What Car Audio

[Johnson]

KEF is an excellent audio brand, with some awesome kit. First In car, so assume they will throw everything at it to get market share

I agree — KEF will do a great job.

I have a slight concern that we may end up with a diminished engine sound in the cabin though. High-end audio is always accompanied by heaps of sound deadening (otherwise it’s a bit pointless). I wonder how KEF and Lotus arrived at a compromise?

 

[andrew6382]

I agree — KEF will do a great job.

I have a slight concern that we may end up with a diminished engine sound in the cabin though. High-end audio is always accompanied by heaps of sound deadening (otherwise it’s a bit pointless). I wonder how KEF and Lotus arrived at a compromise?

Yes looking forward to hearing the system, I hope when and who ever reviews the car, take a minute to see how it sounds.... yes think there is going to more sound proofing in place..... but open your window and I am sure things will be better, if they are trying to promote the GT side of the car.... they will, I think, tried to reduce in cab engine noise ?

 

[Matthaus]

I think it is amusing when you consider the cost of the Emira and you go on the KEF website and see these

MUON​

• Regular price£180,000 / pair

Tax included.

 

[TomAce]

Fresh air woofer or fresh air subwoofer seems to be a solution which was already applied to the Volvo XC40.

Here is another link to a review of that sound system from the XC40 (in german, so maybe use Google translate if you’re interested) :

Test Volvo XC40 mit Harman Kardon: Music on the Rocks - LowBeats

Es gibt Einladungen, die kann man nicht ausschlagen. Diese zum Beispiel: Ein Test des neuen Volvo XC

www.lowbeats.de

 

[Matthaus]

Fresh air woofer of fresh air subwoofer seems to be a solution which was already applied to the Volvo XC40.

Here is another link to a review of that sound system from the XC40 (in german, so maybe use Google translate if you’re interested) :

Test Volvo XC40 mit Harman Kardon: Music on the Rocks - LowBeats

Es gibt Einladungen, die kann man nicht ausschlagen. Diese zum Beispiel: Ein Test des neuen Volvo XC

www.lowbeats.de

Harmon Kardon are a fairly cheap brand though and totally different to KEF

KEF will sell you 2x lounge speakers for the price of 2x Emiras 🤣

 

[andrew6382]

Harmon Kardon are a fairly cheap brand though and totally different to KEF

KEF will sell you 2x lounge speakers for the price of 2x Emiras 🤣

Fresh air woofer or fresh air subwoofer seems to be a solution which was already applied to the Volvo XC40.

Here is another link to a review of that sound system from the XC40 (in german, so maybe use Google translate if you’re interested) :

Test Volvo XC40 mit Harman Kardon: Music on the Rocks - LowBeats

Es gibt Einladungen, die kann man nicht ausschlagen. Diese zum Beispiel: Ein Test des neuen Volvo XC

www.lowbeats.de

Nothing like what you get in the EMIRA..... Harmon Kardon are a good brand, they are part of a very big Audio company

 

[Lankan]

Fresh air woofer or fresh air subwoofer seems to be a solution which was already applied to the Volvo XC40.

Here is another link to a review of that sound system from the XC40 (in german, so maybe use Google translate if you’re interested) :

Test Volvo XC40 mit Harman Kardon: Music on the Rocks - LowBeats

Es gibt Einladungen, die kann man nicht ausschlagen. Diese zum Beispiel: Ein Test des neuen Volvo XC

www.lowbeats.de

Indeed. Meant to post this a while ago but I completely forgot:
Volvo and Alpine find another way for audio technology to give you more MPG

Note that the above article was published in September 2011, so the concept, and technology, have been around for a good 10 years or more as prior art within the Volvo brand.

I particularly like the sound of the following - pun intended:
'Good news for car buyers who love great sound, bad news for kids that love to drive around and making the windows in the neighbourhood vibrate.'

 

[Johnson]

Harmon Kardon are a fairly cheap brand though and totally different to KEF

Huh? Absolutely not true. HK are one of the premium audio brands in the world. Along with KEF.

 

[Tonyshepp]

I

Huh? Absolutely not true. HK are one of the premium audio brands in the world. Along with KEF.

I have a HK system in my BMW and it’s a cracking system.

 

[andrew6382]

I

I have a HK system in my BMW and it’s a cracking system.

Yep my BMW had good system..... you can see they are part of a bigger group

 

[TomAce]

Indeed. Mean to post this a while ago but I completely forgot:
Volvo and Alpine find another way for audio technology to give you more MPG

Note that the above article was published in September 2011, so the concept, and technology, have been around for a good 10 years or more as prior art within the Volvo brand.

I particularly like the sound of the following - pun intended:
'Good news for car buyers who love great sound, bad news for kids that love to drive around and making the windows in the neighbourhood vibrate.'

Thanks for posting this link. That was also my intention to show that Volvo (Geely) has worked together with Alpine on that FAS solution many years ago already. Now Lotus partners with KEF and it is quite probable that DSP and amps are not coming from KEF. So it could be that only the Uni-Q drivers come from KEF, the rest may be from other „suppliers“ from the Geely universe like it was already done in the Volvo XC40.

I also have the Harman/kardon in my M2 and I quite like it. But even the Alpine A110 has a decent stereo system from Focal, at least the premium with the subwoofer unit is awesome for such a lightweight car.

I‘m looking forward to listening to the KEF system and hope it will be in the same league.

 

[Matthaus]

Huh? Absolutely not true. HK are one of the premium audio brands in the world. Along with KEF.

They're not premium. They're decent mid tier but they're not a Denon, Onkjo, let alone a Bang and Olufsen etc etc

KEF do speakers costing £180,000 a pair, totally different league.

I had a HK audio system in my 2019 M4 Competition and its OK but not massively favoured. BMW don't use HK for their top end cars they use Bowers & Wilkins.

Samsung now owns HK.

 

[Leonard]

I dont want to be HK hater I have a home surround system that is great (purchased off the guy at HK that did the sound staging for automotive ironically)
BUT the BMW systems aren't great.. My Dynaudio system in my Golf was a lot better. I'm expecting big things from KEF and hope it will easily be in same league as Meridian and Burmester systems (if not better!)

 

[Tonyshepp]

I dont want to be HK hater I have a home surround system that is great (purchased off the guy at HK that did the sound staging for automotive ironically)
BUT the BMW systems aren't great.. My Dynaudio system in my Golf was a lot better. I'm expecting big things from KEF and hope it will easily be in same league as Meridian and Burmester systems (if not better!)

The later cars that used the HK system, M4 M2 etc were substandard to the BMW cars that used the HK system previously.

I do hope the KEF system is absolutely fantastic and a £2500 option to base cars

 

[Leonard]

The later cars that used the HK system, M4 M2 etc were substandard to the BMW cars that used the HK system previously.

I do hope the KEF system is absolutely fantastic and a £2500 option to base cars

Me to. Would be a real bonus for FE early adaptors. As a nice to have/probably wouldn't have paid for it option

 

[TomE]

If it’s a £2500 option on Base then you can think of it as free on the FE, as the FE bundle is at a £3k discount off the sum of the parts.

 

[Leonard]

If it’s a £2500 option on Base then you can think of it as free on the FE, as the FE bundle is at a £3k discount off the sum of the parts.

That's what I was thinking and it made me all happy again ☺️

 

[PaulP]

They're not premium. They're decent mid tier but they're not a Denon, Onkjo, let alone a Bang and Olufsen etc etc

KEF do speakers costing £180,000 a pair, totally different league.

I had a HK audio system in my 2019 M4 Competition and its OK but not massively favoured. BMW don't use HK for their top end cars they use Bowers & Wilkins.

Samsung now owns HK.

LOL, The KEF stuff that is going in cars is not made like the high end audophile equipment. KEF makes equipment at all price points from el cheapo to upper range, but there are certainly much higher quality audio quality than KEF.

-ANY- audio system you get in a car at this price point will be limited. If you are really wanting high end audio you will go aftermarket upgrades for better drivers and amplification at a minimum.

I have the highest spec HK in my BMW as well and it’s passable for someone with a discerning ear But lets be honest nobody does any critical listening in a car anyway.

 

[Matthaus]

LOL, The KEF stuff that is going in cars is not made like the high end audophile equipment. KEF makes equipment at all price points from el cheapo to upper range, but there are certainly much higher quality audio quality than KEF.

-ANY- audio system you get in a car at this price point will be limited. If you are really wanting high end audio you will go aftermarket upgrades for better drivers and amplification at a minimum.

I have the highest spec HK in my BMW as well and it’s passable for someone with a discerning ear But lets be honest nobody does any critical listening in a car anyway.

I'm not saying it won't be 'limited' I'm just saying they're a far higher end brand than consumer level HK.

HK are not premium. That was my point.

 

[PaulP]

I'm not saying it won't be 'limited' I'm just saying they're a far higher end brand than consumer level HK.

HK are not premium. That was my point.

The majority of KEF stuff is not either, though for mid-level speakers they are a value and the uni-q drivers are generally well received.

They certainly have the capacity to deliver a great system, but like almost any 3rd party integration it comes down to what the spec was they were asked to meet and in almost all cases the bean counters push audio quality down and a few bucks get spent on drivers and amps.