Hearing the true sound of music in your car

John McLaughlinToyota Motor Sales U.S.A."CDs and DVDs will go the way of cassette tapes and the eight-track player eventually. It's just a matter of when." NoneBehind the musicMore than a quarter of light vehicles sold in the United States now have a branded factory-installed stereo. Nearly a fifth have premium audio, with at least 2 of these 3 features: 400 watts of power, 8 speakers and surround sound.Branded premium (Bose, etc.)16%Branded nonpremium (Boston Acoustics, etc.)10%Nonbranded premium2%Nonbranded nonpremium71%No audio system (light commercial vehicles)2%Note: Numbers add to 101% because of rounding.Source: IHS Automotive Supply base5 brands control about 60% of the global market for factory-installed premium audio. Bose leads, but Harman's speakers, sold under such brands as Harman Kardon and JBL, make up 29% of premium systems installed worldwide.1. Bose24%2. Harman Kardon14%3. Sony10%4. JBL8%5. Alpine6%Source: IHS Automotive These days, even small, inexpensive cars such as the Fiat 500 and Kia Soul can be bought with high-end stereo systems from prestigious brands such as Beats by Dr. Dre and Infinity.

Hearing the true sound of music in your car

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