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Aston Martin and Bang & Olufsen Announce DB9 Sound System


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GAYDON, UNITED KINGDOM – April 3 2009: Aston Martin and Bang & Olufsen are proud to introduce BeoSound DB9, a bespoke audio system developed and designed exclusively as an option for the Aston Martin DB9. BeoSound DB9 marks the next chapter in the acclaimed collaboration between the two brands, which began with the BeoSound DBS in 2008.

BeoSound DB9 continues a tradition of innovation established by two brands with an unrivalled history of design and engineering excellence within their respective fields. "Aston Martin and Bang & Olufsen have achieved a reputation as leaders in both design and performance through constant innovation," said Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s Chief Executive, "we are proud that BeoSound DB9 continues a strong tradition of technology, design and artistry."

"The BeoSound DB9 system demonstrates that consistent commitment to high-tech innovation and traditional craftsmanship skills which is a hallmark of both Aston Martin and Bang & Olufsen," said Bang & Olufsen President and CEO Karl Kristian Hvidt Nielsen.

The Aston Martin DB9 is a thoroughbred sports car with GT levels of comfort and refinement. Combining Aston Martin’s unique character with an uncompromising design philosophy, the DB9 was borne out of a synthesis of traditional craftsmanship, high-tech manufacturing, modern components and use of the finest materials.

The BeoSound DB9 shares these values. The system was developed exclusively for Aston Martin to be perfectly matched to the DB9, both acoustically and physically. The unit's design follows the inherent quality and understated beauty of the car's hand-crafted interior, with smoothly contoured, aluminium loudspeaker grilles that integrate seamlessly into the fluid lines and curves of the cabin.

Turn on the BeoSound DB9 and the twin acoustic lens speakers emerge silently and swiftly from either side of the dashboard, adding a touch of theatre and technological panache that is a formidable complement to the emotive roar of the DB9's V12 engine.

The BeoSound DB9 system incorporates proprietary ICEpower technology; a fusion of high output power and hi-fi sound quality with ultra-compact design and sleek, functional operation. The motorised tweeter units demonstrate Bang & Olufsen's patented and automatically operated ALT (Acoustic Lens Technology), with their placement enabling 180° horizontal dispersion of high frequency sounds, giving listeners an improved sense of space, staging and realism regardless of their location in the car.

In addition to the two tweeters incorporated into the ALT, the system comprises five mid-range speakers, three further tweeters and three woofers, including a powerful 200mm subwoofer mounted beneath the rear bench. In all, thirteen speakers are positioned in ten locations around the car.

The system has been acoustically tuned for the DB9 by Bang & Olufsen's skilled tonmeisters and Bang & Olufsen's advanced Digital Signal Processing (DSP) unit, which stage-manages the musical performance of the thirteen individual loudspeakers for the optimal in-car listening experience. The DSP also provides dynamic modelling that adapts automatically to changing road and noise conditions, enabling the occupants to concentrate on an engaging driving and listening experience. The BeoSound DB9 fitted to the DB9 Volante has been developed to suit the different acoustic characteristics of the convertible, whether open or closed.

Translating such pioneering acoustic technologies into an equally functional and elegant design language is testament to the design excellence and craft tradition of Bang & Olufsen. The BeoSound DB9 system also reflects Aston Martin's ethos of 'Power, Beauty and Soul'. The result is a system that has become an integral part of the DB9, creating an incomparable ambiance that embraces both design and performance.

No sports car manufacturer has a greater design heritage than Aston Martin. Responsible for some of the most beautiful sports cars ever made, Aston Martin imbues every model with understated elegance and graceful styling, achieved through harmonious proportions, taut surfacing, a ground-hugging stance and thorough attention to detail.

Innovation, sophistication, craftsmanship, beauty and, naturally, peerless sound quality are fundamental to any Bang & Olufsen system. Thanks to its focus on elegance and design Bang & Olufsen has become an icon of performance and styling, with a commitment to real materials and exceptional sound and picture quality. The company remains at the forefront of domestic and automotive technology.

The BeoSound DB9 embodies the art of shaping sound to the interior contours of a true performance car, focusing not only on horsepower or output power, but on the overall experience and musicality.

The Beosound DB9 is available to order as an option for both DB9 Coupe and Volante variants immediately.