Harman International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, announced the continuation of its close and successful partnership with French carmaker Renault in celebrating the launch of the all new Scenic E-Tech electric, equipped with a Harman Kardon premium sound system. Harman also tuned the sound system to expand on Renault’s collaboration with Jean-Michel Jarre, the creator of the model’s sound design.
Renault has always developed innovative vehicles and now the brand has embarked on an ambitious transformation towards a more competitive electrified range. The brand’s ambition is to embody modernity and innovation in the automotive industry and beyond, and that also translates in a close collaboration with Harman for automotive audio and its Harman Kardon brand, which is highly recognizable in Europe.
Aimed at families and their needs for freedom and electric mobility, the name Scenic has become a landmark in Renault’s history and stands for vehicles that are spacious, packed with useful technology and eminently safe. The Scenic E-Tech electric was originally unveiled at the IAA Mobility 2023 event in Munich, where the collaboration with synth pioneer and technology aficionado Jean-Michel Jarre was disclosed. Jarre worked with IRCAM and Renault’s sound design teams to define the VSP (Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians), a low-speed exterior warning sound for pedestrians, and the Welcome sound sequence when entering the vehicle.
“By combining Harman Kardon’s captivating, pure sound with Renault’s signature style and flair curated by French artist and producer Jean-Michel Jarre, this partnership has created meaningful and special moments for Renault drivers worldwide,” says Greg Sikora, Senior Director, Global Acoustic Systems Engineering at Harman. “With 70 years in audio engineering and acoustic design, we go beyond a simple reproduction of music as we want the Harman Kardon sound system to reveal all the nuances of finely tuned sound. In this, we benefited from Renault’s collaboration with Jean-Michel Jarre, with whom we have developed together the direction for the sound tuning of the Scenic E-Tech electric.”
Without the combustion engine sound, the entertainment system is able to take center stage in an EV such as the Scenic E-Tech. Its Harman Kardon premium sound system features an upgraded setup of nine high-performance speakers, including single voice coil woofers in the front doors for improved performance in upper mid-range frequencies and an External Coupled Subwoofer (ECS) that reduces weight and volume of the subwoofer enclosure while delivering dynamic and low-distortion bass reproduction. Combined with an 8-channel DSP digital amplifier with a total output of 410 watts, it delivers the full frequency range at any volume level.
QuantumLogic and Sound Ambiances
To achieve the same immersive sound experience enjoyed by Renault drivers of other recent models such as the Austral, Espace or Megane E-Tech electric, Harman again integrated advanced audio functions and technologies such as Vehicle Speed Compensation, Virtual Center technology for a stable, well-defined soundstage, and Harman’s patented QLS (QuantumLogic Surround) algorithm, which separates input sources and splits them into individual streams and speakers to create immersive surround sound with a unique staging, enveloping, and surrounding all the occupants.
Another recurring feature is the five sound ambiences that passengers can choose from at the touch of a button to suit their personal preferences, now including a “Podcast” setting which emphasizes the intelligibility of spoken word audio content.
The five modes created by Jean Michel Jarre are:
Studio – a precise, clear, and detailed reproduction truthful to the artist’s intentions, yet exciting and dynamic.
Concert – a wide stereo stage created in front of the listener with surrounding envelopment as if the passengers are at a concert venue.
Podcast – offering a setting with a focus on voice reproduction to let the listener effortlessly delve into their favorite podcast or audiobook.
Immersion – creates a feeling of being surrounded by instruments and inside the music, giving the listener a new dimension to the sound.
Club – pronounced and intense low frequency bass extension with loud, wide, and high-contrast sound.
In line with the vehicle’s exceptional ambience, Harman seamlessly integrated all the speakers. For the Scenic E-Tech electric, the Harman designers used the same elegant solution found in the Megane E-Tech electric, with the tweeter grilles mirroring the iconic 60° pattern of the slash of the Harman Kardon brand logo. It’s a design that not only wows vehicle occupants but was also a winner at the prestigious Red Dot and iF design awards in 2021.
The Harman Kardon premium sound system is standard on iconic models in all markets, and an option on both esprit Alpine (excluding the UK), and techno versions (excluding France and the UK).
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