Acquired by HARMAN in May 2015, B&O Automotive Offers Exceptional 16-Channel Sound

Audi has just released the new and improved Audi A4 to an eagerly awaiting luxury sedan market. Supporting the high performance nature of the Audi brand, the new Audi A4 Saloon and Audi A4 Avant include an optional Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System that offers an unparalleled level of acoustic transparency and sets the benchmark of excellence in the automotive audio systems market.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150706005282/en/

Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System in the Audi A4 (Photo: Business Wire)

“The Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System in the Audi A4 brings fascinating 3D sound to all who hear it, adding an exciting new dimension to the listening experience,” said Jens Peter Zinck, Head of Bang & Olufsen Automotive for HARMAN.

For the ears

The Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System for the Audi A4 pushes yet further the reference point for audio performance in the automotive market. The system comprehensively includes an array of 19 speakers, each housed within grilles that are seamlessly integrated into the interior design of the Audi A4. The Bang & Olufsen Dynamic Lines Design feature brings together excellent styling with unrivalled acoustic transparency.

The 16 channel Class D amplifier delivers 755 watts of clear, crisp 5.1 surround sound. Regardless of what is happening outside the cabin, the Vehicle Noise Compensation (VNC) technology incorporated into the amplifier ensures audio consistency is maintained, automatically adjusting timbre and volume based on input from a number of internal and external on-board sensors and microphones. Using Fraunhofer's Symphoria® technology, the sound system provides an acoustic spaciousness in the Audi A4 that sets new standards for automotive 3D sound reproduction.

For the eyes

The elegant shape and design of the exterior of the Audi A4 weaves itself into the vehicle’s interior. The combination of the cabin’s spaciousness, luxury and subtle attention to detail provides a perfect stage for Bang & Olufsen Automotive engineers to display a new visual design that will carry into future partnerships with Audi.

These attributes further integrate the audio system into the overall interior design of the Audi A4, ensuring that Bang & Olufsen maintains a strong and distinct brand identity. Speaker grilles with a specific Dynamic Lines Design follow the design line of the interior and include anodized aluminium details and logos, LED lighting and visibility from the interior and exterior of the vehicle.

For the heart

By design, the Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System for the Audi A4 aims to please both driver and passenger. It is capable of flawlessly reproducing a multitude of music categories, with a focus on being unblemished and distinctive, effectively and virtually transporting listeners to packed stadiums, recording studios, jazz clubs or concert halls on their drive. The system also ensures that the respect for individual preferences is never forgotten: An array of settings allows passengers to adjust volume levels in their areas.

Technical Specifications

Speakers

      Drivers 19 speakers  

Amplifier

Features Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Class D amplifier MOST150 Microphone inputs   Amplifier 16 amplifier channels - 755 watt output power Class D technology   DSP features Vehicle Noise Compensation (Road EQ) Digital Transmission Content Protection (DTCP) Fraunhofer Symphoria® 3D algorithm 5.1 multichannel support   Sound settings FRONT / REAR / ALL  

Design theme

Dynamic Lines  

Design Elements

IP

Midrange grilles (close to A-pillar) with Bang & Olufsen precision milled andanodized aluminum details in black colour covering the midranges used for 3D sound

 

  A-pillars Tweeters for 2D and 3D sound reproduction   Front doors Midrange grille with a Bang & Olufsen Dynamic Lines design  

Woofer grille with a Bang & Olufsen Dynamic Lines design includingprecision milled and anodized aluminum detailing platinum colour and a light diffuser

  Rear doors Tweeter grille with a Bang & Olufsen Dynamic Lines design  

Woofer grille with a Bang & Olufsen Dynamic Lines design includingprecision milled and anodized aluminum detail in platinum colour

  Parcel shelf

Parcel shelf grilles with a Bang & Olufsen Dynamic Lines design includingprecision milled and anodized aluminium detailing black colour

  All aluminium details carry laser marked BANG & OLUFSEN logo

About Bang & Olufsen Automotive

Bang & Olufsen Automotive, acquired by HARMAN in May 2015, offers its partners car audio systems with unprecedented sound quality and listening pleasure for the driver and passengers. In addition to traditional craft skills within manufacturing and aluminium finishing, the systems incorporate the radical synthesis of emotional appeal and technological performance that has long been the hallmark of Bang & Olufsen Automotive. Bang & Olufsen Automotive launched its first car audio system in 2005, and will continue to innovate and refine together with its partners within the automotive industry. For more information on Bang & Olufsen Automotive, please visit www.bang-olufsen.com/de/car-audio.

About HARMAN

HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for consumers, automakers, and enterprises worldwide, including audio, visual and infotainment systems; enterprise automation solutions; and software services. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® , Mark Levinson ® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. HARMAN also is a technology and integration services leader for the Automotive, Mobile, Telecommunications and Enterprise markets. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. The Company's software solutions power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated, personalized, adaptive and secure across all platforms, from the work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 25,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $5.9 billion during the last 12 months ended March 31, 2015. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.

© 2015 HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson are trademarks of HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States and/or other countries. AKG is a trademark of AKG Acoustics GmbH, registered in the United States and/or other countries.

HAR-C

Bang & OlufsenGlobal Public Relations AutomotiveMs. Gunhild Ehrhardt-Kruftemail: automotive_press@bang-olufsen.dktel.: +49-(0)89-75905-129fax: +49-(0)89-75905-280