9 Of The Best Factory Sound Systems You Can Find In Cars Today

In 1930, the Galvin brothers built the first in-car radio system, famously known as the Motorola. Slowly, consumers began to expect radio and sound systems in their cars and lower and lower trim levels. For decades, even the cheapest cars have come with some sort of speaker array.

Not all car sound systems are created equal, though. As you climb higher and higher up the food chain, in-car sound systems become less of a utilitarian amenity and more of an artistic passion project. Sometimes, sound systems are developed and built to a higher degree than even some entire cars. Active noise cancelling, glowing speakers, and whatever 4D sound is, are some of the hallmarks of the world's finest automotive audio systems. Here are nine of the best factory sound systems you can find in cars today.

Many consider the English brand Rolls-Royce to be the king of kings when it comes to luxury automobiles. Inside a Rolls, every material you touch, every sight you see, and every function you interact with has to impress, and that includes the sound system. Enter Phantom Bespoke Audio. The Phantom is the quintessential Rolls that sits proudly at the top of their lineup as the biggest and baddest luxury limousine. At that level, everything needs to be perfect.

Even the genesis of the Phantom Bespoke Audio system started with an attention to detail that most other automakers wouldn't even consider. During development, the sound system would be tested against not only other car sound systems but also studio-quality speakers. 

A music studio has the advantage of not being a moving object on four wheels that soaks up the sounds of passing wind and rumbling asphalt. To combat this, Rolls engineers fitted the Phantom with heavy, acoustically dampened glass and special foam-filled tires to reduce exterior sound. The system uses 18 speakers that produce a 1300-watt output. Each speaker is fitted with magnesium-ceramic speaker cones that bring to life even the tiniest audio nuances. Rolls-Royce is so confident in the cabin's insulation and sound system that, as part of the Phantom's development, they invited musician Skepta to record an entire track within the vehicle.

If there is anyone that can compete with Rolls-Royce for building the most wonderfully indulgent cars in the world, it's Mercedes-Maybach. Maybach had been a longtime partner with Mercedes-Benz, although it wasn't until the late '90s and early 2000s that it became an official luxury subdivision producing cars to rival Rolls. Fast forward to today, and Mercedes-Maybach has quickly become one of the most respected names in the world of fine automobiles.

The cream of the crop is the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. Here, Maybach takes the already impressive limousine and turns it into something the world's most powerful politicians, executives, musicians, and dictators drool over. The Mercedes-Maybach S-Class comes with a Burmester 4D High-End Surround Sound System, which quite literally adds a whole new dimension to in-car audio experiences. 

31 speakers are dotted in just about every corner of the interior, producing a 1,750-watt output and a full-bodied, bass-heavy sound thanks to a woofer in each door, and a 400-watt subwoofer in the guts of the trunk. The incorporated Dolby Atmos technology allows for a transportive listening experience where you can pick out where each instrument sits around you with shut eyes. The real kicker, though, is what Burmester calls exciters. These vibrate all four seats in rhythm with the music, to create a new physical dimension to the listening experience that is as impressive as it is ridiculous.

Porsche has also found a lasting partnership with Burmester. Since 2009, the Porsche and Burmester partnership has combined the finest German sports cars with the finest German sound systems. Similar to the Burmester system found in the S-Class and Maybach, the Burmester 3D High-End Surround Sound System reigns as the top-of-the-line option for in-car audio in the Porsche lineup.

Although this system lacks the exciters of the 4D system, it remains a stupidly impressive option for music playback. On new models such as the Taycan, the 3D system utilizes Auro 3D, which, thanks to a directed speaker array in the A-pillars, produces an even sound front for both front and rear passengers while also creating a spatially layered soundscape that gives the music real texture.

With a combined output of 1,455 watts, the 21 speakers give a wonderfully crisp detail, with a particular strength in reproducing vocals and higher-frequency instruments. The bass doesn't come as all-encompassing as it does in the 4D system in the Maybach S-Class, but it is by no means weak. Even at high volumes, there is no bass-induced rattle thanks to the torsion-resistant die-cast baskets on the speaker drivers, which makes for a system as durable as it is pleasant.

Where Maybach and Rolls-Royce are dripping in gold-flecked excess, a brand like Volvo comes across a bit more understated. A Volvo and a Rolls-Royce are in two entirely different universes of purpose and price, but when it comes to sound systems, Volvo punches far above its weight class. 

Their premier option is the Bowers & Wilkins sound system. Volvo's take on luxury has always been within the aesthetics of Scandinavian design, which is reserved yet confident. Where the Burmester 4D system in the Maybach flashes with spinning chrome-shined speakers accented by ambient lighting, the Bowers & Wilkins system is more discreet. 

In the electric EX90, for example, the B&W system produces a combined output of 1,610 watts thanks to 25 different speakers, including some embedded within the headrest. Beyond the impressive hardware, the system also includes what Volvo calls "Abbey Road" mode. This setting allows occupants to play sound engineer by providing a full-fledged tuning system to calibrate the speaker outputs to a degree that will impress casual listeners and audiophiles alike. 

Being an electric car, the EX90 is a perfectly quiet listening theater, and that lack of ambient noise lets the B&W system shine with its incredible clarity. Instruments and vocals feel real, and even at the highest volumes, there is no noticeable distortion or mixing issues.

The Bowers & Wilkins automotive audio portfolio doesn't stop with Volvo, though, as its finest work is with BMW. The system in question is called Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound, and it is one of the most impressive and detailed audio systems you can get in a car before price tags hit seven figures.

Bowers & Wilkins didn't just throw the word diamond into the title as a synonym for the best — the system is actually made of diamonds. Well, not entirely, but enough to warrant a mention. Nobody likes a speaker that rattles, so Bowers & Wilkins built tweeters with covers made of tiny, ultra-strong diamonds with vibration-stopping rigidity. 

The Diamond Surround Sound system is offered across the BMW model range and is impressive in all forms. Take the version found in the electric i7, for instance. With 35 speakers spread across the cabin and a total power output of 1,956 watts, this is one of the most powerful systems on the market. The bass is incredibly powerful, although not as crisp as the rest of the sound range. The highs are bracingly detailed, and the mids are sharp and clear.

Bang & Olufsen is another premium audio marque in the auto industry. Hailing from Denmark, B&O has created home entertainment audio systems since its founding in 1925, but the brand didn't enter the auto industry until its partnership with Audi in 2005. 

B&O has greatly refined its car audio systems, including a 3D sound system in 2014. This used the Symphoria sound technology created by the Fraunhofer Institute, which broadens the soundscape to foster a concert-like listening experience. The newest version of Bang & Olufsen's finest offering in the Audi lineup is the Bang & Olufsen 3D Advanced Sound. This system comes armed with 23 speakers that total up to a 1,920-watt power output, making for a capable and confident sound system. 

This system is backed up by what Bang & Olufsen calls Acoustic Lens Technology, which is a fancy sci-fi term for the flying saucer-like tweeters in the dash that help round out the soundscape to produce the 3D effect. Capable of playing lossless audio formats, the system produces an extremely detailed recreation of whatever you ask it to play. Everything is even and rounded out, a sort of jack-of-all-trades approach where no single area stands out as the best or worst you've ever heard.

A word that is often found in the fray of conversation regarding luxury automobiles is "bespoke." The world's richest car shoppers don't just want the finest materials or the most powerful engine; they want something unique. Bentley caters to such customers with its Mulliner division. Originally a coachbuilding house, Mulliner is now Bentley's one-stop shop for exclusive customization and special options.

A prime example is the Naim for Mulliner sound system. Made only for the hyper-exclusive Batur, the system is made in collaboration with Naim, an English audio brand that is to sound systems what Bentley is to automotive refinement. Checking the Naim option on your Batur spec sheet will cost a whopping $33,533. So, what makes it so special? 

Bentley claims 10,000 hours went into the development of the 20-speaker system. The mid-range and tweeters feature what are called M-cones — a special driver cone with no dust cap that simultaneously provides rigidity and damping of unwanted vibrations. Development included 3D modeling and simulations to observe when and how suspension materials between components became distorted, which allowed for extremely precise tuning in order to build a system that is incredibly physically and sonically stable.

The first Land Rover was built to tackle Mother Nature's most callous creations with a rugged and surefire disposition. Nowadays, while their cars are still more than capable of handling themselves off-road, the brand is more associated with cosmopolitan chauffeuring and trips to Harrods.

In accordance with that new prerogative, much of the character of a Land Rover, particularly the more metropolitan Range Rover, is focused on luxury. This, of course, includes the sound system, and for the Range Rover's premier option, Land Rover teamed up with fellow English brand, Meridian. 

The result of this collaboration is the Meridian Signature Sound System — a 29-speaker, 1,700-watt 3D sound system that boasts some incredible features. Meridian's Trifield technology helps blend sound from all speaker locations into a fully even and balanced soundscape throughout the cabin. Their RE-Q cabin correction feature helps smooth over and remove interfering cabin noise to preserve the detail of audio recordings. Everything is spectacularly smooth, with all levels of sound coming to the ear fully realized and without distortion. The bass in particular packs lots of weight at high volumes without ever sounding strained or even overpowering the other sonic elements.

Few supercars and hypercars rival the power, passion, and artistry of Pagani. Their shapes are sculptural, their interiors sumptuous, and their sound systems operatic. The Huayra's sound system is built in collaboration with Sonus Faber, an Italian audio brand that matches Pagani's affinity to craftsmanship.

Inspired by the Huayra's high-performance and fine materials, the Sonus Faber system consists of a carbo-titanium blend that offers rigidity without significant weight. The system consists of 13 speakers that produce 1,200 watts.  

The Sonus Faber system was built in tandem with the Huayra's V12, and uses a digital processor to blend audio in harmony with the engine's song, allowing clients to extensively tune and modify the soundscape. The system is an exemplary testament to Italian craftsmanship and emotion, reminding us that supercars go beyond the spec sheet.