Dolby Atmos in Mercedes-Benz: A Complete Guide to Burmester Audio Systems

Mercedes-Benz has integrated Dolby Atmos technology into its premium Burmester sound systems, transforming how drivers and passengers experience music, entertainment, and connectivity. Dolby Atmos creates a multidimensional soundscape where individual instruments and voices are positioned around the listening area, delivering clarity and spaciousness that rivals world-class recording studios.

This immersive technology is available across select Mercedes-Benz models, offering an elevated auditory experience that enhances the brand's luxury and innovation. Understanding which models feature Dolby Atmos - and the differences between Burmester 3D and 4D systems - helps buyers appreciate the sophistication behind this audio engineering.

What Makes Dolby Atmos Different?

Dolby Atmos reimagines automotive audio by moving beyond traditional stereo systems that rely on left-right dynamics. Instead, it uses the full range of speakers to create a 360-degree experience, placing sounds above, around, and throughout the cabin. This spatial audio technology allows individual instruments or voices to be positioned with precision, creating an immersive environment that adapts to the music or content being played.

Mercedes-Benz integrates Dolby Atmos natively into its MBUX infotainment system, ensuring compatibility with streaming services like Apple Music's Spatial Audio. The technology also works with Apple CarPlay in certain models, expanding access to Dolby Atmos content. Universal Music Group has embraced this standard, introducing the "Approved in a Mercedes-Benz" seal to ensure artists' final mixes are optimized for the brand's sound systems.

Burmester 3D Surround Sound System: Core Features

The Burmester 3D Surround Sound System serves as the foundation for Dolby Atmos in most Mercedes-Benz models. This premium audio setup features strategically placed speakers throughout the cabin, including near-ear speakers in the front seats that deliver personalized sound directly to driver and passenger.

The system's architecture varies by model but typically includes:

• CLE Coupe: 17 speakers, 16-channel amplifier, 710 watts. Two front bass speakers in footwells, midrange and tweeter speakers in doors and rear panels, two surround speakers on the parcel shelf, centre-fill speaker in the instrument panel, and two near-ear speakers in each front seat.
• 2027 GLB (upcoming): 16 speakers, 850-watt amplifier. Features additional three-way speakers in doors, coaxial centre speaker in instrument panel, and 3D speakers in overhead control area. Silver chrome finishes on tweeter and midrange speaker covers elevate interior aesthetics.
• EQE SUV: Dolby Atmos integrated with Sound Personalization, available as part of optional equipment packages.

Mercedes-Benz collaborated with experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology to optimize room acoustics using the Spatial Sound Wave algorithm. This technology enhances spatiality and depth, recreating the spacious feel of larger venues within the vehicle's cabin. Drivers can adjust spatiality in 10 stages via the MBUX sound menu, with a visual display showing a floating circle that expands as more spatiality is selected.

Burmester 4D Surround Sound System: Tactile Audio Innovation

The Burmester 4D Surround Sound System takes immersion further by adding tactile bass vibrations to the auditory experience. Body sound transducers integrated into the front seat backrests deliver vibrations synchronized with the music, inspired by singing-bowl massage therapy. This 4D element makes music emotionally powerful by engaging both hearing and touch.

Special Burmester algorithms and two speakers integrated into the headliner produce true 3D surround sound, while the seat exciters add the fourth dimension. Drivers can adjust the intensity of sound-dependent staging using a slider in the Burmester Sound settings. The system also includes speakers integrated into the front seats at ear level, ensuring high speech intelligibility during phone calls or voice commands.

The Burmester 4D system will be available in the upcoming 2027 Electric GLC, where it pairs with Active Ambient Lighting featuring sound visualization. This integration allows passengers to "see" music tracks and sounds via the light band, with fast-beat songs triggering quick light changes and flowing melodies producing gently shifting atmospheres.

Models Featuring Dolby Atmos

Sound Personalization and Zone Settings

Mercedes-Benz enhances the Dolby Atmos experience with intelligent features that adapt audio to passenger preferences and seating arrangements. Sound-zone settings allow drivers to direct audio content exclusively to specific areas of the vehicle. For example, rear-seat passengers can enjoy entertainment while front occupants experience a peaceful ride.

The sound image can also be optimized for the driver's seat alone or for both front and rear rows using the focused setting. Auto-selection is a new feature that uses seat-belt detection to determine how many occupants are on board and adjusts sound focus accordingly. This automatic mode activates by default, ensuring optimal audio distribution without manual intervention.

Even the standard sound system in models like the GLB has been upgraded with additional centre speakers and two-stage adjustable bass characteristics, allowing drivers to experience enhanced spatiality.

Holistic SoundExperience: Beyond Music

Mercedes-Benz offers a holistic "SoundExperience" that extends beyond entertainment. Various soundscapes provide individual acoustic setups for informative feedback sounds and emotional sound enhancement. Drivers can select from options like "Silver Waves," "Vivid Flux," "Serene Breeze," and "Roaring Pulse" (with AMG Line), plus newer soundscapes:

• Fractal Fusion: Nostalgic 1980s arcade-game tones and synthwave music with modern, vibrant synth textures, embodying a hedonistic, futuristic lifestyle.
• Granular Fuzz: Offers an expressive, organic style emphasizing individualism and adventure, blending guitar riffs, epic orchestral elements, nature samples, and expansive electronic effects.

SoundExperience is active even when the vehicle is parked, changing startup, shutdown, and welcome sounds. Locking and unlocking are accompanied by event sounds and the Aura soundscape. Electric models feature a charging-plug tone confirming proper connection and disconnection at charging stations. Drivers can even generate simulated "revs" using the accelerator pedal while stationary.

MBUX Integration and Entertainment

Dolby Atmos integration with MBUX infotainment unlocks access to streaming platforms and connected services. The MBUX Entertainment Package is required to fully activate Dolby Atmos features, including native app integration and sound personalization. Models like the upcoming GLB and Electric GLC will support Disney+ and RIDEVU streaming platforms, allowing passengers to immerse themselves in extensive libraries of films, series, and documentaries.

Apple Music subscribers gain access to an ever-growing selection of songs and albums available in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. The system's native integration ensures high-quality playback, while Apple CarPlay extends compatibility to additional content sources. Mercedes-Benz continues expanding its digital ecosystem, with over-the-air updates ensuring sound systems evolve alongside new entertainment options.

Learn More at Mercedes-Benz Laval

The integration of Dolby Atmos into Burmester sound systems showcases Mercedes-Benz's dedication to redefining in-cabin experiences. Whether choosing the immersive 3D audio of the CLE Coupe or the upcoming tactile 4D system in the Electric GLC, drivers gain access to technology that transforms every journey into a sensory event. Visit our team at Mercedes-Benz Laval to explore currently available models and pre-order the upcoming 2027 lineup.