Cadillac’s new flagship sedan will come with a new sound system that will leave nothing uncovered inside the cabin.
The Bose Panaray system, designed exclusively for Cadillac’s CT6 rear-wheel-drive sedan, marks the debut offering of Bose Automotive’s new line of Advanced Technology Series sound systems.
It integrates technologies and design elements from Bose’s home entertainment and professional audio products.
There are 34 speakers, with almost all measuring less than 4 inches in diameter, strategically positioned throughout the CT6 cabin.
General Motors CEO Mary Barra, at an event in Detroit last month, highlighted the Bose system as an example of the company and a supplier jointly developing innovative technology.
“We have worked with Bose to integrate the technology into the floor,” Barra said. “It provides great acoustics and greater efficiency since it eliminates the need for several stand-alone high-fi components.”
The Bose system uses articulated arrays -- a series of small speakers set in alternating directions. The setup produces sound at a wider angle, creating a broader and more consistent sound stage for listeners.
The CT6 is the first time the design has been applied in an automotive system with the dual tweeters located in the A-pillars and rear doors of the CT6.
Focused sound
Engineers also integrated line arrays in the center instrument panel and rear-center console. These clusters of small speakers point in the same direction so the sound focuses directly on the listener instead of reflective surfaces.
The sedan’s center instrument panel is an important cog in the system. The panel array includes a cluster of three 2-inch speakers that are housed in a motorized center-fill enclosure that rises out of the dashboard when the system is activated.
It is complemented by a 4-inch speaker in each corner of the instrument panel. The rear-center array includes a pair of 2-inch speakers for sound imaging in the back.
The system’s bass is also a main focus in the CT6.
Even at the highest volume settings, the system’s bass performance is without distortion, rattle or unwanted vibration inside the cabin, according to Bose. This is accomplished by using several compact high-excursion woofers -- the same kind found in Bose home entertainment systems – and combining them with a new bass box design that produces the low-note output of a much larger enclosure.
Additionally, there are two Bose PowerProfile low-frequency enclosures. Designed exclusively for the CT6, they are built into the floor under the driver and front passenger seats. These enclosures measure 3.5 inches high and contain four 2.75-inch speakers mounted side by side and back to back to maximize the distribution of low frequencies without shaking and buzzing.
Finally, the system bass sources include 4-inch speakers in each front and rear door -- housed in ported enclosures -- and an upgraded 10-inch high-power Nd woofer mounted on the CT6 rear shelf between a pair of 2.5-inch rear-fill speakers.
“The bass performance of the Panaray system is more than heard -- it’s felt,” said Marc Mansell, vice president of Bose Automotive Systems Division. “But true to Bose, it’s not exaggerated or boosted. It’s as real as it gets.”
The system is driven by a new amplifier platform with nearly twice the processing power of previous Bose offerings, the company said.
The system enables greater detail when reproducing music from nearly any source, brings the listener closer to a “front-row concert” feel and delivers a balanced, 360-degree sound for each passenger position in the CT6, while compensating for off-center seating.
3 levels
The CT6 will be available with three levels of Bose sound, with the Panaray system available in the higher-tier packages.
A 10-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround-sound system and an eight-speaker Bose system is also available.
Option packages and pricing will be available from Cadillac closer to the CT6’s launch.
The CT6 will be officially unveiled at the New York auto show next week.
