How do you engineer sound quality to match brand character while meeting NVH targets?

Sound quality engineering process: 1) Brand sound definition - define target character (sporty, refined, powerful) through benchmarking and customer research; 2) Psychoacoustic metrics - loudness, sharpness, roughness, fluctuation strength, articulation index as design parameters; 3) Source tuning - intake and exhaust system acoustic design for desired timbre, engine order management, EV motor whine control; 4) Masking design - use pleasant sounds to mask objectionable content; 5) Active systems - sound symposer, active exhaust valves, ANC, and interior sound generation; 6) Auralization - synthesize target sounds for evaluation before hardware. Subjective jury evaluations validate metrics against perception. Sound quality must balance customer expectations, regulatory limits, and quiet EV challenge of revealing other noises previously masked by powertrain.