Built-in FM transmitter with LED display. Sends V10 engine sounds through a vehicle’s FM radio.

You need

1) a car with an AC alternator that produces small pulses on the 12v system. Most cars are compatible, but it not electric and hybrid cars.

2) a cigarette lighter/ 12v power socket in the car.

3) a car stereo system with FM receiver or Aux input.

From SoundRacer.se:

1. Startup SoundRacer

1. Apply the parking brake and set the gear selector in neutral.

2. Place SoundRacer in the cigarette lighter/12V socket. The display indicating FM frequency should light up automatically. If not, the ignition key has to be turned to the position where power is applied to the socket. You will see the display light up when power is on.

3.

A. For cars with AUX input: Connect the enclosed stereo cable to the car AUX input and the SoundRacer AUX connector. Select AUX input on the radio.

B. For cars without AUX input: Activate the FM receiver and set it to a frequency where no radio station is heard. Press the + or – button on SoundRacer to set the same frequency as on the FM receiver. Now you should hear an idling engine sound. Adjust the volume on the radio so that the sound is clearly heard.

4. Start the engine and rev it up to 2500-3000rpm (revolutions per minute) by pressing down the throttle and then immediately release it. You should hear a short beep in the speakers when the engine is slowing down. The beep indicates that SoundRacer has found the alternator signal. After a few seconds, when the engine is down to the idling rpm, you should hear two beeps indicating that SoundRacer has detected the idling rpm.

5. That’s it! Now you can press down on the throttle and hear a Super Sports Car engine rev up.

 

If it does not works as expected

SoundRacer cannot detect the engine rpm?

If there is no first beep or second beeps or the sound does not follow the engine rpm, then SoundRacer has a problem detecting the alternator signal and rpm. This can happen if the alternator signal is too weak. In that case it can help to increase the electrical load on the alternator by turning on the headlights, seat heating, rear window heating or other electrical equipment.

 

The radio will not remain on the selected frequency, changes to another station.

Try deactivating AF function on the radio. AF is used to automatically search for the best station in an area. Usually there is an AF button on the radio and an AF symbol in the display. Press the AF button until the AF symbol disappears. See the user manual for your car radio for a detailed and correct description.

The radio reception is weak, the sound is low with a lot of noise.

Check the car antenna and radio. The transmitting power of SoundRacer and other FM transmitters is limited by government regulations. This means that the antenna cannot be too far from the transmitter. Check that no radio station transmits very close to the selected frequency.

The sound quality is low.

The quality of the engine sound is naturally highly dependent on the sound system in the car. With high class radio receiver, amplifier and speakers you will have an astonishing sound experience, with a standard car stereo you will still have great engine sound but maybe less impressive. Especially the low frequency sounds are important so adjust the audio controls on the radio to suit your taste. (Avoid distortion, which damages amplifiers and speakers).

Tips & Tricks

Engine sound: Adjust volume, treble and bass on the radio to get the best sound experience in your car. More bass brings a more powerful sound effect. Just be careful not to blow your speakers.

Engine speed: If you want the SoundRacer "engine" to run on lower rpm, you can adjust it by locking the idling to a higher rpm. This is done by not releasing the throttle fully during startup: after the first beep you keep the rpm at approximately 1500-2000. This is useful if you drive a 'high rev" car or for highway driving.

How it works

The technology in SoundRacer is based on signals (electrical noise) on the electrical cables from the AC alternator that is used in most cars today. The signal frequency follows the engine speed, SoundRacer detects this signal and transforms it to a simulated rpm. The increase in simulated rpm is then multiplied with a factor in order to produce a more exciting acceleration impression without running the car’s engine at high rpm. Based on the changes in rpm SoundRacer also produces different sounds: idling, acceleration at lower rpm, acceleration at higher rpm and deceleration. The engine sounds are transferred to the car radio by the built-in FM transmitter or with the AUX cable included in the box.

Use the AUX in/out connector

Use the 3.5 mm stereo cable to connect a music player to SoundRacer to enjoy your favorite music on the car radio. The 3.5 mm plugs fits in the headset output of the music player and the AUX socket on the SoundRacer. Set the AUX switch on SoundRacer X to IN. If the car has an AUX in socket, the 3.5 mm cable can connect the SoundRacer directly to the car radio amplifier. This is useful in areas with many FM radio stations and can also provide better sound quality.