INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Volkswagen Golf has been a huge hit over the years, with 35 million and counting sold so far
eighth-generation model doesn't look that much different to earlier incarnations externally, the interior that has gained a lot more appeal
if you love your in-car audio
Volkswagen has teamed up with Harman/Kardon and has developed a brand new audio system specifically for the Golf Mk 8.What you get here is a
small battalion of 10 high-performance speakers, including a 160mm subwoofer that has been packed into a 10-5 litre sealed enclosure for
Meanwhile, the music gets pumped out via a 480-watt amplifier.Distribution of the sound works a treat thanks to one 80mm centre speaker in
the dashboard, four 25mm tweeters in the A-pillars and rear doors along with twin dual voice-coil woofers in the front doors
A further two 168mm single voice-coil woofers are also positioned in the rear doors, and music delivery gets additional help from the
Fraunhofer Sonamic Panorama.Consistent listeningWith more of us listening to music in our cars that might come from a variety of sources,
such as smartphones, MP3 players or USB sticks the level of inconsistency can be annoying at best and, at worst, distracting as you try and
adjust the audio quality coming from your speakers on the move.The Fraunhofer Sonamic Panorama helps to balance out any aural
inconsistencies and boost the overall dynamic range of your tunes
Add it all together and the Golf Mk 8 should deliver one of the best in-car vibes available
Volkswagen)Image 2 of 4(Image credit: Volkswagen)Image 3 of 4(Image credit: Volkswagen)Image 4 of 4(Image credit: Volkswagen)The new audio
system in the Mk 8 Golf was just one of a raft of new products unveiled at a recent Harman Behind the Sound event in Munich
And, while manufacturers are attempting to lower unwanted noise inside our cars, audio systems excepted of course which are going the other
way in terms of volume, there are other areas of auto manufacturing that need to become noisier
developing a system to help improve pedestrian safety around electric and hybrid vehicles
The result is HALOsonic, which uses external Electronic Sound Synthesis (eESS) to produce sounds from speakers at the front and rear of
vehicles.Cleverly, the eESS is able to actively control the volume and characteristics of the audio signal in order to give unsuspecting
pedestrians a much better idea of the vehicle speed and proximity.Image 1 of 4(Image credit: Volkswagen)Image 2 of 4(Image credit:
Volkswagen)Image 3 of 4(Image credit: Volkswagen)Image 4 of 4(Image credit: Volkswagen)The eESS works by dynamically gathering data from the
electric motor in the vehicle along with controls in the car, such as the pedal position, RPM and speed
Inside the eESS controller there are two modules: a Harmonic Generator Module and a Residual Noise and Sound Models Module
Meanwhile, the latter module boosts that with a natural characteristic to make it that little more real
hopper sound more like a supercar
And, perhaps, vice versa.Tailored soundWe also rather liked the slightly cheesily-named Personi-Fi, which has been developed to cater for a
wide variety of musical tastes
Personi-Fi has been created so that everyone can create their own tailor-made audio setup
Using a dedicated Personi-Fi app, car owners can capture their preferred audio arrangement, complete with finely honed favourite flourishes
However, there are also real benefits for people with specific hearing needs.Finally, and something that is a supplement to Personi-Fi, is
Within the app, for example, there are options to select revered locations such as Sydney Opera House, the Metropolitan Opera in New York or
the Royal Opera House in London
arenas.Harman says that painstaking research and the development of new algorithms has allowed it to capture the magic of these venues
And, as a result, that magic can now be enjoyed either in your car, through smart home speakers, soundbars and even your own headphones too
