Focus on the "BOSE Premium Sound System"
The sudden acceleration of the EV shift has highlighted various issues, but for me, the new possibilities that EVs bring I would like to take a look and let you all know.
In the midst of this, on June 4th (2021), an announcement was made to start pre-orders for the new electric vehicle SUV "ARIYA", a special limited edition car exclusively for Japan "Nissan ARIYA limited". Specifications have been clarified. According to the press release, "BOSE Premium Sound System (Premium Sound System) & 10 speakers, a sound system dedicated to Nissan Aria, is standard equipment, so you can feel as if you are at the concert venue. There was a sentence.
There are many other models equipped with the BOSE sound system, and Mazda has adopted it in domestic cars. In addition to BOSE, Toyota is equipped with audio systems of luxury brands such as JBL and Mercedes-Benz Burmester. So the line in the Nissan Ariya press release is nothing out of the ordinary. However, I noticed that.
When I participated in the test drive event for the press of the Nissan "Note Aura" (hereafter, Aura), which was held shortly before the announcement of Aria, the "BOSE Personal Plus Sound System" dedicated to Aura was installed in the test vehicle. I had an opportunity to receive a product explanation from a BOSE technical representative.
First, check the "Aura" system
Aura is a high-end model of the Note, and in addition to being quieter, the engine of the new-generation series hybrid "e-POWER" The rotation control has been tuned to be quieter, and the motor running range has been expanded. In the driving feeling and quietness of BEV, the music flowing from the BOSE Personal Plus sound system was full of realism, and I strongly felt that the high-resolution sound that each instrument and each note could be clearly understood. It left an impression on me. Also, from the early stages of development, BOSE and Nissan "jointly developed speaker placement and tuning".
From the interview, it was easy to guess that the Aria would be an important audio system, but for that reason, there are few premium sound systems for Nissan's flagship EV with "10 speakers". I felt that, and I was curious about the background of joint development, so I made an inquiry to Nissan PR.
Then, Nissan specially set up a place for individual online interviews with the person in charge of BOSE. Mr. Gen Suzuki, BOSE Senior Marketing Manager, responded.
Aura's BOSE Personal Plus Sound System is a set option with "NissanConnect Navigation System", "Pro Pilot", "ETC 2.0 Unit", etc., and the price is 401,500 yen. I still don't know what price the Aria "BOSE Premium Sound System" will be set as an option, but what is its true value? I asked Mr. Suzuki about his concerns.
Isn't the number of 10 speakers small?
First of all, I intuitively felt that "10 speakers" are few in premium audio systems. When I asked a simple question, Mr. Suzuki told me the speaker configuration of the Nissan Ariya limited system, which was not announced in the press release.
As you can see, the types and locations of the speakers installed are 10 speakers in 5 locations.
① 2 65mm mid-high range speakers (left and right corners of dashboard) ② 2 19mm neodymium tweeters (left and right mirror patches) ③ 2 165mm woofers (left and right front doors) ④ 2 130mm neodymium wide range speakers (left and right rear doors) ) ⑤ 115mm woofer x 2 Acoustimass base box (rear cargo) * Digital amplifier is installed on the right side of the rear cargo
According to Mr. Suzuki, "It must be a 'front 3-way' with three types of speakers arranged separately for low, mid, and high frequencies on the front. Reproduced deep bass" is a feature. Certainly, there aren't many models that use front 3-way.
However, many people may feel that 10 speakers in Nissan's flagship luxury SUV electric car are a little small. For example, the current Skyline model "BOSE Performance Series Sound System" has a 16-speaker configuration. In addition, it does not have a center speaker that is often provided with premium audio. In a car, the right speaker is much closer to the listener than the left speaker in the driver's seat, and the center speaker plays a major role in sound localization. Knowing that more speakers don't always mean better sound, I asked how this configuration came to be.
The answer was, ``I was involved in the design of the speaker installation locations from an early stage. The center speaker is no longer needed."
Also, looking at the layout diagram, there are more speakers in the front. I was worried about it, but "I made it possible to experience a natural sound stage in both the front and rear seats, with the optimally laid out speakers that match the Aria's cabin and acoustic tuning using digital signal processing." And you can understand that "more than enough premium!" could be realized without 10 speakers and center speaker.
Environment where Hi-Fi audio playback is difficult in the first place
What is premium car audio? To explain this, Mr. Suzuki delved a little deeper into audio and BOSE.
In a room, listening to audio in the center of speakers placed at regular intervals is fundamental. On the other hand, in the interior of a car, the speakers are arranged asymmetrically no matter which seat you sit in (in the driver's seat, the left speaker is farther away), and the large window becomes a sound reflector, and the seats, ceiling, floor mats, etc. becomes a sound absorber, creating an environment in which it is difficult to reproduce Hi-Fi audio.
However, Dr. Amar G. Bose (1929-2013), the founder of BOSE, said that the positional relationship between the listener and the speaker can be fixed at all times while the speaker arrangement is asymmetrical. is difficult to identify), we have developed a premium audio system that measures and precisely controls the direct sound and reflected sound from each speaker, properly positions the speakers, and combines signal processing and an equalizer. It was
BOSE was the first car in the world to use premium audio specially designed for each car model. The world's first adopted car was the Cadillac Seville (2nd generation) released in 1983.
EVs clearly show the quality of the audio sound
EVs are overwhelmingly quieter than engine vehicles, and when driving, wind noise and road noise are more noticeable than motor noise. Various techniques have been devised to eliminate noise. Especially in a luxury car like the Aria, the quietness is even higher. The sound you hear in this high silence makes it easier to feel the quality of the audio than in an engine car.
In order to deepen our understanding of this area, Mr. Suzuki explained the three "sound philosophies" raised by Dr. Bose.
BOSE's Sound Philosophy
●Spatial (spatial expression) Realizes a listening experience that envelops you without feeling the position of the speakers. A sound field that is faithful to the original sound and does not make you feel the size of the cabin, bringing you the feeling and excitement of being at a concert venue.
● Spectral (frequency response) Faithfully reproduces all frequency bands. The highs add subtle detail to your music, the mids bring natural vocals, and the lows bring rich, body-shaking power.
●Large Signal (performance at high volume) Even when listening to a full orchestra at high volume, the spatial expression and frequency characteristics are maintained, and unpleasant distortion is not caused.
The sound system that embodies this philosophy aims to "reproduce the listening experience of listening to classical music in the best seats of a well-designed concert hall" (Dr. Bose's philosophy).
BOSE was founded in the 1960s. It seems that the founder's philosophy was also utilized in the acoustic technology suitable for EV, but when it comes to joint development with Nissan, and it is also a luxury SUV and an EV aria, it seems that the opinions of both sides collided. I was worried like an old woman.
On this point, Mr. Suzuki replied, "Since we were able to cooperate with Nissan from the early stages of development, we were able to realize an audio system that satisfied many people." From the expression on his face, I somehow felt that it must have been difficult.
BOSE has been cooperating with other companies besides Nissan to develop audio since the development of the vehicle, but when it comes to EV-only premiums, we still have little experience. I imagine that it would be very difficult to build the technology and products that we have cultivated so far into an EV.
Things that come to mind about BOSE
As an audiophile, I remembered some features of BOSE while listening to Mr. Suzuki's explanation.
First, it is resistant to noise and is often used in public facilities. Certainly, the speakers on some Yamanote Line station platforms are BOSE. When I was exorcised at Nishiarai Daishi, the speaker in the main hall was BOSE. Putting aside whether it is a prank to say, "The priest's sutras flow from the BOSE speaker," a sound system with reliable technology is necessary to produce sound that can be heard clearly even in loud noise. prize.
The other is noise canceling technology. Audio enthusiasts are familiar with the fact that BOSE developed the world's first noise-cancelling function, which was adopted in headphones for aircraft pilots and brought about innovation.
In addition, there are many manufacturers who claim audio system specifications such as "total ◯ W output ...", but BOSE has not disclosed the output number for some time. According to Mr. Suzuki, "Although audio manufacturers value performance at high volume, the reason why they do not specify the number of outputs is based on the belief that the numbers in the catalog specifications do not represent the actual performance." That's what I was talking about.
BOSE was an early adopter of high-efficiency switching amplifiers that produce loud sound with low power consumption. Of course, it is desirable for EVs to have an audio system that consumes less power.
EV makes a great audio room!
Originally, a car was not a suitable space for an audio room. However, the EV of the future is different. There are countless high-end audio manufacturers competing with the pioneer BOSE, and each company will make use of the technology they have to make it possible to experience the best sound in an EV. This friendly rivalry also leads to expectations that it will provide a wonderful experience that is very valuable for users who are particular about sound.
Also, as more and more EVs appear in the future, the quality and taste of premium audio will be more important than the internal combustion engine model when deciding which model to choose. I am guessing that it will increase.
Also, in Japan's housing situation, it is rare to be able to equip a home with an audio room. Even if you can't do it at home, if it's in the car... the option will become more and more ant.
"I'm looking forward to the future."
Unfortunately, it is not possible to test drive or listen to the actual Aria car yet, but I would like to deliver a report of the actual sound when the opportunity arrives.
(Interview and text / Satoshi Uno)