[YellowChicken]

I know this topic has already been extensively treated but...I cannot figure out what is the best way to disconnect shut down the soundAktor. It seems that the easiest is to remove the related fuse (right side approach) although most posts deal with how to unplug the connector (left side approach). As I already broke one little socket on the panel to access fuses ?? (right side) I want to make sure that this is approach is as fine as the other one. Am I clear enough ?? Thanks for your feedback. Hope it also helps new comers to pickup the easiest approach (although both sound right to me at first glance). Cheers!

 

[HooosierDaddy]

Pull the fuse

/thread

 

[CaymanMatt]

It's easy to get to the fuse box. Note that a fuse puller makes actually getting the fuse out much easier, and there happens to be one in the driver's footwell fusebox. Without it, I think there is a good risk of dropping the fuse into the nether regions.
MOO

 

[YellowChicken]

driver's footwell fusebox. Without it, I think there is a good risk of dropping the fuse into the nether regions.
MOO

I do confirm the risk ??. I finally removed this fuse without harming too badly the whole car ?? Let's see now if I agree with the frequently reported improvement ? Thanks guys for your answer .

 

[JazzCatGab]

I do confirm the risk ??. I finally removed this fuse without harming too badly the whole car ?? Let's see now if I agree with the frequently reported improvement ? Thanks guys for your answer .

Your feedback will be interesting in that everyone seems to have an individual experience from "no difference" to "OMG!" Personally, I was preconditioned to like the sound with the fuse pulled because "augmentation" that I didn't specifically augment bugs me. However, I do sense/hear more of the mechanical sounds and not everyone else does. Big plus for me.

 

[GregW]

Either way works well. The 'plug method' in the boot works well for earlier cars. Later they put the plug on the bulkhead behind the seats. I don't know how difficult that is to access.

 

[HooosierDaddy]

I did get a chance to take a trip recently with the fuse pulled. It's been a very positive result for me.

 

[YellowChicken]

Your feedback will be interesting in that everyone seems to have an individual experience from "no difference" to "OMG!" Personally, I was preconditioned to like the sound with the fuse pulled because "augmentation" that I didn't specifically augment bugs me. However, I do sense/hear more of the mechanical sounds and not everyone else does. Big plus for me.

I'll share my conclusions with you by tonight, I planned a ride later on provided it is not snowing ?

 

[YellowChicken]

Either way works well. The 'plug method' in the boot works well for earlier cars. Later they put the plug on the bulkhead behind the seats. I don't know how difficult that is to access.

ahah it seems that Porsche is trying to hide its infernal soundAktor!

 

[duegatti]

What does turning off the sound thing do in a Boxster which is driven top down 95% of the time? Anything? I can barely hear the car as it is (compared to my C5 Vette with long tube headers and Borla Stingers), and I'd hate to reduce the volume. Many thanks.

 

[DriveInHouston]

What does turning off the sound thing do in a Boxster which is driven top down 95% of the time? Anything? I can barely hear the car as it is (compared to my C5 Vette with long tube headers and Borla Stingers), and I'd hate to reduce the volume. Many thanks.

As far as I am concerned, the Soundaktor is a mike/speaker device mounted on the firewall. It picks some(all?) frequency sounds from the engine and transmits them to the cabin, using the firewall as a sounding board.

When you remove it, you lose the proximity of the sound (it is generated on the firewall after all) and the accentuated pops and crackles. The sound is moved to where it belongs (the exhaust/silencer package) and this move to the back allows you to pick up some of the engine/gearbox sounds masked by the proximity of the (loud) Soundaktor.

Probably, with the top down, the loss of sound intensity (as the sound source is at the exhaust) is greater (?) than in a Cayman, I am not sure... All I can say that after about a week with the thing off, you can hear all the pops and crackles in the back...

 

[718Niko]

I remember reading all the threads about the soundaktor - has it been 100% confirmed that the fuse is not used for anything else than the soundaktor ? No one dead yet ? (or worst ?).

 

[JazzCatGab]

I remember reading all the threads about the soundaktor - has it been 100% confirmed that the fuse is not used for anything else than the soundaktor ? No one dead yet ? (or worst ?).

100%? Not sure about that, but so many of us are running without the fuse without any noticeable effects that I think it is pretty well confirmed through group experience.

 

[YellowChicken]

doublet

 

[YellowChicken]

Here are my (first) impressions after I shut down the soundaktor (by removing the fuse, and yes I'm still alive ?). The cabine becomes noticeably quieter and low frequencies are significantly reduced. Although I do understand the point of many of you driving without soundaktor, I think I will keep it on for a while. It gives a slightly more aggressive note; I'm still in the recovery phase (ex FLAT6) ?. The sound generated is not so artificial/bad to me that I need to turn it off. I'm fine with it although on the long term the extra volume might become annoying... let's see (it is not my daily car). Now, I'm still interested in better understanding how works the system... As far as I understand it does not use the speakers to produce a fake sound, right? If that was the case, then I would definitely turn it off as I really don't like this idea. But I read that it somehow deviates the (actual) sound towards the cabine. Is this correct?

 

[DriveInHouston]

Here are my (first) impressions after I shut down the soundaktor (by removing the fuse, and yes I'm still alive ?). The cabine becomes noticeably quieter and low frequencies are significantly reduced. Although I do understand the point of many of you driving without soundaktor, I think I will keep it on for a while. It gives a slightly more aggressive note; I'm still in the recovery phase (ex FLAT6) ?. The sound generated is not so artificial/bad to me that I need to turn it off. I'm fine with it although on the long term the extra volume might become annoying... let's see (it is not my daily car). Now, I'm still interested in better understanding how works the system... As far as I understand it does not use the speakers to produce a fake sound, right? If that was the case, then I would definitely turn it off as I really don't like this idea. But I read that it somehow deviates the (actual) sound towards the cabine. Is this correct?

See my post #11 above.

You might wish to leave the Soundaktor off for a week. You might get to like the Soundaktorless (is this even a word? ) sound.

 

[718Niko]

Please do report it to us if after a few days without the fuse you start to smell a weird odor of burned cat in the cabine.

 

[YellowChicken]

Ok I will try the soundaktorless for a few more days. What I (even more) noticed having the soundaktor off is two other really annoying noises. 1) the door panel (driver side) rattles (vibrates) a lot when playing music or accelerating... this, I cannot leave with! There is a topic about this issue but no solution has been found so far Speaker rattling when playing high bass music. I need to find one, super annoying. Maybe the Porsche Approved warranty will help to solve this out.... 2) another (metallic) noise/vibration from the engine compartment appears when pressing the gaz pedal very gently. It lasts 2 seconds and stops. The same noise appears upon releasing the pedal. This is accordingly a part vibrating under a specific frequency. Nothing alarming, like a heat shield vibrating or something like that. Still unpleasant noise. Any idea?

 

[YellowChicken]

Please do report it to us if after a few days without the fuse you start to smell a weird odor of burned cat in the cabine.

ahah ok I'll do so

 

[HooosierDaddy]

This is my thought on this. If one is not sure and or prefers flexibility in their interior sound, perhaps adding a switch between the fuse would allow you to easily change from ON to OFF for the Soundakator