Everyone makes so much of this noise thing - its very meh for me but I sure as hell won't be focusing on it when I'm driving!

Can't wait. Can't wait. Can't wait. Must wait.

I’m surprised people like the sound of a stock 1st gen. I personally thought it sounded grating and made the engine feel less willing to rev.

Love the sound on my 2013 now after a few easy mods (sound tube delete, 2017 oem header, trans mount bushing). Much smoother overall. Makes me want to redline it just to hear the engine rev out.

The gr86 engine sounds a bit artificial but I’d have to hear it in person. I can already tell I like the sound better than a stock first gen though.

its cause it is. They have a dedicated speaker in-cabin to augment the sound :barf:

We have to make clear, are people talking about a 2017+ MY engine, or a 2013 engine?

These two engine are very different, at least based on my seat time in a 2017. My 2013 engine sounds like gravel in a blender. The catback helps to drown it out, though.

Based on the various videos we have, including one with the augmented sound turned off, I would agree that a 2017+ engine has a more interesting mechanical noise. The 2022, with both the augmented sound turned off and on, was a lot smoother and sounded more pedestrian. Like it belonged in the Outback or Legacy.

But I will have to hear it in person, obviously.

First generation engine was revised basically twice. Once at the end of production year 2013 for the '14 models and once for the '17 model refresh. I had a '20 model for around one year and there wasn't that much of a sound difference comparing to a '15 model. It might be as you say that first year engines sounded quite differently.

Second generation engine comes from another family of (Ascent-) engines and the decision to "hide" its real sound via a speaker might not seem of a surprise.

could actually be several reasons:

1. chassis could be quieter - hence the need
2. lighter weight to have a small speaker than an entire sound tube system (which also previously had many of its components on top of the engine/high side in the engine bay)
3. cheaper to produce one speaker, mount, and assumably an onspeaker amp than producing all the tubing/mounting/clamps for the sound tube system:

http://i.imgur.com/wyiTNJL.jpg

Sound tube system weighted 1lb 8.5oz. Not sure how much the new speaker(-s) system weights, but it looks to me more complex and requires additional battery consumption.

The FA20 sound itself isnt all that different, but because it got much smoother, refined and quieter during its latter years of existence it probably gives off a more pleasant sound vs at the beginning.

Most active noise augmentation systems piggyback off the main speakers - so there's no additional parts needed. Also, there's a negligible amount of energy used in creating a few more sound waves through your existing powered speaker lol. On the other hand, the amount of money saved by not having to design, manufacture, quality control, and assemble another part is utterly massive.

Source: Powertrain NVH Engineer :)

Not the new one coming. It has its own speaker and dedicated module.

Source: Service manual

ETA Other source: https://parts.subaru.com/a/Subaru_20...11-862-02.html

Part number 86301AB. It is not currently active in the parts database, but that is the dedicated engine noise speaker.

Devil's advocate, the current BRZ/86 literally has speakers in the same location there that's obviously for the main speakers. We'd need to see the wiring diagram and functional schematic to know for sure.

We looked. It’s a separate module driving a separate speaker box. It’s fed by fuse 28 and hooks into the body control module, presumably to get engine load/rpm over the bus.

Nope.

2020:
https://parts.subaru.com/images/part...0_86201091.png

2022:
https://parts.subaru.com/images/part...1_86201166.png

also check your PMs

Is this implying that removing fuse 28 would disable the fake engine noise, and produce no unintentional electrical side effects? I'm not too good with wiring!

@ mentioned this would work, so maybe he can clarify. I guess we won’t know for sure until someone tries it and documents.

In a case like the one suggested, would not this require the sound generation to be integrated to the main audio system? I ask that because seems like in Japan, you can choose several aftermarket units, which I am not sure how it would integrate.

They should’ve simply skipped this feature, it’s cost and complexity for something silly.

Toyota already developed the unit generally, so perhaps not as big of a deal for them to put it in.

Just give people a no-cost STI muffler option. Problem solved.

Now this is something I could get behind. It's not like the engine is these cars is hard to hear.

What makes you think Toyota developed the sound system? All we've seen on the Toyota test cars is a reskinned Subaru Starlink system.

They put it in Lexus, Avalon's, the GR Yaris... etc.

Most car companies now run the technology in some way, even the porches and BMWs etc. As we all know, modern car engines have become more and more muted by efficiency to the point where its difficult (unless you are open top) to hear a lot, NVH has also gotten a lot better, which in turn dulls down things further.

Turn this car into a track machine and remove all that NVH and/or pull out those restrictive cats and sure, it will sound no different to any car built in the last 30 years with 4 big fat cylinders running to 7500k - bloody good!

NA first drive days for GR86 first week of August
 

That’s not my point though, Toyota did very little engineering and development on this car. It’s not like the first Gen, Subaru already has the Toyota tech like D4S integrated into the car, Toyota was way more hands off until Akio told them to make it ‘different’ very late into development. They probably just rubber stamped Subarus drawings for the active sound control. Integrating their own solution into the Subaru electrics wills be way more effort and not worth it.

Agreed! Can’t wait to hear more aftermarket exhaust clips!

Hey @Goingnowherefast

https://c.tenor.com/i697tqoFhxwAAAAd...that-thing.gif

Oh I don't know, I feel like there hasnt been any major difference in their working relationship, Toyota still provide some bits of tech and parts from their supply lines - I wouldn't be surprised if someone asked them where the sound enhancer tech came from they then said Toyota, put it that way.

This is exactly what I keep telling people but everyone thinks Toyota was super hands on with the second gen.

I won't be too surprised if that very connection can be reused for a data logger / AIM Solo :)

NA first drive days for GR86 first week of August
 

I mean it’s likely a canbus line so it should be flexible.

These cars don’t use a fiber optic system like MOST do they?