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We've Got The Beat: Maserati GranTurismo And Its Super Sound System

Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo Maserati In the heart of the Chelsea district in New York City, the House of Sound opened in September of 2023. This showcase for audio brands in the McIntosh Group—McIntosh, Sonus faber, Pro-Ject, Rotel, and Sumiko—is a haven for audiophiles, set up for immersive introductions to some of the high-quality sound money can buy. And to match, a striking Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo finished in a vibrant yellow (called Giallo Modenese) is in the garage. During the New York Auto Show this year, Maserati showed off its premium Sonus faber sound system within the Maserati GranTurismo. Inside the Maserati are 19 carefully placed speakers, and Sonus faber Global Marketing Manager for Automotive and Marine Raffaele Frontera demonstrated the setup's chops with rich, multilayered songs like Queen's 'We Will Rock You' and Frank Sinatra's 'Fly Me to the Moon.' One floor above the Maserati display, Sonus faber offered demonstrations of its incredible Suprema system, its supersystem with pair of towers and dual-15-inch subwoofers. While the cost of the Suprema is an eye-popping $750,000, know that this is best of the best available, and all handcrafted. Inside the Maserati GranTurismo, you can choose between a standard 14-speaker setup pushing out 860 watts of power or upgrade to the 19-speaker option with 1195 crystal clear watts. Maserati GranTurismo and Sonus faber Kristin Shaw You might notice the Sonus faber brand is unique in that the second word is in all small letters, and that's deliberate. The phrase Sonus faber is Latin for 'artisan of sound' and the brand says it chooses to emphasize the sound part to keep it in sharp focus. Frontera says the fact that both Maserati and Sonus faber are Italian companies makes for a harmonious partnership. Each company's pride in its beloved home country is evident, and it makes sense for them to pair up. 'It's a very interesting and romantic story,' he says, 'We are just two hours from each other, and this kind of story in the automotive industry is not so common.' Just as an engineer considers acoustics in a concert hall, audio system engineers consider all the materials that will affect the sound quality. In a Maserati, for instance, the leather absorbs the sound, but the glass reflects. Getting it right requires a fair amount of math, physics, and acoustical engineering. Every detail is analyzed to maximize sound quality, Maserati says, down to the tiniest features. Sonus faber operates inside a very competitive world. Take a look at all of the companies that create the best sound systems around the world and you'll find Bang & Olufsen, Bowers and Wilkins, Burmester, and more. Every one of these companies reproduces sound beautifully to achieve the optimum results, so how does Sonus faber differentiate itself if all of these brands sounds amazing? Frontera says it has do to with Sonus faber's chosen path to excellence. 'We choose a natural sound,' he explains. 'Bowers and Wilkins is more precise, for example. It's a detailed sound, like a sharp knife; very precise.' That doesn't mean the sound inside a Maserati vehicle isn't crisp and precise, however. It's a matter of emotion and philosophy, and the company's artisans keep that in mind all the way through the final tuning. 'The spirit of the sound should evoke emotion without thinking too much of the technicalities," Frontera says. "Our aim is to give this this kind of emotion. This is a wonderful car for sure, and it also helps that the music sounds great." Whether you're listening to the dulcet tones of famous Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli or the heavier sounds of Nirvana or Shinedown, inside the Maserati GranTurismo it's all going to sound incredible. Maserati GranTurismo Maserati