Sound development at Audi: The symphony of the four rings
Ingolstadt (ots)
- Targeted implementation of sounds captures the essence
of the brand
- Audi S4, Audi A8 and the Audi TT 3.2 quattro are current
examples of active sound designBeing music to one's ears - even the cars from Audi have to be this to a certain degree. Sound design has become an additional important component in vehicle development at the car manufacturer based in Ingolstadt. It is the acoustic calling card of the brand with the four rings, so to speak. The Audi S4, Audi A8 and Audi TT 3.2 quattro are current examples of the active sound design of Audi sounds. About 45 engineers work on the analysis and design of vehicle sound. Sound design has been intensively pursued at Audi for roughly two vehicle generations.
Someone who has made a major contribution towards this is Thomas Kriegel, Head of Acoustics for the Audi A4 model series. The engineer uses sound sequences unusual for his profession when speaking and talks about "orchestrated car", "the art of composing and conducting", "good musicians" or "wrong notes" and the "symphony of the four rings".
The sound of a car must meet the expectations which its design and model positioning aroused in the customer. This means that vehicles such as the Audi S4 or the Audi TT 3.2 quattro must also have a sporty-raspy sound - they must "sound fast". In these cases, acoustical restraint would only disappoint the customers. The A8, in contrast, has a sound that reflects comfort with a sporty undertone.
Apropos expectations: this is an additional challenge for sound developers. After all, everyone perceives sounds differently. Sound design must 'objectify' subjective impressions. The goal being that the Audi sound only meets with positive response. And that taking legal acoustic requirements into account, as well.
Incidentally, subjective noise perception is evaluated according to psychoacoustic criteria, whose parameters have been in existence since the 1950s. The evaluation of noises reaches from 'stimulating' or 'soothing' to 'objectionable'. Kriegel: "You can say as a rule that the higher the tone, the more unpleasantly it will be perceived by the vehicle's occupants. Such tones can get on your nerves, and even evoke aggression. And this should not happen when driving. Bass tones, on the other hand, are more likely to be perceived as pleasant."
The sound of an Audi depends on the model. How should the engine, air intake or exhaust system sound? What acoustic response should be heard when pressing the accelerator, how strongly should road noise be perceived in the interior? Which sounds should electric windows or indicators make? Or how resoundingly should a door lock? - Audi acoustic engineers determine all these noises.
Kriegel differentiates between "good musicians" and "wrong notes" in the orchestrated car. Naturally, the latter should be played properly. "In the past, the work of an acoustic engineer was primarily targeted at the suppression of sound. We call this sound cleaning," Kriegel explains. Work has been changed by the demand for "good musicians" in a car. This includes the body, the exhaust system, the engine, air intake and aggregate mountings. Unloved "wrong notes" are created by the tyres, driveline, transmission, ancillaries and wind noises. The repertoire is varied: tyres can sing, transmissions rattle, body panels rumble, drive shafts roar, generators wail and fans hiss.
To compose the symphony of the four rings from all of that, Audi acoustic engineers 'play' numerous design possibilities on a keyboard. Apart from the air intake, the engine and exhaust system in particular are suited to composing sound. This is the reason why pneumatically switchable flaps can be found in the new S4 and TT 3.2 quattro. This component ensures a small cross-section of the pipe geometry within the exhaust system at low engine speeds and a correspondingly larger cross-section at high engine speeds. Thus, an evenly sonorous richness of tone is achieved across the complete speed range. At the end of the day, the main concern is having a balance between comfort and sports character even for the very sporty S4.
The result of this overall development is not a uniform Audi sound, but a made-to-measure acoustic concept for each model. However, the standard quality features of the Audi sound are the balanced allotment of frequencies, load-sensitivity and spontaneity of a sound, a subtle degree of rawness, natural frequency and an acoustically homogenous revving-up of the engine. And the optimal sound character of every Audi in the model range will continue to be honed in the future. And that is something more than just music of the future.
Note: A photo of the Audi sound development is available via obs (dpa).
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Communication: Corporate and Finance Joachim Cordshagen, Tel: ++49 (0)841 89 36340, e-mail: joachim.cordshagen@audi.de
Jürgen De Graeve, Tel: ++49 (0)841 89 34084, Mobile: ++49 (0)172 9142908 e-mail: jürgen.degraeve@audi.de
Original content of: Audi AG, transmitted by news aktuell