Car Enthusiast - click here to access the home page


 


Volvo reveals the XC90 - well, its stereo. Image by Volvo.

Volvo reveals the XC90 - well, its stereo
Drip, drip... Next piece of the Volvo XC90 puzzle is its stereo.
<< earlier article     later article >>

 


News homepage

Newer articles featuring 2014 Volvo XC90

2014-08-26: Volvo's new XC90 unveiled
2014-08-13: First look at Volvo XC90 nose
2014-07-24: Volvo's XC90 is a bit safe...
2014-07-08: Volvo XC90 goes hybrid

What's the news?

We're hoping to see the actual finished Volvo XC90 sometime within 2014, but until then we have to put up with the slow striptease the Swedes seem intent on. Latest bit? The new SUV's fancy stereo system.

Bowers & Wilkins, a British firm with five decades of 'pioneering research into loudspeaker design', will be providing the sounds for the occupants of the second-generation big SUV. Citing no less a venue than Abbey Road Studios (you should know who recorded there in the Sixties) as one of the world's most demanding acoustic environments used as a test-bed to hone the B&W kit over the years, the XC90 uses tweeter-on-top technology for the first time in a car, as well as low-distortion speakers, extended range aluminium tweeters and Kevlar midrange units. There's also a 12-channel Harman 1,400-watt Class D amplifier, a subwoofer that is integrated into the body of the car and air-ventilated, and a grand total of 19 speakers within the cabin.

This all-singing, all-dancing system will be termed the Premium Sound, while a 224W, 12-speaker alternative called the High Performance will be offered. And for Premium, the software from Dirac Research can even recreate acoustics from specific music venues of concert halls - such as Gothenburg Concert Hall - in the XC90. All of this is controlled by simple 'buttons' in the Volvo's central dash touchscreen.

Anything else?

"The XC90 uses our tweeter-on-top technology, which has a number of advantages in the automotive environment. Fundamentally it increases the ratio of direct to reflected sound, as more of the signal reaches the listener directly from the tweeter, rather than reflecting off the windscreen first. All of this means that the Bowers & Wilkins audio system in the XC90 sounds incredibly tangible and lifelike," said Stuart Nevill, head of engineering, Bowers & Wilkins, in terms that we sound system laymen can understand.



Matt Robinson - 10 Jun 2014

Earlier articles featuring 2014 Volvo XC90

2014-05-28: Covers off new Volvo XC90 interior
2013-12-17: Volvo's next-gen safety architecture
2013-07-10: Next Volvo XC90 previewed


2014 Volvo XC90. Image by Volvo.2014 Volvo XC90. Image by Volvo.2014 Volvo XC90. Image by Volvo.2014 Volvo XC90. Image by Volvo.2014 Volvo XC90. Image by Volvo.

2014 Volvo XC90. Image by Volvo.2014 Volvo XC90. Image by Volvo.2014 Volvo XC90. Image by Volvo.2014 Volvo XC90. Image by Volvo.2014 Volvo XC90. Image by Volvo.









www.volvo.co.uk    - Volvo road tests
- Volvo news
- XC90 images






Aston Martin Valhalla: 1,064bhp, 217mph, £850k. Image by Aston Martin.
Aston reveals full details on £850k Valhalla supercar
The Aston Martin Valhalla is the company’s first plug-in hybrid, capable of all-electric driving.
 
Jaguar begins its transformation. Image by Jaguar.
Jaguar begins a complete reinvention of the brand
JLR’s most storied brand heads for complete reinvention
Porsche launches 700hp Taycan GTS. Image by Porsche.
Porsche launches 2025 Taycan GTS
All-electric performance saloon and estate models get a 390-mile range.

 
 215 Racing
 9ff
 A. Kahn Design
 Abarth
 Abt
 AC Cars
 AC Schnitzer
 Acura
 Aehra
 AIM
 Alfa Romeo
 Alpina
 Alpine
 Amari
 APS Sportec
 Arash
 Arden
 Ares
 Ariel
 Arrinera
 Artega
 Ascari
 Aston Martin
 Atalanta
 Atomik
 Audi
 Austin
 Auto Union
 Autodelta
 Autofarm
 Autosport
 AVA
 Avatar
 Axon
 Aznom
 BAC
 BAIC
 Bentley
 Bertone
 Bizzarrini
 Bloodhound
 Bluebird
 BMW
 Bosch
 Bowler
 Brabham
 Brabus
 Breckland
 Bridgestone
 Brilliance
 Bristol
 Bugatti
 Buick
 Burton
 BYD
 Cadillac
 Callaway
 Callum
 Caparo
 Capstone
 Carlsson
 Caterham
 CCG
 Chang'an
 Changfeng
 Chevrolet
 Chevron
 Chongfeng
 Chrysler
 Citroen
 Climax
 Connaught
 Cooper Tires
 Corvette
 Cummins
 Cupra
 Dacia
 Daewoo
 Daihatsu
 Daimler
 Dartz
 Datsun
 David Brown
 David Brown Automotive
 DDR
 De Tomaso
 Delta
 Detroit Electric
 Devon
 Dodge
 Donkervoort
 Drayson
 DS
 Eagle
 Eagle E-type
 EDAG
 edo competition
 Eterniti
 Everrati
 Evisol
 Exagon
 FAB Design

 
 Factory Five
 Faralli & Mazzanti
 Fenix
 Fenomenon
 Ferrari
 Fiat
 Fisker
 Ford
 G-Power
 Geely
 Gemballa
 General Motors
 Genesis
 Ginetta
 Giugiaro
 Glickenhaus
 GMC
 Goodwood
 Google
 Gordon Murray
 Gordon Murray Automotive
 Gordon Murray Design
 Gray Design
 Great Wall
 GTA
 GTM
 Gumpert
 Hamann
 Hartge
 HBH
 Heffner Performance
 Hennessey
 HERE
 HiPhi
 Holden
 Honda
 Hulme
 Hummer
 Hyundai
 I.D.E.A
 Icona
 IFR
 Infiniti
 Ionity
 Isis
 JAC
 Jaguar
 Jeep
 Jensen
 Jetstream
 JJAD
 Joss Developments
 Kahn
 Kamala
 Keating
 Kia
 Koenigsegg
 KTM
 Kumho
 Lada
 Lagonda
 Lamborghini
 Lancia
 Land Rover
 Lexus
 Liberty
 Lightning
 Lincoln
 Lister
 Loma Performance
 Lorinser
 Lotus
 LupiniPower
 Luxgen
 Mahindra
 Mansory
 Maserati
 Mastretta
 Maybach
 Mazda
 McLaren
 Mercedes
 Mercedes-AMG
 Mercedes-Benz
 Mercedes-Maybach
 Mercury
 Metrocab
 MG
 Michelin
 MINI
 Mitsubishi
 MMI
 Monte Carlo
 Mopar
 Morgan
 Mosler
 MTM
 Munro
 NAC MG
 Nichols Cars
 Nissan
 NLV

 
 Noble
 Novitec
 Opel
 Overfinch
 Pagani
 Perodua
 Peugeot
 Piaggio
 Pininfarina
 Polestar
 Pontiac
 Porsche
 Praga
 Preview
 Prodrive
 Project Runningblade
 Project Velocity
 Proton
 Protoscar
 Qoros
 Radical
 Range Rover
 Red Bull
 Renault
 Reva
 Rimac
 Rinspeed
 RoadRazer
 Rolls-Royce
 Ronn Motor Company
 Rover
 RUF
 Saab
 SAIC
 Saleen
 Saturn
 Scagliarini
 SCG
 Scion
 SDR Sportscars
 SEAT
 Sin
 Singer
 Skoda
 Smart
 Soleil
 Spada
 speedArt
 Sportec
 Spyker
 SRT
 Ssangyong
 SSC
 Startech
 STaSIS
 Subaru
 Suzuki
 Suzusho
 TAD
 Tamiya
 Tata
 Techart
 Tesla
 The Little Car Company
 THINK
 Thunder Power
 Tojeiro
 Tommy Kaira
 TomTom
 Toray
 Toyota
 Trabant
 TranStar
 Trident
 Tushek
 TVR
 TWR
 UKCOTY
 Vanda Electrics
 Vauxhall
 Velozzi
 Vencer
 Venturi
 Veritas
 Vizualtech
 VL Automotive
 Volkswagen
 Volvo
 VUHL
 WCA
 WCotY
 Webasto
 Westfield
 Wiesmann
 Xenatec
 Yamaha
 Zagato
 Zarooq
 Zeekr
 Zenos
 Zenvo



 
 






External links:   | Irish Car Market News |

Internal links:   | Home | Privacy | Contact us | Archives | Old motor show reports | Follow Car Enthusiast on Twitter | Copyright 1999-2024 ©