[No_curebimmer]

Hey gang, after installing AA EL non res and Dinan axleback last year, stock down pipes, no tune, I have been solely been driving without the burbles (used BimmerLink to turn them Off).

Today went for a drive (weather finally turned nice) and felt like turning the burbles back to On. It is me or does the pitch seems higher, more race inspired! Although I am still not a fan of the burbles, the overall sound seems more aggressive…

Clip WITHOUT burbles

Clip WITH burbles ON

Whatcha guys think? Which one do you prefer?

Maybe I can turn this into a voting thread, but definitely good to have the option to turn the burbles off.

Cheers y'all!

[No_curebimmer]

If you have a decent sound setup (ie NOT your phone) try to listen to both clips back to back. Ignoring the actual burbling sounds, you'll clearly hear more exhaust notes when the burbles are on (stock), so definitely BimmerLink 'seems' to affect the overall tone somehow.

Sure, I realize that leaving the burbles on will allow turbos to spool faster and longer (i.e. unburnt fuel), but w/o them the sound is cleaner, less 'busy'.

But I do seem to like the higher pitch tone in the upper RPMs. Low RPMs don't seem affected, the deeper growl is still there...

Anywho, enjoy the clips!

[Up4speed]

I actually just voted for burbles on....BUT....
I thought that you were asking on/off with a stock exhaust, and I prefer it on with a stock exhaust. However, when I clicked into the thread, and saw that you were referring to a car with aftermarket exhaust, then I heard both clips, I decided that I prefer it with the pops and burbles off. It is a bit too much for my liking, when combined with an aftermarket exhaust system. I tried to change my vote, but don't know how.

[No_curebimmer]

Originally Posted by Up4speed

I actually just voted for burbles on....BUT....
I thought that you were asking on/off with a stock exhaust, and I prefer it on with a stock exhaust. However, when I clicked into the thread, and saw that you were referring to a car with aftermarket exhaust, then I heard both clips, I decided that I prefer it with the pops and burbles off. It is a bit too much for my liking, when combined with an aftermarket exhaust system. I tried to change my vote, but don't know how.

Thanks mate for chiming in..I'll change the title so it's not click-bait (not my intention).

Now, since it's been so long since I've heard my car stock, I can't recall how drastic the burbles were. I seem to recollect that most folks with aftermarket exhaust do notice an increase in burbles (downpipes, mid pipe or axleback, or combo of these 3).

But what I was surprised to hear is how the mid-to-high RPM pitch changed when I turned the burbles back on. Ah, also, leaving the them on, down-shifting creates a more racy sound/blip, as if it's more pronounced, which I do like.

So I guess, if I were to sum-up, turning off burbles via BimmerLink seems to 'mute' the overall exhaust tone somewhat, but cleaning it as well.

Decisions decisions...

[M3R1]

Definitely off. They are literally annoying to listen to. Of course, just my opinion.

The set up sounds great otherwise...

[No_curebimmer]

So I guess, the reason of this thread is to share that I have observed a different (objectively better) exhaust and engine behavior with burbles on. Something else is happening besides simply turning off burbles!

Apparently burbles aren't everyone's cuppa tea...but let me dive in a little deeper as exhaust is one of the biggest topics for the S55.

CliffNotes: the BimmerLink Sound Tuning feature does seem to affect the tone, and likely engine performance, not just simply removing them

With burbles on:
1. the car seems slightly more responsive
2. the downshifts are a little more aggressive and quicker to respond
3. the exhaust notes are throatier, more meaningful and purposeful

Note, my M2C is 6 speed, so best example/analogy I can give...when driving an F80/87 with DCT and downshifting, the RPMs very quickly ramp up resulting in that distinctive higher pitch sound. If burbles are off, they seem significantly more muted and lazier, and sometimes non-existent. I know, that's a selling feature of the DCT, but I have noticed a difference in their behaviour...


For those with aftermarket exhaust setups (and I know there are plenty of us, MPE, Akra, Remus, Dinan, etc), and to some extent, even OEM setups, do a comparo with burbles On and Off if you haven't tried.

The juice may be worth the squeeze...

[iWayne]

Vote for no burbles - way too obnoxious with an aftermarket system.

My butt dyno registers zero difference

[IcewaterPete]

I came here ready to say yes to burbles, but after listening to both I’m a no burbles believer now.

[MooMooM2]

I like no burbles sometimes and some times burbles. I almost feel like no burbles is too quite but sometimes the burbles wayyyyyy too annoying. That said you are also letting of the throttle to accentuate them so its worst.

Question on the Dinan exaust, is there a way to tuck those tips in, some of these aftermarket exausts look great but the tips are always sticking out and too low. I actually how the stock exausts looks with the bigger ebay black chrome tips, they just sit perfectly and if I get an aftermarket exaust I would love for the tips to sit exaust as oem does

[No_curebimmer]

Yeah, I mirror the majority of votes here, burbles are bad, and they interfere with the overall exhaust note. I don't want them…I guess I misperceived the engine performance effects if burbles are turned off.

Perhaps I don't have the full tech picture, but isn't it true that leaving burbles on allows the turbos to spool faster/longer, which should give way to a more direct or immediate power delivery?

[No_curebimmer]

Originally Posted by MooMooM2

Question on the Dinan exaust, is there a way to tuck those tips in, some of these aftermarket exausts look great but the tips are always sticking out and too low. I actually how the stock exausts looks with the bigger ebay black chrome tips, they just sit perfectly and if I get an aftermarket exaust I would love for the tips to sit exaust as oem does

I agree, the Dinan tips kind of stick out too much.

The specialized muffler shop that install it (required cutting of OEM piping and special elbow/joints fabrication) mentioned that is the max they can tuck them in….

I'll get underneath the car to see if I can finagle them somewhat

[AWFTMFWIN]

Perfect setup would be burbles off except for that wonderful gunshot that you get on a full pull upshift.

[No_curebimmer]

Originally Posted by AWFTMFWIN

Perfect setup would be burbles off except for that wonderful gunshot that you get on a full pull upshift.

Agreed on the up/downshifting exhaust notes.

To be clear, I am not an advocate of burbles (after all, back in Aug '20, I asked BimmerLink developer to see if they can be coded off, before then, the only way to turn them off was via a tune). Although this poll thread was initially about 'which one you prefer', my point behind all this is that turning off burbles affects engine performance negatively.

So, besides voting on your burbles preference:

1. Can anyone w/ more technical knowledge chime in what happens to the engine when turning off them burbles? I am not referring to butt-dyno, which can be quite subjective, but in my quick experiment, I seem to experience a more responsive engine when leaving them on (ie the RPMs are quite a bit quicker to respond when shifting gears).

2. Also, are most folks running aftermarket exhaust setups turning off the burbles?

[Davil]

Originally Posted by No_curebimmer

Perhaps I don't have the full tech picture, but isn't it true that leaving burbles on allows the turbos to spool faster/longer, which should give way to a more direct or immediate power delivery?

There are no burbles on the CS. Just that occasional "woof" noise. I hate burbles so this makes me happy. Certainly no impact on performance. I think the whole burble thing was a fad that seems to have now passed.

[Bavaria330]

Originally Posted by No_curebimmer

Agreed on the up/downshifting exhaust notes.

To be clear, I am not an advocate of burbles (after all, back in Aug '20, I asked BimmerLink developer to see if they can be coded off, before then, the only way to turn them off was via a tune). Although this poll thread was initially about 'which one you prefer', my point behind all this is that turning off burbles affects engine performance negatively.

So, besides voting on your burbles preference:

1. Can anyone w/ more technical knowledge chime in what happens to the engine when turning off them burbles? I am not referring to butt-dyno, which can be quite subjective, but in my quick experiment, I seem to experience a more responsive engine when leaving them on (ie the RPMs are quite a bit quicker to respond when shifting gears).

2. Also, are most folks running aftermarket exhaust setups turning off the burbles?

Originally Posted by No_curebimmer

Agreed on the up/downshifting exhaust notes.

To be clear, I am not an advocate of burbles (after all, back in Aug '20, I asked BimmerLink developer to see if they can be coded off, before then, the only way to turn them off was via a tune). Although this poll thread was initially about 'which one you prefer', my point behind all this is that turning off burbles affects engine performance negatively.

So, besides voting on your burbles preference:

1. Can anyone w/ more technical knowledge chime in what happens to the engine when turning off them burbles? I am not referring to butt-dyno, which can be quite subjective, but in my quick experiment, I seem to experience a more responsive engine when leaving them on (ie the RPMs are quite a bit quicker to respond when shifting gears).

2. Also, are most folks running aftermarket exhaust setups turning off the burbles?

If you post your LTFT reading during WOT with and without burbles.
I may be able to give you an educated answer.

Important
Drive a bit on each mode before WOT.

[JV973]

Burbles off! I cant stand them but that's my opinion. The car sounds fantastic.