Why does a stock Porsche 911 sound so much better than..

[FogCityM3]

What's most important to me is the sound from the cockpit, and the M3 with filter/intake is up there with Ferraris (and yes I've driven the latter). But the Porsche exhausts are right next to the engine, so what comes out is going to be louder and less muffled than moving a bunch of air for 6-7 feet through pipes (or more if you have cats). I think the Porsches with sport exhaust sound great from the outside, but so do a lot of M3 exhausts (Dinan, Supersprint, and MPE being my favorite), so it may be a matter of opinion in that regard. Stock for stock though, Porsche sounds better.

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by clar

No, it's no where near being the best stock exhaust note!

Well we all know it is just a matter of opinion. I think at a certain point, there are a lot of engines/exhausts that sound great. They are all a bit different, but to say that one is truly "better" than another may not be accurate.

One must also remember that there is engine sound, exhaust sound, then the combination of the two. At low rpms, it is likely the exhaust sound that is the dominant aural sensation. At high rpms, the engine plays a more significant role. With the M3, it is really the sound of the engine that is magnificent, moreso than the exhaust. Same with the V10 M5/6, and Lambos and Ferrari. With my Porsche, it is clearly the exhaust itself that gives the greater satisfaction. Same can be said for AMG cars.

[clar]

The E92 M3 with MPE has the best of both worlds. The induction note from within the cabin is marvelous with that unique and very mechanical symphony, which is hard to match. The exhaust note on the outside is equally awesome. I used to marvel at it when valets parked my car in those days. The S65 had a lot of character in its sound signature unlike many much louder cars that just sounded boomy.

Originally Posted by LarThaL

Well we all know it is just a matter of opinion. I think at a certain point, there are a lot of engines/exhausts that sound great. They are all a bit different, but to say that one is truly "better" than another may not be accurate.

One must also remember that there is engine sound, exhaust sound, then the combination of the two. At low rpms, it is likely the exhaust sound that is the dominant aural sensation. At high rpms, the engine plays a more significant role. With the M3, it is really the sound of the engine that is magnificent, moreso than the exhaust. Same with the V10 M5/6, and Lambos and Ferrari. With my Porsche, it is clearly the exhaust itself that gives the greater satisfaction. Same can be said for AMG cars.

[isherdholi]

I've got an Akra.

I've not heard any Porsche which sounds as good.

/thread.

[ONEOF40 FS M3]

Originally Posted by clar

The E92 M3 with MPE has the best of both worlds. The induction note from within the cabin is marvelous with that unique and very mechanical symphony, which is hard to match. The exhaust note on the outside is equally awesome. I used to marvel at it when valets parked my car in those days. The S65 had a lot of character in its sound signature unlike many much louder cars that just sounded boomy.

I could have not said it any better...E92 with the MPE is unique, perfect match of sound and loudness, just right!

There is nothing to compare here between the 991 911 and the E92 M3, I own both 991C2S with PPE and E92 with MPE, and both produce magnificent sound. It is not a matter of which one sounds better, there just different.

In a lot cases people confuse sound and loudness, loud does not equal to good sound.

[clar]

Originally Posted by ONEOF40 FS M3

I could have not said it any better...E92 with the MPE is unique, perfect match of sound and loudness, just right!

There is nothing to compare here between the 991 911 and the E92 M3, I own both 991C2S with PPE and E92 with MPE, and both produce magnificent sound. It is not a matter of which one sounds better, there just different.

In a lot cases people confuse sound and loudness, loud does not equal to good sound.

Completely agree! The sound from my Speciale leaves much to be desired. It's a lot louder, but mostly shitty low boomy sound. It has its moments, which sounds like an angry storm, but for the most part, is uninspiring. For me, the E92 with MPE wins hands down in the sound department. I am still banging on the dealer's door for an OEM sports exhaust from Ferrari as they absolutely do not tolerate any after-market exhaust unlike the North American market.

[Joe S]

Originally Posted by SunnyD

911s sound good for 6 cylinder cars, especially if you have the Sharkwerks bypass exhaust but to say that they sound better than a modded m3, I don't know if I agree with that. M3 with IPE sounds better than a stock 911 IMO.

I agree, an IPE system with a whining Harrop SC just sounds out of this world.. People just can't believe the sound

[AlpGolcuklu]

No way my ipe exhaust is worst than stock 911

[///S65]

The thing to keep in mind is that the 911s with the sport exhaust fitted sounds amazing at ALL RPMs. The M3 sounds amazing at high RPM but not so good at low RPMs. My Akra Evo even drones a little bit at 2000 RPMs. If you really like a pure engine noise I will say the GT3 beats basically any car on the market right now. The 911s has more volume at low RPM and it pops and bangs at low RPM.

[dparm]

Originally Posted by Craigy

I disagree.

From inside the car our exhausts are uninspiring.... but my wife took my car the other day and I have to say the note is super sexy and exotic, even at low revs and oem. I rarely encounter other M3s, but when I do hear them I'm usually impressed.

Agree. When I put an external mic on the rear bumper and finally heard how my car's stock exhaust sounded, I loved it. My dad is a big car guy too and he said, "sounds wicked, like a Formula Ford." In-car, all you really hear is just induction noise, especially at high RPM.

Here's said video (available in 1080p60):

[surewin]

Sound taste is really all preference. The flat six boxer engine of the Porsche just doesn't sound the same as the cross plane v8 of the M3, and some will prefer one over the other.

Although, just like many people have mentioned here, I just love the sound of MPE on the E9X M3. Here's a clip of me going through a tunnel with it. The mic is on the dashboard and it still sounds pretty good. You can actually hear a 981 Cayman S engine when I'm close to exiting the second tunnel, which you all may know is equipped with a boxer flat six, too.

A clip from the outside recorded on an iphone:
https://instagram.com/p/3V5qMgsncu/

[BRBM]

Originally Posted by BNBM3

Nothing sounds better than a stock Maserati GTS.... Holy cow did they put time into getting that right from the factory.

You think so? I like it. It's a (4.7 liter?) Ferrari V-8, right? Same as the one in the last-gen Quattroporte? Oh yeah; pretty nice and a neck breaker for sure. Not to mention, it's an engine from the same family as the last 4 International Performance Engines of the Year......if not essentially one of them (the 4.5) with little more bore & stroke.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intern...ne_of_the_Year

Just sayin',though. And no offense. Something, arguably, just might sound better.

Because, at that price point, I believe it's expected. So, at a $57-58,000 price point when introduced in late 2007/early 2008, I'd put the C63's (M156) 6.2 AMG powerplant's sound in the mix. Not good enough? Try the SLS' 6.2 (M159)........even louder & better sounding baritone there, albeit @ a 200K price point.

So if I come down to Ft. Lauderdale and you see me on the road? Follow me. I'll give you a nice 4000-5000-6000-7000 RPM blast. Gets louder & more insane as the revs rise.

Originally Posted by Hujan

Flat-plane vs. cross-plane

I also suspect Porsche spends more time on exhaust tuning than BMW (see also: chassis and brakes)

Yes. Very good point. What do the customers want (read: demand) and how far are the, in this case, M-Division exhaust tuners willing to go?? Chassis & brake tuning may have clearly been given higher priority.

That said, someone on the Bimmerpost has recommended a Dinan aftermarket upgrade if one is not satisfied. I hear it sounds pretty damn good; not surprising coming from Dinan.

[Razkal]

I have to say that my modded OEM M3 exhaust sounds much better than my 911 C4 that I had just before it. My 911 exhaust was modded as well however the V8 makes the M3 growl so much nicer and is quiet when you want it to be. Overall I love my M3 more than my 911 which is sort of biased as I have owned 7 BMWs lol.

[konaforever]

My Porsche GT4 sounds best of the cars I've had so far: e46 m3, 350z, Nissan GT-R.

Sounds great at any rpm.

[AP3X_FTW]

Originally Posted by konaforever

My Porsche GT4 sounds best of the cars I've had so far: e46 m3, 350z, Nissan GT-R.

Sounds great at any rpm.

What I would do for a GT4.