CT5-V Getting Rid of Fake Engine Noise

[jbawden]

I don't think the YouTube reviewers are a good source of the fine details. Even Savagegeese and Doug DeMuro get the details wrong as they just don't have the time to verify every last thing.

If ANC is filtering all the undesirable sounds, then the piped in noises can easily be added with software. Maybe the data is based on actual under hood recordings, but an under hood mic on every car seems cumbersome and low tech.

 

[Andi]

At the Sewell Q&A in May 2021, I clearly remember Brandon Vivian telling me there is piped in sound from a mic. It was in response to me talking about how BMW pipes in fake noise, and thanking Cadillac for having real sound, and he said they pump in noise too but it’s real from the engine via a mic.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Tall Steve]

At the Sewell Q&A in May 2021, I clearly remember Brandon Vivian telling me there is piped in sound from a mic. It was in response to me talking about how BMW pipes in fake noise, and thanking Cadillac for having real sound, and he said they pump in noise too but it’s real from the engine via a mic.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I remember something like that also.....

 

[Andi]

I remember something like that also.....

View attachment 17017
View attachment 17018

Hah! That’s me in the brown shorts and meme shirt outside, at I think the exact moment we were talking about piped in sound. Nice find Steve!

 

[Tall Steve]

Hah! That’s me in the brown shorts and meme shirt outside, at I think the exact moment we were talking about piped in sound. Nice find Steve!

LOL, I thought you would like that pic!

 

[CBH]

Wow - a live Q & A. That's cool.

I have been watching all the He-Said vs She-Said here, but how many people actually hear this alleged piped in sound ? I cannot detect it.........

 

[Tall Steve]

Wow - a live Q & A. That's cool.

I have been watching all the He-Said vs She-Said here, but how many people actually hear this alleged piped in sound ? I cannot detect it.........

I can't hear it but I'm always listening to music loud....

 

[Andi]

I wonder if we could try disabling the audio system fuse. Then going for a drive and seeing if the “engine” sounds different…

 

[jbawden]

I definitely hear the car, but I can't tell how much is analog vs digital. The car is so quiet (inside) and the pipped in noises so subtle (assuming that is happening) what was the point of the engineering effort? If they are going to invest in this technology, how about we get a slider to adjust the intensity?

 

[Andi]

I wonder if we could try disabling the audio system fuse. Then going for a drive and seeing if the “engine” sounds different…

Does anybody know what fuse(s) disable the audio system?

 

[ClassaxV]

Does anybody know what fuse(s) disable the audio system?

As it was explained to me its not quite that simple. The cars use Active Noise Canceling so its not really apples to apples comparison. Putting the car in tour mode still keeps both valves open under hard acceleration, but the noise canceling kills a lot of the sound because the mic is listening and then plays what it hears out of phase so your ear cancels out that sound. Both BWs have some serious bark and some engine noise still leaks through. In track mode the ANC does not cancel the pipe in noise from the engine. What they don't add back is some the high harmonics from the pulley-driven gear. No doubt they built upon the system in the C8 which really sculpts the best of what the engine has to offer in the cabin.

If you want to hear what the car sounds like sans ANC, I guess you could pull the fuses for the audio system but then you get all the wind, tire, and other HSR they went through the trouble to kill. So it will be something but not quite the same as the engineered environment they were going for. Like listening to a Dolby Atmos movie with just stereo.... those top and center speakers are very subtle but they make a huge difference to the sound stage when they are missing.

 

[rubberduck]

If all that is correct, there must be a audio signal processor at work. Makes me wonder if modifying the exhaust system will cause some undesired sound.

 

[ClassaxV]

If all that is correct, there must be a audio signal processor at work. Makes me wonder if modifying the exhaust system will cause some undesired sound.

"Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) If equipped, ANC reduces engine noise in the vehicle’s interior. ANC requires the factory-installed audio system, radio, speakers, amplifier (if equipped), induction system, and exhaust system to work properly. Deactivation is required by your dealer if related aftermarket equipment is installed." ~pg 122

GM ANC has been better than others in terms of being able to cope with aftermarket exhausts but still like most vehicles the original system is tuned to and looking for certain frequencies and can only cope with so much variance.

 

[Andi]

OK, I did some testing, found the fuse, and did a test drive. TL;DR: the piped in audio makes a TON of difference. In fact, all the weird, higher-pitched-than-it-should-be sound we hear at WOT is piped in through the speakers. WOT sounds a lot more natural (and, sadly, quieter in the cabin) with the F26 amp fuse pulled.

@Mirza Grebovic *please* see if you can get them to let us turn this crap off with an OTA update.

Detail, if you want to replicate this for yourselves:
1) open your hood and get the fuse puller from the underhood fusebox
2) open your trunk and access the trunk fusebox:

2) Use that fuse puller to pull 40A fuse F26, which is near the top (the diagram on the back of the cover is upside down):

* note, as you can see above I initially did both F26 and F42 as they were both labeled AMP. You can ignore F42; I'm not sure what it does but pulling it doesn't block the piped-in engine noise.

3) Go for a drive and hear for the first time what your Blackwing really sounds like at WOT.

[edit] 4) put the fuse back in because there's no radio/audio at all with the fuse pulled.

Cheers

 

[Tall Steve]

OK, I did some testing, found the fuse, and did a test drive. TL;DR: the piped in audio makes a TON of difference. In fact, all the weird, higher-pitched-than-it-should-be sound we hear at WOT is piped in through the speakers. WOT sounds a lot more natural (and, sadly, quieter in the cabin) with the F26 amp fuse pulled.

@Mirza Grebovic *please* see if you can get them to let us turn this crap off with an OTA update.

Detail, if you want to replicate this for yourselves:
1) open your hood and get the fuse puller from the underhood fusebox
2) open your trunk and access the trunk fusebox:View attachment 17041

2) Use that fuse puller to pull 40A fuse F26, which is near the top (the diagram on the back of the cover is upside down):
View attachment 17043
View attachment 17042
* note, as you can see above I initially did both F26 and F42 as they were both labeled AMP. You can ignore F42; I'm not sure what it does but pulling it doesn't block the piped-in engine noise.

3) Go for a drive and hear for the first time what your Blackwing really sounds like at WOT.

Cheers

Awesome research Andi!

 

[Deneed4spd]

Awesome research Andi!

Now only if we can have a company create a harness that bypasses the fake noise. I installed one on my old OG M2.

 

[Exia]

OK, I did some testing, found the fuse, and did a test drive. TL;DR: the piped in audio makes a TON of difference. In fact, all the weird, higher-pitched-than-it-should-be sound we hear at WOT is piped in through the speakers. WOT sounds a lot more natural (and, sadly, quieter in the cabin) with the F26 amp fuse pulled.

@Mirza Grebovic *please* see if you can get them to let us turn this crap off with an OTA update.

Detail, if you want to replicate this for yourselves:
1) open your hood and get the fuse puller from the underhood fusebox
2) open your trunk and access the trunk fusebox:View attachment 17041

2) Use that fuse puller to pull 40A fuse F26, which is near the top (the diagram on the back of the cover is upside down):
View attachment 17043
View attachment 17042
* note, as you can see above I initially did both F26 and F42 as they were both labeled AMP. You can ignore F42; I'm not sure what it does but pulling it doesn't block the piped-in engine noise.

3) Go for a drive and hear for the first time what your Blackwing really sounds like at WOT.

Cheers

Amazing, thank you for this. Did this simply disable the piped in sound or did it also disable the audio system?

 

[MatthewAMEL]

OK, I did some testing, found the fuse, and did a test drive. TL;DR: the piped in audio makes a TON of difference. In fact, all the weird, higher-pitched-than-it-should-be sound we hear at WOT is piped in through the speakers. WOT sounds a lot more natural (and, sadly, quieter in the cabin) with the F26 amp fuse pulled.

@Mirza Grebovic *please* see if you can get them to let us turn this crap off with an OTA update.

Detail, if you want to replicate this for yourselves:
1) open your hood and get the fuse puller from the underhood fusebox
2) open your trunk and access the trunk fusebox:View attachment 17041

2) Use that fuse puller to pull 40A fuse F26, which is near the top (the diagram on the back of the cover is upside down):
View attachment 17043
View attachment 17042
* note, as you can see above I initially did both F26 and F42 as they were both labeled AMP. You can ignore F42; I'm not sure what it does but pulling it doesn't block the piped-in engine noise.

3) Go for a drive and hear for the first time what your Blackwing really sounds like at WOT.

Cheers

Wow. A 40A fuse just for engine noise? Did it disable the whole sound system?

 

[Andi]

For clarity, F26 is the main fuse for audio. Pull the fuse and you lose all audio. It’s not a permanent solution, but it’s a way to temporarily turn off the fake engine noise if you’re curious what the car really sounds like.

Then put the fuse back in to get your stereo back.

 

[Andi]

Anyone else tried pulling F26 yet? Curious to hear what others think of the car’s true sound. I’ll say it again, pulling that fuse does away with the weird strange-pitch blenderesque sound these cars (and ZL1s) make at WOT inside the cabin… With the fuse pulled, it’s quieter at WOT, but finally sounds “real.”

Wish we could turn this crap off via a menu and still have the stereo work. My car is fake loud inside again.