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Anyone compete/judge in Car Audio?


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Since we have so many audio enthusiasts, and it hasn't emerged in any topics that I've seen, dare I ask the question?

Basically, got into home audio/commercial audio in the early 70's - early 80's, and then COLLEGE (need say more about financial considerations). I then shifted over to auto audio in the mid-90's, and now back to where it all started.

Just curious if any of the board members dabbled, or even considered mastering car/truck audio? Personally, I've competed for (3) years in MECA, and now find myself re-juvenated to the "MADNESS". I am now judging Sound Quality events within the georgraphical area, and will eventually put together yet another project vehicle as part of TEAM JBL in IASCA for the 2009 season.

I didn't intend for this to be an auto-bio, but rather a question as to how "U got started"?

This should provoke some interesting responses.

Thanks

Mark

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  • Klipsch Employees

The first time I met Roy D was at a car audio event. I was installing part time at a small shop in Hope. The shop held a contest. I came to help out. The test gear and testers were from Klipsch. Kerry G and Roy D were the guys. Kerry had to leave early and a stand in judge was needed. In the Quality test is where Roy was judging. I was ask to help him. So Roy and I met for the first time judging sound. I had no background on Roy or he on me. We found that we listened for the same things and held some of the same views on the sounds we heard.

I can't help to think that the meeting has something to do with Roy helping me get on at Klipsch.

I installed my first car stereo in 1980-81 for a local shop. I was installing in 1999 when I quit and started with Klipsch. Almost 20 years in the trunk of a car...I guss the trunk is not where most folks want to be, but I liked it.

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I have been into car audio since the days of the Pioneer KP-500 8-track, Clarion 100 EQB Equalizer, and the original Jensen Triaxials.

I have installed for years and competed in IASCA from '95 tp '97 in the 1-150 Watt Novice and Amateur Classes. I had alot of fun and had a killer system custom done up in a 1994 Chevy Camaro. I used the Zed Audio built HiFonics Isis and Ulysses Competition grade amplifier's fed to Morel MW-166 midbasses and Polk MM-3000 tweeters. Bass was provided by two 10" Atomic subwoofers in a custom built and fitted enclosure (Montana Pro) in the rear of the Camaro with a slotted port aimed at the curved rear window. I have some nice trophies to show for my efforts as well. I took 2nd place in a Best of the Best in NY show in Plattsburgh, NY at Extreme Sounds.

I still have a killer system in my car that will easily outperform probably 90% of all the systems on this forum. I use the Orion Dual Mono Block with balanced inputs the Xtreme XTR-100 and XTR-200. My system is geared totally towards SQ and not the current SPL trend although it is capable of generate a good amount of SPL with NO distortion. I run top of the line a/d/s components prior to the DEI takeover and some vintage Magnum Professional 6x9 component woofers in the rear. The Alpine CDA-7998 provides a myriad of setup options with built in crossovers, time correction, equalization, etc.

I enjoy having the equivalent sound in my car as I do in my house. Make the trips more enjoyable to and from work.

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I had a kick @ss system in my 1973 Camaro, its got highs, mids and lows enclosed in metal, glass, plastic, and a fake vinyl hide enclosure. I won 3rd place at the Awesome Sound Event in 1983 at Clarion PA. Eddy Bank at that show said Son you need to tour the county with that thing, its awesome. It would out perform 91% of all the systems on this forum. I don't event need to listen to them, I know.
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I have compete in IASCA and USAC in the past. Had a few different cars enter.

87 Camaro that won SQ+ a few years in a row. Punch amps(when they were still made in the USA) and MTX black gold 10's (10 of em). Punch fronts. Eclipse processing.

Astro van with 16 JL 12W0's and PPI amps. SPL

And then daily drivers. I still have all of the drivers and boxes sitting in my basement. :) just in case!

Always did all of my own installs, and took great pride in that.

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Thanks for sharing that story Trey, I liked Roy from the first time I met him (of course it took two times for you[:o])

Current and only rig in my 1995 Golf is a custom built slant bass box in the hatch with 10" Pioneer Premiere sub and a 4 X 100 PPI Art Series recessed into the drivers side of the box.

The 4 X 100 feeds an Audio Control EQ-10 Active X-Over serving two sets of Cerwin Vega Tweet & 6 1/2 mid woofs. Set of tweets in dash factory 6 1/2 door locs in front and tweets surface mounted over rear door lock/latch with 6 1/2's in factory holes once again.

Second amp is yet another PPI 100 watt bridges and running the Premiere. Had this all done in Dallas back in late '95 and still rocks pretty good although I have never entered any contest I have had a few shop owners tell me I should but I put the rig in for me and I have never been one about advertising with big ALPINE (my head unit is a Blauk New Orleans MD unit) eyebrow labels to announce the goods are just a broken window away[^o)] LOL

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Everyone asks me the same question: What do you do for protection?

Darkest tint allowable by law, and an aftermarket Viper system to accompany the OEM alarm system. My install would be one PITA to try and attempt to remove quickly.

Thanks for the responses everyone. Interesting how each of us got into audio in different ways.

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I competed in DB Drag for the local stereo store back in '98&'99 I ran two 15" Rockford Fosgate Punch DVC's with a pair of 1000 Watt Soundstream Rubicon 1002's in a 1987 GMC Jimmy. That thing was slamin! 153 DB!!! Then I got bit by the Klipsch Bug![;)]

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Yep their 5.0, 10.0, and Picasso were some of their finest offerings and when the original DaVinci and Tarantula came out they were highly regarded as well.

But like Orion, PPI, and a/d/s Soundstream is not the company that it used to be. All foriegn built junk these days pretty much.

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Yep their 5.0, 10.0, and Picasso were some of their finest offerings and when the original DaVinci and Tarantula came out they were highly regarded as well.

But like Orion, PPI, and a/d/s Soundstream is not the company that it used to be. All foriegn built junk these days pretty much.

I totaly agree! look @ Rockford Fosgate, They are not the company they used to be. Its a damn shame that this happens to these nice smaller companies.
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I'm pretty much up on all that stuff.......and just look at MBQuartz

SOLD how many times in the past 5 years, and what NEW technology? NONE! Living on the namebrand!

Yes, most everything is made in China, Korea, or Taiwan these days (spec'd out and assmbly line, mass-produced, and all w/cheap labor). Hell, we probably couldn't afford these products if they had to be made in the USA or Canada.

I too, like the older PPI, ARC audio, US Amps, American Bass, Crystal, Zapco, etc. equipment

I've only seen 1-2 setups w/Cadence within the last couple years. For the price, Memphis Mclass products aren't too bad for SQ.

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Mac and HK both make a HU, but both are very simplistic w/NO bells or whistles.

Basically, a $1500 preamp IMO, but very clean as one would expect. My competition(now Event director) still runs a Mac w/his Dynaudios, and my IASCA Team JBL Firehawk friend (same car design) a Harmon-Kardon unit HU w/JBL GTI/GTO gear and the NEW MS8 7.1 SS unit. This unit (available early spring) will run about $800 from what I understand, but the prototype I heard is SCHWEEET.

The Mac and HK units are TOP NOTCH, but not a good cost/value ratio, considering what you can purchase for the same dollars (i.e. Pioneer P9, or the Clarion DRZ9255)

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