[dmicah]

I know people really dislike ASD (Active Sound Design, or, engine noise supplemented through the stereo system). Nonetheless, I'd like to lay out a few points in favor of this feature. I currently have had it turned off for a few days now, and I will probably code it back on after a week or so of experiencing what it's like without it.

Here's why I understand BMW's impulse to increase engine sounds using artificial means:

• There's really only one person who wants to hear my engine, and he's sitting behind the wheel. Everyone outside of the car honestly would rather not. ASD is a way to make everyone happy.
• At lease potentially, it frees up engineers to optimize the exhaust towards performance and efficiency with less consideration of sound. And these cars do have remarkable performance and efficiency.
• In aggressive driving, with manual shifting, the sound is one more input the driver can use to decide shift points. And sound is a more intuitive signal than other types of shift alerts.
• C'mon: The noise is kind of fun. The point of these kinds of cars is to have fun!

There are definitely some points against ASD:

• As some have mentioned, the quality of sound in the stereo seems to be better with it off. I think a casual listen doesn't reveal this, but your favorite song with a close listen might.
• BMW in line sixes are so unique and melodic, you could tune for equivalent sound without electronics. But again, that would involve everyone else on the road rather than just the driver/passengers.
• Some people seem to be able to hear an artificial quality of the sound, and it irks them. Although I'm not one of those people, if I could identify the fakeness I'm sure it would bug me.
• Without coding, it's not meaningfully adjustable or turnoffable. This seems like a silly omission to me--like BMW isn't willing to own up to the fact that they're piping in noise. Also, it would be cool if I could add some induction noise!

Around town, I actually enjoy ASD. On the highway, it's more of a drag. For long trips, I'll definitely code it off.
Anyhow, just my thoughts. Feel free to disagree vehemently. These cars are all in good fun.

[jzmundy]

Honestly, I really don't mind - maybe even enjoy - the ASD in my M40. It would actually give me a headache on trips over ~30 min in my F80, so I coded it off. Definitely don't feel the need in the M40.

[rkx3m40i]

Originally Posted by dmicah

I know people really dislike ASD (Active Sound Design, or, engine noise supplemented through the stereo system). Nonetheless, I'd like to lay out a few points in favor of this feature. I currently have had it turned off for a few days now, and I will probably code it back on after a week or so of experiencing what it's like without it.

Here's why I understand BMW's impulse to increase engine sounds using artificial means:

• There's really only one person who wants to hear my engine, and he's sitting behind the wheel. Everyone outside of the car honestly would rather not. ASD is a way to make everyone happy.
• At lease potentially, it frees up engineers to optimize the exhaust towards performance and efficiency with less consideration of sound. And these cars do have remarkable performance and efficiency.
• In aggressive driving, with manual shifting, the sound is one more input the driver can use to decide shift points. And sound is a more intuitive signal than other types of shift alerts.
• C'mon: The noise is kind of fun. The point of these kinds of cars is to have fun!

There are definitely some points against ASD:

• As some have mentioned, the quality of sound in the stereo seems to be better with it off. I think a casual listen doesn't reveal this, but your favorite song with a close listen might.
• BMW in line sixes are so unique and melodic, you could tune for equivalent sound without electronics. But again, that would involve everyone else on the road rather than just the driver/passengers.
• Some people seem to be able to hear an artificial quality of the sound, and it irks them. Although I'm not one of those people, if I could identify the fakeness I'm sure it would bug me.
• Without coding, it's not meaningfully adjustable or turnoffable. This seems like a silly omission to me--like BMW isn't willing to own up to the fact that they're piping in noise. Also, it would be cool if I could add some induction noise!

Around town, I actually enjoy ASD. On the highway, it's more of a drag. For long trips, I'll definitely code it off.
Anyhow, just my thoughts. Feel free to disagree vehemently. These cars are all in good fun.

You make some excellent points, some I have not thought of. I have not experienced an M40i with ASD coded off. I would like too so I can determine what I like better. My guess is I will like it better off. Does anyone know if removing the fuse is as affective or more effective than coding the ASD off?

[gugin]

Removing the fuse, coding ASD off, or using the ASD bypass harness does exactly the same thing. Take your pick. The only difference is that if you pull out the fuse and don't put it back before a dealer visit, your dealer may run into issues updating the software on your car.

[chicagofan00]

I spent a vast majority of my first year of ownership with the ASD fuse pulled. I recently put it back in so that the dealership wouldn't run into any issues when performing the camera software recall update. The fuse has been back in for about two weeks now and I can definitely tell a difference but overall I haven't been majorly annoyed with it. I will likely pull the fuse again at some point. Overall put me down as one that is indifferent in regards to the matter.

[Douggie]

There are posts that say the ASD is tied to with the exhaust valve control as well, so it's more than just "noise/sound". Not sure if true?

[chicagofan00]

Originally Posted by Douggie

There are posts that say the ASD is tied to with the exhaust valve control as well, so it's more than just "noise/sound". Not sure if true?

I believe that is only on 2020 models currently. The 2018 & 2019 models definitely don't correlate with the two.

[abhidada]

Does the (2020) M40d have ASD as well? I don't see an iDrive option to reduce/disable ASD, but certainly hear an ASD-induced like deep growl when in Sports mode

[sinbad4]

I get your points, OP. And I will add, the car is quite quiet with ASD coded off. I can understand someone feeling that some of the fun is let out when you cannot hear the engine roar.

..But for me, ASD is a big lie. I bit like clipping a playing car into your bicycle spokes as a child. It’s not your real engine noise.

I don’t mind so much when they put a tube from your intake through the firewall - that’s your actual engine and that’s real engine noise. But to artificially create noise and play it through the stereo system?

Some BEV vehicles have looked into doing this - using v8 engine sounds as the electric motors are someone sensorial lackluster. I don’t know that any have actually brought this to market yet.

[spangle1980]

Originally Posted by abhidada

Does the (2020) M40d have ASD as well? I don't see an iDrive option to reduce/disable ASD, but certainly hear an ASD-induced like deep growl when in Sports mode

It does - or at least mine appears to have an awesome growl when in sport mode, which I really like. The fact that it doesn't do all that childish pops and bangs outside which (IMHO) are completely futile is all the better. Ohhhhhh flame owaannnnn ;-)

As an aside, since I have HK and thus two subwoofers, I wonder the ASD must be a poorer experience in those who do not have?

[Blacktemplar]

The 2020 models have the option to set ASD according to your preference - dynamically according to driving mode, loud or reduced - but not off. I find the dynamic/loud settings a little artificial, so run with reduced. However I would be severely hacked off if the reduced setting impacts the physical valve opening as well as the in-cabin sound. Unlike the OP I want people outside the car to hear what a nice expensive car I’ve bought, and marvel at the paucity of my reproductive gear

Has anyone managed to empirically confirm that this is (or indeed isn’t) the case?

[dmicah]

Yeah, I had not understood there to be a relationship between coding ASD off and the exhaust valves--and I have a 2020. I know that, at least in prior years, you could pull fuse 218 to turn off ASD so long as you have HK, and 203 to impact the valve. I find the threads on that latter one ambiguous as to whether pulling fuse 203 requires that you get the valve into an open state first and then pull the fuse to lock it that way or it just opens permanently after you pull it. I'm sure most of you know all this is discussed in How to disable ASD on your X3 M40i: 3 methods that do not require coding

Further ambiguity exists as to whether all this changed in 2020. However, Bimmercode makes it easy to turn on and off, and is pretty cheap if you use enet cables and your iPhone.

[Mpetey]

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

The 2020 models have the option to set ASD according to your preference - dynamically according to driving mode, loud or reduced - but not off. I find the dynamic/loud settings a little artificial, so run with reduced. However I would be severely hacked off if the reduced setting impacts the physical valve opening as well as the in-cabin sound. Unlike the OP I want people outside the car to hear what a nice expensive car I’ve bought, and marvel at the paucity of my reproductive gear

Has anyone managed to empirically confirm that this is (or indeed isn’t) the case?

I have been running on "reduced" or " balanced" the last several months. When the windows are down (radio off), it's nice but not loud. I turned it up to "depends on driving mode" and woah, i can tell you there is an active difference in exhaust note. I have not confirmed the valve being opened or closed, but am 99% sure the setting effects actual exhaust sound and not just the ASD.

[rkx3m40i]

Originally Posted by dmicah

Yeah, I had not understood there to be a relationship between coding ASD off and the exhaust valves--and I have a 2020. I know that, at least in prior years, you could pull fuse 218 to turn off ASD so long as you have HK, and 203 to impact the valve. I find the threads on that latter one ambiguous as to whether pulling fuse 203 requires that you get the valve into an open state first and then pull the fuse to lock it that way or it just opens permanently after you pull it. I'm sure most of you know all this is discussed in How to disable ASD on your X3 M40i: 3 methods that do not require coding

Further ambiguity exists as to whether all this changed in 2020. However, Bimmercode makes it easy to turn on and off, and is pretty cheap if you use enet cables and your iPhone.

Can you remove the fuse to shut off the ASD in a X3 that doesn't have the upgraded Harmon Kardon stereo? The link says it's only works on HK stereos.

[IslandDriver]

In 2020 m40i with ASD coded off but idrive engine noise set to loud/sporty, it's perfect IMO. When I had ASD on, the audio quality suffered pretty significantly to my ears and made music much less enjoyable. I can hear the engine plenty with it set to sporty/loudest.

[chicagofan00]

Originally Posted by rkx3m40i

Can you remove the fuse to shut off the ASD in a X3 that doesn't have the upgraded Harmon Kardon stereo? The link says it's only works on HK stereos.

The thread is accurate. The fuse pull method only works if you have the HK system.

[rkx3m40i]

Originally Posted by chicagofan00

The thread is accurate. The fuse pull method only works if you have the HK system.

Does that mean the only easy way to disable the ASD in a car without the HK stereo is to code it off?

[chicagofan00]

Originally Posted by rkx3m40i

Does that mean the only easy way to disable the ASD in a car without the HK stereo is to code it off?

I believe so. I think the bypass harness is fairly easy to do as well from what I recall reading through that thread a while back.

[spta97]

On my X3MC I get all kinds of fake pops and burbles in sport+ mode.

I coded it off via Bimmercode but it doesn’t seem to have taken for some reason (I did it twice).

Although it can sound pretty cool, I think of it the same way as someone putting an //M badge on a non-M car or a woman faking an orgasm .

I would have liked that burble in only sport+ so I don’t have to listen to it all the time.

I’ll have to pull the fuse as I require authenticity.

What’s next? Are they going to put a speaker outside the car so passerbys can hear the fake engineered sound?

[dmicah]

Originally Posted by spta97

On my X3MC I get all kinds of fake pops and burbles in sport+ mode.

I coded it off via Bimmercode but it doesn’t seem to have taken for some reason (I did it twice).

I didn't think that ASD did burbles and pops. I think that's real. I think it just does vrrrrooom stuff.

[spta97]

Originally Posted by dmicah

I didn't think that ASD did burbles and pops. I think that's real. I think it just does vrrrrooom stuff.

They went away when I pressed the button so either the ASD does them or it closes the flap.

Keep in mind I have the X3Mc so that may be a factor. I understand the M40i has burbles and pops by default.

[satz]

Pardon the newbie question...but does ASD only do in-cabin sound, or does it also control the actual exhaust burble/pops?

And..do the newer M40i with particulate filter still make any special exhaust sounds?