smart and JBL Build the World's Smallest Mobile Concert Hall in the Back of the smart fortwo

Every smart owner knows how great small can be. But the smart forgigs study reveals completely new qualities: together with audio partner JBL, the developers of the brand wanted to find out what kind of a sound experience is possible when the city coupé is equipped with the finest and most powerful audio components.

The result is a mobile sound system that brings even more joie de vivre to the city with a mighty sound. And that's not all: the smart forgigs can also serve as a mobile amplifier for live concerts by street musicians, for example. smart and music fans can experience the world's smallest concert hall when it goes on a European tour this summer.

A total of five amplifiers provide impressive sound pressure of up to 150 dB: three JBL GTO 804 EZ amps serve the tweeters and mid-range speakers whilst two JBL GTO 751 EZ amps power the subwoofers. They drive a total of four type JBL GTO 609 C loudspeaker sets, each with two tweeters and two mid-range speakers. In addition to these 16 loudspeakers there are two powerful subwoofers, each with a diameter of 30 cm.

The music signals are provided by a digital signal processor (DSP) from the Italian specialist Mosconi. The sound processor can output via eight channels, and with Bluetooth streaming it can also process uncompressed files in formats such as Wave or Flac and, needless to say, lossless or mp3 files, for example. The signals are transferred from mobile devices such as tablets or smartphones by A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile). iOS, Android and Windows devices are supported. The result is crystal-clear high-end sound.

The design of the visible components of the mobile sound system is perfectly integrated in the smart design idiom. For example, the ventilation openings in the dashboard served as the visual model for integrating of the loudspeakers. Three mid-range speakers have been integrated in each door and four tweeters have been accommodated in the dashboard. The subwoofers fill the smart's luggage compartment; they are flanked by a pair of midrange speakers/tweeters on the left- and right-hand sides of the tailgate.

Ten square metres of alubutyl insulation material fully insulate the passenger cell and door panels, 100 metres of electric, loudspeaker and signal cable are hidden behind the panelling. And because music is twice as enjoyable when it can be seen as well, the smart forgigs also boasts interior and exterior ambient lighting. The DJ can use controllers to change colours as desired and for the audio processor.

The smart forgigs is a one-off and is not available for sale. But with the JBL sound system a unique sound experience is possible in all new generation smarts. The JBL sound system develops impressive sound volume and incorporates a 6-channel DSP amplifier (240 watts) in the fortwo and an 8‑channel DSP amplifier (320 watts) on board the forfour. A total of eight (fortwo) or twelve (forfour) high-performance loudspeakers provide for outstanding sound quality: one broadband centre loudspeaker, two tweeters in the mirror triangle, two lower mid-range speakers in the doors (on the forfour additionally in the rear doors), two broadband rear-fill loudspeakers and in the fortwo a removable woofer on the left-hand side of the luggage compartment. The woofer is simple to remove without needing tools, should more space be required in the luggage compartment.