[allinon72]

My car has AA single mid pipe and MPE (ASD disabled) and I just can't take the burbles anymore. I don't mind them every once in a while but at every stop light, even in Sport mode, is just too much. With this exhaust combo they aren't exactly subdued. So today I decided to fire up BimmerLink and disabled Sound Tuning to see if that was better.

First impressions are - wow this is quiet on decel. Then I reminded myself that's what it's supposed to sound like. All of a sudden, I didn't have to duck my head under the dashboard at every red light and I could enjoy the exhaust note on acceleration. Regardless, I had 2 main negative takeaways: first, I wouldn't mind SOME burbles, maybe 30% of stock, in Sport Plus mode. I've poured over some older threads and it seems the only way to dial them in is with a tune, is there any alternative way to do it? Second, the overall exhaust volume seems lower now. Does Sound Tuning do anything with the exhaust flaps or something else that would make the exhaust quieter overall?

[ESB]

Dude I wish. I'm not anti burble but like make it a 1-5% chance of it happening so it's a nice surprise instead of being so predictable and obnoxious.

I've read the same things you have. As far as I know, without a tune the only option is on/off via BimmerLink.

Personally I haven't noticed the exhaust sound change when I turn sound tuning off. No_curebimmer I think it was also said that in his experience he gets decreased performance when he turns burbles off with BL but I don't think I've been able to tell. Maybe some can dyno it or something lol.

I've had burbles off via BimmerLink since March 2021. I'll sometimes turn it back on for half a day but that's so so rare and very quickly turn it back off lol. Overall no regrets, but I agree it would be nice to be able to customize it beyond simply on/off.

[ESB]

I do think coming to a stop in the car with burbles off is pretty quiet. Downshifts in this car leave a lot to be desired, to me. I think that unless flaps are forced open via BimmerLink, the car keeps flaps closed when coasting and downshifting which just lacks a lot of excitement. Usually you'd have burbles happening but with those turned off then downshifts do become less exciting with (I think) flaps closed.

Maybe that's what's happening. You could try forcing flaps open all the time. I forget how much that helps with the above but I know overall it felt like too much for me to have them always open.

I'm running AA EL with OEM rear btw (not M performance)

[(K)]

I feel that burbles has it's own fuel map, or rather, an additional map on top of the stock map, if that makes sense? So yes, we could potentially be losing some extra volume and performance when turning it off via BL. I don't think it does anything to the flaps though, hence why a tune is required in order to mess with the burble settings.

With sound tuning off, I do notice some grumbling in S+ in lower gears when cruising around parking lots, which I think is great. Absolutely agree with the predictability and duration of the burbles though. Well, personally, more of the duration that bothers me.

ESB to your point about downshifts and open valves, I agree that open all the time feels a bit much especially when cruising on the highway, but open during downshifts is fantastic! In a perfect world, if I could tune the valve behavior separately, I would have them open in S/S+ from 1st->3rd and during downshifts. OEM+, if you will.

[No_curebimmer]

So, while I do not have empirical data on the effects BimmerLink's Sound Tuning have on actual power…I am asserting that turning it off makes the engagement with the car less of an experience, beyond exhaust sound.

Cliffs Notes when Sound Tuning is off:

1. Pretty much eradicated the burbles - that's a given
2. The rpm's though are objectively slower to respond when's downshifting ( I row my own gears, no dct here)
3. Probably directly proportional to #2, there are almost no satisfying exhaust + motor 'braaps' upon downshifting
4. The motor and exhaust notes overall don't sound 'mean and angry',
5. Lastly, the motor just feels lazier (subjectively)

Please take note that my M2C DME is an Aug '18 build, so unsure if that may play a factor. Some later M2C model owners noted that their car had almost zero burbles (stock form).

Unsolicited commentary:
- I recently solved all that by getting MHD tune flasher and the OBDII Wi-Fi dongle. It allows me to manage the burbles to a grown up single blip while modestly increasing the power via CS map as well (GTS and CS maps are included w/ the flasher license).
- bonus? Unlike the bm3, MHD makes an exact copy of you DME parameters so when it's time for a state inspection (I'm in Texas y'all), everything is back like you had it, not OEM like - me thinks when flashing your car back to stock via BM3, you get a stock power map and generic DME parameters. While not important to some, some states like CA, MA are becoming more vigilant when performing state inspections and will sniff out if your DME flags, aren't 100% stock ( DME CalID and CVN in particular) something that apparently will require a dealer flash to bring them back.
- unexpected bonus? For a total cost less than an used BM3 license, I also gained a throttle mapping is sooo much more linear, so while 30 ponies and 36 ft-lb or so increase isn't much (CS map) the power delivery is evidently smoother. Stock form, I felt the car being more violent, sure, but power delivery was akin to on/off switch mid-range rpm's. Not a bad thing per se, but horses for courses…

Hope this helps, but I am personally convinced that BLink sound tuning option affects my total immersion and enjoyment of my F87C, if not its power delivery.

[(K)]

I'm liking what I'm seeing here with MHD.

[ESB]

Ugh all those options look so nice. Only additional wish I had was. Slider for randomness % or something similar (ie make it less predictable)

Sadly though I'm in a 2020 car that would require a bench unlock.

[DadVibes]

Originally Posted by ESB

Ugh all those options look so nice. Only additional wish I had was. Slider for randomness % or something similar (ie make it less predictable)

Sadly though I'm in a 2020 car that would require a bench unlock.

I'm in the same boat, unfortunately. If I had a local option to bench unlock my DME, I'd be all over it. However, after the stressful experience of mailing my B9 RS5 DME out of state for a bench unlock, I'm in no hurry to go through that a second time.

It's a shame too because MHD looks so amazing. Tuning options/availability has come remarkably far.