As car enthusiasts, we’re all too familiar with the importance of a premium in-car audio experience. After all, the car has been ranked as the number one place for Americans to listen to music, with 68% of 18-to-34-year-olds reporting that they tune in at least once a day. In fact, the average American spends a remarkable 4 hours a day listening to music, with 72% of the population using their car daily. This surge in music consumption, coupled with the rapid advancements in car audio systems and upgrades, in-dash receivers, amplifiers, subwoofers, and speakers, has made premium sound damping and audio integration a must-have feature for today’s luxury car buyers.

However, designing such equalizers, bass boosters, and Bluetooth connectivity for car speakers, stereo receivers, and multimedia players presents its own set of challenges. The various hard and soft surfaces that characterize the interior design of luxury vehicles can often interfere with sound quality, while consumers expect new applications and features to be released as frequently as those for their smartphones – a feat made difficult by the longer development cycles for automobiles. Fortunately, HARMAN International, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, has been at the forefront of this industry, utilizing advanced sound dampening techniques and audio installation solutions to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of premium OEM replacements for in-car audio technology.

Key Takeaways

• The car is the #1 place for Americans to listen to music, with 68% of 18-34-year-olds tuning in daily.
• Rapid growth in music streaming and new car audio tech have made premium audio a must-have feature.
• Designing premium car audio systems presents challenges due to interior design and fast-paced consumer expectations.
• HARMAN International uses simulation software and custom applications to improve workflows and accelerate product development.
• Advanced sound damping and audio integration solutions are key to delivering high-quality in-car audio experiences.

The Importance of Music in Cars

In the U.S., the car has been ranked as the most common place for listening to music amongst drivers that are 35-years old and above, while being the second most common one for Millennials and Gen-Z’s. Research shows that music can help alleviate stress with traffic congestion at rush hour and during long-distance drives, and that select music tracks can have a positive effect on mood, decrease stress levels, and improve concentration while driving. However, poor sound quality combined with road and engine noises may also increase driver fatigue and irritability.

Music Listening Habits of Americans

With the car being the most common place for listening to music, the central role music plays in people’s lives, and the amount of time the average American spends in their car, every driver should really consider ordering a premium sound system in their next car. Music can help alleviate stress, decrease stress levels, and improve concentration while driving, making the overall driving experience more enjoyable.

The Role of Music in Driving Experience

Research shows that music can help alleviate stress with traffic congestion at rush hour and during long-distance drives, and that select music tracks can have a positive effect on mood, decrease stress levels, and improve concentration while driving. However, poor sound quality combined with road and engine noises may also increase driver fatigue and irritability.

Understanding Premium Car Audio Systems

Most new car models come equipped with a standard sound system, but many manufacturers now offer customers the opportunity to upgrade to premium or even advanced audio systems. A typical standard sound system is limited to a single speaker in each door, with basic tweeters to handle the higher-pitched musical tones, and is powered by an entry-level amplifier integrated into the infotainment system. In contrast, a Premium Car Audio System includes higher-quality replacements for the basic speakers, along with additional speakers to enhance the overall sound quality.

Components of a Premium Car Audio System

A Premium Car Audio System normally features a subwoofer in the trunk, premium woofers mounted low in the doors, midrange speakers in the door or on the instrument panel, and tweeters to precisely reproduce higher frequencies. The amplifier is the heart of the system, responsible for implementing the bespoke calibration of the audio signals and their amplification to the speakers.

Recreating Immersive Sound Experience

Premium Car Audio Systems utilize additional channels of audio to render a rich, immersive and engaging spatial reproduction, creating a real staging effect within the vehicle cabin. A center speaker is often incorporated into the dashboard, and surround speakers located behind the back seats or in the D-pillar, allowing multiple passengers to experience great spatial sound. This allows the sound stage to remain front and center, with the sound of the acoustic space (or the audience in a live recording) spread to the sides and behind the occupants, making the listener feel like they are right there at the venue, enjoying the music being created before them.

Benefits of Premium Car Audio Systems

When it comes to the benefits of premium car audio systems, the key lies in their ability to deliver high-quality sound reproduction, personalized acoustic tuning, and seamless integration with the vehicle’s design. Let’s explore these advantages in more detail.

High-Quality Sound Reproduction

Premium-grade speakers made of advanced materials and featuring higher-powered magnets, coupled with the additional power generated by a premium amplifier, provide far more usable headroom in the system. This allows for high-level playback with minimal distortion, as well as crystal-clear and distortion-free sound reproduction at normal listening levels. The skilled acoustic engineers at HARMAN tailor the tuning of the system to each car model and body-type, taking into account parameters such as seat types, door material, and total car volume, to ensure the driver has the best sound quality in any circumstance.

Personalized Acoustic Tuning

The acoustic engineers at HARMAN personalize the tuning of the Premium Car Audio System for each vehicle model, taking into account various factors that can affect the in-cabin acoustics, such as seat types, door material, and total car volume. This ensures that the driver has the best sound quality in any driving condition, as the system is specifically calibrated to the unique characteristics of the vehicle.

Integration with Vehicle Design

Premium Car Audio Systems feature a high level of design integration of the speakers into the vehicle cabin. The speaker grill form, material, color, transparency, texture and illumination are usually personalized for each vehicle model, providing a unique “look and feel” that improves the overall in-cabin experience. This seamless integration of the audio system with the vehicle’s design enhances the overall premium feel and luxury of the driving experience.

Car Audio Systems and Upgrades

Many car owners are eager to enhance their OEM audio systems by integrating aftermarket amplifiers and speakers. However, this upgrade path can often lead to challenges, as the heavily equalized output of the OEM head unit now affects the sound quality of the new, higher-performance components, resulting in a boomy or tizzy audio experience. The solution to this conundrum lies in the use of a digital signal processor (DSP) to de-equalize the OEM head unit’s output and re-equalize it to seamlessly match the new speakers and amplifiers.

Aftermarket Amplifiers and Speakers

The use of DSPs in car audio is not a new concept. In fact, systems like the GM-Delco-Bose audio system introduced in the 1983 Cadillac Seville utilized DSP technology to compensate for the limitations of the speakers and their locations. Today, aftermarket DSPs from renowned brands such as Alpine, Rockford Fosgate, and Audison offer a wealth of advanced features, including auto-EQ, multi-band equalizers, time delay compensation, and bass expansion, allowing for the optimization of the audio system when upgrading components.

Digital Signal Processing (DSP)

For car owners who wish to retain their OEM head unit while upgrading the audio system, integrating a DSP is a common and effective solution. This approach allows the DSP to de-equalize the OEM head unit’s output and re-equalize it to match the new, higher-quality speakers and amplifiers, ensuring a balanced and musical sound. DSPs like the Pioneer DEQ-S1000A offer a cost-effective way to achieve this, providing 6 channels of DSP and 4 x 22W channels of amplification for less than half the cost of more premium DSP solutions.

Integrating DSPs with OEM Head Units

By leveraging a DSP to de-equalize and re-equalize the OEM head unit’s output, car owners can enjoy the benefits of a premium audio system without the need to replace the factory-installed head unit. This seamless integration allows for a balanced and harmonious sound, even when upgrading to higher-quality aftermarket components. The DSP’s ability to tailor the audio output to the specific speakers and amplifiers ensures an exceptional listening experience for the driver and passengers.

Upgrading on a Budget

For car owners looking to enhance their OEM audio system without breaking the bank, the Pioneer DEQ-S1000A offers a cost-effective solution. This versatile device provides 6 channels of DSP (digital signal processing) and 4 x 22W channels of amplification, empowering users to de-equalize the OEM head unit’s output and re-equalize it to seamlessly match new, higher-quality speakers and amplifiers. At under $150, the DEQ-S1000A is significantly more affordable than higher-end DSP solutions from brands like JL Audio or Audison, which can cost $500 or more.

Cost-Effective DSP Solutions

The Pioneer DEQ-S1000A is a budget-friendly DSP solution that allows car owners to upgrade their OEM audio system without the need to replace the head unit. By offering 6 channels of DSP and 4 x 22W channels of amplification, this compact device enables users to de-equalize the OEM head unit’s output and re-equalize it to match new speakers and amplifiers. This ensures a balanced and musical sound, even when upgrading components, without the hefty price tag of more premium DSP solutions. For those looking to improve their in-car audio experience on a limited budget, the DEQ-S1000A is an excellent option.

Virtual Product Development at HARMAN

At HARMAN, we leverage simulation software and custom applications to improve workflows, accelerate product development, and push the boundaries of in-car audio technology. By developing advanced simulation applications, our engineers can quickly make adjustments based on the different components and unique configurations of the cars they are working on, and compare simulation results to physical car cabin tests.

Simulation Applications for Audio System Design

Our simulation applications allow us to perform fully virtual developments for transducers, packaging, car cabins, binaural playback, and more, enabling us to accelerate the product development process. This approach empowers our team to explore a wide range of possibilities and optimizations without the need for physical prototypes, ultimately delivering innovative car audio systems and upgrades that exceed our customers’ expectations.

Improving Workflows with Digital Twins

We have also explored ways to transform our simulation models into digital twins and applications. By “locking” certain boundary conditions in the digital twins, we ensure that the simulation results are aligned with physical measurements, guaranteeing the accuracy and reliability of our virtual developments. This approach helps improve our workflow, as users and simulation experts can collaborate companywide to make design changes much earlier in the process. The app concept also benefits team members who are not simulation experts, making the designer’s workflow more efficient and providing our simulation experts the opportunity to focus on more time- and resource-demanding projects.

Personalized In-Vehicle Audio Experiences

At HARMAN, we are driving the shift towards the “experiences-per-mile” paradigm, taking a consumer-centric approach in offering personalized audio experiences. One example of our innovative solutions is the HARMAN Virtual Venues technology, which acoustically transports the listener into world-famous music venues by reproducing the sound of a particular venue based on its acoustic fingerprint. This allows drivers and passengers to enjoy a high-fidelity listening experience that mimics the ambiance of a concert hall, stadium, or other acoustic space, enhancing the overall in-vehicle experience.

HARMAN’s Virtual Venues Technology

Our Virtual Venues technology leverages advanced audio engineering and acoustic simulation to recreate the sonic environment of renowned performance spaces. By analyzing the unique acoustic properties of each venue, we can deliver a truly immersive listening experience that allows car occupants to feel like they are present in the original setting, surrounded by the rich, spatial audio that defines the atmosphere of that particular location.

Premium Communication Solutions

Another example of our personalized in-vehicle audio experiences is our Premium Communication Solutions. This technology harnesses the latest advancements in smart audio and acoustic signal processing to personalize the sonic environment and provide clear, frustration-free communication for all vehicle occupants, whether it’s with a voice assistant, someone on the other end of a phone call, or between passengers. Our enhanced voice command capabilities also increase traffic safety by allowing drivers to keep their eyes on the road and their hands at the wheel when using their in-car technology.

Challenges in Audio System Design

Designing premium car audio systems that offer a high degree of personalization presents several challenges. The broad range of personalized features being built into luxury vehicles, such as massaging seats, heated steering wheels, and advanced infotainment systems, adds significant complexity to the audio system design. The HARMAN team of acoustics and simulation experts must account for these different components, acoustics, and unique configurations early on in the design process to ensure the audio system can be adapted to meet customization requests.

Balancing Personalization and Complexity

The increasing demand for personalized in-car audio experiences and the growing complexity of luxury vehicle interiors pose a significant challenge for audio system designers. Accommodating features like speakers, amplifiers, and digital signal processors while seamlessly integrating them into the vehicle’s design requires a delicate balance. Our team at HARMAN must carefully consider the impact of each customizable element on the overall acoustic performance and ensure that the audio system can be tuned to deliver a consistently exceptional listening experience, regardless of the vehicle’s specific configuration.

Accounting for Interior Design Changes

Another challenge in audio system design is accounting for changes in the interior design and materials used in the vehicle. The choice of trim level, for example, can involve changes in the interior design or different materials being used, which can affect the acoustics of the car cabin. The tuning of the audio system must compensate for these changes in the design to not compromise the sound quality, as aspects like the stiffness of a car door can also change the car’s acoustics.

Building Trust in Virtual Simulations

To help build trust and transparency with users, HARMAN provides a validation document with every simulation application they develop. This document is similar to the specification sheet provided with a physical product, allowing users to understand the accuracy and capabilities of the simulation. By providing this validation documentation, HARMAN ensures that users can trust the results of the virtual simulations and use them to make informed design decisions for car audio systems and upgrades, in-dash receivers, amplifiers, subwoofers, speakers, sound damping, audio integration, equalizers, bass boosters, bluetooth connectivity, car speakers, stereo receivers, sound dampening, multimedia players, and oem replacements.

Validation Documentation

The validation documentation from HARMAN outlines the precision and reliability of their virtual simulations, giving users confidence in the data and results. This transparency is crucial for building trust in the company’s advanced simulation capabilities, which are used to optimize the audio experience in luxury vehicles.

Communication and Understanding Measurements

In addition to the validation documentation, HARMAN focuses on clear communication and helping users understand the measurements and data behind the advanced simulations. This is crucial for building trust in the capability of the virtual simulations, as users need to have confidence in the accuracy of the results and the underlying data. By providing this level of transparency and communication, HARMAN ensures that users can effectively utilize the simulation applications to improve their workflows and products related to premium car audio systems.

Conclusion

Integrating advanced navigation and audio systems in luxury cars is a complex task that requires a deep understanding of audio engineering, vehicle design, and user experience. Companies like HARMAN are at the forefront of this field, using simulation software and custom applications to streamline the development process and deliver personalized, high-quality in-vehicle audio experiences.

By addressing the challenges of balancing personalization and complexity, as well as building trust in virtual simulations, HARMAN is helping to push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of premium car audio systems. Their dedication to providing validation documentation and clear communication around the advanced simulations is crucial for ensuring users can trust the accuracy of the virtual results and make informed design decisions.

As consumer expectations continue to rise, the ability to seamlessly integrate cutting-edge technology and luxurious design will be a key differentiator for automakers in the years to come. HARMAN’s innovative approach to virtual product development and personalized audio experiences positions them as a leader in this rapidly evolving field, setting the stage for even more remarkable in-vehicle audio systems in the future.

Source Links

• https://www.comsol.com/story/simulation-applications-help-shape-the-design-of-car-audio-systems-80581
• https://car.harman.com/insights/articles/why-should-every-driver-ask-for-a-premium-car-audio-system-in-their-next-car
• https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-entertainment/202191-upgrading-your-oem-car-audio-using-dsps-budget-version.html