Dirac pioneered the concept of venue-based acoustics inside the car when it introduced the option to emulate the acoustics of a famous jazz club or a studio inside some of the vehicles from Volvo (see the story: Jazz Club Sound Inside a Volvo with Bowers & Wilkins). Since then, technology evolved substantially, and so have automotive audio systems. The concept of taking real acoustic measurements from iconic concert halls and studios now recreates even more lifelike sound in every seat – measured, mapped, and reproduced for the ultimate in-car audio experience.
Working in collaboration with NIO since 2020, Dirac now pushed the concept even further with a new level of the immersive venue room experience powered by Dirac Reference Room Mode in the latest NIO ES8. By capturing both the reverberation characteristics and the directional qualities of sound, the technology recreates authentic spatial audio environments inside the ES8, adapted for every seat in the vehicle.
NIO defines three "venue rooms" within the ES8 using Dirac’s reference room mode technology, each corresponding to a distinct sound field modeled on rooms of different sizes: Legendary Studio (small), Pinnacle Stage (medium), and Golden Hall (large). This gives passengers the ability to choose the acoustic experience that best fits their mood or music, further enhancing the lifelike and immersive quality of the audio.
"Delivering a truly immersive sound experience in a car requires more than powerful speakers," says Hendrik Hermann, Vice President of Automotive at Dirac. "This collaboration with NIO brings the unique acoustic signature of world-class spaces into the ES8, providing passengers with an authentic and emotionally engaging sound experience. Every note and nuance is reproduced as it would be in the original reference environment."
Traditional automotive audio systems often simulate larger spaces by adding generic reverb across the system. In contrast, Dirac captures the direction and decay of sound reflections, using the car's full speaker array to recreate a coherent and realistic sound field. The result is richer, more balanced audio where occupants feel fully enveloped in the music.
In addition, the NIO ES8 integrates Dirac Dimensions, a patented true-to-source spatial upmixer that transforms any stereo content into an immersive multichannel experience. Leveraging Dirac’s proprietary MIMO (multiple-input/multiple-output) impulse response correction and advanced sound field control, the technology ensures every speaker contributes intelligently to a perfectly tuned, balanced, and spatially coherent soundstage.
Launched in 2018 as NIO’s first production model, the ES8 set a new benchmark for flagship three-row SUVs with forward-thinking technology and design. With its third-generation debut at NIO Day 2025, NIO continues its spirit of innovation, now redefining what’s possible in immersive in-car audio through this collaboration with Dirac. Software is now turned into a new form of luxury – from sound quality powered by Dirac Pro, to 3D surround sound via Dirac Dimensions Infinity, and now to the immersive concert hall and studio recreation made possible by Dirac’s reference room mode technology in the ES8.
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