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

[seanq]

Originally Posted by M4TW

This is from the thread on the same subject



This is just a way of providing feedback and listening in on what the engine is doing with the amplification adjusted according to the setting you've selected. A lot of people time their shift points by ear and this would therefore be an enthusiast's tool. The only difference here is that you have the option of turning down the engine sounds in the cabin when you're only cruising and listening to tunes or trying to carry on a conversation.

Correct me if I'm wrong, you are saying Active Sound can be turned off without software hacks? This is the first time I read that

[igom3]

Originally Posted by seanq

For a performance car to have an artificially enhanced sound is just plain silly for me. I expect to experience the actual engine sound, if BMW is worried about the sound being too quiet that can easily be solved with some modifications.
If you are OK with artificial sound then great for you, hopefully BMW releases a Ferrari/Mustang/Lambo sound app and you'll be able to choose what you want to hear, but other people have different tastes, and asking to hear the natural engine sound in a 70k+ BMW performance car is not complaining by any measure.

Cheers,

+ 1000

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by seanq

For a performance car to have an artificially enhanced sound is just plain silly for me. I expect to experience the actual engine sound, if BMW is worried about the sound being too quiet that can easily be solved with some modifications.
If you are OK with artificial sound then great for you, hopefully BMW releases a Ferrari/Mustang/Lambo sound app and you'll be able to choose what you want to hear, but other people have different tastes, and asking to hear the natural engine sound in a 70k+ BMW performance car is not complaining by any measure.

Cheers,

I can entirely sympathize with your reasoning, although your opinion starts to sound childish with the app fallacy. There's a domino effect at play here and the cards are stacked against them in the aural department. For one, they're starting with a muffled F/I engine that doesn't produce the same sharp intake and crisp exhaust notes as its N/A predecessors for obvious reasons. On top of this, they've further insulated the chassis just like they've been doing across the range with sound deadening materials.

Now that the "unwanted" sounds are removed or significantly diminished, they need to amplify the noises that do matter. Many OEMs implement a tube that channels noise into the cockpit (e.g. Mustang), while BMW has chosen to playback the noises through the speakers.

I can understand that the principle is off-putting to enthusiasts as this isn't the "true" source of the noise in the literal sense, but what other options do they have aside from the two outlined above? Remove the sound deadening? Customers will think the car is less "refined" compared to its competition (and let's be honest with ourselves when we think about the majority of the buying demographic in this case). Uncork the engine and give it a less restrictive exhaust? Probably too showy for the M brand's "wolf in sheep's clothing" image. They could revert to an atmos engine and ditch the snails, but then the engine becomes less fuel efficient and torque output lags behind the competition (I'm sure that we couldn't care less, but we have to keep the consumer in mind).

This is really just a passive feature that tries to enhance the experience. If you focus less on what the source is and give the end product a shot, you might come into it with a less jaded opinion. Just my two cents.

[Suave]

Originally Posted by Year's_End

I can entirely sympathize with your reasoning, although your opinion starts to sound childish with the app fallacy. There's a domino effect at play here and the cards are stacked against them in the aural department. For one, they're starting with a muffled F/I engine that doesn't produce the same sharp intake and crisp exhaust notes as its N/A predecessors for obvious reasons. On top of this, they've further insulated the chassis just like they've been doing across the range with sound deadening materials.

Now that the "unwanted" sounds are removed or significantly diminished, they need to amplify the noises that do matter. Many OEMs implement a tube that channels noise into the cockpit (e.g. Mustang), while BMW has chosen to playback the noises through the speakers.

I can understand that the principle is off-putting to enthusiasts as this isn't the "true" source of the noise in the literal sense, but what other options do they have aside from the two outlined above? Remove the sound deadening? Customers will think the car is less "refined" compared to its competition (and let's be honest with ourselves when we think about the majority of the buying demographic in this case). Uncork the engine and give it a less restrictive exhaust? Probably too showy for the M brand's "wolf in sheep's clothing" image. They could revert to an atmos engine and ditch the snails, but then the engine becomes less fuel efficient and torque output lags behind the competition (I'm sure that we couldn't care less, but we have to keep the consumer in mind).

This is really just a passive feature that tries to enhance the experience. If you focus less on what the source is and give the end product a shot, you might come into it with a less jaded opinion. Just my two cents.

The sound is not artificial. It is the actual engine sound being channeled into the car with the help of the speaker rather than a pipe like the mustang. It is not a soundtrack. Just wanted to make that clear

[MeganeTrophyGuy]

A few weeks ago, I sold my Renault Megane 265 RS Trophy for an M135 which has the artificial noise being pumped in, and though I don't really like the idea, I was willing to give it a try since it is just a temporary commuter car for the next year and not a full on M-model. I also liked the fact that this is one of the lighters BMWs with one of its biggest engines - each generation of BMW seems to get bigger and heavier which they seem forced to try to offset by constantly pushing up the hp numbers and use of advanced technologies. It says only a very small part of the sound is artificially produced and I suppose I am Ok with the idea for this kind of car (something that is more GT than track-oriented), especially after I added the M Performance Exhaust which gives about another 10% of sporty noise in all the right places, but it still kind of feels like the M135i is just one more example of sports car makers getting too mesmerized by the promise of technology, rather than remembering their sporting roots which historically produced wonderful, raw, analog driving experiences that truly connected the driver with their vehicle and the road.

M-Performace cars like my M135 supposedly have about 30-40% original parts when compared with the regular cars in their line while M-cars supposedly have 70-80% original parts. This makes it seem like more of a cop out to have to pipe in artificially produced sounds on all-out M-cars like the M3/4/5/6 (especially since there are great aftermarket systems that do a fantastic job of delivering 100% natural sporty sounds already). I have had some great BMWs in the past including an E36 M3 and E46 Alpina B3S, and the wonderful, signature BMW straight-six exhaust note was an important part of the sell for me.

My M135i is a short term 1 year purchase and though I had originally been thinking about trading up for an M4 next year, the artificially produced sound is a definite issue for me. I loved the glorious sound of the old V10 M5s and had long ago decided that wouldn't even consider the new M5 for the same reason.

[Chuck W.]

It can be deleted through coding. I had the link from another forum.

[nonagon]

It's supposedly the actual engine sound, amplified through the speakers. Not synthesized. Yes there have been many threads on the subject.

[Velon]

I have actually never driven a BMW with "fake" sound so my F80 will be the first. If it works out, why not. But I will miss the sound of the Boxer engine of my Porsche. That sound is as close to God I can get really. No need for amplifier there.

[Lups]

I hate the idea of amplified sound, but hell, if it was up to me, someone would have sold me their brand new M3 2012 with zero miles on the clock.

[MeganeTrophyGuy]

Originally Posted by Velon

I have actually never driven a BMW with "fake" sound so my F80 will be the first. If it works out, why not. But I will miss the sound of the Boxer engine of my Porsche. That sound is as close to God I can get really. No need for amplifier there.

A few things:

1) I have always been one of those that wants "just a little bit more" than the stock sound since this is always a compromise both for EU drive by laws as well as the less hooligan-like owners out there and added a Supersprint system to my E36 M3 (AWESOME sound) and a SpeedArt system to my 2010 Boxtser S (like you said, a truly heavenly, spine-tingling sound!).

2) I actually LOVE the sound of my M135i (with M Performance Exhaust) when I am on throttle - impossible to tell that any of the noise generated is artificial and it actually sounds even BETTER than my 321hp E36 M3 with Supersprint. The engine note brings a HUGE smile to my face every time I gun it. That said, it is too quiet below 4000rpm and definitely needs windows open for full effect.

3) As I said, i don't mind the use of artificial methods to enhance the sound in a regular series BMW or even in a "lesser-M" like my M135 M Performance, but definitely have the expectation that a full on M-car by BMW, high end 911s, or anything by Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, or even AMG can manage to create a car with an engine note that it exciting and intoxicating without any artificial sweeteners. To me, it feels like an example of BMW corporate rather than BMW engineers calling the shots...

[Velon]

Well Said. I agree.

[Oakleyguy]

As others have said, the M3/4 will use a microphone in the engine bay to amplify sound into the cabin via the speakers. So basically a live concert of your engine. Why? Because BMW owners do want to hear some engine note, but do not want to hear road and wind noise.

If the Bimmerpost video riding in the prototype M4 with Bruno has any lick of truth, the system will sound damn fine in the cabin. That said, there's always the option of discounting the microphone.

[STi2M3]

Do you see any microphones????? We've all seen the engine bay, and as much as I hope it is mic'd sound, I think it is just going to be a recording like in the M5. I know we have some semi-offical confirmation of microphones, but until I see a microphone, I remain very sceptical. I think this is like the mythical third electric turbo.

[Lups]

We have already had many ideas about how to handle the active sound. Coding is the best one, the one doctors recommend.

[Oakleyguy]

Originally Posted by STi2M3

Do you see any microphones????? We've all seen the engine bay, and as much as I hope it is mic'd sound, I think it is just going to be a recording like in the M5. I know we have some semi-offical confirmation of microphones, but until I see a microphone, I remain very sceptical. I think this is like the mythical third electric turbo.

Really we won't know until we (3rd party enthusiasts) can get our hand on an actual car and do some investigating.

Otherwise we could try our luck at NYIAS?
"Umm sir, could please climb back out of the engine bay"

[Kadema]

Today, I drove at casual 70mph between Rothenburg ob der Tauber and an even smaller town called Schillingsfürst on a northern bavarian 'Landstraße' when suddenly a yellowish-golden car was approaching visibly less casual. It was already gone when I realized that I just got passed by an AY M3 (yes, I think it was a F80, could be mistaken, though). And you know what: Exterior sound was great.

[Velon]

This makes me happy. Or happyish.

[dhoggm3]

Originally Posted by Chuck W.

It can be deleted through coding.

Really? If so, that's new information.

[ake]

Originally Posted by Chuck W.

It can be deleted through coding. I had the link from another forum.

Could you PM me that link? Thanks...