Harman Kardon® in Mercedes-Benz® Vehicles

• Mercedes Models
  •  A-Class
  •  B-Class
  •  C-Class
  •  CL-Class
  •  CLS-Class
  •  E-Class
  •  G-Class
  •  GL-Class
  •  GLK-Class
  •  M-Class
  •  R-Class
  •  S-Class
  •  SL-Class
  •  SLK-Class

Sensational surround-sound experience for the business class

The exclusive Harman Kardon® Discrete Logic 7 surround sound system lends the new Mercedes-Benz® E-Class a unique sound atmosphere. Intensive cooperation between Harman Kardon, Inc., and Mercedes-Benz during the design phase has produced a mobile concert hall that meets the highest standards. The sound system has, of course, been specially adapted to the specific acoustic conditions in the limousine and coupe in order to achieve the optimum solution for each body variant. The result is a surround sound experience that sets new standards in this vehicle class.

Impressive music pleasure from all recordings in all seats

The carefully coordinated technical components and the Discrete Logic 7 technology of the Harman Kardon surround sound systems are the basis for the characteristic, authentic surround sound in the various Mercedes-Benz E-Class models. Both traditional stereo recordings on CD as well as modern 5.1¹ multichannel recordings on DVD-Audio¹, DVD-Video² and DTS®¹-CD offer impressive 360-degree listening pleasure in all seats. This has been made possible through the development of a separate solution for the respective vehicle architecture of the individual model variants by Harman Kardon acoustic specialists.

The compact E-Class coupe uses 12 metal-matrix high-performance speakers. In addition to the center speaker, there are two tweeters and two low/midrange speakers on the right and left in the front doors and in the rear of the vehicle. Together with the two surround speakers and the powerful subwoofer on the parcel shelf, they ensure precise dynamism and excellent sound balance.

The larger limousine has an additional two midrange speakers in the front door panels, which means that a total of 14 metal-matrix high-performance speakers ensure optimum sound in every seat in the larger E-Class.

The components used are tailored to the spatial features of the two E-Class models. There is a 200mm × 270mm dual-voice-coil subwoofer installed in the sporty coupe, while integrated in the parcel shelf of the limousine is a 200mm × 320mm subwoofer. Both models use a Harman Kardon high-performance DSP main amplifier, complemented in the limousine by a 160-watt booster.

The powerful DSP main amplifier in both models is equipped with a digital signal processor (DSP) whose high computational power controls the frequency response, and ensures a harmonic acoustic sound. In addition, the speed-sensitive volume adjustment (SSVA) on both models ensures that the sound heard by the listener always remains the same, thanks to the continuous adaptation of the volume to the vehicle speed. The result: an all-round exciting, harmonically powerful, and emotive sound experience – for every passenger in every seat in the E-Class coupe and the E-Class limousine.

¹ In conjunction with the Audio 50 & COMAND systems
² In conjunction with the COMAND system only