Daryll Harrison, Volkswagen Brand Public Relations Manager, says these claims about the Soundaktor are false. “The Soundaktor amplifies actual engine sound in the cabin of the car. It does not re-create nor utilize pre-recorded sound."
Could be lying I suppose. More indicative of how far engines have come that they actually need to find ways to build in sound because they're so efficient.
Haven't seen anyone disprove his claim either so unless anyone can show me that, sit down lol.
If it's not an audio file, then I stand corrected. I made that conclusion based on Car and Driver and the fact that in VCDS you can do an output test to test the range of the Soundaktor. VCDS only allows for that test and volume adjustment, there isn't any long coding either.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/faking-it-engine-sound-enhancement-explained-tech-dept
Whatever the sound is, it sounds manipulated somehow. I'd guess there is a certain frequency it is calibrated to. The Soundaktor makes my engine sound have a deeper tone. Also, the R has a different tone than GTI with Soundaktor on. I haven't heard a R with Soundaktor turned off, but I'm not convinced that two same EA888 2L engines can sound much different. I'd be curious to install a Soundaktor from a R into my GTI and see if that changes the tone.
Whatever the case, if you enjoy it and like fake engine noises, good. I feel that it adds drone, especially on the highway since I like to keep my car in sport mode. Since I have a 2015, I can't turn it down individually through the cars menu.