Lincoln Turns Up the Volume with Revel Speakers

Ford Motor Co. is adding a high-end Revel loudspeaker option in the just-launched Lincoln MKX midsize crossover vehicle. The system will be the first automotive application for Revel, which is Harman International Industries Inc.'s premium speaker brand. Pricing hasn't been announced.

Buyers can opt for a 13- or 19-speaker package. Harman says the positioning of the speakers is designed to optimize the accuracy of midrange and high-frequency audio reproduction for all occupants.

Harman worked with Lincoln for three years to tailor its speakers to the interior of the all-new MKX. The process dubbed the "science of sound" by Harman included hundreds of hours of tuning, calibration and refinement as well as a double-blind testing with a team of trained listeners, according to the supplier.

As with Revel home audio systems, the Lincoln design positions the tweeter and midrange speakers next to each other in what's described as a point-source architecture. The tweeters feature circular rims intended to improve high-frequency dispersion and enhance sound quality.

The 19-speaker Revel system includes Harman's patented Clari-Fi technology, which reconstructs digitally compressed music in real time to rebuild audio details lost during the compression process regardless of the source. A proprietary amplifier strategy is designed to enhance fidelity at any volume, which Harman says yields improved smoothness while extending frequency responses.