[MikeGr]

Lets start some controversy.
The artificial sound that bmw is producing in some models through the speakers, m5, 640d gran coupe,M550d, etc.. is just a piece of software right?
if so, it may be possible to retrofit other models or not?

Gonna be bashed by the petrol guys, but what do you dieselheads have to say?


see at 3,15min
see at 30 sec

I think i would go for it....

[Juiced46]

Its actually a separate module, not just software.

[MikeGr]

but is it something that may be retrofitted?

[Juiced46]

With some creativity it probably can.

[MikeGr]

i believe this is the module:
"Part 65129289971 (Control unit with Active Sound Design)"

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...=65&fg=25&hl=7
seems it's not that expensive, i've already found price for it at around 200$ in US.

It seems it's some kind of module or amplifier placed on the left side of the trunk, i've searched on the coding forums and there's a coding option for it. Would it be simple to install or it has to be tweaked by someone?

Anyone knows where could i find more information on it? or is anyone willing to look further into this?

[Alex.Devol]

Very interested in whether or not this is possible.

[mryakanisachoad]

You could rig a boom box to the gas pedal.

I bet the same store that sells M badges sells it.

[MikeGr]

Originally Posted by mryakanisachoad

You could rig a boom box to the gas pedal.

I bet the same store that sells M badges sells it.

i get from where that is coming from... but... this sound is for the driver only it's not meant for showing off to others. Outside no one hears it... you saying that is just as ridiculous as me making fun of the type of music you hear in your car. It's for my amusement and for no one else.
Unfortunately some people have to make compromises, if i lived in US most certainly i had gone for the M5 (oh wait... the sound comes from the speakers also...) instead i went for a diesel that's more expensive than the US M5 (we don't have the luck of having gas almost for free!)

[mryakanisachoad]

Fair point.

I guess I'm a little upset with BMW for even going there in the first place.

I'm not sure if it makes it better or worse that they're putting this on very expensive cars because it seems cheap-ish to me.

Like a carnival trick.

[MikeGr]

Originally Posted by mryakanisachoad

Fair point.

I guess I'm a little upset with BMW for even going there in first place.

I'm not sure if it makes it better or worse that they're putting this on very expensive cars because it seems cheap-ish to me.

Like a carnival trick.

the concept gives that impression, but after trying a car equipped with it one sees that it's very well made and it's not as obscene as you think it is.
i believe that technology is there to help us move forward and we can't consider each improvement made as a stain to the brand image.

for example i don't see too many people complaining that the nowadays sportscars are also comfortable to drive, if it were to remain truth to the classic sportscar image every time you passed a hole in the ground a wheel would fall off or you could strain your neck...

[Alex.Devol]

Originally Posted by mryakanisachoad

Fair point.

I guess I'm a little upset with BMW for even going there in the first place.

I'm not sure if it makes it better or worse that they're putting this on very expensive cars because it seems cheap-ish to me.

Like a carnival trick.

My last car was a v8, my current car is a diesel, I don't regret this, I like the diesel, that said the diesel car sounds like shit in comparison. No matter what intake or exhaust I were to spend thousands on this would always be the case. Now while I understand the negative attention active sound has attracted on an M car, because no speaker sound is an improvement over a well tuned authentic v8 or v10, I think its really narrow minded and just a case of haters bandwagoning when that same negativity is directed at the diesel models. I love my car, but if its a choice between listening to its droning & chattering engine or a simulated v8 then sign me up for the fake engine sound, who cares if its not real if it sounds better. Anyone who doesn't understand that obviously hasn't owned a diesel.

[Alex.Devol]

And yes to echo mikes point, my interest in this is purely for my own pleasure as a driver and like that this will not be heard by others, actually while I love hearing a good engine and exhaust note, I equally hate appearing to be showing off to pedestrians or neighbours.

[MikeGr]

Originally Posted by Alex.Devol

And yes to echo mikes point, my interest in this is purely for my own pleasure as a driver and like that this will not be heard by others, actually while I love hearing a good engine and exhaust note, I equally hate appearing to be showing off to pedestrians or neighbours.

right on the money

[Juiced46]

Originally Posted by MikeGr

the concept gives that impression, but after trying a car equipped with it one sees that it's very well made and it's not as obscene as you think it is.
i believe that technology is there to help us move forward and we can't consider each improvement made as a stain to the brand image.

for example i don't see too many people complaining that the nowadays sportscars are also comfortable to drive, if it were to remain truth to the classic sportscar image every time you passed a hole in the ground a wheel would fall off or you could strain your neck...

Have you ever driven in an M5 with active sound though? People get the misconception it is the loud terrible fake noise coming through your speakers, that is 100% not true. I have driven a few F10 M5s and it is barely noticeable and actually gives a nice accent to the sound inside the car. Its very very very minimal.

I have spoke to a few BMW US engineers and instructors about this. When they were in Germany doing some training, one of the BMW German engineers "rigged" it into a Z4 they told me. What was done to make it work I have no idea. The engineers also said, with the active sound disabled (module unplugged) the car sounded terrible inside (the M5)

The active sound feature is not an ebay device to make your car sound like something its not. Trust me its not what you think if you haven't heard it in person.

[mryakanisachoad]

Originally Posted by Alex.Devol

My last car was a v8, my current car is a diesel, I don't regret this, I like the diesel, that said the diesel car sounds like shit in comparison. No matter what intake or exhaust I were to spend thousands on this would always be the case. Now while I understand the negative attention active sound has attracted on an M car, because no speaker sound is an improvement over a well tuned authentic v8 or v10, I think its really narrow minded and just a case of haters bandwagoning when that same negativity is directed at the diesel models. I love my car, but if its a choice between listening to its droning & chattering engine or a simulated v8 then sign me up for the fake engine sound, who cares if its not real if it sounds better. Anyone who doesn't understand that obviously hasn't owned a diesel.

Like most Americans, I've never owned a diesel, so you've got me there. I can't really empathize with your frustration but I guess what you wrote makes sense if I think about it.

[MikeGr]

Originally Posted by Juiced46

Have you ever driven in an M5 with active sound though? People get the misconception it is the loud terrible fake noise coming through your speakers, that is 100% not true. I have driven a few F10 M5s and it is barely noticeable and actually gives a nice accent to the sound inside the car. Its very very very minimal.

I have spoke to a few BMW US engineers and instructors about this. When they were in Germany doing some training, one of the BMW German engineers "rigged" it into a Z4 they told me. What was done to make it work I have no idea. The engineers also said, with the active sound disabled (module unplugged) the car sounded terrible inside (the M5)

The active sound feature is not an ebay device to make your car sound like something its not. Trust me its not what you think if you haven't heard it in person.

i haven't heard it in person, but i have heard the 640d (same engine as mine) and the M550d (same engine but with some evolution), both of them shared the active sound design and i really liked it, didn't seemed at all like it was something that didn't belong there.

I believe that the diesel haters haven't yet tried one of these cars, if they did i think they would say otherwise.

It's not like we're talking of slow cars with fake engine sounds, the sound produced just matches the performance level, only happens to be a diesel.

[Alan l.]

Looks like this could work if along with some coding....

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=672496

[Alex.Devol]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

Looks like this could work if along with some coding....

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=672496

thanks for the heads up on this, It gives the impression it must be possible on some models, My car is an e92 LCI so not exactly a close relative of the F10 but after fitting a sound system the last few weeks have found there are actually some modules in there derivative of the F10 and totally different from the pre-2011 e90x's

Have to say if i had an F10 M5 i would probably be trying to disable this feature also, but on my car i'm definitely going to pursue this retrofit to see if it can be done.

[Chili Palmer]

Here's something that might get you by until you get the active sound module installed in your car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9XAC-BvUyo