After a good deal of research, the British audio company has integrated a host of proprietary Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technologies into the Kia EV9's 14-speaker setup to optimise the system for the challenging acoustic environment of a pure electric vehicle.

John Buchanan, Chief Executive of Meridian Audio, told StereoNET:

The challenge with delivering a fantastic audio experience in an EV isn't the level of the background noise; it's the complexity of noise sources and their frequency profiles. These are typically at significantly higher frequencies than in a combustion vehicle, which can affect our ability to perceive the position of sounds, and they can be more random, which makes the acoustic environment more difficult to manage with active noise cancellation.

The solution that Meridian Audio has employed here is to move the focus from hardware to software, using proprietary algorithms to manage the acoustic environment and then overlay more DSP technologies to tailor the audio to the specific vehicle and vehicle occupants.

Amongst these DSP technologies include Meridian RE-Q to optimise the audio to the acoustics of the vehicle cabin, along with Meridian Digital Precision to maximise the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

There's also Meridian Horizon to upmix audio, providing surround sound from both two-channel stereo and native 5.1 content. Furthermore, instead of just increasing the volume when the vehicle speed changes, Meridian Intelli-Q Data-Driven Equalisation optimises playback in a more detailed manner.

John Buchanan explains:

Unlike earlier systems that simply increase the volume as a response to background noise, Meridian's proprietary technology reacts to the profile of the background noise. For example, increasing the low and mid ranges as tyre noise becomes more prominent with speed or rougher road textures.

The EV9 also comes with an open-air connected subwoofer instead of a traditional enclosure, reducing the possibility of resonances and rattles that might occur with a large box enclosure that requires substantial packaging volume.

The Kia EV9 SUV is the third vehicle to come with Meridian Audio's technologies and is set to be launched across Europe, Asia and the US in 2024, with prices starting from US$54,900.

Visit Meridian for more information