New cars and fake engine noises? explain please...

[Fahd]

Hey guys, seen lots of discussion recently about the new M5/M6 and Clio 200 using fake engine noise? I genuinely am struggling to wrap my head around this concept. Are these supposedly "performance" cars seriously using the in-car speakers to make them sound less st? Or are people referring to exhaust systems that have been made specifically for better sound?

[otolith]

This is how it works, and what effect disabling it has:

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/bmw-s-active...

[shambolic]

Speakers being used to simulate noise.
For example the new Z4 with the 4cyl turbo engines has a noise enhancer (through speakers) to make it sound like a straight six that it replaced

One of the reasons I've kept my early E89 as its the straight 6 engine

[Superchickenn]

Ive heard of that...

Maybe i should recored a nice engine sound and play it in my wife's KA .. mmmm

[kambites]

Superchickenn said:

Ive heard of that...

Maybe i should recored a nice engine sound and play it in my wife's KA .. mmmm

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOUND-RACER-V12-In-Car-Engine-Sound-Effect-Boy-Toy-Car-Gadget-/360466053099?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item53ed7377eb#ht_1546wt_1165

[Mastodon2]

I'll take a good old fashioned well designed induction setup and a stainless steel exhaust thanks.

Fake noise because the manufacturers couldn't get a decent sound of the car naturally, what a joke.

[Mastodon2]

I'll take a good old fashioned well designed induction setup and a stainless steel exhaust thanks.

Fake noise because the manufacturers couldn't get a decent sound of the car naturally, what a joke.

[Codswallop]

otolith said:

This is how it works, and what effect disabling it has:

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/bmw-s-active...

That sounds awful and so fake. Mind you, it doesn't sound much better with the system off.

[EDLT]

Fahd said:

Hey guys, seen lots of discussion recently about the new M5/M6 and Clio 200 using fake engine noise? I genuinely am struggling to wrap my head around this concept. Are these supposedly "performance" cars seriously using the in-car speakers to make them sound less st? Or are people referring to exhaust systems that have been made specifically for better sound?

Some use speakers, others use ducts. It is done because the car needs to pass drive-by noise regulations but also provide some feeling of owning a fast car to the driver (many people equate engine noise with speed).

With a speaker system you could set it so they only turn on in 'Sport' mode, making the car quiet and relaxing the rest of the time.

[unpc]

Manufacturers have always tinkered around with exhaust systems to get the right noise and I can stomach active exhaust flaps to make it sound better when you're ragging it but this is a step too far. I can only assume that no amount of tinkering could get either of this pair to sound anything other than st so they've tried to take us for a bunch of mugs.

This would stop me buying a car. I'd have been more impressed if they'd made it sound like a Star Wars pod racer or something.

[robmlufc]

unpc said:

This would stop me buying a car. I'd have been more impressed if they'd made it sound like a Star Wars pod racer or something.

Tie Fighter please

[unpc]

EDLT said:

It is done because the car needs to pass drive-by noise regulations.

Are you saying that AMG Mercs, XKRs and the like would all fail a drive by noise test? They clearly haven't yet don't feel the need to adopt this system.

[300bhp/ton]

I'd rather a silent car than fake engine noise.

[RobCrezz]

robmlufc said:

Tie Fighter please

+1 If its going to be a fake noise, might as well be something funny!

[GroundEffect]

Mastodon2 said:

I'll take a good old fashioned well designed induction setup and a stainless steel exhaust thanks.

Fake noise because the manufacturers couldn't get a decent sound of the car naturally, what a joke.

Well no, it's because they want to keep the car quiet externally, and insulate the car more from road/wind noise, but let the driver hear some 'engine' noise.

Pretty straight forward, really.

[jon-]

otolith said:

This is how it works, and what effect disabling it has:

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/bmw-s-active...

Not actually that fussed by this. I've listened a few times, and the speakers just seem to be slightly supplementing the actual engine noise. Neither are a great noise, but at least BMW have matched the pitch etc.

If you were that fussed about the sound track, you'd go and buy the e60 M5 anyway

[JonnyFive]

Mazda have a flap in the induction system on the newer MX5s which at a certain revs opens so you can hear the induction inside the car too. Pretty cool!

[Mastodon2]

GroundEffect said:

Well no, it's because they want to keep the car quiet externally, and insulate the car more from road/wind noise, but let the driver hear some 'engine' noise.

Pretty straight forward, really.

Well yes, because they struggle to get a good sound from the turbo systems, especially evident when you compare a young turbo car to it's glorious, NA older brother, like an M5 or the new Clio RS. Turbo cars can sound good but usually require a fair bit less baffling than the OEM exhausts come with, which would lead to unacceptable levels of volume. As it is, they just can't get a good sound and keep the volume down, so they've started piping this rubbish in to keep people smiling as long as they don't wind the windows down.

[kambites]

The turbocharged AMG lumps seem to sound alright without using speakers.

[Mastodon2]

kambites said:

The turbocharged AMG lumps seem to sound alright without using speakers.

The new M5 doesn't though. Spotted my first new one the other day and my first thoughts were "Wow, that makes a 7 series look small" and then "What a crap noise".

I'm sure with an AC Schnitzer, Hamann or Eisemann upgrade, it could sound excellent.