News From The Geneva Motor Show From Harman & BMW

The guys who own JBL and a slew of the best electronics in pro and home audio have a new and sexy OEM relationship to tell us about. So little old Talk Audio gets a real, actual Geneva Motor Show Story!
New BMW 1, X1 and 3 Series cars with custom harman/kardon audio debut at the International Motor Show 2013
The International Motor Show 2013, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND ‘” HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group, is providing drivers of the latest BMW 1, X1 and 3 Series cars with an unmatched sound experience thanks to the newly redesigned harman/kardon audio systems. Every detail of each audio system is precisely tuned to the cars’ interior, with up to sixteen high-performance speakers ensuring precise dynamics and excellent sound balance. The leading-edge, multichannel surround-sound technology of each harman/kardon system transforms stereo recordings into an exhilarating audio experience for drivers and passengers alike. Musical instruments and singers’ voices are reproduced with an impressive richness and precision, resulting in an unparalleled atmospheric experience ‘” almost as if you were listening to a live performance.

BMW 1 Series 5-door and 3-door models
These automobiles feature a total of five 26mm metal-matrix dome tweeters and five 100mm ALumaprene midrange speakers on the dashboard as well as at the front and rear. Rounding out the sound system are two 217 mm woofers (central bass) below the front seats and a harman/kardon Logic 7 DSP amplifier in Class-D technology with a total output of 360 watts.
BMW 1 Series Coupé and Convertible
The BMW 1 Coupé and Convertible are equipped with a total of four 26mm metal-matrix dome tweeters.

and four 100mm metal-matrix midrange speakers.

..at the front and rear. In addition to these, the sound system includes two 217mm woofers (central bass) below the front seats and a harman/kardon Logic 7 DSP amplifier in Class-D technology with a total output of 300 watts.
BMW X1 Series
The BMW X1 is equipped with a total of four 26mm metal-matrix dome tweeters and four 100mm metal-matrix midrange speakers at the front and rear. In addition, the sound system includes two 217mm woofers (central bass) below the front seats, a harman/kardon Logic 7 DSP amplifier in Class-D technology with a total output of 340 watts, and an 80 x 200 mm EDPL midrange tweeter.
BMW 3 Series Touring, Coupé and Convertible
The various BMW 3 Series models are equipped with up to seven 26mm metal-matrix dome tweeters on the dashboard as well as at the front, side and rear and two 217mm woofers (central bass) below the front seats. The Touring, Coupé and Convertible models feature up to seven 100mm metal-matrix midrange speakers on the dashboard as well as at the front, side and rear. The Sedan and Gran Turismo models utilise ALumaprene midrange speakers instead of the metal-matrix midrange speakers. All 3 Series sound systems are rounded out with a harman/kardon Logic 7 DSP amplifier in Class-D technology with a total output of 340w (Touring, Convertible), 420w (Coupé) or 625 watts (Sedan, Gran Turismo). The Touring features two additional 80 x 200mm EDPL midrange tweeters in the glass roof.

‘Our latest multichannel surround-sound technology sets new standards in acoustic precision and authenticity,’ says Dinesh Paliwal, Harman’s Chairman, President and CEO. ‘No matter where passengers happen to be sitting in the car, they can enjoy a fascinating listening experience that recreates the atmosphere of a live performance. Our multichannel DSP amplifiers maximize the fun factor of the audio systems.’

About HARMAN
HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets ‘” supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,900 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $4.4 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012. The company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.