Active Noise Cancellation improves audio?

[CCalvinN]

I noticed something strange on yesterday's drive. It was a warm beautiful day and for the first time since I bought the car I was driving with the drivers window down and the sunroof wide open. The sun was shining, the 60+ degree air felt glorious and I had the radio cranked up all the way. This was near the end of my commute and I was in city traffic so I could leave the window/sunroof open and the ICE was turning on and off at the lights.

 

What I noticed was the bass in the music getting more intense at times. My first assumption was that the audio system was modulating the levels to keep me from blowing out the speakers, but the pattern had absolutely nothing to do with the music itself. I realized after a bit that the bass was more intense whenever the ICE came on. Wanting to make sure it wasn't something in the older MP3 file I was listening to (I was listening to my iPod), I listened to a few different songs from different genres (Rock, Bass heavy techno, classical, and even a country song), and made sure some were older MP3s while others were music purchased from the iTunes store (both the old and newer formats). All the songs, when played at very high volume, had the same effect.... the bass was more intense when the ICE cycled on. It actually sounded better.

 

I unfortunately didn't try closing the window/sunroof for further testing (I got to work before that thought occurred to me).

 

Is this somehow the Active Noise Cancellation?

 

I had never given the ANC any thought before this. I figured it was in the background doing it's job. This is the first car I've owned with ANC.

[Darkside]

You can disable the ANC pretty easily to try and determine what is going on. Look at my amp wiring thread to explain, you can unplug one connector in the trunk area but you need to remove the carpeting cover or whatever you want to call it. Better than trying to unplug the three mics in the roof liner.

[Lee Jewers]

I came to this forum to mention this problem. I have brought my 2015 Ford Fusion hybrid titanium into the shop many many times wondering why I lose bass when the ANC turns off? After the dealer talking to ford engineers they said that's how the anc works. I am thoroughly disappointed. If you listen to a song loud that has good bass to it you will notice it easily. It's like a subwoofer kicks out. I would like to know if there is a way to keep the ANC on always to keep that bass at all times? When the gas motor is running it thumps pretty good.

[CCalvinN]

I've been meaning to return here and actually disable the ANC to fully test this theory out but I just haven't had the time or weather (damned storms and rain!) to fiddle around. That being said I have experienced this quite a few more times and am 99% sure it's the ANC that's 'upping' the bass. With my previous experiments, my natural apprehension of messing around with my car, and now Lee's dealership chiming in, I'm happy enough to say that yes it's the ANC.

 

On my side it's only mildly annoying. I rarely listen to music loud enough to notice as it has to be practically maxed out on volume. And during those circumstances it's almost like a game... can I get the ICE to kick in at the parts of the song where the bass really kicks, and then let EV mode kick in for the rest of the song.

[Lee Jewers]

I'm a big fan of loud music with kicking bass so it's a pain in the ass for me. Im seeing my dealer again this week and am going to ask if it's possible to leave the ANC on at all times.

[FordService]

I came to this forum to mention this problem. I have brought my 2015 Ford Fusion hybrid titanium into the shop many many times wondering why I lose bass when the ANC turns off? After the dealer talking to ford engineers they said that's how the anc works. I am thoroughly disappointed. If you listen to a song loud that has good bass to it you will notice it easily. It's like a subwoofer kicks out. I would like to know if there is a way to keep the ANC on always to keep that bass at all times? When the gas motor is running it thumps pretty good.

 

Here's some info on the Active Noise Cancellation:

 

How It Works

• Microphones in the vehicle interior headliner detect and measure the amplitude and phase of noise sound waves

• This information is relayed to the active noise cancellation module

• The module takes into account engine speed to calculate the target frequency that needs to be cancelled, targeting only unwanted noise and not other noise inside the cabin such as the audio system or passenger conversations

• The module then uses this information to generate a sound wave that has the same amplitude as the noise but reverses it

• The reversed sound wave is directed through the audio system speakers and combines with the original engine sound wave to cancel each other out

 

I can look into this further; just send me a PM with your VIN, mileage, best daytime phone number, full name, and dealer name/location. :)

 

Meagan

[Darkside]

Mine is disconnected entirely and it sounds awesome. I have noticed very little extra noise with this disabled and as far as I can tell so far I haven't lost any benefits from it.

[Barsoom]

If you have MFT, there is a feature that will boost the audio to compensate for road noise. You can set it on a scale of 1 to 7. Maybe you have this turned on, and the noise from the open windows is causing the system to boost the audio?

Edited April 19, 2015 by Barsoom

[Lee Jewers]

No, I appreciate the tips but this is not the issue. I lose low frequency bass when the hybrid engine kicks in, and when the gas engine runs I have all the bass.

[GrySql]

No, I appreciate the tips but this is not the issue. I lose low frequency bass when the hybrid engine kicks in, and when the gas engine runs I have all the bass.

You can test this by disabling the ANC, see SSM 44602 :

http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/9354-special-service-messages-ssms/?p=88037

[Lee Jewers]

You can test this by disabling the ANC, see SSM 44602 :

http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/9354-special-service-messages-ssms/?p=88037

Wow, thanks. I thought you could only disable the ANC but disconnecting the three microphones, this is way easier.

Hope it works!

[Lee Jewers]

Mine is a 2015 though. That's for 13-14 if I'm not mistaken.

[GrySql]

Mine is a 2015 though. That's for 13-14 if I'm not mistaken.

Take at look at page 252 in your 2015 Owners Manual.

It shows the Passenger Compartment Fuse Panel - Fuse #33 is for "Radio, Active Noise Control".

[RTimothy]

Wow!! I can not believe this technology. I've never experienced such an amazing experience. NOISE Cancellation? What is this anti submarine war fare?? :yahoo:

[ByteMe]

Folks,

 

I have noticed this as well on my 2015 Fusion HyTi. I am an audio engineer and I was beginning to think I was loosing my mind and my ear. I

 

I have tested this with an audio track to test sound and I can tell you that when the ICE is on your BASS will sound better as the Subwoofer is on. If not on ICE you loose it.

 

For an audiophile like me this is very annoying and I would much rather have the choice to engage the ANC or dis-engage just like the speed compensated volume (which I always have off). I have posted this twice.. once in the audio forum and the other in the year related forum.

 

I will test pulling the fuse to see if this gets better tomorrow.

 

To Meagan and Ford.. for us audiophiles that have spent good money on this vehicle. I would say please make ANC a feature that can either be enabled or disabled. As nothing can make audio sound better than a really good ear. Take it from the computer geek.. we are all unique and like our sound to suit our needs. I know I speak for myself when I say.. I want to have the ability to adjust my sound as I see fit and not have a computer do it for me.

 

Very annoying!

 

Tony.

[Vlad Soare]

Does this mean the ANC only cancels out the noise of the ICE and nothing more?

I thought it was meant to deal with all unwanted running noises. I mean, at higher speeds tire and aerodynamic noises are far louder and more annoying than that of the engine, so I would expect the ANC to take care of those, too.

[Waldo]

Does this mean the ANC only cancels out the noise of the ICE and nothing more?

I thought it was meant to deal with all unwanted running noises. I mean, at higher speeds tire and aerodynamic noises are far louder and more annoying than that of the engine, so I would expect the ANC to take care of those, too.

 

No, ANC doesn't work at the frequencies of road and wind noise.

[kelly6869]

I own a 2016 fusion energi titanium with a Sony sound system. I have replaced all door speakers with top quality component speakers and removed the 6X9 woofers in the rear deck. I built custom boxes and put 2 10" sub woofers in the back and added a 5 channel amp to drive everything. I also have a signal processor between the factory sony amp and the inputs to my aftermarket amp. I also want to eliminate this ANC issue and I tried disconnecting the 3 microphones inside of the cabin and when I disconnected them, I lost my ability to use hands free operation with my SYNC and it cound not hear my commands. I had to hook them back up and I would like to know if anyone has figured out how to disable this feature? What does iCE stand for?

[murphy]

Internal Combustion Engine.

 

I don't know how to disable ANC and changing the speakers has destroyed the tuning so it no longer works correctly. This has been discussed in either this forum or the Energi forum. Search the Energi, Hybrid, and Blue Oval forums and you may find the solution.

[kelly6869]

Thanks for the info... I will look around in those forums.

[Darkside]

I did not lose my voice command ability when I removed my ANC unit. There is a fuse you can pull I believe to also disable it. Look through my threads and you can see what I did.