Taking Surround Sound on the Road: Bose Previews Next Generation Automotive Surround Technologies

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--April 2, 2004--Combining over twenty years of experience in premium automotive sound with its proven expertise in home theater surround sound, Bose Corporation has developed a suite of advanced surround sound architectures specifically tailored to the automotive environment. Custom engineered Bose(R) surround sound systems are currently available in some of the world's finest automobiles, including the Maybach, the Porsche Cayenne, and the Audi A8L. The company expects several new Bose surround-equipped vehicles to be unveiled at the New York Auto Show next week.

"We've taken two of the things we do best as a company -- surround sound and automotive audio systems -- and brought them together," said Brandon Westley, Vice President, Bose Automotive Systems Division. These are some of the most advanced systems we've created to date, and we feel they deliver an unmatched listening experience."

Upcoming vehicle systems will feature an impressive arsenal of surround sound technologies, and offer a broad range of surround playback options. These systems will support a wide variety of both stereo and surround formats, including traditional CDs as well as discs in DVD-A, DVD-V and DTS formats. Some systems will also be compatible with MP3 files and satellite radio.

"Each of our systems is custom engineered from the ground up for its specific vehicle model," said Westley. "We work extensively with the vehicle manufacturer to make sure the car and the sound system work together as a single, unified acoustic system. And we also want to make sure the system content meets the needs of their customers when it comes to compatibility with a variety of surround formats."

The multi-channel challenge and the Bose solution

In conventional home theater systems, surround sound recordings are played back through speakers carefully positioned around a central listening area. Listeners can sit in the middle to get balanced sound. But in a vehicle, no one sits in the middle. The seats are off-center, very close to some speakers and far from others. So while it may be challenging to achieve balanced stereo for everyone in the vehicle, the problem becomes even more complex with a surround sound system. Engineers must consider not only left-right balance, but also a full 360-degree sound field for each listener.

To overcome these challenges, Bose has developed a suite of proprietary surround sound architectures leveraging Bose SurroundStage(TM) signal processing circuitry, which allows listeners to experience a balanced 360-degree sound field in every seat. Together, these architectures set new standards for automotive sound:

Bose Cabin Surround(R) System: Available now in vehicles including the Porsche Cayenne and the Audi A8L, Bose proprietary Cabin Surround sound systems deliver the clear, lifelike sound of a custom designed Bose audio system with the enhanced spaciousness of surround sound. The Cabin Surround system uses Centerpoint(R) signal processing circuitry to expand stereo recordings to five independent playback channels, delivering a balanced, accurate multi-channel surround sound experience even from conventional stereo CDs. Upcoming Cabin Surround(R) systems will also offer digital 5.1 decoding and playback capabilities.

Bose Studio Surround(TM) System: Soon to be available in select new vehicles, Bose Studio Surround digital 5.1 surround systems take automotive surround to the next level with a patent-pending architecture that adds Bose Personal(R) surround speakers for select seats. Installed in headrests, seat backs, or other discrete locations, these innovative speakers use TrueSpace(TM) signal processing circuitry for full, spacious sound, even though the speakers are just inches away. And with Centerpoint signal processing circuitry, five-channel sound is not limited to specially-encoded source material.

Bose Surround Everywhere(TM) System: In the Bose Surround Everywhere digital 5.1 surround system -- currently available in the Maybach -- all vehicle seats are equipped with Bose Personal surround speakers that are installed in headrests, seat backs, or other select locations. Add Centerpoint signal processing and TrueSpace signal processing circuitry, and everyone in the vehicle can enjoy the same balanced, accurate surround experience.

Notes Westley, "We're looking forward to listeners experiencing all of our in-vehicle surround sound systems, and proud to be leading the momentum around automotive surround sound with our longstanding automotive customers."

About Bose Automotive Systems Division

Bose Corporation was founded in 1964 by MIT Professor Amar G. Bose. In 1983, Bose introduced the industry's first custom designed, factory-installed premium automotive sound system, setting a new standard in automotive audio. For more than twenty years, the Bose Automotive Systems Division has been pioneering automotive sound technologies with a commitment to achieve an authentic, spacious and lifelike listening experience. As a result, Bose has achieved the highest car audio J.D. Power brand score(1). The Bose Automotive Systems Division supplies premium music systems to leading brands in Europe, Japan, and North America. (1) J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Automotive Component Branding Study(SM). Study based on 9,329 responses from consumers who were asked about their awareness (aided), familiarity and impression of 28 car audio brands.