Huawei has revealed its most ambitious automotive audio project yet with the Huawei Sound Ultimate series – a luxury in-car system featuring 43 speakers and what the company describes as seat-specific 4D surround-sound.
The system debuts in the Maextro S800 ultra-luxury sedan, and is the company’s most ambitious audio system to date.
The industry-leading configuration of 43 speakers aims to create an ultra-surround acoustic design.
It supports 2920W dual amplifiers for stronger power and more impactful sound, and introduces rear 4D exciters that synchronise with music and video content to create a fully immersive experience.
We’ve yet to try it ourselves, mind, but given our previous Huawei car audio experience (that involved impressive speaker set-ups and a drop-down projector screen), we know that it’s taking things seriously.
The comprehensive set-up also includes several novel technologies, including a Crystal Star-Ring Diffuser that automatically rises when passengers enter the vehicle, accompanied by ambient lighting that synchronises with music playback.
Huawei claims this central unit delivers 30 per cent greater sound uniformity compared to previous generations, though we haven't heard it with our own ears to verify these claims..
The dual 2920W amplifiers drive the extensive speaker array, which incorporates what Huawei calls a Tangential Force Woofer – essentially a conventional door woofer rotated 90 degrees to allegedly reduce panel resonance.
The company has also developed a Dual-Diaphragm Subwoofer that it claims breaks free from traditional cavity constraints by utilising the entire cabin space for bass extension.
Perhaps the most intriguing feature, though, is the independent sound zone technology, which Huawei says can create 30dB isolation between front and rear listening areas with 99 per cent energy separation.
This would theoretically allow passengers in different rows to listen to separate audio content without interference – a compelling proposition for family journeys, assuming it delivers.
The system also incorporates 10 overhead channels for spatial audio reproduction, powered by Huawei's proprietary algorithms and spatial audio track model.
Beyond pure audio performance, the Huawei Sound Ultimate series also includes AI-powered "sound-to-light" technology that adjusts cabin lighting in response to musical content.
Overall, it’s hard not to be impressed based on the specs and claims. Whether Huawei's bold claims about 4D immersion and sound zone separation translate into genuinely superior listening experiences, though, remains to be heard. But we’re certainly looking forward to testing it out.
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