The BMW iX is the first fully electric car to be equipped with the Diamond dome tweeter of the prestigious English hi-fi brand Bowers & Wilkins. Borrowed directly from the fourth-generation B&W 800 Series Diamond speakers, this driver is also found in the B&W 801 D4, B&W 802 D4, B&W 803 D4 and B&W 804 D4 floorstanding speakers, the B&W 805 D4 bookshelf speaker and the B&W HTM81 D4 and B&W HTM82 D4 center speakers. The third generation of this speaker range equips the legendary Abbey Road recording studio in London.
The audio system fitted as standard in the BMW iX comprises twelve speakers and a 205 watt amplifier. A Harman Kardon surround sound system including a seven-band equalizer and 655 W amplification is available as an option.
The B&W Diamond Surround Sound audio system, initially introduced in the BMW 7 Series and later in the 5 Series, is also available as an option in the BMW iX. Bowers & Wilkins claim that the iX delivers the finest sound quality ever achieved in a car. Rather than simply integrating its speakers into the vehicle’s interior, the brand worked closely with BMW engineers in an attempt to create an audio experience that felt like being in the studio with the artist.
The iX’s B&W Diamond Surround Sound is an exceptional car audio system including two Diamond dome tweeters, three aluminum dome tweeters, five aramid fiber cone midrange speakers, two subwoofers as well as eight other speakers integrated into the front and rear headrests. These can be set to create a personalized sound signature for each passenger with four different sound modes.
B&W Diamond dome tweeters are exceptionally precise and their spiral diffusers derived from the Nautilus speaker dissipate reflected sound waves and limit distortion. They are concealed behind brushed stainless steel grilles, while the speakers integrated in the doors are concealed under an acoustic fabric.
This on-board audio system also incorporates a 4D Audio function obtained through shakers placed in the front seats. Magnetically controlled, the vibrations are very precise and allow an intense perception of low frequencies, even at low volume. To power the Diamond Surround Sound system, Bower & Wilkins chose to integrate an amplifier delivering a total power of 1,615 watts.
Two versions of the BMW iX are available: the BMW iX xDrive40 and the BMW iX xDrive50 which are marketed from €96,150.
