Southampton Audi Bang & Olufsen Advanced sound system

A quality audio system accentuates driving in more ways than one. In addition to acoustics, a good system creates visual harmony. Specially developed for the A8, the B&O system balances the interior acoustics perfectly with ambient noise. The anodised aluminium speaker grilles complete what is a stunning performance inside and out.

The development goal was to achieve perfect surround sound. Most sound sources such as CD and DAB only have two programmed output channels (stereo); A8 drivers nevertheless enjoy the benefits of surround sound even when using these stereo sources. Then there’s a special energising program that calculates a surround signal with five channels and subwoofer signal from just two channels to put you at the centre of every performance.

The Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System consists of a total of 14 speakers, each with their own output stage. There is a 2-way speaker unit with a 90 mm mid-range speaker and a 140 mm woofer installed in each of the front doors. The treble is reproduced by two 19 mm Acoustic Lens speakers that are extended out of the instrument panel. A 70 mm cone speaker serves as the centre speaker. The rear doors incorporate 2-way speakers with 130 mm woofers, supported by a 25 mm tweeter. The low bass tones are reproduced by a 200 mm subwoofer installed beneath the rear shelf together with two 70 mm wide-band speakers, for surround reproduction.

Acoustic Lens technology
The front tweeters using Acoustic Lens technology are among the most important elements of the new sound system. When the system is activated, two lens tweeters are automatically extended from the instrument panel. These assure an extremely in-depth performance at every seat thanks to their precisely aligned horizontal transmission.

Amplifier power
On the Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System, two amplifiers generate more than 1,000 watts. The high-performance amplifier has four channels of 125 watt each for the four woofers and one 250 watts amplifier for the subwoofer. The second amplifier (DSP) is responsible for signal processing and, with nine output stages of 28 watts each, for energising the surround speakers and tweeters.