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The all new Volvo S80 – Audio and communication systems of premium luxury class

27 February 2006

• Digital technology contributes to natural sound reproduction
• Dolby Pro Logic II Surround with adjustable audio profile
• World-renowned loudspeakers from Dynaudio
• MP3 and WMA formats
• Handsfree with Bluetooth and mobile phone
• Faster RTI

The all new Volvo S80 has been designed to provide a total experience of unparalleled quality. Luxury with a Scandinavian touch in design, function, comfort and, not least, audio excellence. With the help of the most outstanding audio manufacturers in the world, Volvo Cars has developed a first-class sound system for its new prestige model. Digital amplifier from Alpine, Dolby Pro Logic II Surround and first-class loudspeakers from Denmark’s Dynaudio provide an audio experience of absolute world-leading standard.

"This car offers excellent prerequisites for high-class sound reproduction," says Silvia Güllsdorf, S80 Project Director at Volvo Cars. "High-quality materials, a well-dimensioned interior and effective sound-damping materials contribute to a particularly favourable audio environment. And our audio systems are among the very best available in the automotive world."

Digital technology contributes to natural sound profile
The very latest advances in digital technology have been used to control and tailor audio reproduction to suit the shape of the passenger compartment and the location of the loudspeakers. With the help of DSP (Digital Signal Processing) the tone curve has been fine-tuned to create authentic sound quality.

Digital technology is also used in Volvo’s modern amplifier, which has been developed together with Alpine. A digital class D amplifier has very low current consumption allied to a very high efficiency rating. This means it produces less heat than an analogue amplifier – and it can be made more compact.

Volvo’s amplifier also has a very high attenuation rate, thanks to ICEPower® technology from Danish experts Bang & Olufsen PowerHouse a/s. This system contributes to the clear and powerful sound all the way down to the deepest bass tones.

Automatic volume and tone adjustment
Thanks to the use of digital technology, the sound can be adjusted to suit current driving conditions as they change. Not only volume but also tone is adjusted automatically to match the car’s speed. There is also the possibility of individual preferences – in the car’s menu system with its personal settings, it is possible to determine just how much the sound should be adjusted in response to road speed. There are three levels to choose between – low, medium and high.

Three performance levels
The all new Volvo S80 is available with a choice of three audio system levels:
• Performance – with 4x20 W amplifier and six loudspeakers
• High Performance – with 4x40 W amplifier and eight loudspeakers
• Premium Sound – with 5x130 W digital amplifier, Dolby® Pro Logic II Surround and up to twelve loudspeakers.

Dolby Pro Logic II Surround with individual adjustment of audio profile
Volvo was the first car manufacturer with a factory-fitted audio system featuring Dolby® Pro Logic Surround. The technology was developed to produce a natural-sounding multi-channel audio perception and was introduced in 1997 in the first Volvo C70 series.

The system being offered in the all new Volvo S80 is the latest surround-sound generation, Dolby Pro Logic II Surround. It is a 5.1-channel system that offers a broad audio profile in the front seats and genuine stereo effect and full band width in the rear seat. What is more, the sound from the front and rear loudspeakers blends smoothly to create a natural audio experience.

In order to contribute to the best possible individual sound experience, the Premium Sound system has a new adjustment option. The audio profile can be optimised in three different ways – for best possible audio experience in the driver’s seat, in both front seats, or in the rear seat. These settings are made via the car’s information system.

"This is a good way of avoiding having to compromise on sound quality," says Silvia Güllsdorf. "A driver travelling alone in the car can adjust the sound system entirely to suit his or her personal tastes. And if the car owner is sitting in the rear seat, it’s equally easy to deliver the high audio quality there."

Loudspeakers from Dynaudio of Denmark
The loudspeakers in the all new Volvo S80 are of exceptional quality in every respect. The Premium Sound system has loudspeakers from Denmark’s renowned Dynaudio®, with whom Volvo has long enjoyed close cooperation.

"We both share the same uncompromising attitude to audio quality," explains Silvia Güllsdorf. "Together we have acquired in-depth knowhow about sound inside the car. The result is truly high-class audio reproduction. That is why we’re also placing the Dynaudio logotype on the instrument panel of the all new Volvo S80 – it represents a crowning achievement for both our companies."

The front doors have well-dimensioned three-way loudspeakers. The rear doors feature two-way loudspeakers with a tweeter element and combined bass and intermediate register element and powerful cones. The tweeter element is made of textile (known as a silk dome tweeter), a Dynaudio speciality that helps create more crystal-clear sound. Each loudspeaker has a passive crossover filter to provide a harmonious total sound experience with the best possible band width and dynamism.

A specially developed centre loudspeaker in the instrument panel works together with the door loudspeakers to create a natural, homogeneous sound profile.

"We are very proud of the audio experience we can offer in the all new Volvo S80," says Silvia Güllsdorf. "It’s easy to forget that you’re actually in a car, and not in a concert hall."

Plays MP3 format
With the High Performance and Premium Sound systems, it is now possible to play CDs with music in MP3 or WMA format. This means that the CD changer can store several hundred music tracks and give the driver access to large parts of his or her music library in the car.

What is more, all the audio systems now feature an extra input (AUX) for connection of additional equipment such as a portable MP3 player.

In order to further enhance radio reception quality, the FM radio has no less than three aerials that interact with each other to provide the best possible reception in a system known as Scanning Diversity.

Wireless handsfree function in the car with Bluetooth and a mobile phone
In the all new Volvo S80, it will be possible to use a regular mobile phone in combination with the car’s loudspeakers – entirely wireless – courtesy of the new Bluetooth® function. After Bluetooth has been activated, the car’s phone module detects and registers the mobile phone and automatically links it to the car’s own system. After that, it operates as part of the integrated handsfree system. SMS text messages and other information texts can be read in the car’s information display and incoming phone calls automatically mute the sound from the radio or CD player.

With Bluetooth and a regular mobile phone, you always have access to the same phone directory. And you never need to switch between several SIM cards. What is more, several phones can easily be linked to the same network so that everyone using the car can have his or her own phone connected, although only one at a time is prioritised for automatic activation.

"In this way, you are truly mobile," says Silvia Güllsdorf. "No switching between different phones and no delay when getting out of the car. And you don’t need to stay sitting in your parked car just because you’re in the middle of a handsfree call. You simply pick up the call in your mobile phone and leave the car, continuing your conversation without interruption."

New generation of RTI
Volvo’s RTI (Road and Traffic Information) navigation system has been further refined in a number of ways. There is a wider range of maps and several new countries have been added, mainly in Eastern Europe. There are now three DVD discs for Europe and three for the USA, where Hawaii and Canada have been added. The contents have also been updated with the latest roads, restaurants and hotels.

The system has been further enhanced with a new processor, which among other things makes for far faster route searching than before. Furthermore, new information such as the national flag and facts about the country, speed limits and rules governing phone use while driving all appear on the screen whenever you cross a national border.

"Convenient and functional systems give the Volvo S80 owner simpler, more comfortable travel," says Silvia Güllsdorf. "And it is made all the more handy with large controls, easy to read displays and logical interfaces. These aren’t simply there for added comfort – easy usage also means added safety on the road."

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