Gadget of the month - June 2016

Sound system for drive time

Better known for making high-end sound systems that add thousands to the cost of a car, Harman has revealed plans to enter the lower, more ‘millennial’ tiers of the vehicle audio market with a portable and detachable dashboard speaker called Voyager Drive.

Aimed at young car buyers, the portable speaker looks a lot like many others. But plug it into the top of the dashboard and it powers the audio system, as well as wirelessly connecting to smartphones over a Bluetooth connection.

The car using the device would be manufactured with no other speakers at all – not even in the doors. The sound of the music would come only from the Voyager.

Although it may not compare exactly to the sound produced by an audio system installed in a luxury car, the system is vastly superior to smartphone speakers. I found that the sound produced filled the vehicle and did not appear as if it was all coming from the middle of the dashboard.

If that isn’t enough, Harman offers an optional Voyager Drive+ – a removable bass box with a dock for the wireless dashboard speaker. This gives the driver a full-range, portable speaker system whether they are in or outside the car – perfect for summer days driving around and going to the park.

Harman says that both solutions leverage next-generation connectivity capabilities, building on personalisation and adaptability to create unprecedented in-cabin audio experiences for consumers.

The supplier is hoping to get its Voyager system into vehicles next year, but it hasn’t revealed any pricing or product specifications yet.

The only question now is whether manufacturers will adapt their cars aimed at ‘millennials’ to suit the system.