US I4 (400hp) has fake engine noise pumped through speakers

[GrahamClark_60-68]

Wow, this has been quite the new revelation and conundrum. You could pull the fuse, and live with the less than full sound profile (aftermarket exhaust/3rd cat delete the solution here?), or leave it be with the "stock" sound, but as one owner put it, once you know it's fake you can't "unhear it". Personally this aspect alone would drive me nuts and lead me to pulling that fuse.

My last car before the Emira was my 93 300ZX TT, which I've kept bone stock and still have after nearly 30 years of ownership. Love the car, hate the lack of sound (but at least not fake sound). My friends years ago dubbed it the dustbuster because it sounds like a vacuum cleaner. Happy now to have a V6 Emira with its decidedly different and raucous sound profile.

 

[F1 SML8R]

Well that blows...

 

[Nova]

The engine drone is in all modes, most noticeable in sport/track. Your sub is distorting basically all the time from this signal in all modes - this is why there is no fader in the car too, that would lower the fake noise if you moved to the front.

Kaz, can you ask your installer something:

• Check if the fake noise is only coming from the back and sub speakers.
• If the fake noise is only coming from the back and sub speakers, check if the sub and back speaker output from the main amp has the same noise.

My understanding is that the back and sub speakers are driven by the booster amp, while the rest of the speakers are driven by the main amp. If this is the case, it may be a possibility that the fake engine noise is being injected at the booster amp via an analog input signal. The booster amp should only need the sub and rear speaker signals from the main amp - this is how it's connected for V6 cars. If the installer identifies any inputs into the booster amp not directly coming from the main amp, then that could be the fake engine noise injection point, and disconnecting that signal should alleviate the issue.

I hope, anyway.

 

[Kaz]

Kaz, can you ask your installer something:

• Check if the fake noise is only coming from the back and sub speakers.
• If the fake noise is only coming from the back and sub speakers, check if the sub and back speaker output from the main amp has the same noise.

My understanding is that the back and sub speakers are driven by the booster amp, while the rest of the speakers are driven by the main amp. If this is the case, it may be a possibility that the fake engine noise is being injected at the booster amp via an analog input signal. The booster amp should only need the sub and rear speaker signals from the main amp - this is how it's connected for V6 cars. If the installer identifies any inputs into the booster amp not directly coming from the main amp, then that could be the fake engine noise injection point, and disconnecting that signal should alleviate the issue.

I hope, anyway.

My installer is probably a couple weeks out before giving it another go. He used a signal processor to get full range to the new speakers and had to combine some of those signals. The stock DSP is doing some frequency splitting. Regardless, the new sub will get that fake engine noise no matter what so right now it's kind of a non-starter. Someone might have figured this all out at least from an audio signal perspective? I even wrote to Cambridge Audio to see if they've done an I4 yet and how they handled this... Would be great if there was some secret decoder sequence to the audio signals lol.

 

[675430VME]

Yeah on all the time independent of media volume, for stock setup if it bothers you can just full the fuse to the ampf pull the fuse to the amp, navigation will also have no sound?

If I pull the fuse to the amp, I imagine navigation will also have no sound?

 

[Kaz]

If I pull the fuse to the amp, I imagine navigation will also have no sound?

might come through center channel? Your turn signals will go mute though

 

[675430VME]

might come through center channel? Your turn signals will go mute though

Sigh........

 

[Teshoo Lama]

Thanks for the video Kaz.

On the one hand, I can't believe Lotus did this. On the other, I can see why AMG wouldn't let them disable it. I'm embarrassed to admit I was a huge fan of the M139 sound signature, only to find it's completely fake, and not just "enhanced".

As you're the only man to ever hear an Emira i4 in its natural state, does it really sound as bad as your video? Any redeeming features to the soundtrack that elevate it above other popular 4-pot sports cars, like say an MX5/Miata?

 

[Kaz]

Thanks for the video Kaz.

On the one hand, I can't believe Lotus did this. On the other, I can see why AMG wouldn't let them disable it. I'm embarrassed to admit I was a huge fan of the M139 sound signature, only to find it's completely fake, and not just "enhanced".

As you're the only man to ever hear an Emira i4 in its natural state, does it really sound as bad as your video? Any redeeming features to the soundtrack that elevate it above other popular 4-pot sports cars, like say an MX5/Miata?

My personal preference coming from the Alfa 4C is that you hear turbo noise, exhaust noise. Mine was VERY loud basically a straight pipe and very loud turbo and wastegate sounds. The M139 sounds great compared to other 4 cylinder engines, deeper a little more throaty. I much prefer it over the pumped in sounds and once we all do whatever intakes, they can open up the turbo sounds it'll be great. I just want drivers who don't want to mess with anything with their stereo or drivetrain (intake exhaust hybrid turbo etc.) to have the option to turn it off so their speakers don't blow out in the rear all the time.

 

[BiscoffFan]

I'm just waiting for someone to find a way to rev the speakers without using the gas petal. Or on startup have the speakers (engine noise) set as loud as possible. It's got to be cheaper than an exhaust mod.

 

[Teshoo Lama]

My personal preference coming from the Alfa 4C is that you hear turbo noise, exhaust noise. Mine was VERY loud basically a straight pipe and very loud turbo and wastegate sounds. The M139 sounds great compared to other 4 cylinder engines, deeper a little more throaty. I much prefer it over the pumped in sounds and once we all do whatever intakes, they can open up the turbo sounds it'll be great. I just want drivers who don't want to mess with anything with their stereo or drivetrain (intake exhaust hybrid turbo etc.) to have the option to turn it off so their speakers don't blow out in the rear all the time.

Thanks for talking me off the ledge Just need someone to defeat this thing now.

 

[Kaz]

Thanks for talking me off the ledge Just need someone to defeat this thing now.

the latest is my installer found some information yesterday about a module in the engine bay on the driver's side with some pins out...he's gathering more info, hoping we'll eventually have a way to get rid off it. Software only option seems...unlikely the factory would do anything but who knows? what a first world problem to have lol

 

[Kaz]

Thanks for talking me off the ledge Just need someone to defeat this thing now.

sorry quick question you are based in the UK? I now realized all the early i4 review videos on YouTube in the UK and elsewhere all have the same sound...so I assume every i4 is doing this globally? makes sense otherwise there would be some easy way to turn it off

 

[Teshoo Lama]

sorry quick question you are based in the UK? I now realized all the early i4 review videos on YouTube in the UK and elsewhere all have the same sound...so I assume every i4 is doing this globally? makes sense otherwise there would be some easy way to turn it off

Yes, I'm in the UK. Based on your video this affects every i4 globally. So I'd say this is an underappreciated thread at this point, and really should make waves in any future round of Turbo SE press drives and reviews.