Active Sound

[mdh]

The new M5 is certainly a great, maybe an epic car. Supercar acceleration, the most luxurious M5 ever, and beats the crap out of the E60 and most cars on the track. All this for around $100K.

Amazing.

But nothing is perfect, and for me, the big issue is Active Sound. I can understand this doesn't matter to a lot of people, and that's great. But who says you have to think every single thing about your car is great? Not me. My E60 M5 was the best car I've ever had - 130,000 miles worth. But the SMG sucked. Compared to the DCT in the M5 it was borderline consumer abuse.

I don't understand people talking about 'haters' complaining about Active Sound, and saying 'I love the engine sound'. Well, you're not hearing your engine sound. It's ok to not care, and that's probably the best reason to not worry about it. But the "I love the engine sound" is ridiculous. I love the new M5, but the Active Sound does suck, and like the SMG, maybe BMW will do something about it if there is enough noise (real) from enthusiasts.

[sparkyg]

Turbo cars are hard to make sounds like the N54 V8.

My M3 is blissful but at times I wish it was not so and made power more economically.

We are all enthusiasts but BMW is dealing with the reality of what the M5 needs to be to sell.

I am sure the new M3 will be much more the purists car.

[savarona]

Originally Posted by mdh

The new M5 is certainly a great, maybe an epic car. Supercar acceleration, the most luxurious M5 ever, and beats the crap out of the E60 and most cars on the track. All this for around $100K.

Amazing.

But nothing is perfect, and for me, the big issue is Active Sound. I can understand this doesn't matter to a lot of people, and that's great. But who says you have to think every single thing about your car is great? Not me. My E60 M5 was the best car I've ever had - 130,000 miles worth. But the SMG sucked. Compared to the DCT in the M5 it was borderline consumer abuse.

I don't understand people talking about 'haters' complaining about Active Sound, and saying 'I love the engine sound'. Well, you're not hearing your engine sound. It's ok to not care, and that's probably the best reason to not worry about it. But the "I love the engine sound" is ridiculous. I love the new M5, but the Active Sound does suck, and like the SMG, maybe BMW will do something about it if there is enough noise (real) from enthusiasts.

Still i think the M5 sound is lovely.
And i dont think and believe the deep and bass sound i hear when i play with the gas is comming from the speakers.

[beemerman1984]

I thought ActiveSound could be turned off? Otherwise as soon as you added an exhaust system the note from the speakers would be off from what the car actually sounds like?

[Aussie F10M]

Originally Posted by mdh

The new M5 is certainly a great, maybe an epic car. Supercar acceleration, the most luxurious M5 ever, and beats the crap out of the E60 and most cars on the track. All this for around $100K.

Amazing.

But nothing is perfect, and for me, the big issue is Active Sound. I can understand this doesn't matter to a lot of people, and that's great. But who says you have to think every single thing about your car is great? Not me. My E60 M5 was the best car I've ever had - 130,000 miles worth. But the SMG sucked. Compared to the DCT in the M5 it was borderline consumer abuse.

I don't understand people talking about 'haters' complaining about Active Sound, and saying 'I love the engine sound'. Well, you're not hearing your engine sound. It's ok to not care, and that's probably the best reason to not worry about it. But the "I love the engine sound" is ridiculous. I love the new M5, but the Active Sound does suck, and like the SMG, maybe BMW will do something about it if there is enough noise (real) from enthusiasts.

I think you are referring to my comment about loving the engine sound. To be clear I was obviously referring to the sound the engine makes - ie windows down so all I can hear is the engine sound coming in.

Have you heard the F10M live ? If not I suggest you reserve your judgment until you have done so.

[Aussie F10M]

Originally Posted by savarona

Still i think the M5 sound is lovely.
And i dont think and believe the deep and bass sound i hear when i play with the gas is comming from the speakers.

I tend to agree Savarona, but to be honest I cannot tell unless I have a window down.

Either way it is not an issue for me.

[Aussie F10M]

The other thing to point out mdh is that I am sure that in time you will be able to program out the active sound if you like. The DVD in Motion guys can code your car so that the TV etc works on the move, and remove the annoying iDrive disclaimer on start up, so I am sure in time if there is enough demand they will be able to code off the active sound.

[mdh]

Originally Posted by Aussie F10M

The other thing to point out mdh is that I am sure that in time you will be able to program out the active sound if you like. The DVD in Motion guys can code your car so that the TV etc works on the move, and remove the annoying iDrive disclaimer on start up, so I am sure in time if there is enough demand they will be able to code off the active sound.

You mean program like this?



Even the diehards have to think this is hilarious...

And in terms of having to hear it before I reserve judgement, I don't have to know what a lip-synch sounds like to know I don't like it. I don't care how good it sounds, I'd rather hear the real thing.

The aftermarket exhaust thing is certainly real. Nobody has figured out how to address the 'two exhaust sounds' yet.

[phish_100]

The clip is mildly amusing, but rather puerile. Like Aussie, I would say reserve judgement til you hear it. With windows up, you actually can't really hear much at all. With windows down, you hear the lovely sound of the engine/exhaust and good grief is it bassy - that's something you cannot hear from any video of the car!

[sparkyg]

I'll reserve judgement until I see it/drive it.

If its the worst thing of this car I bet BMW will work on a way to disable by the user.

[clar]

Active sound mimics the engine note, but it's not a lot they are playing back to u anyway. The bulk of the sound still comes from the exhaust LIVE. I have heard the exhaust note when the valet drove my car off on the outside. Boy, was it aggressive. It sounds almost like it was about to take a bite off the cars around it. I hear that same sound in the car as well albeit not as loud. Active sound does not play a big part in the whole aural experience cos the best sound in this car still comes from the exhaust.

[phish_100]

Originally Posted by clar

Active sound mimics the engine note, but it's not a lot they are playing back to u anyway. The bulk of the sound still comes from the exhaust LIVE. I have heard the exhaust note when the valet drove my car off on the outside. Boy, was it aggressive. It sounds almost like it was about to take a bite off the cars around it. I hear that same sound in the car as well albeit not as loud. Active sound does not play a big part in the whole aural experience cos the best sound in this car still comes from the exhaust.

Put perfectly, I think!

[panicos81]

I cant wait for Clarksons comments on that one...

[sparkyg]

Originally Posted by panicos81

I cant wait for Clarksons comments on that one...

Yeah he'll prob bitch until he joins the car sideways for 1/2 mile on the airstrip. He will forgive. He slayed the orig M5 until he hit the M button

[phish_100]

Originally Posted by sparkyg

Yeah he'll prob bitch until he joins the car sideways for 1/2 mile on the airstrip. He will forgive. He slayed the orig M5 until he hit the M button

Clarkson is typical and predictable. If the review starts bad, it will end up very good. The worse it starts, the better it will end. And the opposite holds true as well :-)

[///M5Canuck]

Originally Posted by phish_100

Clarkson is typical and predictable. If the review starts bad, it will end up very good. The worse it starts, the better it will end. And the opposite holds true as well :-)

Yes, and everything in between is automobile comedic genius!

[sparkyg]

Yeah Clarkson is hilarious but a bit a brute insulting US watchers. He's classic Brit in that way.

[mdh]

Originally Posted by panicos81

I cant wait for Clarksons comments on that one...

He will definitely make some kind of absurd segment that takes 'Active Sound' to the limit - probably not unlike the video I posted. I mean, they just won't be able to let that sit without poking BMW in the eye.

I do think he will give the car a spectacular review though, and I think it's going to surprise a lot of people with an outrageously good lap time.

[mdh]

Originally Posted by phish_100

...mildly amusing, but rather puerile.

You could say that about most of us on this Board...

[panicos81]

Originally Posted by mdh

He will definitely make some kind of absurd segment that takes 'Active Sound' to the limit - probably not unlike the video I posted. I mean, they just won't be able to let that sit without poking BMW in the eye.

I do think he will give the car a spectacular review though, and I think it's going to surprise a lot of people with an outrageously good lap time.

you know they should.. its a bad idea.. you have a twin turbo V8 and you need engine sound enhancement?!!

they will give a spectacular review because its a great car, but the joke at the end its going to be for that hope bmw don't tell them and they don't find out.. we will know on sunday

[phish_100]

Before we start looking fwd to this Sunday again, is it actually on this Sunday - where is the proof? hmm? well? I thought so. There is no proof. its all a conspiracy.

[bm323]

Originally Posted by mdh

But nothing is perfect, and for me, the big issue is Active Sound. I can understand this doesn't matter to a lot of people, and that's great. But who says you have to think every single thing about your car is great? Not me.

Have you test driven the F10 M5?