[KevinGS]

Originally Posted by Berzerker

That depends on the controller and your desired configuration. With the SST, for example, you can set a "startup mode" which can be one of the 4 functions on the remote. Fully open, fully closed, 50% open, or OEM control (with Sport(+) modes on the car). I have mine set to OEM control by default, so if I want them fully open, I'd have to hit the fully open button. However *both* steps are not "required" per se, as fully open will be fully open in all situations. But if you want it to be fully open and M1 settings, for example, you'd need to do both options (if you default to OEM control).

Thanks for trying to explain this, but I'm still a little confused.

The console exhaust button will start the car fully closed. So the only option I'd want would be to open the valves to 100% for a max cold start volume (as opposed to the factory valves opened to only like 80%). MAYBE if you have a really loud exhaust (or a straight pipe), then a 50% mode may be a benefit...otherwise most of us will want it fully open or fully closed at start.

And yes, if I get a valve controller, for my M1 and M2 settings, I'd want the valves fully opened. So with SST or Dahler, I wonder if there's the ability to connect the M1 and M2 settings to the 100% open valve setting (without having to hit a 2nd button on the remote or on the garage door overhead button to open fully to 100%).

The benefit is that granular control and direct integration into the M1/M2 buttons. If you only want fully open or closed, then there's no point to this and you'd be fine with a cheaper controller.

The exhaust button, with ASD decoded, only controls the burbles and engine rev timings to accentuate them. Sport(+) mode on the Engine is the only thing that controls the flaps on the exhaust, and therefore, the sound (without a valve controller).

This is interesting. When I hit the exhaust button on the console, I get burbles and it gets louder (so the valves open to like 80%). Or maybe I don't really have ASD coded off at all (which could be the case), and the added sound is not the valves being open to the stock BMW 80%-ish level, it's all just ASD.

Having said that, when I hit the M1/M2 buttons which are both programmed to Sport Plus, the sound doesn't get any louder than me simply hitting the lower console's exhaust button. It all sounds the same. Hmmm...

With any valve controller, if you set it to fully close and then go into Comfort mode, that's the same thing as "Stealth Mode," which is just advertising a quick way to get into that specific setup apart from manually closing valves and going into Comfort as you'd do in any other situation.

Ah, ok, makes sense

Like mentioned, the main benefit here is the more integrated and granular control for opening the valves than other solutions provide. It allows you to fine-tune things like when the valves open and what RPMs, throttle input, etc, while integrating nicely into the normal M1/M2 button modes.

Yeah, I can't think of any situation where I want my valves "partially opened", or tied to throttle input, or the RPM. I either want them fully open or fully closed (loud or quiet). Partially loud/open at some lower RPM or throttle input, I don't see the need for that in my situation.

I personally don't need any of that, so I stuck with the SST. Besides the fact it's cheaper and easier to install, it gives me all the functionality I'd need and care about, but this is definitely better if you want more granular and precise control over the valve opening setup/system.

Thanks, Berz, I think all I need is SST or Dahler as well, but the one thing I want to know is:

Once I set up either of the above (SST/Dahler) through the garage door console button, can I program my M1/M2 buttons with Sport Plus to open the valves at 100% without having to hit the garage door overhead console button? Or would I have to hit 2 buttons for max performance AND max loudness: M1/M2 AND the garage door console button?

Hec, if the SST/Dahler can be programmed to have the valves open to 100% with the Sport Plus setting (through M1/M2), then I may not even have the need to program it through the garage door overhead console button (but I guess I still will, as a "nice-to-have").

And using SST/Dahler, the lower console exhaust button would then only open the valve to the factory position, NOT to the full 100%. This would explain a benefit for me with the Awron...as this "feature" would shift to the garage door overhead console button (not as seamless an integration) with SST/Dahler.