the rest of the house, particularly right below where the pump is located. It's not as quiet as I'd hoped, but it really isn't that bad and I'm not sure if other tubs would be any quieter. It does stink that you can't test these things out before dropping a ton of money on one.

So, bottom line: the tub is great, the company is pretty terrible.

what a good idea,exactly what i was thinking after my frustrating and expensive ordeal purchasing my unsuitable new whirlpool.

description/size/lights all as wanted when arrived looked cheap,noisy not having much luck with supplier

You should look at the Jacuzzi brand line of products that have Whisper+ technology. So quiet you can't even tell that the pump is going other than the water movement.