[Nutballa]

Meh. Fake.

[clar]

I can forgive M for adding active sound to M5 as it's after all, an executive car and all that sound insulation makes sense. The effect on the M5 is not that big. If they do the same thing on the next M3/M4, i am so going to the M dealer and poop on the front door to register my protest!

[roho3323]

Wow... the difference in sound is astonishing, though I am not quite sure if i could live with the fact that the sound isn't authentic.

I just bought a 2010 M6 because of the sound...can't really fake V10.

[GMW]

Originally Posted by Neil McRae

yup, these weeners complaining probably still use manual

He just went there.

[Robert]

I agree it does take away that emotional bit. On the other hand I rather not attract cop's attention while WOT.

[ZooMMM]

Suuuure, it's not fake... Just like my DCT is not an automatic. Bwahahaha.

[smashhell]

Originally Posted by Ian///M

Perhaps it is the easiest/only way to get good engine noise with still retaining minimal road noise? The Lexus LFA actually channels engine noise into the cabin via special tubes on the intake.
Personally I have no issue with it as long as it sounds as good outside the cabin too.

BMW explained they have tired to do that to the M5. But was displeased at the noise it sent into the cabin. So they went with artificial noise. :/

[mblaucoupe135]

I just don't understand why this is necessary. They didn't have to do it on the n54 and n55 in the 335s, so why does it sounds so bad on this car that they need to fake it? Also it does bother me that BMW wasn't up front about this from the beginning.

[FormulaMMM]

Ah. So that's why it sounds so good here.

Harris was duped. "How good does this motor sound... this sounds as good as pretty much any M engine I've listened to in the past 15 years..." (13:30)

[FogCityM3]

Maybe because of the E36 M3 engine used as the soundtrack?

Originally Posted by FormulaMMM

. "How good does this motor sound... this sounds as good as pretty much any M engine I've listened to in the past 15 years..." (13:30)

[monkawekrue]

shits silent like a ninja.

[aajami]

Originally Posted by Ian///M

Perhaps it is the easiest/only way to get good engine noise with still retaining minimal road noise? The Lexus LFA actually channels engine noise into the cabin via special tubes on the intake.
Personally I have no issue with it as long as it sounds as good outside the cabin too.

Yeah, but that's the actual sound that LFA engine is currently making, channeled into the cockpit via acoustic tubes. It's different in two very important ways from what BMW is doing:

1) The sound is live, not a pre-recorded sample that's being played back as in the M5 (and I assume the M135i).
2) The sound is not amplified in any way, as it is in the M5 and the M135i via their speaker systems.

http://www.yamaha.com/news_release/2009/20091021.html

Only physical acoustic methods were utilized to give the driver a direct sensation of this engine’s characteristics. There is no electrical or electronic sound processing. As a result, sounds that reach the driver are clear, dynamic, and smooth.

This is the kind of engineering that BMW should be investing in. Not recording the engine on a dyno and playing it back through the speaker system.

For a company that built its reputation on driver feedback, BMW sure continues to find more and more ways to separate the connection between the driver to the car to the road.

[Envyscorpio]

So if a speaker ever goes bust... You'll have a crappy sounding car till you get it replaced? LOL

I'm glad I kept both my E46 and E90 M

[smashhell]

Originally Posted by mblaucoupe135

I just don't understand why this is necessary. They didn't have to do it on the n54 and n55 in the 335s, so why does it sounds so bad on this car that they need to fake it? Also it does bother me that BMW wasn't up front about this from the beginning.

Because of turbos engines you see, they will never sound as good as NA engines of the past. The V8 TT will not sound as good as a V10. But somehow they have to live up to it.
So they fake it.

[mdosu]

what is this world coming to?

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by h46pilot

This. It's hilarious (read: extremely sad) seeing people discuss if they should upgrade their speakers to improve the engine noise of their car, I'll have a nice aftermarket exhaust system installed thanks. I am not one of those uppity purists, but when I start seeing things like raw engine noise being subsituted by artificially reproduced nonsense through the speakers I can't help but feel a little depressed. It's like those fake engine noise cds or cassettes you plug in or whatever that they sell to make your car sound like a v8, freaking ridiculous.

WELL said..... I cant help but feel it's a slow trickle in of ENTIRELY synthetic sound atmospheres as cars go all electric in years to come...

[m balla]

My gti has a sound tube... I plugged it and it sounded so quiet... Yeah it uses boost but I like the sound

The digital route may save weight... But I rather have the real noise piped in... The n5x cars have pretty quiet engines but they aren't M cars and no need for the music

M performance and ///M cars need to sound like a beast but should be 100 per cent real engine noise... I can see why they did what they did but will disappoint many

[DOCTOR 3VIL]

Lame!!!
I would expect this from some cheap manufacturer but not from BMW.
Looks like I'll be keeping my E46 M3 forever!!

[671rover]

Originally Posted by strati1

This feature makes me sick, its like bad fake tits but on a car. Sorry to offend.

[Kg810]

/facepalm at the fake sound.... It sucks that so many cars are equipped with such a lame fake sound generator.

[GRID]

Originally Posted by Ka razy

Sure hope this does not end up on the future M4.

+1

[logiclee]

Originally Posted by Neil McRae

oh get over yourself mate! LOL

turbo cars like this have noise coming out of the exhaust. I don't want exhaust noise I want engine noise.

The Noise Is Not Fake - Its Real!

You are wrong Neil. The symposer is much more than an amp and microphone like Vw use on the Golf GTi.
The symposer adds different frequencies depending on engine rpm and throttle position. It adds deep frequencies for a low end growl and higher frequencies for a top end howl.

Think of it like an autotune system some vocal artists use.

You can blame interior insulation needed to cut down wind and road noise as well as ever stricter eu noise legislation but the fact is the M5 and M135i have fake engine sound in the cabin.

Cheers
Lee