<Photo: Volvo
The quality of in-vehicle sound systems today is staggering. When it comes to the best venue to listen to music, most people’s cars provide a better audio experience than their own homes. Today’s vehicles boast better sound systems than many home entertainment setups do thanks to the abundance of top-of-the-line products in premium and even economy-class cars.
These are the most impressive, premium sound systems included in current vehicles (2019-2020 model years).
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Many high-end audio systems in vehicles today owe their existence to Harman, an American electronics producer for automobiles. Harman was acquired by Samsung in 2017, and its presence in the global automotive industry is pervasive. Harman operates numerous sub-brands like Infinity, Lexicon, Mark Levinson, and Bang & Olufsen.
Bang & Olufsen
German brands like Audi and BMW carry Bang & Olufsen for their high-end audio systems. This brand produces a patented “3D” sound system for vehicles, which comes in 3D Advanced (up to 23 speakers at 1,920 watts) and 3D Premium forms (up to 19 speakers at 755 watts). You can find the former on the higher-priced Audi Q7 and A8 or the latter on the lower-priced A4 and A5. Ford also added B&O to their higher-end models in recent years.
Bose
The Bose brand is synonymous with cutting-edge, premium audio systems, so you’ll find many cars boasting Bose equipment. The 12-speaker Bose High-End Surround Sound System can be found on cars ranging from the Mazda3 to the Porsche 718 Cayman. American luxury brands equip their vehicles with these advanced products, like the 14-speaker Bose Performance Series system on the Corvette or Cadillac XT5.
Bowers & Wilkins
British audio equipment company B&W has been in business for over a half-century. Because of its expertise, B&W provides the premium audio systems available in Jaguar, Maserati, and Volvo lineups, as well as a couple BMW models. A highlight is the 1,280-watt 17-speaker system on the Maserati Levante.
Burmester Audiosystems
For decades, Burmester has been a leader in premium audio systems in Europe. So it’s no surprise that this German company partners with Mercedes-Benz in its many cars and SUVs. A highlight is the 16-speaker configuration in the G-Class with all the tweeters and woofers you could imagine.
Harman Kardon
Dodge pulls out all the stops for its performance cars, and that includes its audio systems. The Dodge Challenger feature an 18-speaker Harman Kardon Logic 7 sound system that immerses you in a 360° aural experience further enhanced by a power-saving Class-D GreenEdge amplifier.
Lexicon
Premium Korean models like the Kia K900 and Genesis sedans carry the Lexicon audio brand, which offer a 7.1-channel surround output through an assembly of 17 speakers.
Mark Levinson
Many Lexus models you can drive will have a Mark Levinson audio system installed. That’s because the Mark Levinson works exclusively with Lexus vehicles to produce their equipment. Their best system produces 1800 watts of amplified power across 17 speakers.
Naim Audio
Another British speaker manufacturer, Naim Audio has maintained a partnership with Bentley since 2008, going so far as to produce wireless, in-home speakers that match the style and appearance of their in-vehicle speakers. That way, you can listen to the powerful 2,200-watt 21-speaker system in your Bentley and then move to the living room for an equally immersive listen.
Revel
The biggest sound system available today is the Revel Ultima 3D system found on the Lincoln Aviator. This configuration uses a whopping 28 speakers throughout the SUV, including multiple embedded in the headliner. It also employs Harman’s Clari-Fi technology. It maxes out around 1,200 watts, though.
By the sheer quantity of speakers, the Revel Ultima system is the biggest sound system available today, but the most powerful is the Naim Audio system.
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Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.