[Victor1984]

Hi Guys,

I am driving a g06 m50i. I have seen that in some cars the engine sound menu has 4 settings: reduced, balanced, sporty and depending on driving mode. Dou You have a sporty option on your x5/x6? I only have reduced, balanced and depending on driving mode...

I have attached a picture for visualisation from another car not x5/x6.

[OSCORP]

I don't have Sporty! WHY!!!

[mhodx5]

Originally Posted by OSCORP

I don't have Sporty! WHY!!!

I have sporty. 2020 X5 M50i

[Victor1984]

Originally Posted by mhodx5

I have sporty. 2020 X5 M50i

Which software version are you using?

[zhangyi17]

Originally Posted by Victor1984

Which software version are you using?

03/2020.69 has it

[Victor1984]

I am on 07/2020.54. Was it removed then?

[Stoshu]

I have Sporty on my X5 M50i with latest software.

[zhangyi17]

Originally Posted by Victor1984

I am on 07/2020.54. Was it removed then?

07/2020.60 still has it

I believe this sound setting is to pump the fake engine sound via seapker. Anyway, I had it at sporty even for my comfort mode.

[mhodx5]

Originally Posted by Victor1984

Which software version are you using?

07/2020.45

[Frenetic]

Are those sound settings only for the interior sounds or is it the actual exhaust? Sporty is definitely noticeable, but I couldn’t tell if it got louder outside.

[LexxM3]

Originally Posted by Frenetic

Are those sound settings only for the interior sounds or is it the actual exhaust? Sporty is definitely noticeable, but I couldn't tell if it got louder outside.

The speaker associated with that specific sound enhancement is on the outside of the car on the V8 models.

[zhangyi17]

Originally Posted by LexxM3

The speaker associated with that specific sound enhancement is on the outside of the car on the V8 models.

So it's pumping fake engine sound to the OUTSIDE of the car for passby to hear?
I would thought it would pump the sound inside the car...

[LexxM3]

Originally Posted by zhangyi17

So it's pumping fake engine sound to the OUTSIDE of the car for passby to hear?
I would thought it would pump the sound inside the car...

It is much more complex and much more interesting than that. ASD (Active Sound Design) is interior and present in all models; it is acoustic interior sound enhancement through interior amplifier and speakers.

This discussion is, instead, about this other mode (which I am calling "Engine Sound" or "ES" for lack of better label) that is only present on V8s and it is exterior. Previous investigations seem to suggest the outside speaker is really primarily intended to CANCEL exhaust noise rather than enhance, but when you turn that speaker-based cancellation off and/or modulate it otherwise, you can hear an effective enhancement. There also appear to be aftermarket software products that take over that exterior speaker for further ACOUSTIC enhancements (rather than just reductions/modulations of the stock noise cancellation functionality).

[zhangyi17]

Originally Posted by LexxM3

ASD (Active Sound Design) is interior and present in all models. This discussion is about this other mode only present on V8s and it is exterior. Previous investigations seem to suggest the outside speaker is really primarily intended to CANCEL exhaust noise rather than enhance, but when you turn that speaker-based cancellation off and/or modulate it otherwise, you can hear an effective enhancement. There also appear to be aftermarket software products that take over that exterior speaker for further ACOUSTIC enhancements (rather than just reductions of noise cancellation).

okay, that explains why I didn't notice much difference by adjusting this setting. There is however a more noticeable change when changing drive mode

[mitch57]

Originally Posted by LexxM3

It is much more complex and much more interesting than that. ASD (Active Sound Design) is interior and present in all models; it is acoustic interior sound enhancement through interior amplifier and speakers.

Is this specific to the X5/X6 models only? I have a 2020 X7 40i and there is no such option in iDrive on my vehicle. I'm on iStep version 07/2020.54.

[LexxM3]

Originally Posted by mitch57

Is this specific to the X5/X6 models only? I have a 2020 X7 40i and there is no such option in iDrive on my vehicle. I'm on iStep version 07/2020.54.

I don't know for sure, but yours (40i) is a 6cyl, not 8cyl — this is only on V8s.

[iconoclast]

all of them sound like garbled ass... disable.

[Frenetic]

Originally Posted by LexxM3

It is much more complex and much more interesting than that. ASD (Active Sound Design) is interior and present in all models; it is acoustic interior sound enhancement through interior amplifier and speakers.

This discussion is, instead, about this other mode (which I am calling "Engine Sound" or "ES" for lack of better label) that is only present on V8s and it is exterior. Previous investigations seem to suggest the outside speaker is really primarily intended to CANCEL exhaust noise rather than enhance, but when you turn that speaker-based cancellation off and/or modulate it otherwise, you can hear an effective enhancement. There also appear to be aftermarket software products that take over that exterior speaker for further ACOUSTIC enhancements (rather than just reductions/modulations of the stock noise cancellation functionality).

I’m still kind of missing something here. Usually, there are simple mechanical exhaust flaps that open and close to adjust the exhaust sound. What you’re saying is that there is an actual “speaker” outside of the car that, under normal driving conditions, reduces the exhaust sound. To increase the exhaust sound (i.e., sporty), that speaker is turned off?

It just seems weird and overly complicated to do something that simple exhaust flaps can do without any assistance.

[LexxM3]

Originally Posted by Frenetic

I'm still kind of missing something here. Usually, there are simple mechanical exhaust flaps that open and close to adjust the exhaust sound. What you're saying is that there is an actual "speaker" outside of the car that, under normal driving conditions, reduces the exhaust sound. To increase the exhaust sound (i.e., sporty), that speaker is turned off?

It just seems weird and overly complicated to do something that simple exhaust flaps can do without any assistance.

This is not the flap. Yes, it is an actual external speaker on V8s. While it might seem complicated, if you consider BMWs market variability, it actually seems like a brilliant simplifying approach (if it technically works, which I guess it does since it's there). Instead of varying exhaust mechanics for various jurisdictional noise limit caprices, you can now just change the noise cancellation software and settings — brilliant. I'll try to find the previous threads where we got a little deeper into this and update here.

Update 1: I am having trouble finding the threads, but you can read about the system BMW uses here and see more pics (not mine, previously posted in the threads I can't find). These are the source of my theory/assertion that it's active noise cancellation: https://www.eberspaecher.com/en/prod...gy/innovations

Update 2: Ah, found the discovery thread. Start reading this post and the posts above and below it on that thread: https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=25708721

Note 3: There is a theory/assertion in that linked thread that the Eberspaecher/Eberspacher external exhaust speaker may only be present on some regional models (eg UK), and not all V8s. I have no way of verifying this on my own Canadian X5 as it's not a V8 and that thread had died out before figuring this fully out. Perhaps this thread can finally get to root situation.

CALL TO ACTION: everyone with a V8 everywhere, please try to find this speaker under the car, take clear pics, and post your location, model, year, and wether present/not present/inconclusive.
.

[Victor1984]

Model x6 G06 m50i, year 2020 Hungary, not present. I searched in the back of the car around echaust area.

[Victor1984]

Maybe that is why my car doesnt have the sporty engine sound setting in idrive?

[mitch57]

Originally Posted by LexxM3

I don't know for sure, but yours (40i) is a 6cyl, not 8cyl — this is only on V8s.

I had a loaner 2020 X3M with the 6 cylinder engine and it had this sound menu in that car.