25 Feb Car Audio 2025: Best Factory Sound Systems

31 speakers, 1,750 watts, Dolby Atmos in 3D: What Burmester has built into the Mercedes EQS would have been considered professional studio equipment just 20 years ago. Yet Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & Olufsen, and Mark Levinson now deliver soundscapes that transform a car’s interior into a concert hall. We’ve compared the best factory-fitted audio systems – including a price ranking and the answer to one key question: Is the upgrade worth it?

Key Takeaways

• The top OEM audio systems come from Burmester (Mercedes-Benz), Bowers & Wilkins (BMW, Volvo), and Bang & Olufsen (Audi)
• Dolby Atmos is available in premium models from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volvo
• Premium audio upgrade prices range from €800 (Harman Kardon) to over €9,000 (Naim in Bentley)
• Harman Kardon delivers the best value for money in the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series

Burmester × Mercedes: 4D Sound Sets a New Standard

Burmester and Mercedes-Benz have partnered since 2012 – delivering what is arguably the most ambitious factory-installed sound system in automotive history. The Mercedes EQS features 31 speakers powered by a 1,750-watt amplifier. Four of these are exciters mounted directly in the headrests, generating personalized near-field sound for each passenger.

The flagship feature: 4D sound. Mercedes has integrated bass actuators into the seats to make low frequencies physically perceptible. When playing a track with powerful sub-bass, the seat pulses rhythmically – subtly, yet effectively. Once experienced, it’s impossible to go without.

Price: Standard in the EQS (starting at €109,000). Available as an option in the S-Class for approximately €4,400. A scaled-down Burmester system (13 speakers, 590 W) is offered in the C- and E-Class from around €1,200.

Bowers & Wilkins × BMW & Volvo: The Diamond Tweeter

Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), the UK-based loudspeaker manufacturer revered by audiophiles since the 1960s, supplies premium audio systems to BMW (exclusively in the 7 Series and iX since 2023) and Volvo (as an option across all models since 2015).

The centerpiece: the Diamond Tweeter. Its high-frequency dome is crafted from synthetic diamond – the hardest material used in the audio industry. The result? Crystalline treble with zero distortion, even at maximum volume.

In the BMW 7 Series, the full B&W Diamond Surround System delivers 36 speakers, 1,965 watts of power, Dolby Atmos support, and ceiling-mounted speakers. Sound is so immersive that tracks feel like live concerts – you hear instruments emanating from distinct directions.

The Volvo EX90 features B&W’s 25-speaker system with 3D audio and a subwoofer integrated directly into the vehicle’s body structure. Volvo’s philosophy prioritizes tonal accuracy over sheer volume.

Price: Starting at approximately €4,500 extra for BMW; starting at approximately €3,200 extra for Volvo.

Bang & Olufsen × Audi & Ford: Where Design Meets Sound

Bang & Olufsen (B&O) is the Danish luxury brand that treats audio equipment as furniture. Nowhere is this philosophy more evident than in cars: In Audi models, the aluminium tweeters dramatically extend from the dashboard at engine start – a theatrical moment uniting technology and design.

In the Audi Q8 e-tron, B&O delivers a system with 23 speakers, 820 watts of power, and 3D sound. Audio quality is excellent – though not quite on par with Burmester’s benchmark. Where B&O outperforms competitors is its spatial sound optimisation. The system scans the vehicle cabin in real time and dynamically adapts the audio output – factoring in window positions, road noise, and even passenger count.

Ford has offered B&O audio since 2019 across its premium models (Mustang Mach-E, Explorer) – delivering unexpectedly high performance for the segment, with 10 speakers and 560 watts.

Price: From approx. €1,800 extra in Audi models; from approx. €800 extra in Ford models.

Harman Kardon × BMW & Subaru: The Value-for-Money Champion

Harman Kardon, part of the Samsung Group, is the quiet standout in the mid-tier segment. In the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series, it delivers a 16-speaker system with 464 watts of output – for an upgrade cost of just around €800. For many music lovers, that’s the sweet spot: significantly better than the base audio system, yet without the premium price tag of a top-tier partner.

Subaru also relies on Harman Kardon across its higher trim levels. In the Outback and the new Solterra, the system delivers surprisingly rich, spacious sound – especially for vehicles in this price bracket.

Price: €800-€1,200 upgrade fee, depending on brand and model.

Mark Levinson × Lexus: The Audiophile Reference Standard

Mark Levinson is a name that commands reverence in the high-end audio world. The Connecticut-based company builds amplifiers priced at $20,000 – and adapts that same technology for Lexus vehicles.

In the Lexus LS, the system features 23 speakers and an amplifier precisely tuned to Lexus’ acoustic cabin optimization. The sound is warm, rich in detail, and uncannily natural. To a trained audiophile ear, the difference is immediate: Mark Levinson doesn’t sound like hi-fi – it sounds like music.

Price: From approx. €2,300 extra in the Lexus ES/LS.

Naim × Bentley: The World’s Most Expensive Audio System

Naim, the UK-based high-end audio manufacturer, exclusively equips Bentley vehicles. The Continental GT features a 20-speaker, 2,200-watt system – impressive on paper, but the premium is staggering: over €9,000. In return, buyers receive sound quality that rivals Burmester and B&W, plus an aluminium speaker grille hand-polished to a mirror finish.

Does it justify the price? For Bentley customers, that’s the wrong question. In a car costing €250,000, €9,000 for the audio system is little more than a rounding error.

By Janine Müller

Read more

Dolby Atmos in the Car: Which Brands Offer It?

Dolby Atmos is the new gold standard for spatial audio – and it has arrived in vehicles in 2025. Mercedes-Benz (with Burmester), BMW (with Bowers & Wilkins), and Volvo (with Bowers & Wilkins) offer Dolby Atmos in their flagship models. Apple Music delivers Atmos content via CarPlay, while Amazon Music does so via Android Auto.

What does Dolby Atmos do in a car? Briefly: it places instruments and voices three-dimensionally in space – including above and below the listener. In a vehicle equipped with ceiling-mounted speakers, the result is sound that makes you feel as though you’re seated at the heart of an orchestra. In a Mercedes-Benz EQS with its 4D Burmester system and Dolby Atmos, you come closer to the ideal listening environment than anywhere else.

Reading Time: 1:48
Von: Janine Müller
Read more: How Dolby Atmos Transforms In-Car Audio Experiences

Price Ranking: What Does High-Quality Factory-Fitted Sound Cost?

Budget (up to €1,000): Harman Kardon (BMW 3 Series), Bang & Olufsen (Ford)
Mid-Range (€1,000-€3,000): Burmester Light (Mercedes-Benz C-Class), Bang & Olufsen (Audi), Bowers & Wilkins (Volvo)
Premium (€3,000-€5,000): Burmester High-End (Mercedes-Benz S-Class), Bowers & Wilkins Diamond (BMW 7 Series)
Ultra-Premium (€5,000+): Naim (Bentley), Burmester 4D (Mercedes-Benz EQS – standard equipment)

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Source, cover image: Pexels / Mike Bird