Sound Comparison: Turbo vs. Supercharger

[Jiggy]

Hey guys,

After the new Jag F-Type drove past me this morning I was thinking about the whole turbo vs. supercharger debate...

From my limited understanding about deep mechanics of the benefits, and from what I heard this morning, there seems to be a clear advantage in terms of sound (belt vs. exhaust driven), but I’m assuming that this is where the advantages end?

Imagine the sound of a supercharged inline 6 in an M3/4!!

Why did they decide turbo in the new M3/4?

Would be interesting to understand...

 

[danieljames]

Superchargers...as much as they force air into the engine they are belt driven...so they sap power from the engine. Turbochargers run off waste and are therefore more efficient. According to my logic....

Have u heard a skyline r34 at full tilt....now that's a sound to behold...so not all turbo cars sound crap. But then again with direct injection and all these other things(fuel saving measures) the sound has somewhat dissappeared.

 

[moranor@axis]

not all the energy used by a turbo is free but some is... efficiency is the reason BMW went turbo

new turbo cars use the variable valve control to make turbo lag almost non existent with current technology there is no real reason to supercharge anymore

 

[KPM3_30]

As far as I know, turbo's whistle and superchargers whine..

The scene at the beginning of I Am Legend when that Shelby is floored raise: I personally like the whine from the supercharger :YesNo:

 

[Gizmo]

Hands down V motors always sound better than inline motors, just my 2c.
Its the double pulse plus the supercharger whine that makes it so enticing.
Superchargers unfortunately make alot of noise all the time, whereas turbo chargers run much quieter, turbo cars are sleepers mostly, supercharged cars you hear coming from a block away.

 

[danieljames]

For me again a straight 6 sounds better than a v6.........V12 over V8.....and a great big supercharger whine on a great big V8 is addictive

 

[Crash_Nemesis]

Maybe some of you will hear my supercharged M3 tonight... :cartel:

But on a serious note. You get different types of superchargers, and the ones used mostly on BMW's are centrifugal chargers, similar to turbo's in design and shape, but are still belt driven. Their whine noise is very quiet in comparison to the usual Roots style superchargers you find on American muscle cars.

 

[Melinko]

That F-type V8 R sound is aggressive. raise:

Hey guys,

After the new Jag F-Type drove past me this morning I was thinking about the whole turbo vs. supercharger debate...

From my limited understanding about deep mechanics of the benefits, and from what I heard this morning, there seems to be a clear advantage in terms of sound (belt vs. exhaust driven), but I’m assuming that this is where the advantages end?

Imagine the sound of a supercharged inline 6 in an M3/4!!

Why did they decide turbo in the new M3/4?

Would be interesting to understand...