^^ Thanks so much for confirming I was not off the rail

 

ASC off since day 1....never had a need for it

 

I wanted to bump this old thread, partially to correct my above post, but also, out of curiosity as to how the numbers will change as new members join.

They don't actually have the same system for enhancing sound. As far as I know, there's no sound tube on the IS 500. However, there is a little flap on the airbox that opens up at just under 3000 RPM that lets more air in - and it also lets more sound out!

If you go into manual mode and get between 2500 and 2800 RPM and then accelerate, you'll hear the change in sound pretty clearly right around 2800. Since the IS 350 does not have this airbox flap, it achieves a similar change in sound by using the intake sound generator, which starts working at about the same RPM, perhaps a little higher.

And by the way, I am on Team ASC Off.

 

I turned it off on the first drive home from the dealer. It's hard to really notice much difference other to me adding some "boomy" quality to the sound. It sounds like it's Eq'd a bit much to me. It's definitely not the sound tube the IS 350 had which has a nice sound quality for a V6. I wish it was but it isn't.

 

I keep it on. I find it enhances the sound slightly. Not a big enough deal that it sounds fake. Even full volume it is only slightly enhanced. Barely distinguishable between off and on. I have noticed that it is not off until the dial clicks. So you all may want to check that to make sure you have it off.

 

I definitely have mine off. I've tried turning it back on here and there, and I just can't... To me it sounds fake.

 

It probably will not matter for me much longer with the Bazooka on the way. I wish I could have a three way switch from stock, to bazooka closed valve, to open valve. Looks like I can only have two. I am going to call them cool kinda loud and loud and ignorant! Just missing the quietly cool option.

 

Just watched your earlier post of fully turning off ASC. Such a DOH moment, how did I not figure that out earlier LOL. I always thought I still heard it slightly even with the dial all the way down.

 

Same here . I thought it was turned off when I turned the dial all the way down. There's an actual click to turn it off completely . Thanks @arentz07 !

 

New member opinion:

In my IS300, it sounded like complete s__t and I kept it completely off at all times. Had I still owned that car, I would’ve been firmly in the ‘off all the time’ camp. However, the ASC in my IS500 sounds awesome and I like it better on.

overall, I think it’s a pretty gimmicky feature- good for some models, not so good for others.

Mike

 

I personally hate the ASC in my IS 500. It just sounds... unnatural. With the adaptive air box we have in the engine bay, we get a decent amount of intake roar anyway.

 

Totally fair assessment- Maybe once I get thru the break-in and can really work the revs I will feel the same way. Or maybe I’m just overly enamored since this is my first V8 in close to 30yrs. Time will tell. In the end, it sounds like we at least agree that the ASC is gimmicky and not even remotely a selling point 🍻

 

I love the ASC in mine and have it cranked to the max! If I have people in the car, I do turn it off as a full out acceleration from 2nd to 3rd in Manual & Sport S+ is really loud. Maybe if I started out with it off I’d be in the off-camp, but the drive from OKC back to the ATL was hundreds of miles of song-imprinting. 😜 So when it’s off, the car doesn’t seem right to me. 🤷🏽‍♂️ Congrats on the car!!

 

@DLPTony well brother, that's where you went wrong. should've killed it from jump! but i understand why you're jaded with/by the fake noise. it's never to late to go PURE though!

 

The ASC's been off in mine since swapping exhausts. Leaving it on would just be an unnecessary memo from the department of redundancy department.