BMW Active Sound Design (ASD) as fiited to E89s 18i 20i 28i

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I stumbled across ASD (BMW's synthetic generation of exhaust notes) when upgrading my audio on my E89 20i 2012 version with the 11 speaker, 7 (really 8) channel 676 hi-fi amp.

Basically, to combat the perceived 'dullness' of the 4 pot engines and to make the M series sound sexier, BMW started adding the ASD device to their cars.

Its now been fitted to almost all BMWs..Minis included.

It works by picking up the throttle position/ gear position/ revs/roadspeed /top up or down /sport or comfort and then generating a polyphonic sound that sounds like a super duper tuned car..various versions are used with the same hardware and just different 'tunes' for differing models..

It sits after the radio/muli media unis and before the amp..and injects the noise into the amp at a predertemined volume irrespective of whether the audio/mm unit is on and independent of the volume control..

I noticed a dramtic increase in its effects when I change the speakers /amp where I assume the ASD was boosted by the improved speaker response.

Due to the way its wired in, you can't simply discconect it as then the canbus signals for the other audio functions, radio, bongs, nav are defeated as well.

I bought a bypass cable from the US to get round the problem.

Several owner groups have stumbled across it, mostly deleteting its effects, with either a re-program or a bypass cable..
 
Pbondar said:
I stumbled across ASD (BMW's synthetic generation of exhaust notes) when upgrading my audio on my E89 20i 2012 version with the 11 speaker, 7 (really 8) channel 676 hi-fi amp.

Basically, to combat the perceived 'dullness' of the 4 pot engines and to make the M series sound sexier, BMW started adding the ASD device to their cars.

Its now been fitted to almost all BMWs..Minis included.

It works by picking up the throttle position/ gear position/ revs/roadspeed /top up or down /sport or comfort and then generating a polyphonic sound that sounds like a super duper tuned car..various versions are used with the same hardware and just different 'tunes' for differing models..

It sits after the radio/muli media unis and before the amp..and injects the noise into the amp at a predertemined volume irrespective of whether the audio/mm unit is on and independent of the volume control..

I noticed a dramtic increase in its effects when I change the speakers /amp where I assume the ASD was boosted by the improved speaker response.

Due to the way its wired in, you can't simply discconect it as then the canbus signals for the other audio functions, radio, bongs, nav are defeated as well.

I bought a bypass cable from the US to get round the problem.

Several owner groups have stumbled across it, mostly deleteting its effects, with either a re-program or a bypass cable..
Click to expand...

Why have i never heard such effects from my car? Is there a method to enable it? :?
Rob
 
Smartbear, you have it, it’s just you don’t realise it, good fakes flatter...

On the E89 versions it was not possible to enable or disable it, later versions could be programmed off, but not by a normal user.

BMW don’t really want to advertise as it cons so many people...they even use it on diesel cars to make them sound less rattlly

The only way you can definitively see if you have it is either to peek on the LHS rear bullhead behind the rear boot liner or get a diagnostic tool that can query for its presence..
 
What’s it like with it off ? ..... I disabled it on my RS, preferring the true natural sound, the 35iS is not so obvious in having fake noise.
 
I hope it’s on mine because externally or with the windows down the 4 pot E20 engine sounds pretty sh!t imho
 
Overweight Unicorn said:
So it's on my 23i Msport?

If so, how do I identify through diognostics? I have Carly.
Click to expand...

So is your car an 18/20 or 28i? If it’s not, you don’t have it :?
Rob
 
golfgeezer said:
I hope it’s on mine because externally or with the windows down the 4 pot E20 engine sounds pretty sh!t imho
Click to expand...

You can disable the exhaust flap so it’s open all the time, that gives a little more growl :driving:
Rob
 
9designs said:
What’s it like with it off ? ..... I disabled it on my RS, preferring the true natural sound, the 35iS is not so obvious in having fake noise.
Click to expand...

The car sounds ‘normal’ , after the loud engine noise it seems very quiet, it is exacerbated by the extended response of better speakers..

It’s a lot less fatiguing with the constant drone at a steady speed..
 
golfgeezer said:
I hope it’s on mine because externally or with the windows down the 4 pot E20 engine sounds pretty sh!t imho
Click to expand...

Yes you have it, you can confirm by either removing rear bulkhead lining..a 10 minute job or look in the fuse box under dashboard for fuse F42 which is fitted solely for the ASD..
 
golfgeezer said:
I hope it’s on mine because externally or with the windows down the 4 pot E20 engine sounds pretty sh!t imho
Click to expand...

To be clear on non hybrid BMWs ie E89 then the sound is only fed INTERNALLY to the speakers there is no external sounder, hybrids have a speaker under the bonnet...
 
Thinking across on our other chat Pbondar, I have upgraded mine as you know, amp, speakers etc, but I don't have this issue at all, you are saying it standard on my car, never noticed it before and don't notice it now (hence the confusion with our other thread)
 
RustyZ4 said:
Thinking across on our other chat Pbondar, I have upgraded mine as you know, amp, speakers etc, but I don't have this issue at all, you are saying it standard on my car, never noticed it before and don't notice it now (hence the confusion with our other thread)
Click to expand...

Hello RustyZ4

There are several plausible answers ..

As Mulder said in the X Files " You want to believe"

http://www.bimmerfile.com/2015/02/04/truth-bmws-active-sound/

There is a large body of anecdotal evidence that the vast majority of engine sounds are now partially /totally fake and for most people they think their car with the fake sound is faster / better than a car without fake sound. BMW have spent many millions as others have , they wouldn't do it unless they could fool most of the people most of the time

( I wear my fake Breitling watch (chinese copy) whenever I go into car showrooms, I get much better service!)

Its interesting to note that generally BMW does not allow the driver to switch off the fake sound..the cat would be out of the bag then for the majority..

As a motorcyclists for many years there were only a handful of bikes I had that I did not fit an after market exhaust to..they were all a lot faster afterwards! :rofl:

To answer your points..

If you fitted the new amp by intercepting the outputs from the radio/mm before the ASD then you will have unknowingly disabled it..so no fake sounds

You may through your DSP functions /equaliser have reduced the fake sound region which is mostly in the 20Hz through 200Hx area

You can always check by looking at the LHS of the rear bulkhead or look for fuse F42 in the fuse box under the dash!

I didin't realise it was there until I inadvertantly tampered with its delicate settings by installing new amps/speakers..
 
Smartbear said:
Overweight Unicorn said:
So it's on my 23i Msport?

If so, how do I identify through diognostics? I have Carly.
Click to expand...

So is your car an 18/20 or 28i? If it’s not, you don’t have it :?
Rob
Click to expand...

No, it's the 2.5L straight six. The reason I posed the question is because Pbondar mentioned the "M series". As there isn't an e89 Z4M I assumed he may have meant the Msport.

What other M Series is there in e89 guise?

I'm very happy if mine does not have it. I like the sound of it inside the car, and would be peeved if it were piped in.
 
Hmm interesting, I certainly had my amp fitted post audio signal, so basically where the existing amp was in the chain, but, I never noticed any ASD before it was fitted and certainly do not hear it now, so either, it was never activated on my car or I just cant hear it :lol:
The audison forza amp fitted is 85w a channel, so I reckon if it was there I would hear it :D
 
Overweight Unicorn said:
Smartbear said:
Overweight Unicorn said:
So it's on my 23i Msport?

If so, how do I identify through diognostics? I have Carly.
Click to expand...

So is your car an 18/20 or 28i? If it’s not, you don’t have it :?
Rob
Click to expand...

No, it's the 2.5L straight six. The reason I posed the question is because Pbondar mentioned the "M series". As there isn't an e89 Z4M I assumed he may have meant the Msport.

What other M Series is there in e89 guise?

I'm very happy if mine does not have it. I like the sound of it inside the car, and would be peeved if it were piped in.
Click to expand...

Hi, I’m assuming Pete’s referring to the 4 pot turbo cars and the M reference is for models other than Z4’s.
I could be wrong of course :?
Rob
 
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