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First ever sound system for open-top driving

Dynamic and wonderful to look at, the new A5/S5 Cabriolet with the fabric top combines a sporty character with the fascination of open-top driving, refined comfort and a wide range of high-end options, including the acclaimed Bang & Olufsen Sound System.

  • With 12 custom-made loudspeakers, 10 amplifier channels and a total output power of more than 500 watts, the Bang & Olufsen Sound System combines renowned sound quality with high output power.
     
  • Through approximately 300 hours of music listening and sound tuning, Bang & Olufsen sound designers have fashioned an outstanding soundstage that matches the acoustic signature of the Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet perfectly, both with the top closed and the top down.
     
  • Bang & Olufsen True Image™ Digital Signal Processing turns 2-channel stereo signals into perfect 5.1-channel surround sound. The system also renders the discrete 5.1 signals on your favourite DVD perfectly for a truly cinematic experience.
  • Sound can be optimized according to the number of people in the car and their position. In addition, each of these occupancy settings has settings for Roof Closed and Roof Open.
     
  • The system uses a microphone integrated in the ceiling of the cockpit, and automatically adapts the volume and equalizing to changing noise conditions.
     
  • The Bang & Olufsen Sound System is completely integrated with the two infotainment systems MMI navigation and MMI navigation plus, both of which are members of an entirely new equipment generation.

For the first time ever, the critically acclaimed Bang & Olufsen Sound System has been tuned specifically for the thrill of open-top driving. Even with the top down, the specially tuned Sound System continues to deliver clean, crisp, natural and precise playback.

Optimizing the performance
The tuning process is really about adapting the system to the room that it is playing in, and a cabriolet is like having two possible rooms. Therefore, Bang & Olufsen has devised two versions of each of the three tunings that enable the customer to preset or change the sound image, optimizing it to the number of people in the car and their position. In addition to the three occupancy settings (driver, front seats or all seats), the Sound System developed especially for the Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet consequently also has settings for Roof Closed and Roof Open.

The system detects when the roof opens or closes and adapts automatically, and Bang & Olufsen has optimised the response of the system in both cases to provide crystal clear sound even under the open sky.

“The sound in the Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet is a fine example of synergy between science, engineering, critical listening and a love of music. This is what Bang & Olufsen Automotive has been working for almost 10 years to perfect,” said Acoustic Engineer Patrick Hegarty.

Surrounded by sound
Further highlights of the system include a powerful output of no less than 505 Watt delivered by 10 amplifiers to 12 custom-made loudspeakers, and supported by proprietary True Image™ surround sound technology.

 Specifically tuned for the system in the Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet, True Image™ turns 2-channel stereo signals into perfect 5.1-channel surround sound, distributing both channels to all loudspeakers in the car - each with its own particular delay and level.

The Bang & Olufsen True Image™ Digital Signal Processing also renders the discrete 5.1 signals on your favourite DVD perfectly, providing passengers the opportunity to fully enjoy their favourite DVDs on the supreme high definition monitor of Audi’s new top-of-the-range infotainment system, MMI navigation plus, while on the move.

Perfectly matched
Seamlessly integrated into the elegantly flowing lines and functional ergonomics of the car’s interior, the top-quality craftsmanship of the Bang & Olufsen Sound System is perfectly matched by the teardrop-shaped settings of the instruments, which have already become modern classics.

As always, impeccable performance and understated beauty are Bang & Olufsen hallmarks, making the sound system the ideal match for the dynamic elegance of the Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet. This car is a real Audi, and an especially exciting one at that, made for the open road as much as for the open sky with the sound of an opera house or a magnificent open air concert to match.