Mercedes-Benz and Burmester want to make the ultimate in-car audio system, and the early signs are seriously impressive, reports Joe Cox
“The last person shed a tear when they heard it,” says the man sat in the front seat of the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, as we sink into the back seats. Sure, he works for Mercedes, but it’s a particularly bold claim, regardless. “Wow,” I reply, doing my best to hide my scepticism. We are about to hear Mercedes’ brand new, top-of-the-range Apple Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos sound system and, well, I don’t expect to be brought to tears (unless it’s over the price tag). But I’m all ears…
Mercedes-Benz has become the first car manufacturer to offer Apple Spatial Audio sound systems, the latest example of one-upmanship in the increasingly heated battleground that is the world of in-car audio. And, in theory, surround sound in our cars makes a lot of sense.
Firstly, we are big fans of spatial audio with movies – whether Apple Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, or DTS:X – when it’s done properly. If you have the space, money, and desire to plant speakers all around your listening room at home, and have a system that can do the technology justice, then there’s no match for a cinematic experience from multiple speakers that really do surround you.
The best Dolby Atmos soundbars have impressed us too, though at the same time you have to understand that it won’t touch the real thing from a speaker system; you need to match the extra channels of sound with a similar number of speakers and have them above and around you, to really make the most of it. And it’s a similar story with Apple Spatial Audio using AirPods (or any headphones) – genuinely impressive, albeit no match for a speaker system.
Even with music, where we instinctively lean towards listening in stereo, especially if that’s how the recording was originally made, we have been persuaded by a surround sound mix that’s engineered properly and presented on good equipment.
PERFECT PLACEMENT
So, why does Apple Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos make a lot of sense as an in-car audio system?
First, it’s a pretty good surround sound room, straight off the bat. Premium systems already feature speakers spread around the car, behind and often above you, so that’s one big tick. Furthermore, premium cars are built to keep the leaking of noise in and out to a minimum while generally preferring curved edges, both of which make for a decent place to play music.
Lastly, a car system is built with the advantage
