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Audiophile Fakery

I recently became aware of a trend in the auto world and I'm wondering if there is an audiophile analogy.

The sound of a revving engine says something primal to those who know and appreciate such sounds. The rumble of a V-8, the whine of an in-line four, that 12 cylinder growl and of course, the Harley heavy metal thunder. The newer, smaller and more efficient engines simply don't make these sounds and the auto makers have found a way around what they perceive as a problem. They simply fake the sound and run it through the car's audio system. Sometimes the engine sound is digitally synthesized and other times it's actual engine noise run through mechanical or DSP processors and then amplified. The list of manufacturers that engage in this sort of fakery includes BMW, Ford, Lexus, Volkswagen and Lotus.

I don't know if there are any high end audio equivalents of this practice, but could there be?

How about a preamp with half a dozen tubes prominently displayed, but when you examine the signal path the tubes are all bypassed. Or maybe a loudspeaker with a ribbon supertweeter that's not connected. A 160 lb. mono power amp with 120 lbs. of lead shot concealed under the circuit board. If these products existed would they be fakes or are the manufacturers just giving the people what they want, or at least what they think they want?
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b_limo's avatar
b_limo
2,274 posts
 
the tube on the peachtree is gimmicky. it actually makes things sound slightly worse. many uniformed "audiophiles" actually think they have a tube pre amp.

czarivey, would you take that 2.0 in your subie over the 4.5 v-8 in the Ferrari 458? if so, meet at the flag pole after school.
b_limo's avatar
b_limo
2,274 posts
 
oh, btw, I initially thought this was a thread for an audiophile bakery and I got all excited
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"01-22-15: Swampwalker
I don't recall the manufacturer but there have been some tube products on the market in the past where the tube had no apparent or audible function. As far as the "fake" engine noise, what happens when you turn the stereo off? "

If it was an older amp, you might be thinking of rectifier tubes. I don't think anyone uses them any more because most people felt there's no SQ benefit. Now everyone uses solid state rectification. But too be fair, I do know a few people that say they make a difference.

As far as the car audio issue is concerned, if I had to guess, they probably have a separate system just for engine noise. If they didn't, you would definitely be right. There would be no control over what the car would sound like.

Although, there could be conspiracy theory behind all this. If you loose the right or left channel, the dealer might be able to trick you into thinking you lost half your engine, and would try and sell you a new one. Or, if they're wired out of phase, they could make it sound like the motor is in the opposite end of the car, and sell it as a mid engine upgrade.
electroslacker
375 posts
 
Hey, maybe bumping the low end just makes the device sound more powerful, and Krell's allusion to the movie's massive power plant creates an expectation of....nah.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,842 posts
 
Car noise being pumped back into the cabin is one of the dumbest things I've heard of. BMW even has a dial to let you enhance the sound as you like.

If a properly designed car runs quietly, so be it. I think the trouble with this theme is that people who are not car people are and have been designing cars. Some jerk who used to design toasters, pens and furniture is now deciding what we need in a car. Bullocks I say. Let a car person design a car and leave it at that.

The same goes for all the digital trickery designed into the audio and climate controls. It's the stupidest idea I've ever seen. Give me dials (the analog version of controls) as the human eye and hand react faster to them as they immediately portray a setting that's relative to the whole and not some number. Having to take your eyes off the road, going through several sub menus just to turn the volume up or the heater down is asking for trouble.

It's only a matter of time (or is it here already?) before we're going to be told what we need to hear from someone who's never really appreciated this hobby and how to hear it. No thanks for me.

All the best,
Nonoise
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