BMW M3 M4 Active Sound: the Good and the Bad News

[JRV]

So when you pop a speaker does the engine note get raspy too??

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by Race 1

Lets say you could turn this feature on and off in the m3/m4.

I bet everyone complaining would turn it off, then turn it back on and leave it on.

Not true. Probably would be running a catless exhaust. So I would want to hear that.

[mPlasticDesign]

In case anyone is wondering, in cabin engine sound is great with the S65.

[mattkim85]

Well, if BMW decided to take out all the insulation so that you can hear the engine noise, then we are going to have a whole new crowd complaining that there is way too much road noise coming inside the cabin for a $70+ car.

BMW knows and agrees that the engine notes of previous models are ,without a doubt, better.

Not many will disagree about the engine notes
E60 M5 V10 > F10 M5 V8 TT
E9X M3 V8 > F80 M3/4 I6 TT

don't know if I named them right but anyways.

So my guess is, they just wanted to add a little more flare to the "M" car experience. All in all, I like it cause you paid for a world class engine and you deserve to hear the damn thing!

[Necromancer]

With Spengler driving, the windows are down. I would venture 98% of what you hear is coming from outside the car not artificial via stereo. Almost certain they did not pump in the tire squeal. Not a big deal folks.

[Never Convicted]

Never driven an F10 M5, but got an F10 535iX for the wife, and ordered the sport auto trans with the paddles. $500 I could have wasted in more enjoyable ways. Can't hear the engine at all in her car. I hit the cutout every time I put it in manual mode. From what I've seen, most of the M5 guys don't mind it.

[clbmw]

It's a bit naff really isn't it

[Edward]

Originally Posted by Carlos_Danger

"I have not heard this feature yet in the cars that have it." Then you literally have no idea what you're talking about, ill explain:

Lol stop. You can save the explanation. Not having actually experienced active sound from inside the car does nothing to stop someone from simply SURMISING what it might be like. If you read my post and interpreted it in proper english you would not be butt hurt about your engine speakers.

You literally have no idea how I will ultimately feel about your speakers tossing engine sounds at my eardrums.

[clbmw]

Originally Posted by JRV

So when you pop a speaker does the engine note get raspy too??

Hahaha

Probably goes into limp mode

[nick3753]

Originally Posted by cambit

BMW should at least give the option to disable it in iDrive.

This would increase costs and be an admission of guilt on how just ridiculous this is.

[Boss330]

Many opinions here, most formed without experiencing it firsthand and many on a principal basis.

Have experienced in both M6 and M550d. It really works and sounds great inside the cabin. And instead of hearing all the other noises you would by removing insulation, you can actually get a better aural experience if other noises are filtered out.

As has been said, it's engine noise, not exhaust. I guess BMW has focused a bit on induction noise to enhance that part of the aural experience. Kind of similar to people adding a open air filter to get more noise (but feeding hot engine compartment air to the engine at the same time...).

Noise legislation is getting stricter and stricter and this obviously makes it harder to make engines that make lot's of outside noise. By going this route, you can have a car that meets noise legislation and doesn't annoy the public (these kinds of cars more than others has to be "acceptable" to the feds and public to avoid being banned in the future. BMW as a responsible company needs to take this into consideration as well).

Regardless of whether Porsche uses a different system, isn't it by definition just as much "cheating" that they also have to artificially open up passages to be able to get a decent amount of sound to the cabin? I mean, you didn't have to do that on a old 911... It made enough sound by itself to be heard inside

[TheRealOrosie]

Originally Posted by Boss330

Many opinions here, most formed without experiencing it firsthand and many on a principal basis.

Have experienced in both M6 and M550d. It really works and sounds great inside the cabin. And instead of hearing all the other noises you would by removing insulation, you can actually get a better aural experience if other noises are filtered out.

As has been said, it's engine noise, not exhaust. I guess BMW has focused a bit on induction noise to enhance that part of the aural experience. Kind of similar to people adding a open air filter to get more noise (but feeding hot engine compartment air to the engine at the same time...).

Noise legislation is getting stricter and stricter and this obviously makes it harder to make engines that make lot's of outside noise. By going this route, you can have a car that meets noise legislation and doesn't annoy the public (these kinds of cars more than others has to be "acceptable" to the feds and public to avoid being banned in the future. BMW as a responsible company needs to take this into consideration as well).

Regardless of whether Porsche uses a different system, isn't it by definition just as much "cheating" that they also have to artificially open up passages to be able to get a decent amount of sound to the cabin? I mean, you didn't have to do that on a old 911... It made enough sound by itself to be heard inside

^^^This^^^

[nick3753]

While the whole idea seems silly, after more thought its not such a bad thing if its just amplifying real live sound. No different than going to a concert and hearing the music though speakers. No one would get angry and say "unplug the singers mic. I want to hear the real thing". Now if its prerecorded audio that's another story.

[tdizzle]

How much weight and money could be saved if this didn't exist or was an option!?

[cncmastr]

My E46 has no such problem.

[Carl L]

Originally Posted by nick3753

While the whole idea seems silly, after more thought its not such a bad thing if its just amplifying real live sound. No different than going to a concert and hearing the music though speakers. No one would get angry and say "unplug the singers mic. I want to hear the real thing". Now if its prerecorded audio that's another story.

Completely agreed. Furthermore, Porsche do the same thing as stated by others.

On a different note, it would be great if everyone could read. That it's engine, not exhaust, noise has been stated more than a dozen times but people are still struggling.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

If the engine noise is a percentage of the audio system's volume... So you could still hear the engine while cranking up the stereo... I guess that means you could pause your audio source and just crank up the engine noise via the volume control?

[OM3N]

7500ish redline,turbos, fart exhaust...ok I can still get over that..E46 weight "outweighs" that...but adding useless stuff like mics to pick up engine note..wtf M..

[cc3]

BMW M losing the plot!! I don't want to buy a £60k M car with this nonsense!! M should get back to hardcore performance cars that make a proper noise. I've got a strange feeling whilst this car will be good it won't be truly great !

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

If the engine noise is a percentage of the audio system's volume... So you could still hear the engine while cranking up the stereo... I guess that means you could pause your audio source and just crank up the engine noise via the volume control?

No matter what you do with your audio system, turn it up, down, off, play Metallica or Bach, the sounds coming out of the speakers will always be the same. If you crank the tunes, you won't hear the engine noise.

[dimabimmer]

Originally Posted by Sean@PSI

So we will hear the mighty new S55 through the B & O setup...sounds sick to me.

I think it's a really cool feature!

Whatever it takes to block out any highway-road noise!

I mean, at high speeds, would you rather hear road noise or the sound of the RPM?

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by bavarian19

For the amount that BMW spends on marketing and creating 'edition' models that are just a special paint, is it that hard to create a well engineered exhaust note?
For example, why is it that the akra exhaust on the new M5 sounds great on its own without audio amplification? Its not the turbo/non-turbo debate with exhaust note. There can be a well designed exhaust note, but BMW cheats their way in delivering that.
It just leaves a bad taste in your mouth with how 'well' engineered everything is on the M models to them taking the easy way out.

Easy to explain: it's all about regulations. BMW has to pass legal hoops - it cannot get a car cleared for public road use if specific mandatory levels are not met or exceeded (CO2, decibel, etc.) (except for track use only products). Quite some market manufacturers allow themselves more freedom, sometimes offering products which, (f)actually, do not comply with regulations applicable to public road use (and thus putting the buyer at risk not to pass a next car control).