COMMON BRANDED SYSTEM
TECHNICALS

This Common Branded System is typical of a high end offering from an Audio Manufacturer, and has 9 channels of amplification. The front 6½” speakers receive 2 channels of amplification, while the front 3” have their own 2 channels. The rear 6½” have 2 channels, while the rear midranges also have 2 separate channels. The center midrange receives the 9th channel.
All tweeters are connected to the midrange channels via a passive 6dB per octave crossover. This creates a lot of comb-filtering problems, so more expensive versions offer additional amplifiers for the tweeters in order to use much steeper active crossovers.
The Digital Signal Processor (DSP) within the amplifier provides sound equalization and active crossovers between the front bass and midrange drivers, and also between the bass drivers and subwoofer.
The separate 10” subwoofer, enclosure and amplifier are used to reproduce deeper and more powerful bass than the 6½” drivers are capable of. As a single point of sound, a subwoofer suffers major standing-wave cancellations (around 80 Hz for a trunk mounted subwoofer in a typical sedan), which cannot be rectified.
Due to the configuration of this system, there is no easy way to upgrade the sound quality.

UPGRADED BRANDED SYSTEM
TECHNICALS

The Upgraded Branded System has a total of 10 channels of DSP and amplification. All channels have independent level, crossover and equalizer adjustments which allow for better integration, tonal balance and voicing between drivers. Due to the very high efficiency of the Ported Tweeters, eight channels are housed within the head-unit. A second 4 channel amplifier IC can be incorporated on the head-unit PCB, without adding undue thermal or electrical stress. This greatly simplifies the system, while further reducing cost and weight.

Active 24 dB per octave crossovers between the bass/ midrange and tweeter greatly reduce any comb-filtering problems.
The center speakers are powered by a separate 2 channel DSP amplifier. While the center channel is mostly movies, there is currently a renewed push for surround sound audio formats such as Sony 360 Reality Audio.
The DSPs within the head-unit and separate amplifier are used for sound equalization, active crossovers, and provide a roll-off below 50 Hz in order to protect the bass drivers from mechanical and thermal overload.
The 4 x 8” bass/midrange drivers have more than double the surface area of a 10” subwoofer. When powered with a standard 20 watt amplifier, they will easily outperform a single 10” subwoofer driven by a 200 watt amplifier, while saving space, around $170, and approximately 4 ½ Kg (10 lb.) in weight.
The Ported Tweeter allows for a much lower crossover frequency than is normally possible, resulting in a wider, much more immersive sound.
*The vehicle could ship with traditional crossover points, but a “Premium” DSP tune with lower crossover frequencies could be available for a fee. This would provide a smoother, much more immersive sound, and deeper bass. This could be implemented as a one time upgrade fee, or via a monthly subscription. If the subscription fee were $5 per month, this could add $660 profit over the 11 year life of the vehicle.
**For those individuals who can’t get enough bass, a 12” subwoofer and amplifier can be added later (a smaller one would be pointless). The vehicle manufacturer could retail the subwoofer, enclosure and amplifier for $700, and return a profit of around $500.