The Rise of High-End Audio in Modern Vehicles
The audiophile trend is finding its way to the automobile – and OEMs are seeing dollar signs.
In this post, I’ll discuss the state of car audio today and break down options for audio amplifiers. But first, let’s take a moment to reflect on car audio through the decades.
As you can see, there were some 1950s-era cars that were equipped with phonographs. For obvious reasons, having a record player in the car was not a good idea. And while it was claimed to be impervious to skipping, it did indeed skip. The phonograph was based on a unique 7” format, which was never embraced by the music industry, leading to a catalog of 8 records and total sales of less than 5,000 units. This did, however, illustrate the point that there was a move underway to replicate the home entertainment experience in the car.
Ford became one of the first to offer 8-track players as a factory option in cars and trucks in 1965. Popular throughout the 1960s and 70s, they were replaced with cassette players in the early 1980s. CD players came onto the scene in the 1980s, but didn’t garner widespread popularity until the 1990s. And during the time in between, it was quite popular to have a vehicle equipped with a dual cassette player and CD changer.
CD players remained a common feature in cars through the 2000s, though they started to decline in popularity in the 2010s with the rise of digital media and Bluetooth audio. By the mid-2010s, many car manufacturers began phasing out CD players as streaming and auxiliary connections became the standard for in-car audio.
Fast forward to today, and bringing the high-end audio experience into the car is officially a thing. Today’s consumers are expecting the same, seamless digital experience in their cars as they have in their homes. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are embracing this trend as it leads to greater revenue-per-vehicle while unlocking an opportunity for after-market revenues. (See my previous blog, How Software-Defined Vehicles are Reshaping the Auto Industry)
Historically, OEMs would install a fairly low-end AM/FM radio and then the various other players we’ve discussed based on when those formats came in and out of use. For audio enthusiasts who wanted something better in their cars, there was a large after market that opened for high-end car audio equipment and speakers – money that rightly could have been for the auto OEM. (Well, that’s not going to happen anymore.)
So you want high-end audio? Let’s talk about how to enable it.
Which Amplifiers are Best for Vehicle Audio?
Class A audio amplifiers are generally considered to be the best sounding amplifier of all the different classes of audio amplifiers. Unlike the more common class B amplifier, which uses a complementary output pair that is based upon push-pull operation between two output devices (transistors), the class A amplifier does not use a complementary output pair or push-pull operation. The class A amp processes the full swing of the audio across the output devices.
Because the class B amplifier effectively splits the audio signal in half, switching between the push-pull output stage – there is a period when one transistor is turning on and the other is turning off, where there is a “dead zone,” which is referred to as “cross over distortion.” This type of distortion leads to listener fatigue. While class A doesn’t suffer from crossover distortion, the overall power efficiency of a class A amplifier is very poor – at the level of 10%. This implies a modest 100-watt class A amplifier would require 1000 watts of power from the wall. The cost of the electronics, power transformers, and thermal management (cooling 1000W requires lots of heat sinks) makes this class prohibitive to the masses. Class B amps are inherently more power efficient, leading to significantly lower costs.
However, class A amps are common in audiophile circles because for the audiophile, price is not an issue. A high-end home audiophile-quality system can easily exceed $100,000. While there are some amazing systems that deliver some amazing, unmatched performance, this is an area that is riddled with snake oil, in which it’s difficult, if not impossible, to prove the difference in performance of some of these esoteric gimmicks with price tags that are not for the faint of heart.
A pair of “high-end” speaker cables three meters in length costs upwards of $7,000. For equivalent length cables sufficiently capable of driving high-end speakers, the cost is roughly $40. But apparently, you’re missing out on how “the synergistic blend of metallurgy and conductor strikes a keen balance between detail, transparency and a natural tonal presentation.” I’m not sure what that means, but I know industry “golden ears” have refused to perform blind A/B testing of different cables to avoid the risk of identifying “low-end” cables as the superior choice.
So what class amplification is finding its way in the vehicle – class A or class B? Actually, it’s neither – it’s class D. I’ll spare the detailed underlying technical description, but class D allows for significantly greater power and cost efficiency than even class B. Without the burden of heat and power, even smaller form factors can be realized. In its infancy, class D was not vogue due to the unpleasant artifacts that arise from the underlying high-speed switching architecture. Throughout the years, engineers have been able to address those artifacts leading to audio performance specs that are at least on par with class B.
That said, you will still have the rogue audiophile complain that these amplifiers don't deliver the keen balance between detail, transparency and a natural tonal presentation. (If you know what that means, shoot me a comment on LinkedIn.)
Now that we understand the available amplifier options a little better, let’s look at some of the carmakers that have already implemented high-end audio offerings.
Automakers Seizing the Audiophile Trend
Examples of carmakers who have jumped on the audiophile movement include Jeep, Hyundai and Kia. Two years ago, Jeep rolled out a vehicle with the highly coveted high-end audio equipment brand McIntosh inside. Jeep touts it as the McIntosh living room experience in the car and has received mostly positive reviews. Jeep promotes “a sweet spot” in every seat.
Other audiophile brands including Marc Levinson, Focal, and B&W are also finding their way into higher-end vehicles. However, controversy exists as to whether these high-end brands are mostly licensing their brand name to the OEM or Tier 1, where the underlying technology is based on commodity hardware with little to no actual involvement from the stated brand. Again, it appears as though we’re even seeing snake oil sales happening in audio in the car.
Beyond providing an audiophile experience in the car, OEMs are rolling out vehicle interiors that offer immersive experience that can be personalized for every occupant in the vehicle. Hyundai Kia is introducing this capability – referred to as Separated Sound Zone (SSZ). This technology allows each passenger to have their own unique audio stream without interference from other vehicle occupants. This includes sources such as phone calls, bluetooth connection, music, etc.
SSZ is based upon technologies that are similar in nature to those used in noise-canceling headphones or “beam forming” to focus the sound. Beam forming is used in WiFi and cellular networks and directs the RF signal to the network/cellular user for optimal signal strength on a user-by-user basis.
In conclusion, it would seem the sky is the limit for in-car audio. Which begs the question: with vinyl coming back in vogue, should we revisit the in-car phonograph?
The audiophile trend is finding its way to the automobile – and OEMs are seeing dollar signs.
In this post, I’ll discuss the state of car audio today and break down options for audio amplifiers. But first, let’s take a moment to reflect on car audio through the decades.
As you can see, there were some 1950s-era cars that were equipped with phonographs. For obvious reasons, having a record player in the car was not a good idea. And while it was claimed to be impervious to skipping, it did indeed skip. The phonograph was based on a unique 7” format, which was never embraced by the music industry, leading to a catalog of 8 records and total sales of less than 5,000 units. This did, however, illustrate the point that there was a move underway to replicate the home entertainment experience in the car.
Ford became one of the first to offer 8-track players as a factory option in cars and trucks in 1965. Popular throughout the 1960s and 70s, they were replaced with cassette players in the early 1980s. CD players came onto the scene in the 1980s, but didn’t garner widespread popularity until the 1990s. And during the time in between, it was quite popular to have a vehicle equipped with a dual cassette player and CD changer.
CD players remained a common feature in cars through the 2000s, though they started to decline in popularity in the 2010s with the rise of digital media and Bluetooth audio. By the mid-2010s, many car manufacturers began phasing out CD players as streaming and auxiliary connections became the standard for in-car audio.
Fast forward to today, and bringing the high-end audio experience into the car is officially a thing. Today’s consumers are expecting the same, seamless digital experience in their cars as they have in their homes. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are embracing this trend as it leads to greater revenue-per-vehicle while unlocking an opportunity for after-market revenues. (See my previous blog, How Software-Defined Vehicles are Reshaping the Auto Industry)
Historically, OEMs would install a fairly low-end AM/FM radio and then the various other players we’ve discussed based on when those formats came in and out of use. For audio enthusiasts who wanted something better in their cars, there was a large after market that opened for high-end car audio equipment and speakers – money that rightly could have been for the auto OEM. (Well, that’s not going to happen anymore.)
So you want high-end audio? Let’s talk about how to enable it.
Which Amplifiers are Best for Vehicle Audio?
Class A audio amplifiers are generally considered to be the best sounding amplifier of all the different classes of audio amplifiers. Unlike the more common class B amplifier, which uses a complementary output pair that is based upon push-pull operation between two output devices (transistors), the class A amplifier does not use a complementary output pair or push-pull operation. The class A amp processes the full swing of the audio across the output devices.
Because the class B amplifier effectively splits the audio signal in half, switching between the push-pull output stage – there is a period when one transistor is turning on and the other is turning off, where there is a “dead zone,” which is referred to as “cross over distortion.” This type of distortion leads to listener fatigue. While class A doesn’t suffer from crossover distortion, the overall power efficiency of a class A amplifier is very poor – at the level of 10%. This implies a modest 100-watt class A amplifier would require 1000 watts of power from the wall. The cost of the electronics, power transformers, and thermal management (cooling 1000W requires lots of heat sinks) makes this class prohibitive to the masses. Class B amps are inherently more power efficient, leading to significantly lower costs.
However, class A amps are common in audiophile circles because for the audiophile, price is not an issue. A high-end home audiophile-quality system can easily exceed $100,000. While there are some amazing systems that deliver some amazing, unmatched performance, this is an area that is riddled with snake oil, in which it’s difficult, if not impossible, to prove the difference in performance of some of these esoteric gimmicks with price tags that are not for the faint of heart.
A pair of “high-end” speaker cables three meters in length costs upwards of $7,000. For equivalent length cables sufficiently capable of driving high-end speakers, the cost is roughly $40. But apparently, you’re missing out on how “the synergistic blend of metallurgy and conductor strikes a keen balance between detail, transparency and a natural tonal presentation.” I’m not sure what that means, but I know industry “golden ears” have refused to perform blind A/B testing of different cables to avoid the risk of identifying “low-end” cables as the superior choice.
So what class amplification is finding its way in the vehicle – class A or class B? Actually, it’s neither – it’s class D. I’ll spare the detailed underlying technical description, but class D allows for significantly greater power and cost efficiency than even class B. Without the burden of heat and power, even smaller form factors can be realized. In its infancy, class D was not vogue due to the unpleasant artifacts that arise from the underlying high-speed switching architecture. Throughout the years, engineers have been able to address those artifacts leading to audio performance specs that are at least on par with class B.
That said, you will still have the rogue audiophile complain that these amplifiers don't deliver the keen balance between detail, transparency and a natural tonal presentation. (If you know what that means, shoot me a comment on LinkedIn.)
Now that we understand the available amplifier options a little better, let’s look at some of the carmakers that have already implemented high-end audio offerings.
Automakers Seizing the Audiophile Trend
Examples of carmakers who have jumped on the audiophile movement include Jeep, Hyundai and Kia. Two years ago, Jeep rolled out a vehicle with the highly coveted high-end audio equipment brand McIntosh inside. Jeep touts it as the McIntosh living room experience in the car and has received mostly positive reviews. Jeep promotes “a sweet spot” in every seat.
Other audiophile brands including Marc Levinson, Focal, and B&W are also finding their way into higher-end vehicles. However, controversy exists as to whether these high-end brands are mostly licensing their brand name to the OEM or Tier 1, where the underlying technology is based on commodity hardware with little to no actual involvement from the stated brand. Again, it appears as though we’re even seeing snake oil sales happening in audio in the car.
Beyond providing an audiophile experience in the car, OEMs are rolling out vehicle interiors that offer immersive experience that can be personalized for every occupant in the vehicle. Hyundai Kia is introducing this capability – referred to as Separated Sound Zone (SSZ). This technology allows each passenger to have their own unique audio stream without interference from other vehicle occupants. This includes sources such as phone calls, bluetooth connection, music, etc.
SSZ is based upon technologies that are similar in nature to those used in noise-canceling headphones or “beam forming” to focus the sound. Beam forming is used in WiFi and cellular networks and directs the RF signal to the network/cellular user for optimal signal strength on a user-by-user basis.
In conclusion, it would seem the sky is the limit for in-car audio. Which begs the question: with vinyl coming back in vogue, should we revisit the in-car phonograph?
