PASMAG - 70 - February by PASMAG - Performance Auto & Sound

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Volume 10 Issue 10

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Performance Auto & Sound Magazine (ISSN # 1710-1573) is published nine times a year (March, April, May, June, July, August, September, November and December plus two special editions.) by Performance Auto & Sound Inc. 44 Prince Andrew Place, Toronto, ON, M3C 2H4, Canada. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: (1 year – 8 issues) Canada: $24.99 CAD, USA: $24.99 USD (2 years – 16 issues) Canada: $32.99 CAD, USA: $32.99 USD (3 years – 24 issues) Canada: $39.99 CAD, USA: $39.99 USD Toll Free: 1 (888) 564-SUBS (7827) Email: subs@pasmag.com

PRESIDENT & CEO PUBLISHERS GENERAL MANAGER SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Frank Spezzano Blake Breslin & Perry Breslin Tim Rutledge Matthew Adolfo Dave Pankew

SALES & MARKETING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER 12-VOLT DIRECTOR SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE MARKETING AND PROJECT COORDINATOR

Erickson Obiacoro Shane Chattergoon JP Kongas Andrew Barbaza

ADMINISTRATION OPERATIONS MANAGER

Arnold Adolfo Michelle Forsyth

SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER

Carol Franceschinis

EVENTS / MODEL DIRECTOR

Randi Bentia

Performance Auto & Sound welcomes unsolicited contributions including stories (typewritten), photos, club news, etc. (Forward to PAS, 44 Prince Andrew Place, Toronto, ON, M3C 2H4) Canadian Publications Mail Products Sales Agreement #40069655 PAP Registration #10760 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PAS Magazine 44 Prince Andrew Place Toronto, ON, Canada M3C 2H4 Email: circulation@pasmag.com

SEMA Member

Performance Auto & Sound

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CHRIS RADO

With more caffeine per serving than the leading energy drinks NOS allows Chris Rado to harness his human horsepower and find a gear he never knew existed. To keep up with Chris log onto www.drinkNOS.com ÂŠ2008 NOS and the NOS logo are licenced trademarks of Holley Performance Products

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EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Mark Pereira

TECHNICAL EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS

CONTRIBUTING TECHNICAL EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR / PHOTOGRAPHER EDITORIAL INTERN

DESIGN & PRODUCTION SENIOR ART DIRECTOR PRODUCTION DIRECTOR PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION / DESIGN TEAM

PRESS VEHICLES COURTESY

PRODUCT TESTING DONE AT

Cogent Audio Labs

www.cogentaudiolabs.com

Of Sound Mind Labs www.ofsoundmind.com

The new Dynamat Su perLite is here!

www.dynamat.com/speed

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Periodicals Postage Paid U.S.P.S. # 022-608 US Office of publication:

US Postmaster send address corrections to:

Exclusive distribution by:

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CONTENTS VOLUME 10 ISSUE 10

events SEMA SHOW COVERAGE 020 November 4–7, 2008 | Las Vegas Convention Center | Las Vegas, NV DB DRAG RACING FINALS 102 October 10-12, 2008 | Various Locations

FREAK SHOW

110 CSPL FINALS September 21, 2008 | Various Locations | Ontario, Canada

2002 BMW M3

030

features

094 SPEED OF SOUND 2008 Infiniti G37S MAD COBRA 118 Factory Five AC Cobra MORE THAN MEETS THE EAR 124 2007 Porsche 911 Targa 4S GAME FACE 128 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350

132 RAGE FOR THE MACHINE 2005 Ford Rage R8SC Mustang

102

110

136 KEYS TO THE VIP 2006 Mercedes Benz CLS 55 AMG INSIDE MINES 166 2008 Nissan GT-R

176 LADY’S CHOICE 2006 Scion tC 182 THE SHOCKER 2006 Lexus IS250

188 128

020 114 14

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172

176

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CONTENTS VOLUME 10 ISSUE 10

Buyer’s Guides & Gear

040

SECURITY & REMOTE STARTER GUIDE

192

INTERIOR UPGRADE GUIDE

046

KICKER WX10000.1

052

AMERICAN BASS HD12D2

062

FUSION CA-IP500

essentials

test reports

018 100 146 164 186 206

046 052 062 066 072 078 084

Editor’s Desk Sound Advice Budget Builds Believe the Hype NCCA Spotlight Konig Calendar

gear 156 198

12 Volt Gear Speed Gear

tech 056 142 144 152 16

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Kicker WX10000.1 American Bass HD12D2 Fusion CA-IP500 Oxygen Audio Air83 Clarion MiND NR1U Beltronics Pro GX65 Audison Thesis TH Quattro

202 ERIKA MEDINA

KnuKonceptz Install Kicker Power Page Kinetik Power Page MTT Upholsery 101

078

BELTRONICS PRO GX65

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In Canada Contact: AUTOMOBILITY DISTRIBUTION / 400 Wright Street, Ville St-Laurent, Quebec H4N 1M6 TEL: 514-745-8030 / FAX: 514-745-6068 / TOLL FREE: 1-888-55-START (7-8278) / www.automobilitydistribution.com

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EDITOR’S

DESK By Mark Pereira

STAY TUNED

he automotive industry has certainly undergone a number of big changes, as today’s vehicles are miles ahead in terms of offering impressive technology, gadgetry and features compared to those of just a few years ago. From performance parts to mobile electronics, the auto industry continues to embrace the innovative ideas and advanced technology developed by aftermarket manufacturers and aimed at enthusiast buyers. Before the average minivan or luxury car came equipped with any form of multimedia, hard drive, navigation or Bluetooth features, there were tuners out there rocking it first and often in far more complex installations. Our passionate thirst for custom in-car-entertainment is what helps advance current mobile technology to the next level. Our enthusiast community fuels future trends and it’s about time we realize the important impact our culture has on bringing such new products to the mainstream market.

GET CONNECTED

Today’s car is becoming increasingly intelligent to the point where a Lexus can now parallel park for itself and high tech traction and stability control make even the lousiest driver look like a number one stunner. Advanced technology is here to stay and so are the many convenient gadgets we’ve all be waiting for. Connectivity is the key, as even base model cars now offer all of the latest high tech toys. Hands-free Bluetooth calling is becoming the standard in most vehicles and becoming legally mandatory in several areas for valid safety reasons. Many user-friendly and very cost effective aftermarket products are available to easily upgrade any vehicle to the latest Bluetooth enabled devices. In most cases these products cost far less than the fine you risk receiving for not having hands-free calling in your ride. The days of bulky and difficult to use handsfree car kits are a thing of the past, as these

modern devices offer seamless OEM integration and more importantly safe, intuitive operation. As anticipated, hands-free and voice activated dialing will soon be the standard for drivers everywhere. As consumers and enthusiasts, we’ve also quickly embraced and integrated the convenience of GPS navigation products into everyday life and gladly said goodbye to the days of bulky maps and incorrect or illegible written directions. I still remember when the very first forms of GPS navigation came to market… they were big, sluggish and dreadfully confusing. Although early nav products were as bizarre and basic as an oversized 80s cell phone, the GPS technology and map-based practicality gave us a glimpse at the exciting future potential of portable navigation technology. Navigation systems are now found in a number of new cars and if a dealership can’t offer it to you at an attractive price, then the aftermarket is always ready to provide – often offering much better performance and many more features including live traffic updates for significantly less money. Add-ons like satellite radio or connectivity for MP3 players are also found standard on many vehicles and nearly every aftermarket head unit. Almost every CD player is MP3-ready and higher end systems even offer integrated hard drives, granting storage space for your entire music library of albums, artists and song titles.

a few tricks up its sleeve and are ready to lead the charge. By taking just a quick glimpse of what might soon become standard equipment in the future, the thoughts of having access to all of your files, websites, email and more in the comfort of your vehicle will soon be a reality. Safety, reliability, entertainment, communication and efficiency could soon become more important than the actual mechanics under the hood. As the largest mobile electronics and performance magazine in the scene, PAS has always delivered the very essence of our culture. Our dedicated team will continue to successfully blend the latest mobile electronics with tire-shredding high-performance in a complete package that has never been more intense. All of us are looking forward to the future potential of our industry and the aftermarket seems to continue reinventing itself through innovation and new technology.

THE NEXT STEP Based on the products and services we’ve seen at events like the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the next big step seems to be fully functional mobile computing and high-speed internet. We can’t wait to see the doors open as this technology goes mainstream and you can bet the aftermarket industry has

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

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Text and Photos by Dave Pankew and Mark Pereira

ased on the success of our Top Picks from last year, we wanted to continue the momentum and talk about the best of what SEMA 2008 had to offer. Despite economic concerns, you would hardly know that anything was skewed in the industry as exhibitors rolled out the hardware. Several new product releases and loads of hot new builds made the trek out to Las Vegas and our team hot the concrete to find the best of what was out there. Probably the most notable change in SEMA this year was the attendance. While one can dismiss the change as a drop in attendance, we classify it as an improvement. Why? Well, SEMA traditionally has been full of ‘tourists’ simply occupying floor space for no reason. Many of the attendees aren’t wearing business attire, have no agenda and have no concern for getting the way of your photos or interrupting your business meetings. These are the type of guys wearing jean shorts, and snapping pics with camera phones while swigging MGDs. They are usually there under false credentials or maybe they own some sort of broke-ass tire shop in Toledo. Regardless, they serve no purpose but this year the show was full of more professionals and decision makers there to do business. So this year, the PAS staff felt more connected to the show, saw more of it and ultimately able to accomplish more. The exhibitors were ecstatic we got to spend more time with our editors to explain the merits of their new products and the plans for the year ahead. From immediately stepping on the grounds, it was clear there were loads of never seen before custom builds that turned heads. With the absence of the some JDM staples like HKS,

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GReddy, Blitz and A’PEXi it was refreshing to see others continue to expand their exhibits. Hardcore Japanese companies like: OS Giken, JUN and Carbonetic had their latest wares on display. As a general trend many of these companies continue to expand their product lines to include Domestic and Euro cars. Did anyone suspect that TEIN for example would be selling lots of product for Mustangs and Challengers? Or that JIC would be making exhausts for Mercedes? Expect that trend to continue, hell we have even seen HKS diversify into powersports and even airplanes. As for hot platforms, have to hand it to Dodge this year because the new Challenger was everywhere. Dodge’s new take on a classic muscle car is a winner with its retro styling, excellent road manners and range of powerplants from a 3.5L V6 to the lethal 6.1L Hemi. The price range is attractive too with the base price being under $25-grand putting it on the radar for new car buyers and therefore aftermarket manufacturers. We saw all kinds of gear for this smoking Dodge: superchargers, twin turbos, vertical doors, airbags, coilovers, carbon parts you name it this car will heat up the block. A close second would probably be a bit of tie between the Subaru STi and the Mitsubishi Evolution X. Many manufacturers and build them up and presented them at the show. We even had as handle in helping along with one of the builds by AEM. Well known performance The GTR was also in the mix there somewhere as there were over 30 of them at the SEMA show. A close second would probably be a bit of tie between the Subaru STi and the Mitsubishi Evolution X. Many manufacturers and build them up and presented them at the show. We even had as handle in helping along with one of the builds by AEM. Well known performance. The GTR was also in the mix there somewhere as there were over 30 of them at the SEMA show.

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WHITE HEAT Text by Dave Pankew // Photos by RCH Designs

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WWW.PASMAG.COM

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E W

ith the world markets changing and most contracting, there are still some companies pushing the envelope and continuing to grow and innovate during these challenging times. The aftermarket performance arena is no exception. With the demand for performance product shrinking following a 1-2 punch with the high price of gas followed by a global recession, those that continue to innovate and spend money through these challenging times are coming out on top. Chris Bergemann, the President of Horsepowerfreaks (HPF) is one example. In a short time frame, the President of Horsepower Freaks Performance (HPF) has reached several milestones of perfor-

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mance by investing in his company. It seems only recently they broke 600, then 700 but this time they should have the record firmed up for a while. This Entrepreneur Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 268th Fastest Growing Company in America has defined how much horsepower can be extracted from BMWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3.2L mill. And that new number is over 1100hp. Bergemann started with the stout iron block extracted from a 2002 E46 M3. This 3.2L inline-6 produces 333 NA horsepower so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blessed with a design that will only help move air with forced induction added. Starting with the head treatment, many readers will be surprised to hear what Bergemann revealed. Nothing has been done to it. It has no port and polishing and

03/12/08 4:31 PM

POWERHOUSE The EMS also controls the oil scavenge pump, methanol activation and a safety methanol line pressure switch drops to low boost when outside of safety range. When the dust settled the numbers were in and the Horsepower freaks were proud to share with us they made 902whp with 679ft-lbs of ground-pounding torque. retains stock valvetrain, cams and cam gears. “No need for anything fancy,” Bergemann admits “this thing has huge ports and double VANOS, so its good to go. Hell, it even has a stock headgasket.” The bottom end however, is a different piece of work. The bottom end has been strengthened with HPF components: pistons, rings, connecting rods and crank treatment but their details are murky. Bergemann will not disclose any details about these components because they are propriety. HPF produces highest horsepower around and they aren’t about to give their competition any hints on how they did it. The competition will just have to spend time and money reverse engineering if they want to decode the mystery of 1100 usable ponies. These horsepower figures aren’t attained by a built motor alone because at the heart of every HPF car is a big turbo. In the case of this car, HPF deployed the Precision HPS76 dual ball-bearing turbo connected to a network of HPF lines to cool and lubricate. HPF oil scavenge pump is connected to HPF oil feed lines while HPF coolant lines direct the water. To feed the beast, the combustion chamber needed more fuel and lots of it. Fuel is drawn in with three pumps: a factory unit and twin Walbro 255lph inline pumps. The pressure is regulated by an AEM FPR before meeting up with an HPF fuel rail connected to six 1200cc RC Engineering injectors. Ignition comes from AEM’s Twin Fire ignition system and stock coils blazing up Denso Iridium plugs. While the air is drawn in with a HPF intake and piped post-compression into an HPF front mount intercooler, piping and silicone couplers while being vented with twin HKS SSQV blow-off valves. The air charge slams into the HPF cast aluminum manifold with integrated methanol injection. The FJO methanol injection system 32

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WHITE HEAT keeps the exhaust gas temps low, so the boost can be cranked, timing advanced and horsepower levels set to: Freak. The boost is regulated with a TiAL 44mm wastegate and dumped into a HPF Stage III 4-inch exhaust with a tone that sends a clear message for other cars to pull to the right. HPF set out to design an engine management system to make this mechanical masterpiece work. Based on the AEM EMS box, the HPF system takes control of everything needed to keep this car tamed. The HPF engine management system features speed-based boost control, traction control with a controller inside cabin, methanol control and switched maps for pump gas, race fuel and methanol. The EMS also controls the oil scavenge pump, methanol activation and a safety methanol line pressure switch drops to low boost when outside of safety range. When the dust settled the numbers were in and the Horsepower freaks were proud to share with us they made 902whp with 679ft-lbs of groundpounding torque. All that power needed to be properly harnessed to prevent failure. So HPF turned to Japanese driveline spcialists, OS Giken for one of their triple plate iclutches. Combined with a lightweight flywheel, the OS Giken unit spins up a factory driveshaft, LSD and even axles. A true testament to BMWs ability to build stout driveline components, the 6-speed transmission is totally stock! Over the course of the two year buildup, Bergemann left little untouched. If it was left factory, it was because the stock components were so capable,

ROLLIN’ DEEP

The roll HS10s 19inx1g0g-ienar is a rare set of Enkr finished in cus ch fronts 19x13-inch re euz selected were tom gold. The high spe ars with massive 3Nitto’s Invo 285/30R19ed rubber 45/30R19 in th e rear. fronts

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WHITE HEAT even the aftermarket couldn’t top it. An 1100 horsepower car obviously needs brakes, enough to deal with the speed it attains in confined spaces and for Bergemann there was no other alternative than the Brembo GT system. So a set of 6-piston 380mm stoppers were installed up front complemented by 4-piston 330mm rears. The already capable suspension received a set of KW Variant 3 coilovers with separate compression and rebound adjustments. To correct the camber, a set of UUC rear control arms were added and a HPF underbrace ties the chassis up. The rolling gear is a rare set of Enkreuz HS10s 19x10-inch fronts 19x13-inch rears finished in custom gold. The high speed rubber selected were Nitto’s Invo 285/30R19 fronts with massive 345/30R19s in the rear. The look Bergemann’s creation is definitely on point, one of the leading reasons it is on the cover. HPF decided to roll with the Azuka Design carbon fiber body kit to achieve increased downforce at high speeds, reduced weight and accommodate outrageously sized rubber. The kit installed by Asuka and Karwerkz consisting of front and rear bumpers, sideskirts, hood, trunk, front and rear fenders is fully functional. Bergemann decided to opt to cover the entire shell in “a lot” of coats of IS350 pearl white applied by Platinum VIP. They capped off the look with an Umnitza stealth grill, LED angel eyes and dark corners.

AUDIO ASSAUL T

For s ence a Koemnewsoooundtracks during the feeding a load d KVT512 headunit wexperirests are 8-inc of MB Quart gear. In thas added video signals. h SAVV LCD monitors e headto relay

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Owner: CHrIS BErGEMANN LOcatiOn: HAPPy VALLEy VehicLe: 2002 BMW M3 , or POwer: 902WHP WITH 679 LB-FT

THE E S S E N T I A L S

ENGINE

BMW 3.2L S54 Inline-6

ENGINE MoDIFICATIoNS

M HoUSE oF Btoooan MB Quart DSC20. 0Fo0r.1thD eammpidtos and

s d e Signals aMreB fe emium LdinMeB12Quart DSC280 d2r1iv0es.th r P t r a u Q drive twninMB Quart DSC480 anQuart PV1216 and PV1 highs, aents consisting of MB MB ids and highs, an compon e 12s. For the m s no on tap, there wa With over 1000hp on interior s er n had to cut corn reason Bergeman y “M . ht ig o that added we upgrades or audi track g in at in m nded to be a do project was inte and ng ivi dr ily t sacrificing da car while still no luxurie th of h uc ann added. M em rg Be rt” fo m co e addition of r remains with th ous stock interio the mill. An AEM to keep tabs on several gauges d along with deband was adde 6-in-1 UEGO wi ch Gauge Pod. uge in an Autote an AEM Boost ga experience a racks during the For some soundt ded feeding a headunit was ad Kenwood KVT512 e fed to an MB t gear. Signals ar load of MB Quar twin MB Quart 1D amp to drive Quart DSC2000.

Premium Lin 80 drive the d MB Quart DSC2 Quart DSC480 an art PV1216 and isting of MB Qu components cons ion blocks are ring and distribut PV1210s. The wi 8-inch rear onceptz and the courtesy of KnuK VV. re provided by SA LCD monitors we ,000 but 00 st well over $1 All-in, the car co rth of that no r t disclose how fa Bergemann won’ vested in rs ou sands of man-h figure. With thou ’t goen ar lts ar build, the resu over the two ye e soon. im yt an rs by other tune ed pp to be to g in to out-do F crew decides Well, until the HP it, that is s ha . And rumor themselves again y. already under wa

Precision HPS76 dual ball bearing turbo HorsepowerFreaks oil scavenge pump HorsepowerFreaks oil feed and return lines HorsepowerFreaks turbo coolant lines. HorsepowerFreaks cast aluminum intake manifold HorsepowerFreaks fuel rail HorsepowerFreaks intercooler HorsepowerFreaks intercooler piping FJO methanol injection kit AEM FPR Walbro 255 inline pumps x2 HKS Super Sequential BOVs TiAL 44mm with V-band RC Engineering 1200cc injectors HorsepowerFreaks-spec connecting rods HorsepowerFreaks-spec pistons & rings ARP studs and fasteners HorsepowerFreaks Stage 3 4-inch V-ban d exhaust Steed Speed CNC’d steel ceramic coated manif HorsepowerFreaks magnesium plated motor old mounts

ENGINE MANAGEMENT

HPF-developed AEM EMS - VANOS Control - Methanol Control & safety switch - Traction Control - Knock Sensor Alarm AEM Six in One UEGO Wideband AEM Boost gauge

DrIVELINE

OS Giken R-Type Triple Plate OS Giken lightweight flyweel

ExTErIor

Asuka Design carbon fiber body kit: - front bumper - rear bumper - sideskirts - hood - trunk Umnitza stealth grill Umnitza LE angel eyes Umnitza smoked corners IS350 pearl white paint by Platinum VIP Graphics by Centerpointe Signs

WHEELS, TIrES, BrAKES

Enkreuz HS10 alloys with Nitto Invo tires (f) 19x10-inch with 285/30R19 (r) 19x13-inch with 345/30R19 Brembo GT 6-piston front brakes 380x3 2mm Brembo GT 4-piston rear brakes 345x2 8mm

SUSPENSIoN

KW Suspension Variant 3 coilovers UUC rear control arms HPF under-chassis brace

AUDIo & MULTIMEDIA

Kenwood KVT512 LCD headunit MB Quart DSC2000.1D sub amp MB Quart DSC480 mid-range amp MB Quart DSC280 high frequency amps MB Quart Premium Line 12 subs x2 MB Quart PV1216 components MB Quart PV1210 components KnuKonceptz distribution blocks and power wires

SHoUToUTS

HorsepowerFreaks Asuka Design Karwerkz MB Quart Nitto KW Suspension Enkreuz Umnitza OS Giken Brembo SAVV AEM KnuKonceptz

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SAFE n’ SOUND

SECURITY GUIDE Text and Photos by Garry Springgay

hen my editor asked me to take on this security comparison, I was hesitant, because as I explained to him, it had been quite a while since I had installed an alarm, and the amount of remote starter kits I had installed could be counted on my fingers. But with a bit of persuasion and the promise of a case of Ketchup flavored potato chips (don’t laugh if you haven’t had ‘em) and some Canadian beer, I decided to have a go at comparing seven modern remote start/security systems for any of you in the market for one. What I subsequently learned, was that these products have come a very long way in the last ten years, in terms of both technology and capabilities. For example, all of the remote controls incorporate anti code-grabbing science, or what is commonly referred to as “rolling code” technology. Transceiver remotes for two-way communication with the car are also quite common, these high tech remotes usually include both audible and vibration alerts, and incorporate small displays, providing the ability to communicate various status conditions in real time. Many of these systems can also be interfaced with special vehicle specific modules, which allow direct and seamless connectivity with the vehicles digital data bus. Once optional features, like parking light flashing and door lock operation, are standard and simply expected. I also learned that to install one of these systems in a modern car, particularly one that uses a digital bus architecture to control many of the vehicles features, requires training and experience. The remote start systems have come a long way too, and now almost all of them include programmable timed start functions, anti-grinding protection, and are much easier to interface. Some are able to work on both automatic or manual transmission vehicles, while others are specifically for auto trans applications only. If you have a manual transmission, make sure the system you’re considering will work, and after it’s installed, double check the safety lock out functions. But on the upside, all this advancement in technology means that most of these systems have almost universal vehicle compatibility, allowing installation times to be less than half of what they were ten years ago. Having said that, if you haven’t spent much time under a modern cars dashboard in the last 5 years, I’d strongly suggest that you have any of these systems professionally installed. These modern systems come with long warranties, (many are warranted for life) which means you can expect good reliability too. The seven systems we present here were chosen because they offer a diversity in both features and price, and while a couple of them are really not high-security systems, all are full featured remote start systems and they all incorporate common convenience features. Our main goal here was to provide you with an idea of the vast array of choices available, and furnish you with some information as to what these fully modern systems are capable of. The accompanying chart is not meant to provide an all inclusive list of features, but merely to serve as a guide to compare the more common and popular features available. If you do not see a specific feature listed, you should contact the dealer or manufacturer for complete details. Also, many of the systems featured here have additional modules and capabilities available, for which you should consult a local dealer. The prices quoted are manufacturer suggested retail prices, and may vary from dealer to dealer.

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Alarm Guide 10.10 V5.indd 2

04/12/08 11:59 AM

AUTOPAGE

CLIFFORD

CRIMESTOPPER

EXCALIBUR

POLARSTART

UNGO

ZENESIS

RS 1000 OLED

LC3 50.7X

RS-1304 DP II

RS 310 EDP

PS-7850TW-FM

SR9000

Z602AS

$799.95

$499.95CAD

$169.95

$199US / $249CAD

$399.95CAD

$329USD / $359CAD 1 hour

2 hours

1 hour

45 min

1.5 hours

$479US / $399CAD 2 hours

Warranty

Limited Lifetime

Limited 3 years

Limited Lifetime

Estimated Remote Battery Life Avg 8 functions per day

Recharge every 2 months

Replace @ 1 Year

6 months

Replace battery @ 3-4 months

Included

Price US/CAD Avg Expert Install time

Control Module

SECURITY FUNCTIONS Wiring Harness Antenna Type Main Remote control type (Transceiver = 2 way communication Transmitter = Send only) Remote range (typical)

Yes 2 way Stick On Glass

Yes 2 way w/status LED, valet sw Stick On Glass

Yes

Stick On Glass

Stick On Glass w/valet sw and status LEDs

2 way w/status LED Stick On Glass

2 way Stick On Glass

(1) Vibrating 5 button Transceiver w/ LCD display 1 mile

(1) Vibrating Transceiver w/ Color OLED display 1 mile

Yes 900 MHz SDC SST with Rolling Code

(1) Vibrating Transceiver w/ Color OLED display

Vibrating 5 button Transceiver w/LCD display

(2) 5 Button Transmitters

(2) Backlit 4 button Transmitters

(1) 6 button LCD Vibrating Transceiver

1 mile

100 Yards

400 Yards

half mile

Yes 915MHz Rolling code (1) 5 button Transmitter Yes

Yes 900MHz SST Rolling code (1) 5 button Transmitter Yes

Yes 433MHz Rolling code

Yes 433MHz Rolling code (1) 4 button Transmitter Yes

Yes 433MHz Rolling code (1) 5 button Transmitter Yes

Yes

Yes 433MHz Rolling code (1) 4 button Transmitter Yes

Disarm via Password

Yes

Remote Silent Arming

Yes

Remote paging Multi-Level Arming (allows zone bypass during arming) Warn Away (via shock sensor) High Security Disarm

Yes

Optional Echo Module

Yes

Multi-car capable Remote Frequency/Type Additional remote control Panic mode

None

Opt SAA7701U

Yes

Dome Light Interface

Yes

Shock/Glass Sensor

2 stage

None

2 stage

25 watt Pulsed or Constant 1

6 tone compact Pulsed or Constant 1

None

None Pulsed or Constant 1

6 tone compact Pulsed or Constant 1

6 tone compact Pulsed or Constant No

Nuisance Prevention

Yes after 10 min

Yes

Parking light control

Yes (+) or (-)

Yes

Siren Description Horn output Hood/Trunk Pin included

Yes 1

Passive Arming capable

Yes

Security Decals

Yes

Power Save mode

Yes

After 24 hours

Anti Car-Jacking

Yes

Optional sensor input

Yes

Door open by password

Yes

REMOTE START FUNCTIONS Remote start function

Anti-Grind

Yes Tach or Voltage sense Yes

Yes Tach VTS or Voltage sense Yes

Yes Tach or Voltage sense Yes, optional

Yes Tach, Data Tach or Voltage sense Yes

Yes Tach VTS or Voltage sense Yes

Yes Tach or Voltage sense Yes

Engine run time

15,25 min

Type of engine start sensing

5,10,20,30 min

12,24,60 min

12,24,36,48 min

5,10,15,20 min

3,15,25 min

12,24,60 min

Manual trans

Yes

Optional

Yes

Start confirmation on remote

Yes

Optional Echo Module

Yes

Status Output

Yes

Adjustable crank time

Yes

Number of start attempts

Neutral/Brake switch input

Yes

Clock/Timer Turbo Timer (allows turbo cooling before shut down)

Yes/Yes

Yes

Yes/Yes

No/Yes

Yes/Yes

Yes

Temp monitor

Yes

Multi-fuel capable

Yes

Optional

Yes

Yes Yes

Timer start

Yes

Yes: Timed/Temp

Run after Key removal

Yes

Hood Open Safety Circuit

Yes

Alarm Guide 10.10 V5.indd 3

04/12/08 11:59 AM

SAFE n’ sound SECURITY GUIDE

AUTOPAGE

CLIFFORD

CRIMESTOPPER

EXCALIBUR

POLARSTART

UNGO

ZENESIS

RS 1000 OLED

LC3 50.7X

RS-1304 DP II

RS 310 EDP

PS-7850TW-FM

SR6000

Z602AS

CONVENIENCE FUNCTIONS Remote Keyless Entry

Yes

Onboard door lock relay

Negative output

Yes

Adjustable door lock pulse length

Yes

Optional module

Yes

Ign controlled door locks

Yes

Configurable

Yes

Optional

Auxiliary output channels

On-Board relays

Trigger Zones

None

Shock sensor Bypass

Yes

Factory Disarm/Re-arm

Yes

Yes with optional module

Yes

Trunk Release

Yes

Temp display

Yes

Manual

Via Remote / IGN / Valet Switch

Manual

Via Remote / IGN / Valet Switch

Via Remote

Yes

Rear Window Defogger Output

Valet Mode Auto close windows sunroof on Arm

Autopage RS 1000 OLED The RS1000 OLED from Autopage is a very full featured system, with everything you’d expect in a remote start system, and the security system features almost every conceivable function you’ll need or want. Capable of monitoring up to 6 security zones, and including a 2 stage shock sensor as well as a loud 25 watt siren, it’s easily apparent that the folks at Autopage take the security end of things seriously. The 2 way remote control is rechargeable via a mini USB port to save the hassle of periodic battery changes, and the charger for the remote is included in the system. The remote itself uses a full color OLED type display for excellent clarity, and is easy to use thanks to a clever jog shuttle control on the side of the remote. The frequently used buttons on both the main and second remotes are large enough to use while wearing gloves, and they are recessed to prevent accidental operation when in your pocket. The second transmitter also has a sliding cover to hide the buttons completely when in your pocket, and the cover operates smoothly and naturally with your thumb. The included antenna for the system is

www.automob.ca www.autopageusa.com

smaller than most, and should be relatively easy to mount in an unobtrusive area. The system comes quite complete, with all the required harnesses and includes one 12V relay. Well written manuals are included, and will be quite adequate for most technicians to fully install and program the system. The Autopage system is not intended for manual transmission vehicles. The system is not cheap, but it offers a superb combination of security, remote start, and convenience features.

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Alarm Guide 10.10 V5.indd 4

04/12/08 12:00 PM

Clifford LC3 50.7X

www.automob.ca www.clifford.com

The Clifford system is another fairly serious security system that incorporates the convenience of remote starting. Like a couple of the others here, the Clifford system is also highly customizable for the specific individual’s requirements, using their “Bitwriter” programmer. The system will monitor doors, hood and trunk, and includes a “warn away” function that works with the shock sensor built into the main unit. Additional security modules such as a proximity sensor are also available. The valet switch and status LED’s are incorporated into the antenna system which simplifies the installation, and the LC350.7X is compatible with manual transmission vehicles. The main transceiver remote control is on the large side, with sharper corners and harder edges than most of the others, but the display is easy to read, and the 2 main buttons are well placed and can be used with gloved hands. The remote also has audible confirmations as well as status indications, but lacks some of the “bling” of the color or OLED displays. We also found the 3 side located buttons easy to use as long as we were not wearing gloves. The main remote charges via a mini USB connector and an AC wall charger is included. The second remote is a 1 way transmitter, with 5 stacked buttons that again were quite easy to operate unless we had heavy gloves on. The owners and installation manuals are fairly complete, but are written for someone with at least some prior alarm installation experience, and they assume the availability of the Bitwriter programmer.

Crimestopper RS-13D4 DPI

www.crimestopper.com The economical RS-1304 system does not pretend to be a security system; its primary function is a full featured remote start system that can also add a few additional conveniences to your vehicle. Easily the simplest system in this comparison to install, and without the fancy (and expensive) 2 way communication capabilities, the Crimestopper is aimed at the value oriented user, who simply wants to add a reliable remote start system to their vehicle. The RS-1304DPII is not recommended for manual trans vehicles. The two included remotes are identical except for a bit of carbon fiber-look trim on one of them, I suppose so you can tell them apart. The remotes large buttons are recessed and very easy to operate, even with gloves on. Our only quibble was that they are activated with a much lighter touch than most, and might be a bit more prone to accidental operation if jammed in a coat pocket and attached to a ring full of keys. The system allows for operation of the OEM security or keyless entry system, as well as adding things like a trunk release and flashing light confirmations. The antenna is small and is designed to mount on a glass surface. If you are only really interested in the remote start functions, the RS-1304 DPII is a great place to start. And for those seeking even more features and protection, the newly released Crimestopper SP-500, FS-50, SP-600 or FS-60 may be just what you’re looking for. WWW.PASMAG.COM – PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND

Alarm Guide 10.10 V5.indd 5

04/12/08 1:11 PM

SAFE n’ sound SECURITY GUIDE

excalibur RS 310 EDP

www.caralarm.com

Another of the lower priced units in this comparison, the Excalibur system proved to have a great set of features for remote start and convenience, but isn’t really what we’d consider a serious security system. Lacking a siren and shock sensor, and evidently not able to have these components added, but it at least includes flashing LED’s to warn would-be thieves to pick an easier target! In our opinion, the Excalibur unit is best suited to someone looking for remote door lock and unlock, and full featured remote starting functions. The antenna for the system includes the flashing LED’s as well as the valet switch, so it will need to be mounted somewhere conspicuous from the exterior of the car, as well as within reach when inside. The two remote controls feature rounded shapes, and slide very easily into your pocket, but we found the buttons were a bit easier to accidentally activate while in your pocket than some other designs. A full 2-way communication “Echo” module is available if you want to add remote paging and status verification to the system.

Polarstart PS 7850TW-FM

www.automob.ca

Although the name suggests a remote start focus, the Polarstart piece is a reasonably fully featured security system and includes trigger inputs for 6 different zones, and a somewhat diminutive, but clearly audible siren. It provides remote keyless entry, as well as parking light flashing and remote trunk release. While it doesn’t have quite the sophistication as a few of the other systems, it still includes a transceiver remote as well as a transmitter remote, and additional features are available as options. The antenna mounts on glass and includes a status LED. The main remote transceiver is a bit bulky, but has nicely recessed buttons, the main two of which are easily operated while wearing gloves. The other 4 buttons are better accessed with bare fingers, as they not only require a fairly determined press, they lack tactile feedback. The LCD display is clear and easy to read, but the display only remains on for about 3 seconds, so it’s difficult to read on a single button press. The second remote is a 5 button design that’s a bit more ergonomic and uses a blue LED as button press confirmation. The system comes with a manual and a quick installation guide, but it’s written in a manner that requires some experience and tech savvy to decipher.

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Alarm Guide 10.10 V5.indd 6

04/12/08 1:11 PM

UNGO SR9000

www.clarion.com

Another very complete security and remote start system, the Ungo SR9000 offers most everything you need for full security, convenience and remote start functionality. Don’t let the price fool you, the Ungo systems moderate price belies its advanced capabilities. The LCD remote has a large easy-to-read display that includes amber backlighting. Secure Digital Communication (SDC) Spread Spectrum Technology gives the remote an impressive 1-Mile range. The system comes with a programmable 6 tone siren, anti carjacking functions and a diminutive antenna that can easily be mounted in an unobtrusive location. It monitors up to 6 security zones, and the remote start functionality is first rate, but limited to automatic transmission vehicles. Ungo dealers with a ProSecurity Programmer can customize system settings and timing to meet the end-customers needs - including remote-specific functionality. The unit comes with very detailed instruction manuals for both the installation and operation of the SR9000.

Zenesis X602AS

www.zenesisalarms.com

The Zenesis remote start/security system is another mid-priced product that incorporates almost every function most of us could ever want or need. The alarm microprocessor module, or “brain” is a bit larger than most, and it’s also heavier. That’s because there are no less than 8 on-board relays, which can help simplify the installation. A rather unique feature is the Z-Pass function which incorporates a knock sensor mounted on the windshield or rear glass, allowing you to arm or disarm the system by “tapping” in the appropriate secret code. Security monitoring features include 6 zones, a siren, dual stage shock sensor, and a flashing LED. The system we received included two remote controls, the main one incorporates a OLED full color display mounted in a sideways orientation. Zenesis seems to have maximized the screen size while keeping the remote size compact, (perhaps a concession to longer battery life) which also appeals to those seeking a pocket-friendly remote size. All four buttons on the main transceiver remote are easily found on the right hand side, but can be a little tricky to use when wearing heavy gloves. The second remote is a very low profile unit, which fits easily into your pocket, and has 4 large buttons on the front. This remote was very easy to use with gloves. The Zenesis system also uses the largest antenna of all the products in this comparison, but should still be fairly simple to mount in an out of the way location.

WWW.PASMAG.COM – PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND

Alarm Guide 10.10 V5.indd 7

04/12/08 1:12 PM

test report

kicker wx10000.1 “warhorse” Text and Measurements by Garry Springgay // Photos by Kicker Performance Audio

the wx10000.1 is a significant breakthrough in amplifier design... whether you compete or just want boulevard bragging rights, the warhorse will earn them for you.

very once in a while I’m fortunate enough to review a product that represents a whole new way of looking at things. It it’s always a welcome reminder tha t just about the time we think we’ve reached the limits of tec hnology in car audio, some brilliant people come up with a really innovative and progressiv e product that is not only differen t just in terms of technology, bu t a markedly different approach altogether. That recently happen ed when my friends at Kicker se nt me both an engineer and on e of Warhorse WX10000.1 am their plifiers. (Fortunately for their en gineer Charlie Fox, they didn’t ship him by UPS with the amp, he fle separately the following w in week) 46

I don’t usually require som eone from the facthan (50) 3300µF capacitors tory to assist me with an am in the power supply, plifier test, but as 64 MOSFET devices handle the you’ll soon find out, the Wa switching, with rhorse is not a typical 16 devices for each of the amplifi amplifier. To illustrate what ers 4 planar I mean, the amp is transformers, each capable so different it came with a of 5000 watts. training DVD, so the In very simplified terms, inst first thing I did was pour a ead of a power fresh cup of coffee sup ply that creates constant volt and sit down to watch and age rails and learn. When I was a current supply for a separa done, I came away impres te output stage, sed, excited, and to the Warhorse’s DSP looks at be honest, a bit intimidate the incoming audio d by the amp, which is sign al and controls the power sup pretty rare for me. plies Pulse Width Modulated output, cre Without going into a lot of com ating a PWM based plex technical audio output signal wavefo detail, the Kicker Warhorse rm. The examination of is almost completely the input signal and adjusting of unlike any other car audio the power supply amplifier. It actually happens about 24,000 times has no output stage. Go bac per second, which k and read that last is the clock speed of the DSP sentence again, and think abo . Fundamentally, the ut it for a minute. am p looks at the input signal, The basics of how it works and determines are actually almost instantaneously wha anything but basic. A powerfu t the frequency and l DSP program level is, and generates that controls the power supply, waveform. and the audio signal This PWM waveform of the is actually modulated by this amplified audio DSP through what sign al is sampled again and cor we would normally conside rected as r the power supply. needed by the DSP, then filte There are no secondary stor red to “round off age capacitors, and the square bits” quite similar no output transistors. Instead ly to a conventional , there are no less Class D amplifier, and voila, you have the audio

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Kicker Warhorse 10.10.indd 2

03/12/08 5:26 PM

ed high performance you need at least 8 dedicat t can actually tha trol con g itin lim que uni 200A alternators! and a batteries, and at least two the amplifier er pow put out of t oun am uld be as close limit the Additionally, the batteries sho tem isn’t up to sys g rgin cha r you if e reduce voltage duc to will pro to the amplifier as possible nts. Let’s talk me uire req s eou rag out ons. Owning and er diti it’s rath drop under high current con … ute min a plifiers is a for t am tha se about properly feeding one of the a few days ahead e her ved arri e a special rse tak rho Wa will it The serious commitment, and because that gave , did it glad pull it off to I’m to and , icle rlie veh of Cha individual and a dedicated bench for the test my e par pre to e tim e me som full potential. about 35 inches benches current big Kicker amp. Measuring Once I was confident in the 5 inches tall, it 3.7 and e wid es inch attention to the 18 , my long supply capabilities, I turned I have tested This is where . doesn’t sound all that huge. rse output section of the Warho ed quite a bit puts of the out amps even bigger that produc The things got a little unusual. watts the War000 10, the n tha ted to dual er nec pow con less amplifier are designed to be ever tip the scales how s doe It outputs, d. said me I , clai yes se hor voice coil woofers only. And certainly not just a it’s so , nds to supply pou ed ign 65 r des ove is p bit at a plural, even though the am m. re inu the , alum see of You . nk fers big chu a mono signal for subwoo Labs we generally io Aud ent the Cog on s at e tion her nec Now are two separate output con t benches capabilused together, each pride ourselves on our tes Warhorse, and they must be hype, this amplifier the to up d live fer. One supplies it if woo but ity, on a separate coil of a DVC tinuous power con t hes hig the be to sinewave, and ng the goi of was is the positive output phase output signal. It’s operation Charlie had e. dat to ted tes e e half. Hence, hav I ativ ier neg amplif also pretty the other one supplies the quite fantastic actually, and A supply might not 800 my t tha e signal, me plet d rne com a wa fore you need both outputs for about the brain power k current demands, pea humbling when you think the for s because ugh coil e eno te voic te qui be and you need two separa . ed to add some adpar that programmed this DSP pre be I not be ted can p ges am sug er and ns are mostly the outputs of this monst ck math proved he qui The rest of the audio functio of bit A nectors are t. ren con r cur l ake ona diti connected together. The spe l, but because the ck call to the good qui a what you’d consider norma so t, tors, and righ nec ly con bab e pro typ s wa sturdy and safe Andersen around a powerful d in a couple of ulte res whole amplifier is designed er y high ver Pow the etic Kin from at n s guy they provide good insulatio few extra and weldual voltage HC16 tive ova verDSP processor, there are a inn deli of also able and cap is new ir the e indicators for unvoltages that the Warhorse or so later. (Look for r day come LED indicators. You hav ove a e ving duc arri pro s can cell er rse pow ing. At full chat, the Warho t” indicator for when formance cells in per h re der and over voltage, a “Ne hig mo a is ultr ch se whi the es, on wir re mo 140 volts on the speaker WXRC control module, e). you are using the optional your house run on! ther article inside this issu ano the w kno you voltage than most things in lets and even an indicator that vy duty copper buss bars hea e som Kicker engineerde the ma I All of a sudden I was glad overlapping with the batteries together ESR subsonic filter settings are low new the t things as safe as nec ke con ma to ing team was careful to also an over temp then I connected no and crossover settings. There is ply, sup A 800 gs suddenly made my plu to en and possible, and the Anders icator that comes on les! The Warhorse cab er indicator, and a service ind pow 1/0 six take, the output of n mis tha no less a lot more sense. Make lly bad. The rest of the ative power cables, neg 3 if something has gone rea and itive pos 3 cause very serious for ially s call this amplifier could potent the Warhorse feature ded them all! To put nee controls and main panel of we , out s turn precautions are it the as all and s through outputs, injury or even death, so your car, and be able in the usual RCA inputs and pas iers plif am se the of one trols including gain, not just for show. watts available, and a full complement of con ually generate the 10,000 act to ver, sso cro s pas low r, bass boost, a subsonic filte

The thing is most efficient too, at al . er 90% at full powit ba During testing, Thisrely even got warm. o much was becoming toto noise fun! The signal me was about the saass D as an average Cl ncy amp, and the freqerue ion at response and op d lle of the DSP controas you’d as w rs crossove expect, perfect. WWW.PASMAG.COM – PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND

Kicker Warhorse 10.10.indd 3

03/12/08 5:26 PM

test report

kicker wx10000.1 “warhorse”

technical data The following power measu rements were obtained usin g industry standard metho (50Hz @ 1.0% THD+N - Bat ds. tery voltages shown +/- 0.2 V) measured performa nce specifications

manufacturers rated power 5000 x 1 @ 4 Ω

actual measured po @ 1.0% thd+n wer @ 12.6V Battery 3872 x 1 @ 4 Ω

10,000 x 1 @ 2 Ω

Input Sensitivity Maximum Current @ full Frequency Response (-3

5085 x 1 @ 4 Ω

6112 x 1 @ 2 Ω

Signal to Noise Ratio ref erenced to 2V output. (CEA-2006A) (1 watt @ 4 ohms) Signal to Noise Ratio ref erenced to full output Distortion at rated powe r (50Hz @ 4 ohms) CEA-2006A rated 4 ohm Power (minimum power per channel developed over the entire intended audio bandwid th) Maximum Efficiency at ful l 2 ohm power per ch. Idle Current

power 2 ohms.

dB)

High Pass Crossover Low Pass Crossover Bass EQ boost Phase Adjustment (degre

es of shift @ 100Hz)

actual measured po @ 1.0% thd+d wer @ 14.4V Battery 10,412 x 1 @ 2 Ω

-54.2dBA

on the Bench Charlie arrived as scheduled, and we quickly got down to business. In add ition to being fully 0.80% versed in the care and feedin g of the Warhorse, it turned out that we shared interests in playing 5080 watts/ch music, and hotrods. Charlie told me that a great many of the folks at Kicker are amateur musi89.6% cians, and just as many of them are seriously into cars too. A product like 6.1A the Warhorse then, is simply a logical extensio n of what the people 170mV- 5.5V who built it are into, and the ir advancing the art of technology is good for all of 807A us. And I must say, the Kicker Warhorse is an 20Hz – 196Hz amazing piece of technolog y. Although I have an 800A DC supply that operate n/a s on 230V 3 phase AC current, and the 2 Kinetic 50Hz – 200Hz Power Cells, I still had to make some adjustme nts and modifications -24dB/oct to my bench to be able to deliver all the peak cur+18dB @ 40Hz rent required to fully tax this beast. Once that was complete… Wow! N/A It actually exceed both the 4 ohm and 2 ohm power specifications! I wa s ver y thankful I’d had the foresight to install 16, 000 watts of load bank capability! Once you get past its immens e current requirements and unbelievable out put power, the Warhorse tests pretty much like any oth er amplifier. It simply produces power and eventu ally clips, the main difference is that when this amp finally goes into

-91.2dBA

the kicke arhorse is an amazing piece of technorlow gy ... it ac tu al ly exceed both the 4 ohm and 2 ohm pow er sp ec ifications! i was very thankful i’d ha d th e foresigh install 16,000 watts of lo ad bank capabitlito ty!

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Kicker Warhorse 10.10.indd 4

03/12/08 5:27 PM

VOCALS + MUSIC: KIA SHINE SUBS, AMPS + CONNECTIONS: MEMPHIS

MEMPHISCARAUDIO.COM

RESPECT THE MUSIC. RESPECT THE LISTENER. RESPECT THE FRESH.

MEMPHIS CAR AUDIO

Memphis.indd 1

RESPECT 10/8/08 5:23:03 PM

test report

kicker wx10000.1 “warhorse” Cogent Audio Labs

CROSSOVER RANGE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

+4 +2 -0 -2 -4 -6 -8 -10 -12 -14 -16 -18 d B r

-20 -22 -24 -26 -28 -30 -32 -34 -36 -38 -40 -42

clipping, it’s producing eno ugh power to run your house! The amplifier has excellent control and I even worked up enough cou rage to dead short the outputs at abo ut 2000 watts… the DSP sim ply sent the amp into protection unt il I removed the short. No fus s, no dra ma. In fact that was something I noted while testing… whi le oth er hig h power amps I’ve tested ten d to sizzle and sing a bit, the Wa rho rse simply sat there, as if to say , okay, there is 8 kilowatts, now what? You want more? And it see med like it would do it all day long. The thing is efficient too, at alm ost 90% at full power. During testing, it barely even got warm. This was becoming too much fun ! The signal to noise was about the sam e as an average Class D am p, and the frequency response and ope ration of the DSP controlled cro ssovers was as you’d expect, perfec t.

-44 -46 -48 10

100

200

500

Hz KICKER WARHORSE WX10000.1

CROSSOVER RANGE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

Cogent Audio Labs

0dB = 2.0Vrms

MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

+2 -0 -2 -4 -6 -8 -10 -12 -14 -16 -18 d B r

-20 -22 -24 -26 -28 -30 -32 -34 -36 -38 -40 -42 -44 -46 -48 10

100

200

500

Hz KICKER WARHORSE WX10000.1

MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

Cogent Audio Labs

0dB = 2.0Vrms

SUBSONIC FILTER - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

+6 +4 +2 -0 -2 -4 -6 -8 -10 -12 -14 -16 -18 d B r

-20

Listening A couple of days after Cha rlie left, I had the opportunity to hook the big Kicker amp up to a pair of high power handlin g DVC woofers. Although I had to be car eful with the output becaus e you’d need about a dozen woofe rs to handle this amp proper ly, I was pretty happy with the amps sonics. It didn’t sound like it was simply a big power supply, and in fact it had good woofer con trol and of course way more power tha n I could ever use. I did not ice a bit of what I’d call a hazy distorti on in the output at very low levels (under 2 watts) but I highly doubt anyone who buys one of the se will ever use it there! This amp is all about SPL, and from what I’ve seen, there is no question that it can deliver.

concLusion

The WX10000.1 is a signifi cant breakthrough in amplif ier design. Because of the high cost of the required DSP implem ent atio n and the very high performance planar transformers, it’s unlikely tha t this technology will trickle too far down the line. But for a serious SPL com pet itor with the commitment to providing the current and an approp riate amount of woofers for adequate power han dling, it’s a formidable pie ce of gear. Whether you compete or just want boulevard bragging rights, the Warhorse will earn them for you.

-22 -24 -26 -28 -30 -32 -34 -36 -38 -40 -42 -44 -46 -48 -50

100

200

300

400

500

600

Hz KICKER WARHORSE WX10000.1

SUBSONIC FILTER - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

0dB = 2.0Vrms

USA - www.kicker.com Canada - www.gem sen.com

thank You

I’d like to say thanks to eve ryone at Kicker who made testing this amp possible, and also for teachin g this old dog some new tric ks; Charlie Fox - Test Engineer extraordinaire, Ron Burnett - Sr. Marketing Com mu nications Coordinator, and to my friend Bob Spence r - Director of Research and Dev elopment. Sincere thanks also go to Ric h Scott and the team at Kin etic Power for expediting the Power Cells I needed so badly to get this test don e in time for this issue. 50

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Kicker Warhorse 10.10.indd 6

03/12/08 5:27 PM

Metra Vibe.indd 1

02/12/08 3:12 PM

test report

american bass hD12D2 Text by Dave MacKinnon (www.osmlabs.com) // Photos by Manufacturer

the american bass hD12D2 a really mean is subwoofer! it offers good efficiency and voice coils, it be configured can to maximize the power production capabilities of most amps on the market.

his past winter, right after a big snow storm , I decided to make a run down to Niagara Fa lls, NY to check out a dB Drag Racing event. I hung around ch atting with old friends and wa tched these poor cars and sm all trucks produce SPL lev els with a pair of 12-inch woofe rs that 10 years ago not even tw elve 15-inch woofers could produce. While perusing the field of competitors, it became obvious that American Bass was indeed one of the more popular options in terms of subw oofers. If you have been aroun d car audio competitions, the n the name American Bass wo n’t new to you. If it isn’t, we be ll, now you know it. For this rev iew we have one of the bran d new American Bass HD12D2 3,000W 12-inch subwoofers in the lab, so let’s make some noise !

Design At the base of the basket is The HD12D2 is one of four one of the largdrivers in the HD est motor structures ever to ent line. Its sister 12-inch driver er my test lab. is called the HD12D1 The top and bottom plates are machin and has dual 1Ω voice coils ed from instead of the dual low-carbon steel and are finis 2Ω units on this driver. Americ hed in satin black. an Bass also offers Stacked between the plates a pair of 15-inch versions, are 3 ferrite magnets again with dual 2Ω with a total weight of 300 ounces and dual 4Ω voice coils. All – truly stunof them are rated ning! A rubber boot surrounds at 1,500Wrms and 3,000W the motor assemMaximum power. bly, making it look neat and Mounting depth for the HD1 tidy . In the bottom of 2D2 is 8.11 inches the bottom plate is a 1.2-inc and it weighs an impressive h coo ling vent. 48 pounds. Don’t The voice coil former has a drop this on your toes! diameter of 3 inches and is made from ano The driver is based around dized aluminum a thick cast with cooling holes around the top aluminum basket. The bas . The voice ket features 12 thin coil winding is copper and spokes that have had their is fou r layers thick. edges machined to As mentioned previously, eac expose raw aluminum. The h win ding has a rest of the basket nominal impedance of 2Ω. wears a blank crinkle-coat Bon ded to the voice finish. Between each coil are 4 black Nomex pro pair of spokes are two ver gre ssiv e spiders with y large vents that a diameter of 7.5 inches. Thi allow air to escape from the s is the first driver outside of the voice I have experienced with 4 spid coil area. Looking inside rev ers , and given its eals the top of the rated one way excursion cap voice coil winding and lets ability of 1.1 inches, you see the vents in I can understand their need the voice coil former. in terms of keeping things aligned.

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American Bass 10.10 V3.indd 2

03/12/08 5:00 PM

required to get this more power was going to be to a Clarion DPX11551 moving. So, I connected it tching. I noticed amp and gave it a good stre er was somewhat during break-in that the driv and wind noise. You noisy in terms of suspension er upside down in won’t want to mount this driv

that the sub rolls is a large peak at 30Hz and that point. The dip off extremely quickly below onance in the car, around 40Hz is due to a res ted to the driver’s and is not an anomaly rela preference is for performance. My personal 5Hz), but given more sub-bass extension (<2 the chosen vented the drivers parameters and not surprising. enclosure, this response is

er is a Kevlar woOn top of the voice coil form d paper backsse -pre non ven cone bonded to a e is a pressed paper ing. In the center of the con ded liberally with dust cap that has been bon nce is provided by plia com black adhesive. Outer t has been glued a high-roll foam surround tha your car. ance reliability. enh to e ke” (as I call it) and stitched to the con After letting the driver “ba nme to ed lect neg e hav I t You may think tha ted it to the Woofer Tester are for 6 hours, I connec You ls. LisTening ina term for s use r tion what this speake e small signal Thiele-Small cy response som k too and 2 ls. After completing my frequen has no termina ws the sho 1 ure Fig s. ent mistaken, since this driver rem asu sso cro vers to 80Hz parameter me measurements, I reset the its tinsel leads with the ves cur se pha Each voice coil winding has and nce disc of some drivers impeda and dropped in a compilation keep them quiet drivers the ws sho 2 ure woven into the top spider to Fig and l, s lines. First up was coils in paralle classic tunes with good bas of the tinsel and under control. At the end rs. ete am Immaculate CollecThiele-Small par Madonna’s Vogue from The ered on a it was te, ple com s leads, American Bass has sold ent rem asu my early years in With the me tion. This takes me back to er cable and re. I fired losu enc t tes two foot length of 8awg pow e abl suit a ned to it in a lot of time to model the industry, and I have liste h a zip-tie. Did suitability er’s driv this secured it to the chassis wit ure ens to y good job with the up BassBox Pro cars. The HD12D2 did a ver 3,000W, . Sure res losu enc t tes anyone mention overkill? At ck’ sto ‘inion and musicalwith one of my bass line - there was definit to 32Hz ed tun re, I think not! losu enc ic cub d for this track. My enough, a 1.7 ity. Tonal balance was goo massive the ed wir I ry. cto isfa sat an Bass HD12D2, appeared to be first impression of the Americ alled inst ck, blo l ina TesTing term the to sical characteristics, speaker cables break in a thanks to its impressive phy the into lot ole It is my standard practice to wh the d ppe . Listening to this the sub and stra was that it was an SPL sub it up in a jig on an. woofer before I test it. I set sed STI aru a good job with music. trunk of my Sub track showed that it does nect it to an amp uency freq ar in-c ers the floor of my lab and con driv the ws derwebs by No Figure 3 sho Next up on the disc was Spi bench. Usually, blue line The 3V. 2.8 h wit I have mounted on my test en driv amics to the bass en response wh Doubt. This track has my dyn cy between 20 and rearward g firin e wir se pon 10-12V of input at a frequen res ers different challenge. It shows the driv line, giving the HD12D2 a iting the driver and en line is gre The k. trun 24Hz does a good job of exc the of ng or ‘slowness’ in dle from the mid demonstrated a bit of overha ursion out of it. Not s towards ard forw and s getting some good cone exc ard It’s upw g the driver firin se to really dynamic signals. a 1/4-inch of movesee that there respon can you , way so the HD12D2. I barely got er Eith k. the rear dec means that much ment from this beast. This

Figure 1.

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American Bass 10.10 V3.indd 3

03/12/08 5:01 PM

test report

AmeriCAn bAss hd12d2 Figure 2. Small Signal Thiele-Small Parameters

46.0121 Hz

Revc

1.0103 Ohms

Qes

0.5540

Qms

11.1253

Qts

0.5277

1.3768 mH (at 1 kHz)

Vas

15.7296 L (0.5555 ft^3)

12.6726 N/A

Mms

604.5903 g

Efficiency

0.2599 %

Figure 3.

Sensitivity 86.1661 dB @1W/1m Sensitivity 95.1527 dB @2.83Vrms/1M

od chest i’m all for a go this woofer offedrs pounding andou gh rumble an ce... more than en sm e on my fa shake to put aally il n sub for poundthis is one re n infuyo own little ing around toworld! ur (really loud) w ans, just not audiophile not a catastrophe by any me my brief listening session tight. Last but not least in Marshall Mathers, also was none other than one Mr. track Without Me. In spite known as Eminem and his someone tweaky in terms of my reputation for being s, I listened to the entire of my listening preference ic level – this is one really track at a quite enthusiast town in your own little fun sub for pounding around (really loud) world! measurements, there As predicted by the in-car the subsonic range in was no appreciable output Bachbusters seem (<25Hz), making tracks from nding and this pou st thin. I’m all for a good che rumble and shake ugh woofer offers more than eno to put a smile on my face.

ConClusion

d efficiency and with its an subwoofer! It offers goo me lly rea a is 2 12D HD s capabilities of most The American Bas ximize the power production ma to red figu con be can it sub can dual 2Ω voice coils, are very reasonable and the losure volume requirements woofers, sub ir the se abu to amps on the market. The enc s someone who really like are you If er. pow of t oun handle a serious am 12D2 is a great choice. then the American Bass HD

www.americanbassusa.com

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American Bass 10.10 V3.indd 4

03/12/08 5:02 PM

Hifonics.indd 1

04/12/08 5:13 PM

KNUKONCEPTZ GETTING’

WIRED WAY UP! 1992 Nissan Skyline GT-R Text and Photos by Dave MacKinnon (www.osmlabs.com)

very now and then, a good idea crosses our minds. Sometimes these ideas are easy to execute, and some of them require a great deal of work. When my friend and former co-worker Neal Woon-Fat asked me about installing an audio system in his 1992 Nissan Skyline GT-R, it seemed like a great idea. Between when Neal asked and when I finally got around to doing the install, I had 4 other similarly painfull great ideas, including the Hyundai Tiburon featured a few months ago in PAS Magazine. I enlisted the assistance of Brad Wisnoski of Driveway Sounds fame to help me with the installation. We quickly made a list of the products for the car and gave Neal the budget for the car. Knowing the cars’ well-known presence in the showcar scene, it seemed like a great idea to go over-the-top with the car in a few regards. We got in touch with Bill Greenberg at KnuKonceptz and made up a massive order of some of their finest cables, blocks and interconnects to ensure we got the most of the products we planned on installing. A few notes on the installation. We ran a pair of 0-guage cables from the front of the car to the back. We upgraded the factory ground to the chassis as well running a ground to the alternator. The ground runs to a block in the rear of the car that connects to the two amplifiers, the two capacitors and is also grounded to the chassis of the car. Think this is overkill? If you ever run into Neal at a show or Skyline meet, make sure you have a listen to the car – that does not sound like ‘only a pair of tens’ back there – very impressive and rock solid! I’m kinda jeleous! Follow along as Brad and I wire up Neal’s Skyline in fine fashion and install a simple but impressive audio system for him. And no, we didn’t take the car for a test drive… but we will! 56

Step 1

The car ready to have the KnuKonceptz Kolossus Fleks Kable 0-gauge power wire run from the battery to the trunk.

Step 2

A pair of upgraded factory ground connections ready to go to the Optima yellow-top battery.

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Knuconceptz install 10.10.indd 2

12/4/2008 1:24:11 PM

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4/30/08

3:40:22 PM

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5/5/08 3:21:15 PM

KNUKONCEPTZ GETTINGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

WIRED WAY UP! Step 3

The main power run routed loosely to fine tune the final placement in the engine compartment.

Step 4

The power and ground cables underneath the car before being secured.

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

The power and ground wires run through plastic grommets into the trunk of the car.

Power and ground wires loomed and wire-tired as they pass under the rear axle and rear steering rack..

Power and ground wires tied to the fuel return line at the center of the car.

Step 9

The ANL fuse holder mounted to the strut tower on a custom made aluminum bracket.

Step 8

Testing the first connection to the KonFused battery terminal.

Step 10

The battery terminals in place and all wired up.

Step 11

Subwoofer enclosure in place and false floor ready for placement and measuring.

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Knuconceptz install 10.10.indd 4

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Rockford Fosgate.indd 1

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KNUKONCEPTZ GETTING’

WIRED WAY UP! 12

Step 12

Trim around the subwoofers complete and Klear Speaker Kable (10awg and 16awg) run to the front of the car.

Step 13

Marking where we will grind of the paint for the rear connection of the parallel grounding system.

Step 15

A ring terminal crimped on the end of the rear ground and the mounting hardware we are going to use to secure it.

Step 14

A right-angle air grinder makes quick work of the paint beside the pair of KnuKonceptz 1.2-Farad Kompact Kaps.

Step 16

The ground in place and secure beside the caps. Each cap has a dedicated 4awg run to the power and ground distribution blocks.

Step 19

All the products installed and wired up. The Krystal Kable RCA’s are a little hard to see from this angle. Step 17

With the floor and rear wall trimmed in foam-backed suedelike material we were able to wire up the trunk.

Step 18

The KonFUSED fuse and distribution blocks all wired up and the amp pedestals in place.

LINKS:

KnuKonceptz:

www.knukonceptz.com

Driveway SounDS

www.drivewaysounds.com

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A VISION OF THE FUTURE WWW.VALORDVD.COM

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26/11/08 4:53 PM

test report

FUsIon CA-Ip500

Text and Measurements by Garry Springgay // Photos by Manufacturer

ounded in 1998, and growing steadily ever since, the New Zealand based Fusion Electronics brand of car audio has been making a real name for itself in the North American marketplace. Quickly recognized for their bright lime green logos and recognizable alien mascots, the brand is very popular with the tuner car crowd, and pretty much anyone who isn’t afraid of a little attention. In addition, the brand has recently been making some serious waves by landing a major contract

as a supplier to the world’s largest marine retailer, West Marine. One of the key products in putting that deal together was their new marine headunit which allows you to dock an iPod right inside the chassis, providing a super convenient and skip-free method of taking your music library with you when it’s time to hit the waves. Not content to take a lions’ share of the marine market, the Kiwi’s have produced a similarly featured iPod-based headunit for us landlubbers, as well.

s, the knobs and As far as the front panel goe s on CtI operate smoothly FeAtUres And FUn controls feel good, and they y udl pro in es com 00 IP5 larly like the fact The box that the CAwith no roughness. I particu New in ed eer gin “En is t ugh to use easily, states that the produc that the controls are large eno ks loo ly tain cer it nce gla s have a thin band Zealand”, and at first and the chrome rotary control ovRem of. ud pro ly rove grip. The left like something to be just of rubber around them to imp the t ugh tho ly ate edi , and press to mute ing it from the box, I imm hand knob is for the volume h wit t, duc pro g kin loo d trols are handled by CA-IP500 is a really goo functions. The rest of the con fan ling coo a has n eve It rotary / joystick type top notch fit and finish. a look alike multi-function in inta ma to t uni the of controls are quite inbuilt into the back side control on the right side. The ps. trols, as the Fusion proper operating tem tuitive, especially the iPod con r eive rec /FM AM an is t uni ply mimic the iPods Fundamentally, the engineers wisely chose to sim CD a of ead inst and er, ellent, and fast. You with an RDS ready tun functions. The interface is exc of one k doc to ce pla a in either direction, mechanism, there is can scroll to a desired artist the h wit ible pat Com ds. Nice! Plus, you can several models of iPo simply by rotating the knob. and s, del mo o Nan and ctions with the same iPod Classic, iTouch, do all your scrolling and sele tter ma ple sim a it’s h, eac of search around for various generations control, so you don’t have to n the and ve, slee g din hol to select the proper close the face. No simply plug in your iPod and d bouncing around in cables to buy, no more iPo h the Fusion piece the glovebox or console, wit and tucked away it’s securely held in place -down faceplate. Also fold behind the removable RCA’s on the rear included is an Aux input via source. of the unit for yet another

re you’re going. 3 different buttons to get whe n something here… Other manufacturers can lear nction controlAs with most of these multifu thing you want to lers, getting to the specific as you slog through adjust can be a bit tedious I didn’t find anything several layers of menus, but dback is very good, too aggravating. Tactile fee ple unit to operate and this should be a fairly sim the road. The display without taking your eyes off decent head unit, is a critical component of any dot matrix OLED and with a full high resolution lay, things are easy type blue/green colored disp in direct sunlight. to read, and very clear even phics you can choose There are fancy moving gra atti Veyron going for to watch, there’s even a Bug I find these features a cruise on your screen, but this off to simply distracting, and turn most of

orks ore importantly, it wes It looks good, and mgo od blend of featur s, ly al re a rs fe of it . t.. grea vast majority of user functionality, and foermthore e important than a ruler flat those attributes ar r around 300 bucks you’ll need to response curve. Fo to find a product with better value. look hard and long

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Fusion Head Unit 10.10 V2.indd 2

03/12/08 5:18 PM

meASUreD SpeCifiCATiONS

Amplifier CEA-2006A Power per channel (all channels driven, @ 4 ohms) 14.6 watts/ch X 4 A-Wtd S/N Ratio (ref to 2V/1W @ 4 ohms) output

-69.3dBA

THD+N @ 2V/1W @ 4 ohms 1kHz

0.1%

Frequency Response (-1.0dB)

54Hz – 20kHz

preAmp SeCTiON Max Usable Output Voltage

2.9Vrms

A-Wtd S/N Ratio ref to full output voltage

-67dBA

Output Impedance

75 ohms

Frequency Response (-1.0dB)

54Hz – 20kHz

concentrate on displaying the information I need. The unit will display RDS information, time, and of course all the iPod menus and track information. It also supports the repeat, repeat folder, shuffle, intro scan functions normally found in your iPod. The button backlighting can be either blue or near white, so the unit will blend into most interiors. Those of you with predominately red lighting as found in BMW’s and Pontiacs might be a little butt hurt, but hey, you can’t please everyone. You get a ton of audio adjustability, there are high and low pass crossovers available, as well as no less than 15 preset EQ curves, 3 of which you get to customize yourself using the built in 7 band EQ. Add to this the Bass, Mid, and Treble tone controls, and a separate volume control for the subwoofer output, and you’ve got enough features and adjustments to keep a serious tweeker involved for a week or so. As a placebo to the anti-theft bloc, a secret 4 digit code can be used to prevent thieves from operating the unit, and for those of you who simply want some “wow factor” in your sound, and don’t care about sonic realism, a full SRS “WOW” DSP is available for your listening… er… pleasure.

liSTeNiNG I connected the unit to my reference system and once I had all the tone controls turned off, the loudness turned off, and the EQ set flat, I first listened to the built in amplifier, and then the preamp outputs using my studio reference amps. The Fusion player works very smoothly and was simple to operate, and the display was exceptionally easy to read, even from way across the room. I tried the tuner first, and found it worked quite nicely, pulling in all the expected AM and FM stations with good clarity. It was also nice to have the additional info displayed for the stations that broadcast RDS signals. For decent sound quality performance I played my highest resolution audio tracks in AAC and 192kbit/s. These tracks included some very dynamic orchestral music, as well as some well recorded jazz, blues and pop music. The Fusion player sounded quite good, but when listening to the internal amplifier I thought I noted a bit of low bass output lacking. Thinking that I was simply expecting too much of the built in IC amplifier, I switched over to the pre-out’s and oddly, noticed the same thing. The unit sounded smooth and never harsh, the top end had good detail and

but the bottom end all the brilliance I expected, n some other playseemed a bit more polite tha system, I pulled my ers. As a quick check of my connected it directly iPod out of the Fusion and ng bottom end to my amplifiers. The full stro so perhaps it wasn’t I expected was indeed there, s led me to play with my imagination after all. Thi e enough, I could the built in EQ a bit, and sur tom end easily enough bring back the missing bot isters. on all but the very lowest reg d really good for nde sou it t ugh Overall, I tho y audio formats, a device designed to play loss intuitive and tactile and I really appreciated the would have been nice, controls. A wireless remote ilable as an option. and as it turns out one is ava sets are there if The included DSP sound pre with 12 of them, you want quick “tuning” and you like, although you should be able to find one stalwart few who I couldn’t. I’m just one of the tonal “assistance”. prefers my music sans any although I made sure But to each their own, and people will at least to shut it off, I’m sure most tour. use the built in loudness con ON THe BeNCH CA-IP500 On the test bench the Fusion able of about 15 watts provided no surprises. Cap power of the built per channel into 4 ohms, the with most others in amp is pretty competitive rd me say it before, out there. I know you’ve hea s on the but regardless of what it say

The fusion CAip500 is a greafat natical choice for anyom an ipod user. frandpoint, ergonomic st one of the it’s definitely pieces easier to use you can available, andought and tell a lot of th went into consideration the design.

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Fusion Head Unit 10.10 V2.indd 3

03/12/08 5:18 PM

test report

fusion Ca-ip500 reCeiver Cogent Audio Labs

RESPONSE LOW PASS FILTER - FREQUENCY

Cogent Audio Labs

NCY RESPONSE AMPLIFIER MAX FLAT - FREQUE

+8 +6

+4 +2

-0 +2

-2 +1

-4 -6

-0

-8 -1

-10 -12

-2

-14 -3 -4

d B r

-16

d B r

-18 -20

-5

-22 -24

-6

-26 -7

-28 -30

-8

-32 -9

-34 -36

-10

-38 -11

-40

-12 -13 20

200

100

500

200

100

Hz RESPONSE REF: 0dB = 2.0V LOW PASS FILTER - FREQUENCY

FUSION CA-IP500

0dB = 2.0V - FREQUENCY RESPONSE REF:

PREAMP OUTPUTS MAX FLAT -

Cogent Audio Labs

-42 20

INTERNAL AMPLIFIER - MAX FLAT

FUSION CA-IP500

10k

500

20k

RESPONSE HIGH PASS FILTER - FREQUENCY

Cogent Audio Labs

FREQUENCY RESPONSE

+6 +4

+2 -0

-2 -4

-6 +1

-8 -10

-0

-12 -14

-1

-16 -18

-2 -3 d B r

-20

d B r

-22 -24

-4

-26 -28

-5

-30 -32

-6

-34 -7

-36 -38

-8

-40 -42

-9

-44 -46

-10

-48 -11

-12 20

FUSION CA-IP500

100

200

PREAMP OUTPUTS - MAX FLAT

500

10k

-50 20

20k

RESPONSE REF: 0dB = 2.0V HIGH PASS FILTER - FREQUENCY

FUSION CA-IP500

20k

10k

500

200

100

0dB = 2.0V - FREQUENCY RESPONSE REF:

Fusion’s signal to noise was also box, there are no 200 watt headunits. The I measured frequency response, decent, as was the stereo separation. When is definitely a significant roll off my earlier suspicions were confirmed, there outputs, as well as the pre-amp of low frequency output on the amplified e me to wonder if it wasn’t done outputs. In fact, it’s rolled off enough to caus l speakers with the built-in power, deliberately to prevent over driving smal section would have the same isbut that doesn’t explain why the pre-amp frequency controls worked precisely sue. The DSP controlled crossovers and many choices. Do you really need as you’d expect, and if anything, offer too critical preamp voltage output was a low pass filter at 50Hz and 60Hz? The performance system, but this unit lower than I’d like to see it for a true high ing, so if you are only playing is not intended for audiophile system build be fine. Output impedance was MP3’s anyway, the 2.9V it delivers should also quite respectable at 75 ohms.

NCY RESPONSE LOUDNESS CONTOUR - FREQUE

Cogent Audio Labs +10 +9 +8 +7 +6 +5 +4 +3 +2 d B r

+1 +0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 20 FUSION CA-IP500

100

200

PREAMP OUTPUTS - LOUDNESS

500

10k

20k

Hz REF: 0dB = 2.0V CONTOUR - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

ConClusion The Fusion CA-IP500 is a great choice for any fanatical iPod user. From an ergonomic standpoint, it’s definitely one of the easier to use pieces available, and you can tell a lot of thought and consideration went into the design. It looks good, and more importantly, it works great. While maybe not the ultimate performer available in terms of audiophile sound quality, it offers a really good blend of features, functionality, and for the vast majority of users those attributes are more important than a ruler flat response curve. For around 300 bucks you’ll need to look hard and long to find a product with better value. Check one out!

www.fusioncaraudio.com

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Fusion Head Unit 10.10 V2.indd 4

03/12/08 5:19 PM

SEE US AT

NORTH HALL # 4303

IN CANADA CONTACT GEMSEN DISTRIBUTION AT WWW.GEMSEN.COM

Kinetik.indd 1

03/12/08 10:59 AM

TEST REPORT

OXYGEN AUDIO AIR 83 Text by Dave MacKinnon // Photos by Manufacturer

have owned and reviewed several 3-way speaker sets over the years. There are always pros and cons to having more speakers in the car - more complicated crossovers, but the chance to let speakers operate within a narrower frequency range for better performance. Oxygen Audio has sent us one of their Air 83 3-way component sets to check out.

DESIGN The Air 83 includes an 8-inch woofer, 4-inch midrange and a ¾-inch tweeter. The system includes grills for the woofers and midranges, while the tweeters have integrated grills. Oxygen includes a set of passive crossover networks. The networks offer independent tweeter and midrange output level adjustments with 0, -3 or +3dB settings. The filters have 8 terminals for speaker wire connection. Inside, they use a combination of iron core and a single air core inductors as well as electrolytic and a single polypropylene capacitor. To wrap up the design, there are five resistors, one of which is wire-wound. The tweeters feature a ¾-inch silk dome protected underneath a mesh grill. There is no phase plug in this design. The tweeter comes housed in an eyeball socket with a spring that keeps it in place. The socket has a mounting depth of ¾ of an inch and the cutout size is

1-9/16 of an inch. Oxygen provide two 4-inch wire pigtails with spade terminals on the ends for making connections. The midrange for the Air 83 set comes housed in a small sealed enclosure. The driver features a concave 1-piece cone. A small funnel is bonded to the underside of the cone to attach to a ¾-inch voice coil. At the outer edge of the cone is a rubber surround that features 9 extra grooves in it. The midrange is powered by a ceramic magnet that measures 2-5/8 by ½ inch. A linear spider with a diameter of 3 inches controls cone motion. The provided enclosure is a single piece ABS plastic. The enclosure seals to the underside of the cone and has a diameter of 4-inches and a mounting depth of just over 3-1/4 inches. There are a set of spade terminals on the bottom of the enclosure when are connected internally to the speakers terminals. This make the whole thing easy to install.

The Air 83 includes an 8-inch woofer, 4-inch midrange and a ¾-inch tweeter. The system includes grills for the woofers and midranges, while the tweeters have integrated grills. Oxygen includes a set of passive crossover networks. Lastly, the woofers provided with the set features a pressed paper cone with a chromed popypropylene dust cap that bears the O2 stylized logo. The rubber surround mimics that fo the midrange with 9 grooves moulded into it. Underneath the cone is a 4-1/2 inch spider, which looks to be fairly linear in design. The basket is a custom tooled unit for Oxygen and feature 4 spokes. The basket is pressed from steel and finished with grey paint. Electrical connections are made via a small terminal block and the tinsel leads arc up and into the cone assembly. The back plate of the woofer is chromed and has a radiussed half-inch cooling vent in it to help with power handling and driver linearity.

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Oxygen 10.10.indd 2

03/12/08 2:31 PM

Not enough room for a real subwoofer in your car or truck? That is no longer a problem with the introduction of Diamond Audio's new line of HEX series shallow mount subwoofers. These subwoofers provide real bass in a limited space all thanks to their special design. The proprietary HEX motor system utilizes a solid core high energy neodymium magnet that's 5 times stronger than a conventional subwoofer magnet. This magnet is encased in a low carbon steel housing that focuses all of its strength directly around the speakers 3" voice coil. A cast aluminum heatsink helps keep the motor cool. All of this is attached to a genuine autoclaved carbon fiber cone with high roll UV resistant butyl rubber surround. And like all Diamond Audio products it is backed by an industry best three year warranty when purchased and installed from an authorized dealer. We think your music deserves the best.

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Diamond Audio.indd 1

5/12/08 3:19:19 PM

TEST REPORT

3 8 R I A O I D U A N E G OXY TESTING I set the entire 3-way system up on my bench and fed it pink noise for a few hours at a moderate level to condition the crossover and tweeter. I then fed a 23 Hz sine wave to the midrange and woofer (each independently) to give their suspensions a workout. Once the system was baked, I took an impedance sweep of each driver, as well as T-S parameters for the woofer. The tweeter showed a resonant frequency of 1840Hz as can be seen in Figure 1. The midrange had an FS of 242.4 Hz in its provided enclosure. You can see in figure 2 that there are some noticeable cone resonances which show up as small bumps in the red impedance trace. I theorized that these could be caused by the provided enclosure, so I removed the driver from its enclosure and swept it again. Figure 3 overlays the naked impedance and phase response with the curves from Figure 2. The notch at 950Hz and 1040 Hz go away, but those above 2kHz remain. You may want to consider using the midrange without the provided enclosure. I modeled the woofer in Bass Box 6 Pro. The software recommended a sealed enclosure with a volume of 1.311 cubic feet for a critically damped Q factor of 0.707 and a -3dB point of 51.4Hz. This should allow the driver to play well when installed in a typical custom door panel, provided you seal up the door with sound deadening really well. Should you be interested in running this driver in a ported enclosure, you’ll need about 1.5 cubic feet to get down to -3dB at 34.22 Hz. The vent would be 3 inches in diameter with a length of 5.4 inches. Not easy to fit that into a door, but it would pretty much negate the need to a subwoofer in the rear of the car. Figure 6 shows the systems frequency response in my lab. The woofer was in a 3 cubic foot floor-standing enclosure that simulates most door panel installations. The midrange and tweeter were mounted within several inches of the woofer on the same plane. The crossover was set to 0 for the midrange and tweeter. You can see a dip just under 300Hz and a peak from the tweeter at 10kHz. The peak at 31Hz is an anomaly of my listening room – an 8-inch driver isn’t going to go that low at that level. Overall though, the frequency response is very smooth. If you played with the tweeter output level and perhaps the phase relationship between the midrange and the woofer, you could get this system very flat. The narrow ~5dB window from 500Hz to 4.5khz should provide nice midrange response.

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 5

FS = 37.7449 REVC = 3.9580 OHMS QES = 0.8127 QMS = 2.8567 QTS = 0.6327 LE = 0.4951 MH (AT 1 KHZ) VAS = 37.8240 L (1.3357 FT^3) BL = 5.7952 N/A MMS = 29.0771 G EFFICIENCY = 0.2352 % SENSITIVITY = 85.7317 DB @1W/1M SENSITIVITY = 88.7878 DB @2.83VRMS/1M

The components in this system don’t need fancy materials or exotic basket construction, as each component performed as requested for an overall solid balance that was quite enjoyable.

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Oxygen 10.10.indd 4

03/12/08 2:31 PM

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ikPAS.indd Kicker.indd1 1

and fine electronics retailers across Canada

12/2/08 9:27:52 AM 02/12/08 11:11 AM

TEST REPORT

OXYGEN AUDIO AIR 83 I was immediaetely th impressed witofh th performance in teerms Air83 systemg the tonal of reproducin e percussion. qualities of th drums sounds In particular, It was nice to very life-like... in the lab that have a system produce some was able to ree resonance in bass. With th om down at my listening roem had a 32Hz, the systlance to nice warm ba ght bass it and the upriunded and drums song. very envelopi

LISTENING ic foot lab with the driver in a 3 cub I set the system up in my e sam the on rs midrange and tweete sealed enclosure and the Arc my d use I re. losu 3 foot tall enc plane mounted just atop the my tem and signal came from sys the er pow to Audio SE4200 t. Clarion DRZ9255 source uni s imga’s Dock of the Bay. I wa Up first was Lincoln Mayor system 3 Air8 the of e the performanc mediately impressed with sion. In cus per the of s litie tonal qua in terms of reproducing the not the s wa very life-like. The tweeter particular, drums sounds didn’t but , ion ens It offered good ext most detailed I had heard. ive ens exp y ver e detail that som give the transparency and was also very good. The sound s wa g gin Ima r. systems offe ught a tho t edge of the speakers, about 2 feet behind the fron m. the t end laterally out pas little narrow – it didn’t ext nish Harlem was next. I am Spa and n Rebecca Pidgeo y quickly ening to this track, as it ver always hesitant about list cies. ugh the midrange frequen reveals tonal problems thro se the to ens Audio actually list Clearly, someone at Oxygen 3 Air8 The d. dre hun them by the speakers before they build s wa re The e. voic a’s ecc ng Reb set did a good job reproduci the from ted er midrange that detrac some emphasis in the upp rs ake spe st mo n sounded better tha overall realism a bit, but it systems I have heard. in the lab that was able to It was nice to have a system ening room h the resonance in my list reproduce some bass. Wit to it and e anc bal had a nice warm down at 32Hz, the system g. pin elo env y sounded ver the upright bass and drums

CONCLUSION

Air 83 speaker sonic performance of the I was quite pleased with the terials or exotic system don’t need fancy ma set. The components in this requested for an h component performed as basket construction, as eac rush out and you ore was quite enjoyable. Bef overall solid balance that the 8-inch for e hom a e make sure you hav buy the Oxygen Air 83 set, many facn’t are re the a, eric Am th r car. In Nor woofers in the front of you g said, if bein t Tha accept a driver that large. tory door locations that will . sive res imp results should be very you can pull it off, then the

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Oxygen 10.10.indd 6

03/12/08 2:32 PM

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Acoustic Edge.indd 1

10/7/08 5:30:31 PM

TEST REPORT

ClarionMiND NR1U Text by PAS Staff // Photos by Clarion Canada Inc.

FIGURE 1

here are lots of buzz-w ords in this day and ag e – connected, online, integrated and more. Depending on yo ur frame of reference, these can take on many different meaning to being in the car, the s. When it comes se terms are state of the art. If you are a regular reader of the technology and automotive news blo then you know that ma gs on the Internet, ny of the major car ma nufacturers are looking bringing the Internet to at the introduction of the Clario road. Clarion has trumped them all with the nMiND Mobile Internet Device (also known as an MID). We’ve pried a sample from their hand s to check out.

Networking). There is also an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi radio for wireless internet connection. The NR1U runs a fully cus tomized Linux based operating system tha t provides quick and easy access to the pro vided applications, as well as offering widget s that display key information on the main me nu screen. The main menu screen sho ws 5 icons at a time for the installed app lications. You can swipe the screen left or righ t to select different applications (figure 1). If you put your finger on the application icon in the center of the FEATURES screen and drag it to the back of the unit is a slot to top, you get a really The ClarionMiND represent store the provided s a whole new cool wheel with most of the sty lus , the gril l for the internal speaker and category for most consum apps showing. You ers. Think of it can spin to see more of the access to the Lithium Ion m – hard to explain, as a technology solution bet bat tery pac k. The ween a cellular cool to see in person (Figure right side of the unit feature Smartphone and a laptop 2). s a headphone computer. Clarion At the bottom of the screen jac k, pow er jack and a pair of USB has taken that acronym one is a window ports. On step further and with 4 shortcut icons: New the bottom of the unit is a s Reader, Weather integrated a full navigation con nec tor for an system into the unit option information Widget, MySpa al docking station called the ce interface and – hence MiND. The first uni NK1U. Our t in the ClarionMiND sample Syn c application. Hitting the Syn has a metallic black front series of products is called c button tells panel with the NR1U. the NR1U to log on to the a dark grey chassis, but Cla my .cla So what is the NR1U from rion .com rion will also offer a hardware website and check your acc the NR1U in white and red oun standpoint? Housed in a jus t for application – pre tty coo l! t-under 1-inch updates, Google POI informa Inside the NR1U, the system thick 6.5 x 3.75-inch case, tion and more. is based around the NR1U features Here’s where we hit the me Intel’s new Atom processor a 4.8 inch WVGA touch scr at and bones . Clarion chose the een with an impresof the NR1U. The main fea Z50 0 ver sion of the Atom, running at 800 ture of the unit is sive resolution of 800 by MHz. 480 pixels. There are its navigation software (Fig Memory-wise there is 512 ure 3). Created three capacitive touch but KB of cache, 512MB spe tons on the front cifically for the ClarionMiN of RAM and a 4GB Solid Sta panel to access common D, the software te hard drive for functions. On the top includes text-to-speech voic the operating system and is the power button, a Mic e commands app lication storage. roSD card slot and with English, French and Spa The NR1U features a SiRF an external GPS antenna nis h, Visual Lane III 20cha nnel GPS connection. On the Guidance for highways and antenna and a Bluetooth rad interstates, 2D and io for DUN (Dial Up 3D views and map coverage for USA and

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Clarion 10.10.indd 2

04/12/08 10:39 AM

PowerPlant is the outer limit of car audio. The most technologically advanced audio that we have ever made. Now with higher levels of output than ever before, PowerPlant pushes the boundaries of audio engineering with new materials and manufacturing techniques.

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FUSION PAS ad Nov.indd 1 Fusion.indd 1

2/12/08 1:08:09 PM 02/12/08 11:38 AM

TEST REPORT

ClarionMiND NR1U

Congratulations mto Clarion for coal ing up with a re in-car computer ty based connectivi, solution,... Sure people have put rs computers in ca of before, but noneinthem offer the e tegrated interfac s. that the NR1U ha FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

s of modern par for the course in term Canada. So far, that seems itself is in h uis ting dis to rts MiND sta features. Where the Clarion 59 different h has equipped the mind wit the POI database. Clarion POIs ad nlo importantly, you can dow POI categories, but more directly from Google Maps. rion Marketing Manager at Cla Brad Wisnoski, Product and t out this tes to gle Goo at t oun acc ple Canada let us use his sam (at the nched it yet to the public feature as Google hasn’t lau . On your rks wo it how review). Here’s time we were writing this tion you tina des a er Ent . om .google.c computer, go to http://maps Tower” “CN rch Maps field. We tried want to search for in the Sea p of ma a ws dra es its database and and hit enter. Google search to G. A from d ele lab it on en red flags downtown Toronto with sev ked clic I h. eac of s tion crip een are des On the left side of the scr st, Tower, 301 Front Street We “CN said t tha one t firs on the the loide bes ble ded by placing a bub Toronto…”. Google respon Send the on k Clic l. coo y this got ver cation I chose. Here’s where GPS ct the ner of the map. Then sele button in the top right cor Selection s). ice cho er oth the are tab (Email, phone and car s you and enter the email addres Clarion from the Brand list ure 4). (Fig d Sen hit n The .com. used to sign up at my.clarion Sync the work is done. Now hit A few seconds later, all the t via rne inte connected to the button on your NR1U (when the all , ond sec r in anothe Wi-Fi or Bluetooth DUN) and are instantly transmitted to gle Goo from se cho POIs you t that Clarion has included the NR1U. In spite of the fac t itself, you now have millions of POIs on the uni can conceive of in North access to any location you t entering an address withou America, including simply ! THAT is connected searching for a name. Now ut the Navigation abo on and We could go on to there is much more ground features of the NR1U, but lica app ps Ma gle Goo ive s a nat cover. The NR1U also feature te elli in Sat m all over North America tion. You can scroll and zoo ial view we are aer cal phi gra the is de or Street Mode. Satellite mo here you with. When you find somew all accustomed to playing sfers that tran 1U NR the t” button and want to go, hit the “Set Des from your software and plots a route location to the navigation the included also pick a destination from current location. You can tion. contacts manager applica

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Clarion 10.10.indd 4

04/12/08 11:12 AM

ARE YOU

EXPERIENCED?

Oxygen Audio USA is a company built on the fact that the mobile electronic industry is changing rapidly and many companies in its industry have forgotten the basic principles in doing business. Due to the fact that many companies have lowered their standard of product quality at the same time raising their prices has opened a window for Oxygen Audio USA. While the parent company Oxygen Audio (based in France) continues to expand its strong presence in Europe by following basic guidelines such as superior customer service and strong warranties the Oxygen Audio USA Company has just begun to apply those skills here in North America. Only being in business for two years the Oxygen Audio USA Company has made their presence felt on the east coast and is already racing towards the west coast. Join the Oxygen Audio family today by purchasing our product as a consumer or selling our product as an authorized dealer.

YOU’LL SOON SEE WHY THE MOBILE ELECTRONIC INDUSTRY IS DYING TO BECOME “OXYGENATED”

WWW.OXYGENAUDIOUSA.COM

Oxygen Audio 10.01.indd 1

2/28/08 2:08:18 PM

TEST REPORT

ClarionMiND NR1U

a real n that the NR1U acts like I should at this point mentio screen the of top the at n folder ico computer. You can press the ktas to you for s tion lica ning app and it displays a list of run This 5). ure function in Windows (fig swap, just like the Alt-Tab wse bro on, rati ope igation system means you can have the nav other the of any use or ber phone num the contact manager for a h wis we neously. This is something apps on the unit all simulta the iPhone could do. full web tions, the NR1U features a Speaking of other applica ts por sup r wse bro The (Figure 6). browser based on FireFox kbac and vies mo ing lud inc yback embedded multimedia pla . There nus me a flash animations and jav ground sounds, supports the h wis LLY REA in, something we isn’t much it can’t do – aga een scr one larg ly fair a s NR1U feature iPhone could handle. The en wh een scr s, so it blocks most of the keyboard for entering URL of lots ses cau t to a small keyboard tha typing, but we prefer that typographical errors. Space embedded YouTube and My Other applications include ing vidtch for listening to music, wa applications and RealPlayer Micro SD the ry, from the internal memo eos or looking at pictures applided bed em an is USB port. What card slot or a device in the what see to m .co ace ysp w.m visiting ww cation? Instead of simply m gra pro NR1U actually includes a your friends are up to, the rmation. This is info ce Spa My r you to e that offers a new interfac applicaNR1U includes an E-mail the same for YouTube. The support ary ess nec the all ail and tion that supports POP3 E-m port tication, SSL, STARTTLS and options like SMTP authen account il ma Hot POP3. We set up a specifications for SMTP and cool! g Dan s. ute min t messages in and had it downloading tes gs like thin do can you ere wh Panel Clarion includes a Control and Fi , configure and establish Wiadjust power management ibracal een scr even adjust the touch Bluetooth connections and d) size m diu me (or hats have small tion. For those of us who’s ere you an Expert Settings menu wh is re the m, the propellers on are installed. can see what applications tion cup ic cradle and windshield suc bas The NR1U includes a to car es tch swi it , dle NR1U in the cra mount. When you put the , as tion lica app tion iga nav nches the mode and automatically lau ts. rtcu sho er, news and music player well as displaying the weath trol Con the in e her lications show up You can configure which app audio ned earlier will feature an ntio me dle cra panel. The NK1U voice tion iga Nav ut, inp ry ilia h an Aux output for source units wit atic om aut illumination control and prompt interrupt, day/night that is all of lest icle’s ignition. Coo power up/down with the veh fic traf MC S-T RD teq scription to Nav you will get a lifetime sub da roa the on are you If . dle the cra information when you buy and can , this is a fantastic feature city ted por sup any und lot, aro e. save you a great deal of tim ir ce more applications via the odu intr to ns Clarion has pla e will som and free be will ich e of wh my.clarion.com portal, som tal por D You can visit the ClarionMiN be available for purchase. of e som at k ht want to take a pee at my.clarion.com. You mig moniker – d under the “MiND Zone’ ate cre e hav the videos they “Sunled cal one the ing tch nd wa pretty freaky. We recomme to check n if for no other reason tha glasses Experience”, umm, Oh, and ol… Dro rking on her car… out the gorgeous blond wo rtcut is sho The . ion act in of the NR1U there are also some videos www.themindzone.tv.

FIGURE 5

FIGURE 6

CONCLUSION

for coming up with a real Congratulations to Clarion g nectivity solution, and doin in-car computer based con ing talk n bee e hav o (wh akers it even before the auto-m n able to bring anything to / bragging about it) have bee , put computers in car before market. Sure, people have the t tha e rfac inte integrated but none of them offer the . has NR1U other cool secrets about Clarion let us in on a few D s and even new ClarionMiN future upcoming application is U NR1 The ry. s and memo systems with more feature e on it is when you are at hom as car the in dy han just as the Interwse bro ail, em r you ck the couch – you can che or keep up with your friends net, watch YouTube videos let it unit back in your car and at MySpace. Then pop the to go. take you where you want

www.clarion.com

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Clarion 10.10.indd 6

04/12/08 10:40 AM

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test report

BeLtroNICs pro GX65 Text by Mark Pereira // Photos by Manufacturer

this all new Gps-enabled ra r detector proudlda y sports the Bel nics badge on its dito screet shell and shares the traditional style, operation and di found throughoutspthlaey rest of their proven product line.

othing beats hitting a str etch of open road on a sunn y day, especially from behind the wheel of a high perform ance vehicle. From a classic V8 rumb le to a turbocharged four-banger, we buy them, customize them and dr ive them. Unfortunately, the long arm of the law doesn’t appreciate spiri ted driving from time to time, as sp eed traps and the costly fines continu e to plague drivers and tuners ever ywhere. Many of you may recall the recent review on adjustable sensitivity for city the Beltronics RX65 radar det or highway driving ector back in the and its GPS capability opens up spring, as it quickly proved a whole new itself to be a very range of useful features. valuable addition to my ride . Known for innovative This all new GPS-enabled design and technology, the radar detecBeltronics line up of tor proudly sports the Beltonics radar detection products are badge on its easily among the discreet shell and shares the top brands available. The trus traditional style, ted Beltronics brand ope ration and display found thro has been protecting enthus ughout the rest iasts for years, so of the ir proven product line. The when their latest GX65 unit GX65 design arrived at our office allows for simple error-free I had to be quick on my fee operation via its t to get my hands clea rly visible top-mounted con on it first! Let’s take a closer trols, making it look at Beltronics effortless to switch setting GX65, as we recently tested s and locate the right this sophisticated buttons when you need the windshield-mount radar det m. ector. The red backlit display offe rs variable brightness settings and even a slic FIrst GLANCe k ‘Dark Mode’ for very ‘covert’ night operati The Beltronics Pro GX65 rad on where the power ar detector on indicator changes to a sub combines a hybrid of GPS tle and dim AD, tracking and powerful HD or CD (AutoScan Dark, radar detection technology Hig hway Dark, to provide impresCity Dark) and produce aud sive protection and perform ible alerts. Plus, ance. The GX65 it features a 3.5mm mini jack incorporates GPS technolog on the side of y utilizing the North the unit for plugging in an American database of red earphone in noisy light cameras and env ironments and when connec speed cameras to alert driv ted, the internal ers of the threats speaker automatically disc ahead. Plus, its long-range onnects. radar and laser The Beltronics Pro GX65 also sensors offer first-class pro introduces tection, including a new auto-muting functio n, so if your 78

Known for innovative design and technology, the Beltronics line up of radar detection products are ea among the top sily brands available. the trusted Beltronics bran has been protecdting enthusiasts for years, so when their latest GX65 unit arrived at our office I had to be quick my feet to get my on hands on it first!

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Beltronics GX65 10.10 V2.indd 2

03/12/08 5:12 PM

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test report

BeLtroNICs pro GX65 the Beltronics GX65 is supplied with the quick release windshield mounting suction kit, a coiled smartplug cigarette lighter power adapter, a handy travel case and an owner’s manual for quick feature references and more in-depth explanations.

of less than 20mph vehicle is moving at a rate radar or laser alerts, and you encounter either duce a doublethe Pro GX65 will briefly pro the type of threat on ed tone which varies bas feature on, audio detected. With the AutoMute you set, but after alerts will be at the volume will automatically a few seconds, the GX65 l. leve decrease the volume pLUG N’ pLAY plied with the The Beltronics GX65 is sup mounting suction quick release windshield arette lighter power kit, a coiled smartplug cig e and an owner’s adapter, a handy travel cas references and more manual for quick feature in-depth explanations. m performance, To ensure safety and optimu center of the front we mounted our GX65 on the e without obstructing windshield as low as possibl

the view of the road ahead. The supplied dual suction cup kit is easy to angle and provi des a sturdy base to mount the GX65 for the best visibility. We powered up the GX65 via its smartplug adapter which has a built in powe r indicator, alert light and easy to reach mute button. Once the unit was mounted and on, it was quite simple to personalize its progr amming to suit our own custom preference s. Program categories include Pilot (Power-on Indicator), Voice Alerts, Units, Signal Stren gth Meter, AutoMute, City Mode Sensitivity, Mark ers, and Radar / Laser Bands. The Pro GX65 includes full X, K, SuperWid e Ka, Ku and Safety Warning System radar capability, front and rear laser detection, plus digital signal processing for greater range and fewer false alarms. You can even program the GX65 to enable all bands at once or you can select one or more bands to turn off (if there are no traffic radar units using the disabled bands in your area). reDLIGHt speCIAL One of the features that really set this device apart is its integrated GPS technology. Similar to the technology found in most navigation units, the GX65 comes

pre-loaded with thousands of safety came ra locations throughout North America, inclu ding costly red light cameras. You’ll get plent y of advance warning whenever you approach any speed enforcement or red-light came ra locations, plus you can download updates from the Beltronics website. The GX65’s safety camera database and operating software are easily updated onlin e via its mini-USB type-B connector and a Windows-based computer. Although upda tes require a subscription service, a free 90-d ay trial subscription is included with your purchase and well worth it in our opinion. In addition, the GX65 offers a handful of very insightful and useful GPS-enabled features. Using GPS, the GX65 can moni tor vehicle speed and issue a ‘speed check’ alert if you past a specific preset limit. The Pro GX65 also allows you to mark your very own locations with a simple tap of a ‘MRK’ butto n. Whenever you pass through a hot spot, just hit ‘MRK’ and the Pro GX65 labels the entry location into its database and ensures futur e warnings anytime you enter the selected area again. This can be extremely effective aroun d known speed traps or often patrolled areas you’d like to remember. The GPS-based Alert Lock feature mean s your unit will even remember where any false alarms were registered and won’t alert you in that location again unless it senses a differ ent signal or threat.

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Beltronics GX65 10.10 V2.indd 4

03/12/08 5:13 PM

Cadence.indd 1

7/14/08 7:40:49 PM

test report

5 6 X G o r p s C i n o r t Bel unDer tHe rADAr ctable by VG-2 The GX65 detector is undete rt ale users when a VG-2 detection devices and will is in use nearby. During ‘detector-detector’ device to detect other signals the alert, the unit continues vides valuable and vital too. Its red LED display pro detected. info whenever threats are unit displays the band When radar is detected, the ph of the signal gra (X, K or Ka), and a precise bar laser, the display will s ect strength. When the GX65 det bar-graph signal d dar show ‘Laser.’ The GX65’s stan tion on a single rma info strength meter only displays als present, the sign e ltipl radar signal. If there are mu which is the ines erm det detector’s internal computer most significant threat. ic methods of alert This unit features three bas ible, Visual and Aud upon receiving a signal… to nd indicate the signal Voice. The GX65 uses sou signal being encounstrength and type of radar rts are activated, all radar tered. When the Voice Ale ompanied by one of and laser alerts will be acc messages. When Voice the GX65s 64 digital voice tones will be heard. io Alerts are off, only the aud ed, an audible alert ect When a radar threat is det the signal gets as will sound and occur faster y strong, the audio ver is stronger. When the signal tone. alerts combine into a solid the Threat Display For advanced detector users, ltiple radar signals mu ks option simultaneously trac It displays what h. ngt and their relative signal stre al reading of its eric num band each signal is and a ion is also for opt play signal strength. The Tech Dis d and actual ban the lays experienced users and disp g received. bein al sign ar rad numeric frequency of the que protection The GX65 also includes uni tively new feature rela a against ‘Pop Mode’ radar, rks by transmitwo It rs. for radar gun manufacture st, within the allocated ting an extremely short bur vehicles in traffic. Once band to identify speeding ‘popped,’ the gun is then the target is identified, or ng mode to provide turned to its normal operati . a vehicle tracking history

prethe GX65 comes ousands of safety loaded with thon roughout camera locati a, sinth cluding north Americ t cam as. You’ll costly red ligh vancer e warning get plenty of adapproa any whenever you ent orch red-light speed enforcem us you can camera locationtes,s pl om the download upda sitefr Beltronics web .

ConClusion

ers the most sophisticontinues to bring consum The Beltronics Pro Series ovative built-in GPS, the protection. Thanks to its inn cated radar detection and we’ve come to expect n the impressive detection GX65 offers much more tha ion, fewer false alerts With radar and laser detect from this exciting device. 5 unit seems to meet tion, the intuitive Pro GX6 and red-light camera protec you are in the market for driver’s specific needs. If even the most demanding ector… make sure the windshield-mount radar det an effortless and effective ours. your list, as it’s certainly on Beltronics Pro GX65 is on

www.beltronics.com

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Beltronics GX65 10.10 V2.indd 6

03/12/08 5:14 PM

Installer Institute.pdf 7/14/2008 6:18:24 PM

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test report

Audison thesis th quAttro Text and Measurements by Garry Springgay // Photos by Manufacturer

By brilliantly blending digital based control and capability with high fidelity analog audio, the thesis amplifiers are simply capable of doing a few things that no other amplifier can claim. he people from the Marche region of Italy, are known as hard-working, orderly people who established a network of small industries of high quality merchandise in the textile and leather sectors, and in very special niches like high quality paper at Fabriano and musical instruments at Castelfidardo. It is in this area of the country that a group of technicians who shared a passion for high fidelity music banded together and formed a company now known worldwide, as Audison. The name is formed from the Latin words “audio” and “sonus” and they represent both the historic roots and the general philosophy of the company. Since the birth of the company in 1984, the Audison brand has earned a solid reputation for designing and building very high quality, high performance car audio products. Over the years they have been the recipients of many prestigious awards and accolades, primarily because they have a passion for music, and take a no nonsense approach to the engineering of their products. While generally not the most economical products available, the Audison brand of mobile audio gear has always stood for high quality, and excellent performance. I recently had the opportunity to evaluate one of their premium products, the fairly mind-bending Thesis series TH Quattro, four channel amplifier, which has recently been awarded both the EISA 20072008 Amplifier of the Year award, and a CES 2009 Design and Innovation Award.

like most other ampliplifier appears to be much At first glance the Thesis am of fit and finish, doesn’t le attaining very high levels fiers, average in size, and whi ice the RJ12 and RJ45 g special. But, once you not really appear to be anythin vy duty panel mount RCA’s ital input, and the ultra hea connections, the optical dig manual (supplied on CD e (!) single language owners and begin to read the 71 pag are looking at is not just begin to realize that what you in PDF format), you quickly plifiers bring a whole set indeed. The Thesis series am different, but it’s very special blending digital based control bile amplifier. By brilliantly of new capabilities to a mo amplifiers are simply lity analog audio, the Thesis and capability with high fide claim. gs that no other amplifier can capable of doing a few thin set up and operating, it get to d nee rything you The amplifier comes with eve t the TH Quattro, (or any m that allows you to connec including a software progra e the parameters that way. if you’d like to set up and sav Thesis amp) to your laptop up with an intuitive display e everything can also be set No laptop? Fear not, becaus t something between the top of the amp, or if you wan and control pad built into the ing for the optional DRC ed control panel, you can spr laptop and the chassis mount the drivers seat. make adjustments right from (Digital Remote Control) and DSP chip powered that this is simply another But, don’t think for a minute tures that you have to crossover points and 37 fea amplifier, with a bazillion t, not at all. The DSP in gain adjustment. No, in fac scroll through to get to the signal delays, or change trol crossovers, or provide this amplifier does not con the color of dancing fish. no digital manipulastyle analog inputs, there is In fact, if you use the RCA amplifier will accept Having said that, the Thesis tion of the signal going on. goes immediately to an ut in which case the signal an S/PDIF Optical digital inp right back to analog. convertor, for transformation onboard 24 bit, 192kHz PCM sis amplifiers, the signal digitally, in the The Rather than manipulate the there to provide access troller) microprocessors are ASC (Amplifier Status Con example, the ASC can functions and features. For and control for a variety of critical operating condithe hours of operation, or display the serial number, re. The display can also age and heatsink temperatu tions, such as battery volt and tell you which of the input sensitivity settings, provide information on the it’s configured. But what are inserted, and even how analog crossover modules ct from four available is also where you can sele I found most interesting, this Dual Power and Bias of performance, using the options for different levels

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Audison Thesis 10.10 V1.indd 2

03/12/08 5:05 PM

I’d have to say that this amplifier is as good as any amplifier I have listened to, to date, and could easily become a reference amplifier in a very high end system. Sonics like this are almost too good to be relegated to an automobile. Control features. I’ll go into this gem of an idea in detail a bit later on. If you are using the Audison DRC, (Digital Remote Control) you can also control multiple amplifiers, and configure each one independently, because they can all be connected on the AC Link digital data bus. You can assign each amplifier its own ID, and call up or adjust any individual parameter on any amplifier. It can even tell you the name of the amplifiers owner, the store it was purchased at, even the installer’s name. As you may have surmised by now, this is anything but a conventional amplifier. And while reading this may sound overly complicated, in actual use, the system is intuitive and quite simple to learn. All of these functions are sonically transparent to adjust, and are immediately displayed on the amplifier mounted ASC and/or the DRC module mounted in the dash. The vast owners manual is full of easy to understand drawings and diagrams, and does a very good job of walking you through all of the capabilities of this high end amplifier. And it’s not really an elective read, if you buy one of these amplifiers, you going to really want to know what you’re doing! And then if that wasn’t enough, if you prefer as I mentioned earlier, you can use the ACNet software provided to access and control any and all of these functions via your laptop. DESIGN The Thesis amplifiers use a power supply that is quite different from other designs. There are five separate parts to each amplifiers supply, beginning with a dedicated power supply for the low-level signal section, and then in typical Audison tradition, four Synchro-PWM controlled supplies work in pairs to provide the positive and negative rail voltages. Synchronizing the four supplies reduces radio frequency emissions, and allows the use of a single high power MOSFET for each section. The energy provided by the supplies is stored in no less than 20,000µF of capacitance. On the power connectors, there is even a separate terminal provided to connect an outboard capacitor, for maximum convenience and fast current transfer.

DISTORTION measured in various modes: Hi-AB Class – Blue Trace Hi-Current Mode – Magenta trace Energy Saving Mode – Red trace Cogent Audio Labs

DUAL POWER MODE DIFFERENCES - POWER vs THD+N

0.5

The design of the power supply also allows for an ingenious feature called Dual Power and Bias Control. On the TH Quattro, controlled by the on board microprocessor, this innovative and unique feature gives you the option of setting up the individual pairs of channels in one of four available modes. There is an Energy Saving mode, which is perfect for a situation where the system is playing at low to moderate levels with the engine shut off. While in this mode, the bias current is reduced, and the maximum amount of power is reduced to about 30% of what it would normally be, thereby extending the playing time and drastically reducing the heat generated. Moving up from there, we find a Hi-Current mode. In this mode the amplifiers power is no longer limited in any way, and it can actually drive loads as low as 1 ohm per channel. In Hi Current mode, the bias is still set quite low to avoid heating and excessive current draw. Distortion is somewhat higher than the remaining sound quality oriented modes, but not high enough to cause any grief. The third mode is called Hi-AB Class, and uses increased bias current and consequently, has significantly lower distortion. It does however also increase the amount of idle current the amp draws, and the heat that is a by-product of that current. The final fourth mode is called Class A, which is technically not quite accurate, but it does increase the bias current even further (with 0.2

0.1

0.05

0.02

0.01

0.005

0.002

0.001 1

AUDISON THESIS TH QUATTRO

100

4 OHM POWER vs THD+N

Batt - 14.4V

further increases in current draw and heat) to the point where a small amount of power is actually Class A. In this mode, the maximum output power of the amplifier is limited to just under 60 watts at 4 ohms, however. One of my favorite concepts in the Thesis amplifiers is how all this powerful digital control is used, but still allows the capability of a pure analog signal, from input to output. From a user’s perspective, it’s sort of like the best of both worlds. The input sensitivity controls are also completely unusual. The pair of “gain” controls on the TH Quattro are actually digital encoders, and are capable of adjusting the input sensitivity over a very wide range with great precision. There are 256 “steps” of adjustment, in approximately 0.5dB increments. If you choose to supply the signal in a digital format, let’s say from the highly touted Audison Bit One, processor for example, each Thesis amplifier has S/PDIF inputs and loop through outputs to supply another amplifier in a chain of amps, via what Audison calls their AD Link system. Basically, in the digital input mode with a DRC connected, each amplifier is assigned a specific address, and the DRC becomes a dedicated WWW.PASMAG.COM – PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND

Audison Thesis 10.10 V1.indd 3

200

W Hi-AB Class vs Hi-Current vs Energy Saving

05/12/08 4:23 PM

test report

audIson thesIs th quattro measured performance specIfIcatIons

The following power measurements were obtained using industry standard methods. (1kHZ @ 1.0% THD+N - Battery voltages shown +/- 0.2V)

manufacturers rated power

actual measured power @ 1.0% thd+n @ 14.4V Battery

actual measured power @ 1.0% thd+d @ 12.6V Battery

160 x 4 @ 4 Ω

199 x 2 @ 4 Ω

150 x 2 @ 4 Ω

260 x 4 @ 2 Ω

313 x 2 @ 2 Ω

236 x 2 @ 2 Ω

500 x 2 @ 4 Ω

635 x 2 @ 4 Ω

479 x 2 @ 4 Ω

pre-amplifier with the ability to customize the settings (Master volume, Balance, Fader, Sub Volume) for each amplifier individually. Even an audiophile amplifier must employ the ability to do crossover functions if it’s going to be used in today’s modern systems. In a stroke of brilliance first seen in the Audison HV venti, and in keeping with the goal of the purest sound possible, the crossovers are all done via modules, which are completely analog in operation. A separate crossover module kit is provided with the amplifier and there are provisions for high pass, low pass, and band pass configurations. In mono modes, the normally -12dB/oct Butterworth filters can be cascaded for a -24dB slope. These small modules use high precision resistors, and provide a choice of frequencies from 18Hz through 7.5kHz, in no less than 32 steps. There are even a couple of customizable modules included in case you want to build something for a very specific frequency. In a design as technologically advanced as this one, even the circuit boards and the way the layout is done all received the same type of attention to detail. In a Thesis amplifier, in order to minimize the effect of electromagnetic radiation on the output stage, the power supply and output devices are mounted on separate PCB’s. The output stage uses hand selected matched pairs of complementary transistors for perfect symmetry. Looking inside this amazing piece of work, I found in addition to the main PCB, no less than 10 separate boards, all jam packed with high quality components and surface mount parts. One look inside, and you’ll quickly understand this is no ordinary amplifier. lIstenInG After I spent the better part of a whole day getting acquainted with what the amp is capable of, and how it actually works, I was eager to connect it to my reference system and give it a listen. To fully test the amplifier, I used the rear channels 86

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to 2V output. (CEA-2006A) (1 watt @ 4 ohms)

-83.8dBA

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to full 4 ohm output

-106.8dBA

Distortion at rated power (Hi-AB Class mode) CEA-2006A rated 4 ohm Power (minimum power per channel developed over the entire audio bandwidth) Maximum Efficiency at full 2 ohm power per ch. Idle Current (warm) Input Sensitivity Maximum Current @ full power 2 ohms per ch. Frequency Response (-3dB)

0.01% 189 watts/ch 59.6% (Hi AB Class) 7.1A (Hi AB Class) 328mV- 4.8V 146A <10Hz – 95kHz

High Pass Crossover

Module type

Low Pass Crossover

Module type

Bass EQ boost Stereo Separation (Crosstalk)

None -59dB @ 5kHz

y high end system. a reference amplifier in a ver and , tem sys fer woo sub too good to be bridged to a 4 ohm Sonics like this are almost ssover module. e. obil installed a 90Hz low pass cro om aut relegated to an to play full range, des, and while The front channels were left I played with the various mo ays alw I’ve ile Wh d. alle Saving mode with no module inst I could readily tell the Energy rd, hea I’ve ers plifi am ison the amp still liked previous Aud from the Hi-AB Class mode, d incredible. For rst” mode. I did “wo its in the Thesis TH Quattro sounde n eve sounded decent that ers plifi am few ct sele se it ran significantly me, it is one of tho also notice that in this mode, e tud atti or ter rac cha any g d to prefer the simply doesn’t brin cooler. Interestingly, I seeme rent, spa tran ply sim it’s sic, mu to Class A. The of it’s own to the sound of Hi-AB Class mode this t tha say to e hav I’d d. win any efficiency and very, very goo amp is certainly not going to e hav I er plifi am any as d moderate amplifier is as goo awards however, as even at ld easily become listened to, to date, and cou

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Audison Thesis 10.10 V1.indd 4

03/12/08 5:08 PM

Crunch.indd 1

04/12/08 9:35 AM

test report

Audison tHesis tH quAttro Cogent Audio Labs

SEPARATION or CROSSTALK vs FREQUENCY

Cogent Audio Labs

-20

-25

+2.5

WIDEBAND FREQUENCY RESPONSE

-30

+1.5

-35

+1 -40

+0.5 -45

-0 -50

-0.5

-55 d B

-1 d B r

-60

-1.5 -2

-65

-2.5

-70

-3

-75

-3.5 -80

-4 -85

-4.5 -90

-5

-95

-100

-5.5

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

9k 10k

-6 10

100

200

500

Hz AUDISON THESIS TH QUATTRO

levels it drew upwards of 50A of current from my supply. After listening to as mu ch of my favorite audiophile music as my schedule cou ld tolerate, I came away really impressed. This thing sounds great. perForMAnCe/BenCH MeAsureMents You’d expect an amplifier tha t sells in the price range of good used car to meet all it’s advertised specifications, and the The sis TH Quattro lived up to all of them, and in most cas es significantly exceeded the published numbers. In Hi-AB Class mode, the THD+N was very low, and so was the noise level of the big Audison. Phase res ponse was also excellent, which is a testimony to the design and the thought that went into the amplifiers layout. You want power? Well if your charging system can handle it, the TH Quattro will deliver power, in spades. Even in the Hi-AB Class mode, I measu red over 300 watts x4 into 2 ohms! The frequency res ponse is as flat as pee on a plate from below 10Hz to out over 90kHz, and the stereo separation was ver y good as well. I did run my standard thermal test on the amplifier, and while it did shut off sooner than some amps do, it still managed a respectable time before succumbing to the heat. If you mount this amp in an area with enough air around the amp and maybe a bit of airflow, heat shouldn’t be a serious problem.

10k

AUDISON THESIS TH QUATTRO

WIDEBAND - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

100k

AC net soFtwAre Control pAnel AMPLIFIER SETTING

SYSTEM AUDIO CONTROL System Volume

IDENTIFICATION

THESIS

Type

Adrs.

TH quattro

S/N.

Firmware

00015434

Balance

Sub Volume

A Fader

Owner: Emidio Vagnoni Installed by: Elettromedia Amplifier Config 4 ch

X-Over CH.A

Off

Signal Out CH.A Front TW

X-Over CH.B

Off

Signal Out CH.B Front WF

Main Signal Input:

AMPLIFIER STATUS

INPUTS

TH quattro: 1

BIAS AND POWER A Channels

Analog

User Preset

A-Class

Bias

Highest

B Channels A-Class

SENSITIVITY A Left

Mute

A Right

Mute

B Left

Mute

B Right

Mute

Link

1.8

Clip

1.8

Clip

3.4

Clip

3.4

Clip

TH due: 2

TH uno: 3

Normal Hardware Monitor

Supply Voltage

A Channels

B Channels

A-Class

Preset 2

Hi-Current

Hi-AB Class

Preset 3

Hi-AB Class

Preset 4

A- Class

A Class

A-L

A-R

B-L

B-R

Speakers

SYSTEM AUDIO CONTROL System Volume

IDENTIFICATION

Installer

1.0

Amp ID A Ch Front

X-Over A Ch Not Present

Amp ID B Ch Rear

X-Over B Ch Not Present

0.0

BIAS AND POWER

4.80 4.80

B Left

1.19

Link

B Right

AMPLIFIER STATUS V

Low (4.80V - 1.19V)

Link

A Right

+0.0

Note: Without DRC, these controls will not operate

SENSITIVITY AND PREOUT LEVEL

A Left

INPUTS

Link

Fader

Amp ID Preout Subwoofer

Analog Main Signal Input: Note: Without DRC, only Analog Input will operate

TH quattro (0)

Balance

Sub Volume

Amp Config 4 Ch

Owner Firmware

Overload

AMPLIFIER SETTING

THESIS

Temperature

12.6

PROTECTIONS

Preset 1

S/N

Highest

Power Supply

BIAS AND POWER

Clip User Preset

A Channels

B Channels

Hi-AB Class

High

Bias Power Supply

High

1.19

Preout Left

HARDWARE MONITOR

0.30

Link

Preout Right

0.30

A Channels

B Channels

Memory 1

Hi-AB -Class

Hi-AB-Class

Memory 2

Hi-Current

Hi-AB Class

Memory 3

A Class

Memory 4

Hi-AB Class

A Hi-AB Class

Supply Voltage

Temperature

˚C

PROTECTIONS A-L

A-R

B-L

B-R

Overload

Service

Check Speakers

Ov. Temperature

Note: Without DRC, only Memory 1 will operate

The Audison Thesis series am plifiers are quickly develop ing a reputation for sonic exc as well as high tech capabil ellence ity and functionality. The am p I test ed would only seem to und those opinions, and I can see erline why it’s been awarded the accolades it has. In a world seems so full of cheap junk that so often and compressed audio, it’s heartening to know there are fact entire companies still ded people and in icated to bringing serious sou nd quality to a small band of enthusiasts. Why only a sm hardcore all band, well, for most of us, spending roughly 4 grand on car audio amplifier puts the a single Thesis TH Quattro in a catego ry that is roughly as attainab Ferrari, but man, it’s fun to le as a new dream isn’t it? 88

50k

0db = 2Vrms

DUAL POWER MEMORY

ConClusion

20k

CROSSTALK (Stereo Separation)

www.audison.eu

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Audison Thesis 10.10 V1.indd 6

03/12/08 5:10 PM

Image Dynamics 10.03.indd 1

5/13/08 6:43:25 PM

SHOLPE PROFI

Text and Photos

iadis

by George Dimitr

da is not dustry in Cana he Car Audio in its southern as compared to nearly as large their fair er they also have neighbor, howev sily rival those installers that ea d an s op is sh of share tions of Calgary and Mobile Solu er rd bo e th of south ops. r one of those sh en in business fo of Calgary has be ns tio lu e So th er ile ev ob M read this how by the time you t for less than a year der developmen un ng has been ni an pl d ized an t al tu ep conc was concep obile Solutions M s. ar ye e re an th over vid Derrick d Susan Penn, Da ls; ua vid di in e re by th gethKevin Swidinsky. s the company to “glue” that hold e th ed tions er la id ns Re Co t of Vendor n is the Presiden sa Su k g at ea in sp nn to ru er so things are and makes sure n tio ra ist ec in El m ile Ad and d in the Mob has been involve n sa e Su fic of d. ee an sp as top s starting off for over 20 year ry st d du an in er cs rtn ni tro Managing Pa r a Rep Firm to a ribuadministrator fo ly respected dist gh e of the most hi on of r de un -fo co Electronics. in Canada; Karz Dation companies r over 13 years st audio indu ry fo an le “c as Being in the car beginnings all from his early it e ne or st do e s re ha th vid anager of a ccessful store m su gs a in to br , d” vid ki up ncouver. Da cs company in Va mobile electroni skills and system l ca ledge, techni ow kn of lth ea w a am at MSC. l side design to the te e is the financia all business ther s of ar ye Of course as in s steps in. Hi at is where Kevin th d acan an gs in th th wi of nior partner position as a se d an e audio nc an rie as pe ex me passion ng with his extre alo m l fir ca g fis tin e th un co le asset to him an invaluab es ak m t ias us th en MSC. management of staller(s) which any shop is its in en SC A key elem t to for clients. At M ns and concepts op sh e bring to life desig th ans” and d to as “technici Matt they are referre in the business; ys gu ost skilled has two of the m nnis Wong. Argatoff and De

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Audison Shop Tour 10.10 V3.indd 2

03/12/08 4:39 PM

om fabricatperience in cust With years of ex s and the all cle ard winning vehi ing, building aw y’s da market, integration in to important OEM rive and t that MSC will th there is no doub clients visions. deliver on their fers an sq. ft the shop of With over 4,000 of two d ise ea that is compr abundance of ar sq. ft area 0 50 1, which is a om ro ow sh e th ; parts ult. It offers Elizabeth Arsena was designed by ctive experira te splays with in fully functional di ion making cis de clients in their aid ich wh s ce en the various d outlet to demo and provides an star, Hertz, pu m m Audison, Co fro es lin t uc od pr ate and Zymol y, Rockford Fosg kle Oa d, oo nw Ke 0 sq. ft is the e remaining 2,50 Th w. fe a e m na to cility where car installation fa 4t ar e th of e at st hardware t every piece of you find just abou fabrication om st ng with a cu alo n su e th r de un work stations. room and mobile rates aspect that sepa A very important mmitco eir th other shops is MSC from most “main” eir th is it les Service”; Sa r fte “A to t en m full operational san put it. From Su as n tio da un fo vitational new system to in training on their ary focus is to im pr ions MSC’s product introduct velop a closer al service and de provide exception their clients. relationship with SC would id the team at M With that being sa d Canada and anks to Kenwoo like to extend th t during their s for their suppor Trends Electronic to the Specialty eir commitment initial start up. Th none. iler is second to Independent Reta

Audison Shop Tour 10.10 V3.indd 3

03/12/08 4:41 PM

Audison.indd 1

01/12/08 9:31 AM

Audison.indd 2

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SPEED OF

SOUND By Dave Pankew //

Photos By Jeff Magui

ith what seems lik e a new audio ber of 2007 and the “manufacturer” popp team knew that the ing up every looming deadline for CES ‘08 month, the task of sta was not going to get ying on top is any a challenging one. Th easier to meet. Dave e word manufacturer Garcia and Brett Halbe is rt from in quotes of course be Creationz Speed and cause really there are Sound in Langley, BC en we ou re gh low-end audio manu contacted to create the complex install. facturers overseas, De an scr yo ne ibe d can do it. Unfortunate as one of the finest fab ly, some people think ricators in Canada, if all not the you need is an attrac world by Penn, they have worked on past tive logo with some proper project branding and marke cars together. ting and voila there yo u go . Most uninformed co “Their attention to de nsumers unfortunate tail, installation integ ly don’t rity complain much sim an d overall innovation are ply because they do second to none” says n’t un de rstand the merits of Penn, “The car was fine audio and proba loaded on to a transpo bly have rt truck never heard it. But jus and was promptly sh ipped off to BC... the t one listen to Audis n on I flew ’s latest iteration of the out to have a meeting G37 and its clear wh with the crew to go ov ere er the the differences really are system plans and go als.” . Owner Larry Penn of For Penn, speaker pla America’s Area Mana cement was very cri ger for to obtain the tical Elettromedia Italy wa best staging and imag s about to embark on ing in the ch as build. ing after that holy grail of The teams goal was to create a system tha audio perfection. He for t wo me uld d a joint venture betwee give chills to anybod n Elettromedia-USA y who demo’ed the sys an d tem Tre nd . s Electronics (the US an A Hertz Mille ML280 tweeter was mounted d Canadian Audison distribuinto the tion partners) along Apillars with a custom with Kenwood Canada fiberglass mount tha . Do t put ug Moir from Cascade Au the correct “angle” on dio Engineering was the tweeter. The doors als o were added to the team to disassembled and co aid in the acoustic da mpletely sound dead mp en ed ing of the vehicle. The vehic with Cascade Audio Engineering products le was picked up in Septem. A baffle board was fabricated for the Hertz Mille ML 94

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165 mid-range/mid-bass driv er, again creating an angle that positioned the driver up and in towards the listener s. With the grill on, the assem bly looks completely factory but remove the grill and the true craftsmanship shows.To gen erate some low frequency impact out of a relatively small enc losure the team had another task ahead. A pair of Hertz Mille ML2500 10-inch subwoofers reside in the trunk mounted in sep arate vented enclosures. The tea m used some very creative fibreglass techniques to obtain a symmetrical look. The source selection was delgated to the Kenwood Car Portal system. The factory 6 disc in-dash CD player, Kenwood DVD changer, iPod aud io/video interface, Bluetooth hands-free kit and rear view camera are all input into the Kenwood Excelon KOS V10 00 interface and are control led by the KOS L702 7-inch tou ch screen monitor. Anothe r fiberglass mount was cus tom made to house it all reta ining the clean “factory” loo k and feel. The signal is then fed into the Alpine PXE H650 which handles the active crossover, equalization and time alignment of the system for stunni ng sound reproduction. Audio signals are then fed to a trio of the legendary Audison Thesis HV Venti amplifiers. These expensive award-winning amplifiers are the work of co-founder Emidio Vagnoni and the engineering team at Elettromedia. Each HV Venti is hand assembled in Italy by one specific craftsman. Along each stage of ass embly, each part and circuit is referenced to the original reference prototype, ensurin g absolute performance perfect ion. One amplifier is dedicat ed to the Hertz tweeters, one to the Hertz mid-range/mid96

audiophile grade

audio sign then fed to a trio of the legendary audalissonarTehe sis hV Venti $12,000 amplifiers. These expens amplifiers are the work ive award-winning of co-founder emidio Vagnoni and the en team elettromedia. each gineering assembled in italy by onehV Venti is hand specific craftsman.

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bass and the third one bridged into mono configuration to drive the Hertz subwoofers. At over $12,000 each, there are few installs you will read about as crazy as you see here. These limited availability amps are mounted in the trunk along with the subwoofers and processors leaving ilittle room for groceries. Two of the ampl floor, trunk fiers are mounted along the while the third drapes over the other two. The mount for this amplifier needed to it be unobtrusive, but at over 30lbs each of year 1 st needed to robust. After almo use, Penn reports no squeaks, rattles or other weird noises. It is a true testament to the installation integrity that Creationz Speed and Sound committed to this project. Once the project finally rolled into the Las Vegas Convention Center, the CES professionals took notice. Penn spent a few hours with the Hertz speaker

engineer for some last minute tuning with incredible results. Show attendees as well as other manufactures wandered over for a listen and everyone had very positive comments among the tough crowd. Currently the car is being prepared for CES 2009 making it mandatory to switch d up the audio. The project has been turne of ions Solut le Mobi over to the team at Calgary. Design and engineering will be handled by the talented duo of Matt Argatoff and Dennis Wong. The G37 now s features the new Audison Thesis TH serie Audinew the of t debu amplifiers and the son Thesis TH speakers and subwoofer system as well as the Audison Bit One of Signal processor. The prototype concept CES, years last at n show this product was but this year it will be in the car ready for demonstration and as Penn suggest sure to create more goosebumps.

THE ESSENTIALS Owner: LArry PENN LOcatiOn: CALgAry, AB g37S VehicLe: 2008 INfINITI WHEELS & TIrES

PIAA Super Rozza 2-Piece with Dunlop Sport Maxx (f) 20x9-inch with 235/35R20 (R)) 20x10-inch with 275/30R20

AudIo & MuLTIMEdIA

Kenwood KOS-V1000 / KOS-L702 Car Portal system Alpine PXE H650 processor Audison Thesis HV venti sub amp Audison Thesis HV venti midrange amp

Audison Thesis HV venti high frequency amp Kenwood KNA-G510 navigation Kenwood KDV-C810 DVD Changer Hertz Mille ML 2500 subs x2 Hertz Mille ML 165 mids x2 Hertz Mille ML 280 tweeters x2 Connection SFH 11WP Connection MP 1/0_1/0AWG for power and ground Connection SFD 41C Distribution Blocks Connection BSF 1.3 Capacitor

MuLTIMEdIA ASSAuLT

ood ash Cd player, Kenw The factory 6 discdin-d , ace erf int dio/video dVd changer, iPo au era and rear view cam kit e fre dshan oth Blueto S Ko n elo Exc ood nw Ke are all input into thed are controlled by the KoS V1000 interface anscreen monitor. L702 7-inch touch

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Available At

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Text by George Dimitriadis // Photos by George Dimitriadis, BIG OKI, Thanasis Stathopoulos and Jamie Floyd

his year marked the 11th Annual dB Drag Racing World Finals where the loudest systems on the planet compete to see who will reign supreme. The weekend of October 10-12 had competitors gathering at five locations Worldwide. In North America the top competitors on this side of the Atlantic gathered in Indianapolis and Laughlin while overseas they came together in Italy, France and Germany. Just so we can put it into perspective and understand what a global event this was; there were competitors representing a total of 21 countries at this year’s final making it a truly global event. Not one to take the easy way out, I opted to drive down with a convoy of 10 vehicles strong from the Great White North known as Canada. We began our 550 mile (890 km) road trip at 1:00am leaving Toronto, ON. We finally rolled in 12 hours later thanks to some pit stops along the way and with 2/3 of our convoy missing. We actually got split up ‘unexpectedly’ after the border but that’s a whole other story. This is a homecoming of sorts for PAS Magazine and myself as it’s our ninth year in attendance. Can any other magazine tell you they’ve been a supporter of car audio competition for this period of time? All year long competitors attend various events across the globe in order to qualify and earn an invitation to the World Finals. There was a variety of vehicles from Street Class all the way to those steel laden, concrete filled Extreme vehicles which resemble something out of a Mad Max movie. All day Friday, competitors arrived at the various locations worldwide to do battle. At the Indianapolis location Friday night a competitor appreciation party was organized which will not be forgotten; good food, good laughs, beverages and a game of ‘dB Drag Jeopardy’ made for some good times. Yes I did mention Jeopardy, the fine folks over at the DBDRA decided to have a game of Team Jeopardy where five teams of five competitors had to

Team American Bass North America with Team Captain Nick Cimino

Team SGK & The Saaristo Bros hanging out

The German location finalists!

The Big Squealer and Sampson

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Team TVE Sound System

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The Big OKI

Hifonicsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; si

nister H2

Loudest Street Canadas Yuli ShB Vehicle in North America; umsky

JP Sounds Pouli Marbella and teaakas SEAT mates ready to do battle

Randy Kube

A Peak Inside the Monster of the KOB

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face off in a battle of dB Dra g Knowledge. With teams like Team Ohio, Team dB Uni t, Team Maxxsonics, Team Team Loud Blame Canada and of course Saaristo Br Tea m Canada helmed Celebratingos by yours truly. It was a pre tty heated battle with an added twist requiring a cer tain alcoholic beverage be consumed by the team Cap tain everytime their team answered incorrectly. In the end Team dB Unit narrowly edged out Team Can ada for the win. Saturday was the Regiona l Competition for each location around the world. As I mentioned earlier Canada had a very large com petitor presence at the finals this year and nowher e was that felt more than in INDY. Veteran competitor Team FOB Yuli advanced through qualifications, elim inations and made his way to the regional finals going on to win them as well bringing home the first Reg ional title for Canada and subsequently putting up the Loudest Street loudest Street B score in Team Power MuA vehicle in the World Nor th America. Another memo sic rable moment during Regional competition was the first ever registered 180db+ at World Finals tha nks to Alan Dante and his 180.8 which he later surpas sed with a 180.9db that ended up earning him the Extreme Cup for a second year in a row. With compet ition having ended for the day the competitors went from the judging lanes to a Halloween costume party organized by the good people at SPLMAX. For pict ures of the event

2007 SM 1-2 No Canadian Team rth American Champ and Trinlect back to do battle

Team Stetso

Team Maxxo

nics

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INDY Repres

ents!

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The Greeks Represent !

Jordy Olmstead rolling into the Lanes

visit our website and for those of you who might be interested in the not so family oriented videos you can email me and I’ll be more than happy to share them. Sunday was an exercise in organization and planning because the morning was the National Finals which was head to head competition of the two loudest vehicles in each class on each continent. In this case the loudest vehicles in Street A in Europe competed head to head to see who would come out the European National Champion. This match up was between two competitors who know each other very well; Team Power Music-Loukataris and Achileas Kalamakis both from Greece. In the end Team PM as they are known was victorious with an unbelievable score of 159.3 setting a new World Record as well. Sunday also brought some unbelievable action in Bass Race with a triple tie-breaker run in the North American National Bass Race 130-139.9 class. Between good friends Tom “K90” Kaczmarczyk and Steven “Iggy” Ignacek with the end results being a National Championship win for Team Crossfire Tom. Also in Bass Race competition this was the last official competition for Tommy “King of Bass” McKinnie. Tommy has been the reigning World Champion in the 150-159.9 class for the last 4 years. In his last match he went head to head with the Michael “Big Oki” Mueller from Germany. After some online handshakes via the internet they both got their vehicles ready and commenced, in the end the KOB once again retained his title and ended his career on top once again. Of course World Finals isn’t complete without a Deathmatch and this year was the first ever International Deathmatch which took place via the internet. For those that don’t know, Deathmatch is when the four loudest vehicles of the weekend go head to head for a total of 5 minutes. This year the two loudest vehicles from North America Alan Dante and Craig Butler went head to Head with two of the loudest vehicles from Europe, Saaristo Bros and The KING! Team Audiosystem. In the end Alan Dante was victorious earning him his third consecutive win with an overall score of 173db. Seems every year the bar keeps getting raised and the competitors always steps up their game. I can only imagine what 2009 will bring. One thing is for sure it’s gonna be LOUD!

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Canadas Loudest Vehicle, Team Rip Rock

Everyone Pilling on top of Dave Da Silva’s Neon for his run in Street C Alan Dante and Team Stetsom Celeb his Record breaking run of 180.8!!! rating

Street B World Champion Vasilis Georgoulias from Greece

SPL Inc. from Kingston Ontario in the Lanes

Team Canada

Certified Judges Psychoacoustics from NY

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CPOROM P FI ETITO LES

Team NEO ERIC In the Street class categories of SPL many people strive to reach the National Champion status. Eric Hoffman from Team Neo and a native of Ohio reached that pinnacle at the 2008 dB Drag World Finals. Eric realized his goal and became the Street A North American Champion.

Name: Eric Hoffman Vehicle (Year, Make, Model): 1991 Honda CRX Competition Sanctioning Body and Class: dB Drag - Street A Why did you choose the particular vehicle: Fuel Efficiency/ interior space System breakdown: Source Unit(s): Pioneer, Power Distribution / wiring batteries: American Bass Cable, fabricated my own bus bars, Amplifier(s): American Bass 1000.1, Subwoofer(s): American Bass VFL competition Cool Stuff: My score in the lanes Install Shop: Home built Installers: Eric Hoffman, Lori Hoffman, Vernon Sargent, Eric Klypchak How long did the install take: 2 months for intial setup. Going on 3 years of R&D Cost: Approximately 6K Shouts Outs: Mi Familia, American Bass, Vernon Sargent, SPLMAX, Northstar batteries

r ons,

ges

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R O T I T COMPE PROFILES

Chris Norris In the SPL world of competition there are many classes however the Extreme Category of classes is one which in considered the “Elite” as very few choose to venture into that particular category for obvious reasons; Money, Time, Labour oh did I forget to mention MONEY. Chris Norris has been a competitor in the Extreme Classes for about a decade and in those years he has amassed countless world records, championships and trophies. What separates him from many of the Extreme competitors is the amount of customization and aesthetic work while at the same time producing ridiculous SPL levels.

Name: Chris Norris Vehicle: 1990 Chevy Astro Competition Sanctioning Body and Class: DB Drag, IASCA, USACI, MECA - Ext 3 plus, Unlimited Why did you choose the particular vehicle: Popular vehicle, cheap fun to build, and lots of room System breakdown: Source Unit(s): Alpine CDA- 9886, Signal Processor(s) Audio control matrix and MVC, Power Distribution / wiring batteries: Powermaster batteries 16 v, Kicker 1/0 Hyperflex Power and Ground wire (2500 ft of each), Custom Distributions, Amplifier(s): 8 Crossfire 4000d’s, Subwoofer(s): 6 CN Cactus Sounds 15s Cool Stuff: Split paint job, one of a kind, sitting on 24’s Install Shop: CN Sounds Installers: Chris Norris How long did the install take: 2 Years Cost: $90,000 Shouts Outs: Scottie Johnson at Powermaster, Tom at Ohio Generator, Roger Bridges at Crossfire, Tracy at Kicker, Jerad at CN Sounds, Tom at Tsunami

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SEE US AT

NORTH HALL # 4303

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CSPL Finals Odyssey Mobile Electronics September 21st SCORE

RESULTS

Team All-Tech Justin

147.6

Rita Mueller

144.45

Red Beema

144

Shahid Rahemtulla

143.45

Jeff Espey

139.95

Team All Tech Tom

139.1

Dean Yandernoll

138.1

James Kinsella

137.1

Kevin Pereira

136.3

Brad Edwards

134.85

Team Alltech Jerry

112

146

TEAM All Tech Jessica

145.5

Team All Tech Elysse

143.6

Zaheir Azeez

142.35

Trevor Cordeiro

140.35

Vicki Le

140.25

Mike Hibbs

138.8

George Hutanu

136.85

Brydon Martin

136.8

Dale Beaver

135.65

Jan Hiemstra

134.8

Brad Finch

133.55

Team Alltech Mike

152.3

Don Doyle

151.5

Sunny G

144.2

Chris Aucoin

143

Yuli Shumsky

156.8

SPL INC ED

155.3

Dave Joseph

153.25

Tim Bartlett

148.95

Byran Vanderpol

156.55

John Latanville

156.15

Matt Simard

138.15

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CSPL 10.10 V2.indd 4

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0 0 0 2 P BATCA

HaN EVER T R E W O P E OVED MOR R P M I D N A NEW

Batcap-Xstatic 10.03.indd 1

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WORLD FINALS Text by George Dimitri adis // Photos by RJ Alvarade

NOVEMBER 15-16, 20 TEXAS STATE FAIRGR 08 OUND

S, DALLAS, TX

SPL Street Beat 1 Billy Morgan

158db

Evan Hopkins

153.9db

Street Beat 2

Modified 0-1000

Ryan McCue

158.1db

John Davidson

163.4db

Kalvon Hawkins

143db

Brian Goings

155.3db

Street Beat 1

Street Beat 3 Brent Magee

157.2db

Billy Morgan

158db

Josh Brown

156.7db

Evan Hopkins

153.9db

Street Beat 4

Street Beat 2

Kenny Coleman

156.1db

Ryan McCue

158.1db

Joseph Lobato

155db

Kalvon Hawkins

143db

Street Beat 5

Street Beat 3

Pro Stock 1801-3000 Jeff Sanford

164.1db

Charles Estes

162.6db

Brent Magee

157.2db

Troy Royer

137.1db

Stereo West

161db

Josh Brown

156.7db

Pro Stock 3001+

Stock 0-600

Street Beat 4

Robert Kollar

165.7db 157.6db

Krissie Boyd

160.2db

Kenny Coleman

156.1db

Tony Price

Matt Belanger

158.8db

Joseph Lobato

155db

Modified 0-1000

Stock 601-1800

Street Beat 5

John Davidson

163.4db 155.3db

Chad Stoulil

160.7db

Charles Estes

162.6db

Brian Goings

Kevin Davis

160.5db

Stereo West

161db

Modified 1001-2000

Stock 1801-3000

Stock 0-600

Satinand Sukhnandan

165.6db

Tim Schaffer

162db

Krissie Boyd

160.2db

Alex Mendoza

164.3db

Tim Dougherty

161.3db

Matt Belanger

158.8db

Modified 2001-4000

Stock 3001+

Stock 601-1800

Ben Booker

166.1db 163.4db

Mark Brus

164.1db

Chad Stoulil

160.7db

Josh Maldonado

Daryal Shelton

158.5db

Kevin Davis

160.5db

Modified 4001+

Stock 1801-3000

Pro Stock 0-600 Krissie Boyd

162.db

McCain Mobile Audio

168.5db 165.6db

Tim Schaffer

162db

Charles Estes

Team Audiohype 160.9db

Tim Dougherty

161.3db

Super Modified 0-2000

Pro Stock 601-1800

Stock 3001+

Jim Pitcher

163db

Mark Brus

164.1db

Super Modified 2001-4000

John Alvarado

156.5db

Daryal Shelton

158.5db

Danny Hays

David Trollinder

160.5db 176.4db

Pro Stock 1801-3000

Pro Stock 0-600

Jeff Sanford

164.1db

Krissie Boyd

162.db

George Szawn

164.6db

Troy Royer

137.1db

Team Audiohype

160.9db

Jeff Rowland JR

162.3db

Pro Stock 3001+

Super Modified 4001-8000

Pro Stock 601-1800

Super Modified 8001+

Robert Kollar

165.7db

Jim Pitcher

163db

McCain Mobile Audio

168.9db

Tony Price

157.6db

John Alvarado

156.5db

Joseph Lobato

158.1db

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USACi 10.10 V2.indd 1

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SQ Q Consumer James Risenhoover

187 points

Robert Scherril

183 points

Q Pro Jan Bennett

191 points

Alex Mendoza

190 points

Advance Consumer John Sketoe

402 points

James Risenhoover

392 points

Advanced Pro Jan Bennett

421 points

Alex Mendoza

391 points

Advance Expert Pate Chris

397 points

Mark Eldridge

395 points

Intermediate Consumer Juan Maldonado 317 points Roy Anderson

314 points

Intermediate Pro Andy Jones

319 points

Bill Pleasant

318 points

Intro Consumer John Jenkins

48 points

Chad Greer

47 points

Intro SQ Pro

USACi 10.10 V2.indd 2

Gary Knox

47 points

Kris Carson

47 points

03/12/08 3:54 PM

Vancouver, BC. 1672 S.E. Marine Drive (718-6434) Surrey, BC. 8062 King George Highway (502-8820) Langley, BC. 20670 Langley Bypass (5141277) Burnaby, BC. 5756 Imperial Avenue (430-6999) Prince George, BC. #170, 556 North Nechako Road (562-5600) Kamloops, BC. 475 Seymour Street (372-9688) Kelowna, BC. 2463 Highway 97 (762-5900) Grand Prairie, AB. 10940 100 Avenue (538-3318) Red Deer, AB. 2119 Gaetz Avenue (340-1750) Edmonton, AB. 10421 170 Street (444-7007) Edmonton, AB. 10133 34 Avenue (438-6242) Edmonton, AB. 13723 42 Street (457-4888) Edmonton, AB.13340 St.Albert Trail (488-8815)Calgary, AB. 9950 Macleod Trail S. (255-2255) Calgary, AB. Bay #60, 3915 51 Street S.W. (240-2296) Calgary, AB. 2930 32 Avenue N.E. (250-9107) Calgary, AB. 46 Crowfoot Circle N.W. (208-2487) Medicine Hat, AB. 3363 Dunmore Road S.E. (526-2999) Lethbridge, AB. 904 3 Avenue (320-2333) Saskatoon, SK. 714 Circle Drive E. (664-3666) Regina, SK. 1440 Albert Street (585-7711) Regina, SK. 2530 Victoria Avenue E. (790-7755) Brandon, MB. 1120 Highland Avenue (728-7743) Winnipeg, MB. 1680 Pembina Highway (269-2372) Winnipeg, MB. 1130 St. James Street (775-7082) Winnipeg, MB. 1510 Regent Avenue (224-4644)

Visions 9.09.indd 1

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a r b o c d a m Text by Dave Pankew // Photos by Fred

Lynch

the The headunit is a pure audiophile unit, as The effort put forth by Karabinis amounted r bette capa is ing MP3 no noth with me CDs like e f you’r McIntosh MX406 plays s. to two years and an untold amount of fund no mere are the at There . balk thing will real phile the than bilities. Any true audio aThe creative installers at Car Audio Innov has no substitutes for authenticity, as copies mention of compressed music. This deck build to in Roseville, CA were entrusted tions ation n innov Deno of only spirit with the k class wrec a in and knockoffs often equals and resides to clever audio install which was designed this the the to h s rneat come it Unde ty. when fideli ver, d Howe soun and compeition. and Nakamichi for ts together the very best audio componen bring r pexce powe an tosh make McIn to mark have I a, trade legendary AC Cobr single DIN unit is the Five and materials around. Since the factory s ing need that outgo e The . shap ss glow agele blue ic, iar tion, as it’s a class meter with the famil o Cobra did not have any provision for a stere r XEQ to be prolonged. Demitrios Karabinis owne signals are processed with an Arc Audio r cente be part of the vehicle, a compact to add to some ed to ed want CA head r sto, drive of Arc Audio in Mode 7-band EQ with line and console was custom fabricated from MDF nd essive something with a classic feel to his impr serious Arc Audio gear. The Arc Audio 7-ba aped filler. The highly functional U-sh body to Five ry caFacto appli at this rts for expe en the chos fleet and contacted parametric EQ was of console fits snugly between the bottom sa of build him a custom Cobra. Factory Five know tion for multiple purposes. First, because ion miss the dashboard and on top of the trans g rmin perfo head ling tosh dazz McIn a ng the of t maki t thing or two abou the low voltage outpu both tunnel seamlessly. Openings were cut for iar with t the Cobra replica, but what they aren’t famil unit, the Arc Audio XEQ was used to boos mbly asse head unit and the meter unit. The the a so m, offer as syste well audio as an ifier date ampl is how to accommo signal level into the then wrapped in matching vinyl to blend was that give all to m mize syste custo the to of g took it tunin Karabinis did what minimal amount of t. seemlessly with the dash and the carpe and build the dream car he sought after.

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ARC Cobra 10.10 v3.indd 2

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HOUSE OF BOOM

stage in stereo 4 ohms nt fro d ure fig con SE 00 42 dio Au c Ar s bridge to The master amp is an speakers and the rear output ent tm par com s ver dri ge sta nt fro for the the trunk. This single amplifier setup in rs ofe wo sub dio Au c Ar 2 8D ch the dual 8-in simplicity and ease of installation. was critical for this application for its in the best integration to the limited acoustics the to ted moun was lizer equa The the Cobra. neatly passenger underside dash area tucked -ofease s allow still h whic , sight of up and out ted ‘spiri g durin way the in get not use but does the of out ssing proce l signa the driving.’ With ificaway, the tuned signals head to the ampl ls. The exce Audio Arc e wher area an tion stage, gured confi SE 4200 Audio Arc an is master amp rs in stereo 4 ohms for the front stage drive ts outpu rear the and kers spea ent compartm s oofer subw Audio Arc h 8-inc dual bridge to the was in the trunk. This single amplifier setup and licity simp its for n catio appli this critical for e singl this ing runn by Also n. llatio ease of insta nt of amp configuration, it reduces the amou install to es ssori acce ll overa and wiring, labor

ion the system into the vehicle, not to ment lled in insta was weight. The Arc Audio 4200SE ort supp t offse an the trunk of the vehicle using Car sure. system built off the side sub enclo from Audio Innovations made the custom rack of sides the to hed twin metal side bridges attac less stain all the enclosure and bolted up with ifier hardware. The application allowed the ampl the to ss acce to be removed easily and open ard area Cobra’s Halon bottle located in the forw axle. rear of the trunk cavity above the The enclosure itself is a true work of art. the Housing twin Arc Audio 8D2 8-inch subs ns optio few left physical limitations of space ficing sacri ut to get the desired bass witho the entire trunk. Considering that the trunk use had such detailed assembly and overall

hed of materials such as stainless and polis this that rtant impo mely extre was aluminum, it this, h mplis acco To t. intac left was look and feel rear the into ted pora incor were s the subwoofer multiple side cavities of the trunk area by using the of mold a make to glass layers of fiber rings outer shell of the vehicle and then wood then was c fabri The . place in set were cut and ed layer then and resin ster Polye coated with 2oz of s layer ional addit with side on the back ations fiberglass matting. Then Car Audio Innov feet cubic .40 ling (tota sures enclo sealed both red cove then and ed prim ed, per sub),sand ied them with matching vinyl that accompan le. For vehic the of rest the of e them the interior ian dinav Scan to d turne binis Kara components, The . Audio Dyn rers factu speaker manu

WWW.PASMAG.COM – PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND

ARC Cobra 10.10 v3.indd 3

119

04/12/08 4:49 PM

MAD COBRA

’s legendary 5.0L V8l rd Fo d fin ll u’ yo , od ho e odies al Under th ith some Ford Racing5golbs. this powerplant along wei ghing in at just 1,97 aving others ready for action. Wrtle ly pulls away, le quick roadster effo ss in its dust.

rs Dyn Audio. The superb navian speaker manufacture cted for the midrange Dyn Audio MW170s were sele allowing the Dyn Audio and along with a crossover e the crystal clear highs. MW130 tweeters to produc ed kit Cobra made no acAgain this performance bas io system. With such narcommodations for any aud t well area there was no row cavities in the floor foo enclosures. The next best room to build in kick panel housing enclosures on the location was to do modular Since the lightweight doors insides of the door panels. % fiberglass with some on Factory Five kit are 100 they would have to get basic metal reinforcement ng the pods a place to creative. The first step in givi ove a significant amount attach to the door was to rem of the door panel leaving of the paint from the inside the outside of the desired only a 3-inch ring around ss exposed strips of MDF area intact. With raw fibergla r. Then with some body were fiberglassed to the doo was covered in matching filler and sanding the pod

AUDIO ASSAULT

d parametric The Arc Audio 7-ban application thi EQ was chosen for es.sFir st, os rp for multiple pu output ge lta vo low the of e becaus XEQ the it un ad of the McIntosh he signal level the t os bo was used to ll as offer into the amplifier as we ing of the tun of nt a minimal amou best int egration the e giv system to the Cobra. in cs to the limited acousti 120

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

ARC Cobra 10.10 v2.indd 4

d to the door. The net result vinyl, installed and secure y better than anything Fac Karabinis boasts is not onl ted, but easily exceeds the tory Five could have attemp r as well. quality any OEMs could offe was lit up with a pair of The high end sound system the trunk to compliment in twin Bat Cap 400s mounted hood. The importance the er the main Bat Cap 2000 und Dynamat’s finest to ted of sound deadening was trus ted Stinger products trus zes products and the install utili ribution needs. Power is for all of the wiring and dist r 1600 alternator. provided with a Powermaste tem now in place, this sys With a ground pounding former is guaranteed per already solid 5.0L powered at just 1,975 lbs. this to turn heads. Weighing in pulls away, leaving others quick roadster effortlessly ra is certainly ready to in its dust. This classic Cob see Karabinis cranking rumble, as we can’t wait to n the streets in sunny up the tunes and tearing dow California!

THE ESSENTIALS

WESTSIDE CONNECT

OWNER: DEMITRIOS KARABINIS LOCATION: MODESTO, CA VEHICLE: A 2006 FACTORY FIVE COBR E

NC ENGINE & PERFORMA s Ford Racing 190/160 cam K&N Typhoon intake MSD Billet distributor MSD coil pack MSD wires

EXTERIOR

e body kit Ait Racing k1 10 piece wid been has per bum rear and ont **fr customized** APR Front splitter APR Rear spliter Ait Racing CF Vented hood cated to Custom Sparco gas cap relo finish off flare dows Molded One piece rear win g win CF dry ora Rot

ES WHEELS, TIRES, BRAK with Team Three alloy wheels s BFGoodrich CompT/A tire (f) 17x9-inch with 245/40R17 R17 (r) 17x10-inch with 275/35

AUDIO / MULTIMEDIA ovations Install by Car Audio Inncd player

McIntosh MX406 am/fm/ meter McIntosh MPM4000 power Arc Audio XEQ 7-band EQ amp Arc Audio 4200SE 4-channelx2 Arc Audio 8D2 8-inch subsents Dynaudio MW170 compons Dynaudio MW130 tweeter BatCap 400 battery x2 Stinger wiring and fusing Power Master 160 amp Dynamat

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MORE THAN ME ETS THE EAR

Text by Shaun Keenan // Photos by Somya Siva

LOUD anD cLear

Behind the door panels, for inst ce, the eight-inch Dyan na midwoofers are udio outfitted with custom brackets and ba ffles to couple to the do correctly. anotheror neat trick is the old Bose logos were re oved in favour of elm ant Dynaudio embleg em which now subtly s, adorn each door skin. 124

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WWW.PASMAG.COM

Dyn Audio Porsche 10.10 V3.indd 2

03/12/08 4:29 PM

here’s a fine line to tread any time a Porsche 911 is used as a project car. Modifying the legendary German coupe for racing is one thing, but even the most discerning owner thinks twice about pimpin’ his ride because, honestly, there is very little room for improvement. And, when it comes to aftermarket modifications, 911 owners are largely divided citing an endless list of arguments for or against. As for cost, chances are you’ve pushed in a lot of chips already and so most are content to leave well enough alone. Bob Cole bought this Porsche 911 Targa 4S to have as a daily-driver back in early 2007. No, not the Bob Cole from Hockey Night in Canada; this one is founder and president of World Wide Stereo (WWS) near Philadelphia, PA. Cole and longtime employee Ron Rumer have been putting cutting-edge sound and video into home and auto since the late 1970s. With stores in Montgomeryville and in nearby Ardmore, there’s no shortage of work for their experienced staff, some of whom have even been around as long as Bob and Ron. WWS has built countless custom cars through the years. After about a month of surgery, this is their latest one. The 355-hp boxer-six engine with all-wheel drive is still stock. In fact, 90 to 95 per cent of this car is straight from the Porsche factory. To truly understand what makes this car PAS-worthy, you must look deeper than its subtle skin, and listen carefully. “I wanted to prove that world class audio can be delivered from a stock interior,” says David Keenan, 12-volt manager for WWS, who oversaw the creation of this demo vehicle. “Our lead custom technician, Jeff Brand, was the only installer on the job and I designed the system. Jeff deserves all the credit though. He is truly a genius.”

Keenan (no relation here) describes this vehicle as “over the top and under the radar.” Read on and you’ll know why. “At a glance, the car appears to be stock,” he says. “You have to look under the skin to comprehend the extraordinary measures that were taken to maximize audio performance.” Installing competition-grade car audio and multimedia into demo cars is quite common these days. It’s how they did it that makes this Porsche truly a one-of-a-kind. Originally, this car had the Bose audio package installed. Standing in for the factory source unit now is a Kenwood DDX812. Main features of this nifty piece include its large touchscreen monitor with an advanced interface, built-in DSP, Bluetooth phone operation, navigation and satellite radio-readiness, audio and video via USB, ipod, ipod video and more. But, this is not what makes the car unique. A Dynaudio Esotec system 362 component set now bolsters the front stage with several high-end Denmarkmade speakers, including a pair of the MD 102 soft-dome tweeters, two three-inch MD 142 soft dome mid-range speakers, MW 172 eight-inch woofers, and X362 crossovers. But, these aren’t what make this car unique either. “The rear quarters are the highlight of the entire install,” hints Keenan. For this is where a set of JL Audio 8w3v3 eight-inch subs have been installed – though you’ll have a tough time finding them without assistance since they’re hidden behind the original interior panels. They actually cut through the car and then Jeff permanently molded in 0.8-cubic foot sealed fiberglass encloses to the backside of each rear fender. “We cut through the vehicle in the rear quarter panel, straight through to the outside, specifically above the rear tire inside the wheel well,” explains Keenan.

SAFE N’ SOUND “At a glance, the car appe You have to look under th ars to be stock... the extraordinary measu e skin to comprehend maximize audio perform res that were taken to ance.”

WWW.PASMAG.COM – PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND

Dyn Audio Porsche 10.10 V3.indd 3

000

03/12/08 4:32 PM

MoTIvATIoN

y top-notch. So mucsh bl na tio es qu un is n tio la is car wa The instal ild-up it was decidedAthev ts. Good so that during thembu te at regional IASC fourenregional good enough to co thpe WS Porsche won Hampshire enough? Actually, ttsebuW h, York, PA, New ry on route to competitions in Pi the rg Ultimate Pro categoFinals. and in Maryland inthe 20 07 IASCA World finishing fourth at de of fiberglass,” Keenan

done with the Naturally, the cutting was due to the ce ien utmost precision and pat s. add price of the vehicle he eme This is definitely the most extr it’s clear r, eve how modification on this car, done with also was the rest of the installation

meticulous care. instance, the Behind the door panels, for rs are outfitted ofe wo eight-inch Dynaudio mid to couple to fles baf with custom brackets and

the door correctly. e logo was Another neat trick is the Bos emblems, which io removed in favour of Dynaud . This little detail skin r now subtly adorn each doo only visible the are – along the Kenwood unit – to this car. e don n clues that something has bee h has also das the of The fact that the lions share enamel ed mix tom been re-coloured using a cus team The ple. peo st paint will go unnoticed by mo intee sinc ent plim would likely take this as a com . rks ma hall ir the gration and OEM quality are from underneath the Power for the system comes find two McIntosh amplifront bonnet where you will e of the wiring. Both fiers, the crossovers and som MCC301M sub amps are the midrange MCC302 and um chassis with their mounted on a welded-alumin ning system for quick own fan-controlled air conditio no additional space, the cool down times. Taking up ensure the look is factory. hand-made custom covers

“The amp covers are ma ating a skeleton form that explains, “produced by cre to get the exact shape underwent lots of sanding then wrapped in a plush we wanted. The parts were sche logo to give a more leather with the raised Por integrated feel.” amplifiers were added Covers for the front of the t. shortly after this photoshoo with Monster Cables d fitte “The car is also out aker cable, which audiophile-grade m1.2 spe cable, and again e aug is larger than a four-g route it through the to ce ien required loads of pat doors and body panels.” tionably top-notch. The installation is unques build-up it was So much so that during the ugh to compete at eno d goo decided this car was d enough? Actually, regional IASCA events. Goo r regional competithe WWS Porsche won fou New Hampshire tions in Pittsburgh, York, PA, te Pro category ma Ulti the and in Maryland in at the 2007 IASCA on route to finishing fourth World Finals. elegant design “We used simplicity and than DSP and her rat les to overcome obstac go all the “To . nan Kee s equalization,” say our first in als Fin rld Wo way to the IASCA no super-elaborate year with a vehicle with place fourth is processing; and, then to totally amazing!”

THE ESSENTIALS

IdE STErEo Owner: WorLd W MErYvILLE, PA 4S dEMo CAr Go NT Mo : On LOcati CHE 911 TArGA rS Po VehicLe: 2007 ntosh MCC302 midrange amp

AUdIo / MULTIMEdIAhead unit with built in DSP

Kenwood eXcelon DDX812ion Kenwoood/Garmin navigat8-in. midbass woofers (x2) Dynaudio Esotec MW 172 3-in. soft dome midrange (x2) Dynaudio Esotec MD 142 1-in. soft dome tweeters (x2) Dynaudio Esotec MD 102 sovers (x2) Dynaudio Esotec X 362 cros fers (x2) JL Audio 8w3v3 8-in. subwoo (x2) *disconnected ents Dynaudio t400cxi compon

Dyn Audio Porsche 10.10 V3.indd 4

McI McIntosh MCC301M sub amp nects Monster m1.2 wiring, intercon blocks Stinger fuses, distribution res Custom sealed sub enclosu s Custom sealed speaker podr rack Custom aluminum amplifie

SPoNSorS

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Dynaudio, JL Audio, Kenwoo

03/12/08 4:33 PM

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Mazda.indd 1 273_MZM6-08-3772v2.indd 1

04/12/08 1:15 PM 11/28/08 1:39:46 PM

n the world of poker you better come correct with a good game face. Really in any sort of competition or negotiation you need that intimidation factor to make a bold statement and really let people know you mean business. Boulevard (BLVD) Customs of St. Petersburg, FL know all to well about making bold statements, as their clientele, craftsmanship and creations easily speak for themselves. We’ve featured a number of their impressive builds in our magazine before, as the talented team at BLVD have a number of hot projects under their belt. So when they were invited to participate in a design contest for Mercedes Benz USA, BLVD. stepped up to the plate – and the Urban Whip was born. “I’ve been a Mercedes fan since childhood,” says Boulevard President Chris Bradley, “I reviewed the design brief for the Urban Whip and I said to myself, ‘we can do this better than anyone else.” There would be four players in the design contest and Boulevard was ready to go all out with a level of custom craftsmanship that the others simply couldn’t touch. Obviously the most dramatic feature of the BLVD GLK design is its roadster design. Along with the drop top theme, the windshield was chopped to give the feel of a classic open motor car with seats for four very lucky passengers. Erik Holmen of Robrady Design in Sarasota, FL took Boulevard’s original sketch design by Chris Bradley and transformed the aggressive widebody kit into a 3 dimensional computer rendering. The design sketches were given the green light by Mercedes’ top brass and it fell within their requirements for structural integrity and practical motoring. Once given the nod, the renderings were brought to life using Robrady’s 5-axis router to create the custom 3-inch widebody kit. The roof removal, reinforcement and metal work reshaping duties fell to NBS Performance of Pinellas Park, FL. Removing the roof of a 5-star crash rated vehicle like the GLK meant extra bracing would have to be added to the sides and underbelly of the vehicle. All glass was removed for roof removal by Rich Gramley (without breaking any) before C-Thru Glass in Odessa, FL carefully cut down 5.5-inches off the front windshield to match the chopped down A-pillars for a real roadster look. Then off to Superior Auto Body also in Pinellas Park, FL where Ed Weiss did the painstaking task of molding the front and rear bumpers into the body before Matt Feiler repainted the vehicle. The factory grill opening was widened and the artisans at Strut handcrafted something special to make this G’d out ride really shine. Art Craft Plating chrome dipped all of the square tubing found on the exterior. The front driving light’s halogen bulbs were replaced with 10 watt LED Bulbs for better performance, while smoked treatment brings distinctive style to the rear light cluster. To get the true badboy stance, the GLK has been slammed by 2.5-inches all around with a custom suspension. Boulevard knew that they would have to shoehorn in some mind-bending wheels to get neck-snapping attention and they did just that. The BLVD Urban Whip is grounded to the asphalt with impressive 26-inch Asanti AF 150 chromies with custom black accents. These rare wheels are wrapped in 295/25R26 Pirelli Scorpion rubber for a smooth and stable ride. Boulevard also knows that with wheels that size, you need more brake, so BLVD slipped on some Brembo GTs with 8-piston calipers and 15-inch rotors on the front and 4-piston rears with a 13.6-inch rotor. JL’s Auto Interiors hooked up the striking interior upholstery blend of both diamond-stitched and perforated AMG leathers. Both front and rear seats receive the same treatment equating to a truly luxurious 2+2 driving experience. The rear seating area was treated to a pair of custom fabricated bucket seats and a unique center console matching the original front console built by Inner Works 128

GAM

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Stinger GLK 10.10 v4.indd 2

04/12/08 5:08 PM

E C A F ME Photos by Mercedes-Benz Text by Dave Pankew //

Stinger GLK 10.10 v4.indd 3

USA

04/12/08 5:09 PM

GAMEFACE out of St. Petersburg, FL. The team added piano black wood trim, a custom steering wheel and custom shift knob to result in an interior that pays homage to Mercedes upscale models while giving the GLK its own identity. Any OEM interior parts requiring replacement were color matched to perfection by Gulf Coast Vinyl Repair. The real work started with the audio and multimedia roll out. If you really want to get noticed, you gotta be loud! Maintaining the factory Mercedes Command unit, the team went on to ramp up the balance of the audio with high end components. The signals are fed to the JL Audio Cleansweep and SSI summing device for proper processing and tuning. Beyond that there are six JL Audio HD750/1 power amps driving six individual JL Audio 13TW5 subwoofers. A pair of JL Audio HD600/4 amps were selected to power the JL Audio 6.5-inch ZR components in the front and 5.25-inch ZR components in the rear. The motorized dual-stage hinge mechanism was designed and built by BLVD Customs. Sparking up the sounds is some gear from AAMP of America, consisting of four impressive Stinger SP800 batteries with a Stinger SP1700 powering the SUV itself. The power wire, speaker wire, distribution blocks, fusing and sound deadening, are all top notch Stinger competition grade gear. When the Urban Whip GLK made it to SEMA, it was clear this $150,000 build was far ahead of what the competition had been up to. So radical and well-crafted, the BLVD Customs crew was voted number one in our opinion. In our experience with these talented Florida builders, we really expected nothing less. Full credit goes to the talented team at BLVD, especially Chris Bradley (overall design), ‘Spike’ Keeser (build coordinator), Danny Camacho, Ryan Pepsin and Dave Ridenour (fabrication and installation of stereo system, interior, wheels and brakes), Kathy Bradley, Zach Abass and Cory Jansen. BLVD would like to thank Robrady Design, NBS Performance, Superior Auto Body, Inner Works, JL’s Auto Interiors, C-Thru Glass and Security Films, Gulf Coast Vinyl Repair and Artcraft Plating who dedicated their time, skill and creativity to the build. For a behind the scenes look at the incredible BLVD Customs GLK build process, be sure to check out its transformation on www.blvdcustoms.com

THE ESSENTIALS

Owner: BouLEvArd CuSTomS LOcatiOn: ST. PETErSBurg, FL VehicLe: 2010 mErCEdES BENz gLK

ENgINE:

Mercedes 3.5L V6

HouSE oF Boo m

If you gotta be loudr!eTally want to get noticed, yo power amps dr here are six JL Audio 75 u 13TW5 subwo iving six individual 13.5-i 0/1 hinge mechanisofers. The motorized dua nch BLvd Customs m was designed and buill-stage . t by

INTErIor:

Black & White diamond-stitched and perforated leather. Custom 2+2 bucket seats Piano black wood trim Custom steering wheel, shift knob and center console

WHEELS, TIrES, BrAKES:

Asanti AF 150 26x10-inch Pirelli Scorpion 295/25R26 tires Brembo GT 8-piston 15-inch front brakes Brembo GT 4-piston 13.6-inch rear brakes

AudIo & muLTImEdIA:

SSI Summing Device JL Audio Cleansweep JL Audio HD750/1 JL Audio HD600/4 JL Audio 13TW5 13.5-inch subwoofers x6 JL Audio ZR650 CSi 6.5-inch components JL Audio ZR525 CSi 5.25-inch components Stinger SP800 batteries x4 Stinger SP1700 powering Stinger power wire, distribution blocks, sound deadening and speaker wire 130

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Stinger GLK 10.10 v4.indd 4

04/12/08 5:10 PM

Dynaudio/Porsch

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E G A R MACHINE FOR THE

Text by Shaun Keenan //

Photos by Daniel Flanigan

tures The Rage R8SC show car fea son decided to and er fath , form V-8 engine plat oled g Mustan turning a supercharged and interco e Exotic Vehicles ussell Knudsen has been Rag ed call y pan produces t com tha new start a king with three-valve technology that transforms rolling stock into exotic-loo ), com les. ehic ticV ower. Major Exo sep age hor (www.R s now. an adrenaline-spiking 600 sports cars for three decade into extraordinary s car rts spo uded SEMA an incl eric e Am hav y e ordinar public appearances to dat his body of work facility on n der mo fully Based in Omaha, Nebraska the NADA ir as, the at Veg sts Las rare bea 2006 and the 2007 CES in the 1980s Tojan includes such creations as ws, the . sho side t DUB wes ’s few aha convention, HIN Miami, a conversions, which Om years old and few a t Eyes On jus Firebird and Carralo Camaro is ual y ann pan the com as l The Festivals of Speed as wel ors for their rarity. ning momengai l stil Edsel is the are sought after by collect ng at ‘Sta e held w pok sho bes their Design classic charity car , LLC even built ually the original act is e . Knudsen Automotive Design her Day ’s see her you Fat at ry Wh tum. and Eleanor Ford House eve luxury “Baroque” pany’s flaga line of exotic hand-made invited to attend prototype. It’s been the com e Rag tz “It was quite an honor to be Stu ur and ng at the 2006 eili unv its limos inspired by the Excalib ce sin sell. Humbling car Rus s o say dem ship such an event (in 2006),” tured in countless pedigrees. Besides being fea automotive w. e Sho nsiv o Aut exte Dallas even for a man with such many of Knudsen’s ed as “Mad Max crib des n magazines over the years, bee has ign des The design background. culture notoriety on y aggressive on the vehicles have gained pop ting their hands meets James Bond.” It’s ver The Knudsens do enjoy get inside. “A lot of the on s riou television and in movies. luxu y ver ever, there are and How exterior dirty as often as possible. r-the-top whips for inspiration and rds kwa He still produces unique, ove bac ing en that are look ftsm are cra people roximately two dozen se days, however, s Andrew Knudsen, app say ad,” in very limited numbers. The ahe ing e automobile look Rag h are eac responsible for building pens the designs. so we inal concept. orig his son Andrew is the one who the with up e cam with the current Ford who Having seen an opportunity

132

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Atomic Audio Mustang 10.09 V4.indd 2

04/12/08 10:50 AM

Ready To Rumble car features The Rage R8SC show gine

8 en ed and intercoothleatd Va supercharglv produces e technology rsep with three-vae-sp ower! iking 600 ho an adrenalin

ns. Some are emto their stringent specificatio tract relationships. ployees while others are con se and that All body work is done in hou spired body kit x-in Ma d aggressive-looking Ma a dozen pieces. All is made up of no less than rglass reinforced fibe are ts of the new body par new hood, front and plastic (FRP) and include a t and rear splitters, fron ts, rear fascias, side skir nds, custom alumirear quarter window surrou fascias, plus a Rage num grille inserts for both FX rear wing. rmation ranges Pricing for the Rage transfo ,000. If you don’t $30 mid to from high $20,000 help work out a already own one, Rage can them to start off for ng deal to get a fresh ‘Sta ted Rage Mustang, with. Purchasing a comple a V-6 or V-8, coupe or it’s er depending on wheth upper $40,000 to convertible, can go from the high $60,000 range.

bump in The TRunk

n series subs tta ha an m ch -in 15 of ir pa a n) cessed amp bi ith its own reea th of subs (each wte de si ated into chg red leatheer have been in isgr hed in matchinenger cabin style. trunk and fin tr pass and aluminum im à la

WWW.PASMAG.COM – PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND

Atomic Audio Mustang 10.09 V4.indd 3

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The conversions include eve rything from the total me of a certain car manufact body transformation, engine urer from The enhancements and a subs belt out low frequen Netherlands, his reply – “I beli cies while the complete interior (leather eve that would seating, door panels, engine oth er amp – a Trinity 504 fou - be Spyker” – was spo turned aluminum dash, new r-channel t on. steering wheel and more – model sends signals to He goes on; “After seeing our 6.5-inch front goodies) to the custom-de Rage Mustang signed Weld forged alloy component and rear coaxia at the Dallas Auto Show, bot l speaker sets wheels, Pirelli tires, Ford Rac h Lam borghini and ing exhaust system and mo unted neatly in the factory Bentley borrowed the leather other Ford Racing appointme locations. style; and, Jaguar nts. An Eclipse AVN6600 double put the dash treatment in its -din This is no Q-modified Aston touchscreen upscale coupe last head Martin, of course. But, if unit now offers all of the year. All good company to hav there were a connection to aud io and e.” Bond, James Bond and the video options one could wa “The Rage Mustang is hig nt. But, just in Rage Mustang, one would h fashion, high need to look inside the veh case, there’s a seven-inc icle performance, wit h Eclipse MRE7000 where each seat is cut and hout the high price tag,” add sewn to the customers spe s mo nitor in the trunk as well. cs Andrew. Not every by Roadwire Leather Interior Rage customer will spring s. Many colors, materials This is one well-executed for the gadgets, but a show show car, but and stitching options are ava car without I.C.E. ilable with Midstates Auto the R8SC is not the only Rage is like a dog with no bark. Mustang in Upholstery performing the So, Andrew called final fit and finish in Omaha the lineup. There’s also the . on Atomic Loudsp R6S While you won’t find any hid C, which has eakers and Stereo West Aut den double-O buttons or o a 400 hp supercharged Toys (SWAT) to address this V-6 , and switches here, the genuine a widebody deficiency. machine-turned aluminum R8SC is soon coming dow SWAT gets credit for buildin n the dashboard and center console pip eline. If g and installing trim is pure candy. you’re not into the blue ova the component housings whi l, Rag e “Andrews luxurious elongat will release le Atomic was ed diamond-tufted its C650 Corvette in 2009. responsible for filling all the leather seating design and holes with its latest door panel inserts are remiRage will also release a sup products. To this end, a pair er low volume niscent of some of the olde of sub enclosures r aircraft we’ve flown,” say “AC ES & EIGHTS” R8SE Mustan s (each with its own rec g widebody Russell. When I mentioned essed amp bin) have this style reminded more that’ll boast a twin-turbo 5.0 been integrated into each side L V-8 and a very of the trunk and unique exhaust system pro finished in matching red leat duc ing 1,0 00 her and aluminum ponies. By super low volume trim à la passenger cabin styl , I mean that only e. 25 of them will be built, eac Powered by an Atomic 220 h with a pinup girl 0.1 class-A on the top trailing edge of the amplifier, two 15-inch Ma front fenders, nhattan series making this one truly special edition.

RFoRmANcE / dRIVETRAIN

ProCharger SuperCharger ProCharger Intercooler Ford Racing exhaust system

ExTERIoR

Rage R8SC 12-pc. body kit

WHEELS & TIRES

Custom Weld forged alloy whe and Pirelli P-Zero Nero tires els -Front: 20- x 9-in., 255/35ZR -Rear: 20- x 10.5-in., 275/35 ZR

Atomic Audio Mustang 10.09 V4.indd 4

INTERIoR

THE ESSENTIALS

Owner: RAgE ExoTIc VE HIcLES, LLc. LOcatiOn: omAHA, VehicLe: 2005 FoRdNE RAgE R8Sc muSTANg ENgINE / PE

Atomic Loudspeakers Man Rage custom leather / suede hattan MA6.5C2 components reupholstery by Roadwire and (1 set fron t) Midstates Auto Upholstery Atomic Loudspeakers Man Rage custom machine-turned hattan MA6 .5C X coaxial speakers aluminum dash / center (1 set rear ) console trim Atomic Loudspeakers Class-D Ford Racing floor mats 220 0.1 amplifier Ford Racing stainless steel door sills Atomic Loudspeakers Trinity 504 4-c h. full range amplifier AudIo / muLTImEdIA Ecli pse MR E 7000 7-in. LCD Eclipse AVN 6600 head unit video monitor Atomic Loudspeakers Man hattan Custom installation by Ster eo MA15 subwoofers (x2) Auto Toys in Omaha, NE West

04/12/08 10:51 AM

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W W W.AT O MIC SPE A K E R S.C O M Atomic 10.01 v5.indd 1

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KEYS TO THE

VIP

time.” We wanted AMG banging AC/DC all the e wer ons sati ver con g makes the president of our many entertainin ping to know more about what g doin n bee has ou wanna talk about kee he hell how this build asked Luke just what the here of Rockford Fosgate tick and ly. late et qui so it gangster? Well the crew n bee has the rest of us with his time since he people reflects that. “Bill is just like o at PAS could school most g an another dominating dem ldin from, every bui n and bee to e rk, “I’v wo at RF, he mobs to ‘Cause for over y? le Wh who tip. t a tha me e on re gav s the out and clear. Bill is an car” says Luke, “ the bos day! He likes his sh*t loud tying hard and par n bee e hs. hav laug we he ade s” dec a of the word. He gets 4 weeks to work miracle enthusiast in every sense and every event. city ry him eve ing in n ask of dow e it tak g din mis hol ause he lives it, and Then we made the it, he knows the culture bec books but then k -all tell thin you ting wri “Do . be rity uld prio sho top We knows how electric why the project was anybody who has met Bill ilies to talk to us, fam i? out nda nt wa Hyu l a stil es we driv i in, aga brand speaks the President of Hyunda he is. His passion about the e stuff has to go so we reconsidered. Som ” screamed Luke “The so! e lives the lifestyle hop he F’n t e tha sur t I fac volumes and the moral and legal the n] of e kso aus Jac l bec [Bil ve e gra gat Fos the to the industry. How President of Rockford gives him a fresh insight to the industry who in se y. tho pan For com s. any tion of lica nt imp if you don’t drink the just the Preside can you deliver the gospel get crazy with the is not we car ize tial ogn rec uen y infl the st us, mo w the kno ks it but is the brew He’s the President of Kool-aid…Bill not only drin in there are a few e aga gat n Fos the rd But kfo iz.’ Roc a Wh is eez and ‘Ch e.” audio brand around master at Rockford Fosgat top our antics and , just about anything cats out there who easily t any more untha said e Fanatic! Bill is a car junkie hav We couldn’t e. and n aw kso in Jac ring Bill sta for left e ’re gam we ating a eardrum with wheels is open usual than Luke himself. Cre ly Zack Luke and e gat Fos rd kfo Roc er nst One of those guys is definite mo sident is a big ry vehicle has a distorting system for the Pre rd Fosgate in Arizo- eve kfo Roc go at to m him tea for ed e icat tim e ded the hyped to uncover system, so when it cam w look as innocent 55 move and we were na. Luke makes the PAS cre all in with a Mercedes CLS nt we he nd h-e hig wound up. So in one as choir boys when he gets z and Pig-Pen Anderson

by Gringo Sanche By Dave Pankew // Photos

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house of boom

e juice to four sets th ed fe ps am l ne an ch 2Two T600-2 nts found throughout the luxurious e of T162s compone . The third amp eis10th-in ls ne pa or do om ch st cu ith interior w kford fosgat oc R ur fo g in iv dr d -1b 00 badman T15 iglas. P3 subs behind the Plex

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exactly what was done to the “El Presidente’s” juice to four sets of T162S CLS 55 AMG.Luke contac components found ted his boys Jeff throughout the luxurious inte and Dave from Sound Xpr rior with custom ession, one of the door panels. The third am premiere shops in Phoeni p is the badman x. Jeff and Dave get T1500-1bd driving four Roc it! With Sound Xpression, kford Fosgate 10Luke expects nothing inc h P3 subs behind the Plexig less than form following fun las. Providing ction and high levall of the power are twin Opt els of craftsmanship. Kee ima Yellow Tops ping the factory LCD link-in with all Rockford Fos headunit, they added the gate power and Rockford Fosgate gro und wires to carry curren 3sixty.2 processor for pro t. A Rockford RFper sound tuning C10HB hybrid capacitor wa inside this low-slung 4-door s added to keep the coupe. The sound voltage up there should it is amped up by the trio of drop for any reason. Rockford Fosgate In the trunk is a Mercedes monster amps in an elabor -themed enclosure, ate trunk enclosure. illu minated with the tristar log Two Rockford T600-2 2-c o with some hannel amps feed the ins ane venting.

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Beyond that, this Benz sta yed fairly stock... C’mon it’s a CLS55 and not much can be done with a stunning 470hp car with unbelievable capabilities like this. Rockford did add some super stunner Lowenhart 20-inc h wheels in custom black. These three spoke uni ts are wrapped in Yokohama AVS rubber. To get the proper tuck, Rockford added an electro nic lowering module for the bossman. This gangst er whip reflects the luxury and lifestyle Roc kford Fosgate is all about, as Mr. Jackson now has a top-notch install capable of represent ing his brand and distrubing the peace.

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

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ENGINE

Mercedes 5.4L V8

THE ESSENTIALS

OWNER: BILL JA SON LOCATION: TEMPCK E, AZ VEHICLE: 2006 ME RCEDES BENZ

CLS55 AMG

WHEELS & TIRES

Lowenhart 3-spoke (custom painted) (f) 20x9-inch (r) 20x11-inch Yokohama AVS tires

AUDIO & MULTIMEDIA

Installation by Sound Xpress Custom Mercedes vented ion (www.soundxpression.com) Rockford Fosgate 3Sixty.2 enclosure Rockford Fosgate T600-2 processor amps x2 Rockford Fosgate T1500-1bd Rockford Fosgate Punch P3 mono Rockford Fosgate RFC10H 10-inch subs Rockford Fosgate PEQ BasB capacitor s Knob Rockford Fosgate T162S Com ponents x8 Rockford Fosgate: cables, Optima Yellow Top Batteriesfuse blocks, RCAs x2

KEEPIN’ IT REAL

“The President of Rockfor d Fosgate [Bill Jackson] is no t ju st th President of any company e President of the most infl . He’s the audio brand around and uential car is a Rockford Fosgate fanatic!” – Zack Luke

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k Pereira

Text by Mar

h zine in Nort audio maga r odca pr t t es ho rg the latest to or of the la it ss ed ce e ac th e g ein tics invited exclusiv Boston Acous ainly means at rt ce am a te ody, ic e er th m A when cility in Peab der info. So uare-foot fa sq 0 y 00 bl 0, m ucts and insi 14 se eir ent to as es look at th d developm ith us. nd the scen research an om ers along w fr us for a behi ad ng re hi yt ed er lu a ev va g u in yo ss s are behind ng all of MA encompa ’t resist taki ton Acoustic os dn B rul at vo co y fa ds r pl in ake ou lines, we sim the clever m logies that m t know, but nted techno te iously tested pa ev d Many may no pr an s ve tive design lthough we’ va A s. no get hands in ar ye of r e numbe a chance to tter over th us be ed w en lo ev al d un me of their , this tour ite songs so utilized in so ton products os d. gy B lo h no tc ch no hind the bran es and te several topme history be all the featur so ce ith w en ri us pe g on and ex hile schoolin r products w most popula

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/MOB M O .C S C I T S U O W.BOSTONAC

BOSTON

TECHNOLOGY

RVC (Removable Voice Coil) Available on the Boston SPG555, RVC technology enables the voice coil to be removed from the subwoofer. This allows the user to optimize the impedance load to the amplifier or repair a damaged voice coil easily. How easily you ask? Well, you don’t even need to remove the SPG555 from the enclosure to exchange the RVC. Just 6 small screws and you’re done!

SureSet Using standard blade fuses, the SureSet system allows for simple impedance selection as well as momentary overdrive protection. SureSet is available on G5, G3, G2, and G1 subwoofers.

AMD (Amplitude Modification Device) AMD is a patented tuning device uses precisely sized hollow tubes positioned in front of the tweeter to refocus short wavelength energy and create an extremely smooth, ruler-flat response. How flat you ask? 2kHz to 30kHz ±1dB without added equalization.

CATB (Contoured Asymmetrical Tweeter Baffle)

2002 ™ ™ and Q-Tune DualMode , technology er ifi pl am crossovers dockable Patented

2005

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All of Boston’s coaxial and axis-mounted component speakers feature a contoured asymmetrical tweeter baffle. This has dual benefits. First, its asymmetrical shape makes the tweeter baffle acoustically invisible so it does not alter the response of the woofer, delivering smoother extension. Second, the contour shape benefits the tweeter by allowing it to deliver both strong on-axis and off-axis response.

Patented RadialVent Cooling RadialVent cooling technology uses integrated vents in the chassis of the subwoofer and the subwoofer’s own pistonic action to re-circulate cool air around the voice coil and over the chassis. As a result it can handle more power. RadialVent can be found on all Boston subwoofers as well as their component speakers.

d stics automate Boston Acou bly area mirrors m woofer asse e, just on a larger lin and the tweeter el of precision scale. The lev ston manufacturBo efficiency in hed in the industry. ing is unmatc

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POWEER PAG

KICKER WXRC “WARHORSE” REMOTE CONTROL Text by Garry Springgay // Photos by Kicker Performance Audio

hen the brain trust at Kicker originally envisioned the Warhorse amplifier and its sophisticated DSP control, they decided from the beginning that they would also offer a remote control for it. But, unlike many of the amplifier remotes available these days, even if you have several WX series amplifiers you’ll only ever need one of the Kicker WXRC remote controls, that is of course, unless you have more than 16 Warhorse amps… (aw, c’mon, you’d need Hoover Dam to power ‘em!)

FIRST GLANCE When I received the WXRC remote control, I was surprised at the size of the box it comes in, as the packaging could hold a small amplifier. But after unpacking the thing, I began to realize that this is no average remote control. The WXRC is the width and height of a single DIN headunit, and comes with a DIN sleeve with bendable “fingers” to mount it in dash, and a well made plastic trim ring to trim out the mounting cage and provide a secure and smooth way to mount the WXRC. Mounting depth for the cage and trim ring is nice and shallow, at approximately 0.75-inches. Should you prefer to surface mount the remote control, the folks at Kicker have you covered there as well, you can either mount the remote directly with the provided screws if you have access to the back side of the mounting surface, or it could simply be attached to any flat surface using hook and loop fastening material. (Velcro) Also included in the box is the Kicker WXRC Interface Box, which provides the power connections to the remote control, as well as acting as the interface between the amplifier and the remote control. Of course all the cables, and mounting hardware you’d normally need is included as well.

FEATURES The Kicker WXRC remote control is much more than a simple gain or EQ control. Incorporating a VFD, (Vacuum Fluorescent Display) a 5 button soft touch keypad, and 4 memory preset buttons, the WXRC allows you to monitor all the settings and make any adjustments to any of the connected amplifiers. The remote control will display the output level, crossover, EQ, or any other setting of any amplifier as well as providing instant control of the selected amp or amps. You can choose to display a variety of features and functions, such as a calendar and clock, the amplifier supply voltage, or the amplifiers temperature. There is even an option for you to program a scrolling message of up to 10 characters on the display. The list of available setup options looks like this:

Using the Kicker WXRC, you can build groupings of amplifiers, and adjust all their settings at the same time, or you can adjust each amplifier individually. Once you have selected the amp or amps that you want to adjust, you have the ability to select from a menu of 10 items:

You can name each amplifier, create settings that can be saved in the 4 memory presets, adjust the display brightness and when you have an amp like the Warhorse under your control, a key feature is a security lockout function that allows you to prevent anyone from diddling around with your settings.

CONCLUSION The Kicker WXRC is quite a bit beyond what you’d normally think of for an amplifier remote control, but then again, the Warhorse is quite a bit beyond what you’d think of for an amplifier too…

THE SOURCE: www.kicker.com 142

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POWEER PAG

KINETIK HC16V POWERCELL Text by Garry Springgay // Photos by Manufacturer

f you are into SPL… Listen up! I hate to yell, but most of you SPL guys can’t hear all too well… Here at Cogent Audio Labs (PAS Magazine’s test lab), we generally pride ourselves in the ability of our test equipment and capabilities. But, I learned a long time ago that no matter how much you have, and how much headroom you build into the test bench, someone is going to build something that requires more than you bargained for. That happened here recently, and after some head scratching, we found a great solution to the problem. When I designed and built my test bench in 2005, I knew I wanted to be able to power the biggest and baddest amplifiers around. With that in mind, I purchased a very large, (read: expensive) power supply, and designed and built a 16,000 watt remote controlled load bank. With my power supply running on 3-phase 230 volt power (like a big welder) and with the theoretical ability to deliver 800A of current at any voltage between 1.5V and 18.0V, plus all the power handling I’d need at impedances from 0.5 ohms to 8 ohms, I figured I was set. Then just for emphasis, I added 10 Farads of capacitance to the supply.

FEEDING THE BEAST For about 3 years, I had all the current I needed, but then things changed. Kicker released the Warhorse, and a few other companies also began turning out amplifiers that were designed to draw well in excess of 1000A! And, to further complicate matters, some of these amplifiers were actually

designed to provide maximum performance at 16, or even 18 volts. When I attempted to test one of those brutes, even my big expensive supply couldn’t keep up. How do you build a bench for those beasts that also works properly with “standard” amplifiers? What I needed was additional voltage and current for the occasional really big amplifier, but I didn’t want to parallel another big power supply, simply because they cost about the same as a good used car. After doing some research on what I needed, and talking to the engineers at Kicker, I found an excellent and very reasonably priced alternative. And, if you have ever thought you could use some additional current in your SPL vehicle, pay attention, because this is like a dream come true for you. It seems the good guys over at Kinetik had already figured out a solution to the 12V and 16V issue. They have developed a dual voltage Power Cell that can be used as a high voltage and high current source, as well as a “regular” 12V battery. The way it works sounds more complicated than it really is… The Kinetik HC16V Power Cell is simply a very high quality battery that has two sets of voltage taps or posts. On the top of the battery, you’ll find 3 posts. Ground is of course common to both voltage taps, so one post provides your regular 12V energy and the other provides 16 volts for your SPL amplifier. Now bear in mind that this Power Cell does require you to charge it at 18-19 volts, so a special charging system will be required, or you can contact Kinetik for one of their purpose built chargers. The cool thing about this system is that one set of batteries can provide all the electrical current for the entire system and allow you

THE SOURCE: www.kinetikaudio.com 144

run high voltages to your amplifiers and “normal” voltages to the head unit, signal processors, etc. with no extra transformers or converters.

CRANKING IT UP The Kinetik HC16V Power Cells are AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) high power density batteries. They are “sealed” and can be mounted in any position. Specifically designed for car audio applications, the HC16V Power Cells have very low ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) which allows them to provide almost instantaneous current to the amplifier. These batteries also maintain a higher voltage when loaded, and are far superior to a regular battery in terms of heat and vibration resistance. Each battery weighs a whopping 54 pounds, measures about 10.25”x 6.6”x 8.25”, and is rated to deliver up to 1600 amps of current in short durations. I ordered up a pair of these bad boys from power hungry experts at Kinetik and after building some heavy duty solid copper buss bars, I connected them in parallel to each other and my supply. When I test very large amplifiers, I have found we need to double, or in the case of the Warhorse, even triple the pairs of high quality pure copper 1/0 cable to minimize voltage drops in the cables at high current loads. Once I had everything wired, we connected a Cactus Sounds amp to the benches beefed up supply and were really pleased with the improvement the Kinetik Power Cells made. The combined result of the cells and my supply was pretty amazing, I could now supply over 1000A of continuous current and easily maintain 16.5 volts! Giddy-Up!

CONCLUSION If you are a serious SPL competitor and you would like to be able to provide your amplifiers with the voltage they need to make maximum power, be sure to check out Kinetik Power Cells. Hmmmm… now I only have 16,000 watts of load bank…. Maybe that’s next.

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

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T E G D U B BUILD Text by Garry Springgay //

Photos by Manufacturers

ack in the day, when I was just a young pup selling and installing car stereo to pay my bills and put food on the table, there were a few brands that really impressed me. These were the brands that you could always count on to work, sound good and always bring you repeat business. For me, one of those brands was Boston Acoustics. And back then, installing those 761’s and 763’s alwa ys resulted in a happy repeat customer. You see, these guys have been around since 1979, and have been producing products that not only sound good, but also brought a bunch of innovations to the industry. As their mott o goes, being typical isn’t part of the plan. A lot of people might not know it, but it was Bosto n Acoustics who invented point source coax ial car speakers, they produced the first tweeter with a neodymium magnet, the first removable voice coil woofer, and a host of other innovative firsts. To accomplish all these things and conti nually produce very good sounding products mean t they didn’t leave much to chance. To that end, they don’t simply buy parts from other manu facturers and put their name on them. Every thing they build is designed and engineered in house. Whether it’s a midrange driver, a tweeter, a crossover or a ground pounding woofer system, it’s all created to their exacting standards. While many companies are satisfied with a tolera nce of plus or minus 3dB, the Boston Acoustics speaker products are held to much more stringent +/1dB tolerances. This means that each spea ker or speaker system will sound just like the one made before it or after it. And when it comes to Boston Acoustics, that generally means they’ll all sound pretty darn good. I’ve been out of touch lately with the lates t offerings from Boston Acoustics, so when I got the idea for this budget build, I contacted Dave Jaques, Boston Acoustics Aftermarket Car Audio Product & Marketing Manager to bring me up to speed and see what he would suggest for someone who wanted to build an all Bosto n Acoustics system, at a reasonable price . In other words, what I wanted to know was which products he would suggest that would offer the most “boom for the buck.”

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SX60 2-WAY $249.95 6.5-INCH COMPONENTS

SX95 2-WAY COAXIALS $199.95

COMPONENTS

Contrary to what some people may belie ve, upgrading the factory loudspeakers (and not the headunit) is always the quickest way to the biggest improvement in an otherwise stock system. Knowing this, Dave’s recomme ndations started with the SX series of coax ial loudspeakers. True “drop-in” designs, these speakers are designed specifically to repla ce your factory speakers. And because they incorporate some of the high end featu res found on the more expensive SL series of products, Dave patiently explained to me that in terms of sonic performance for the dollar, they’d be difficult to beat at their price points. He suggested a pair of SX60 2-way 6.5-i nch components ($249.95) and a pair of SX95 6x9 2-way coax’s.($199.95) Both pairs of Boston SX speakers use powe rful but small neodymium magnets not only for

the tweeters, but also on the woofers whic h allow them to be very shallow in design, and consequently mounted in the tightest of spaces. They also both include oversized 1.5-inch voice coils, and butyl rubber surrounds for incre ased power handling and reliability. The SX60 ’s come with Boston’s “VariMount” adaptor syste m, making them easily adaptable to almost any OEM mounting hole configuration. High frequencie s from the component systems ¾-inch Korte c dome tweeters are controlled and delivered by specially designed crossover networks. The crossovers provide a custom tailored soun d and proper protection for the tweeters, and inclu de individual level adjustability for each twee ter. The SX95 6x9’s also use the ¾-inch Kortec twee ters, and because of the greater output of the large midrange cones used, each speaker uses 2 of them for increased output.

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SUBWOOFER / ENCLOSURE ry system worth writ-

Understanding that eve ve bump in the trunk, Da ing about needs some d rte po d 10PS woofer an recommended the G2 -44 10 G2 49.95) Using a enclosure system. ($3 sure de ¾-inch MDF enclo ma ll Subwoofer in a we d an gth edges for stren with precision dadoed y t, the system is factor join ht ensuring an airtig ofrs ofe wo ponse. The G2 tuned for optimum res G5 ced pri r s of the highe fer many of the attribute ling coo nt tented RadialVe series, such as the pa es. ized for small enclosur tim op and they are also , ion urs ak to peak exc With 2 full inches of pe , the G2 subwoofers are vity siti and excellent sen d loud without needing designed to play low an k wer them. Boston’s tric a nuclear reactor to po ad rlo ove selection and “SureSet” impedance d es easy installation an sur en protection system ch -in 2.5 m, rs dual 4 oh a long life for the woofe er design point Dave oth An ls. 4 layer voice coi ofer systems 2 ohm mentioned was the wo e ich was going to provid nominal impedance wh r we po um xim load and ma the optimal impedance , tem sys the component in transfer from the next 99.95) ($6 ier. the GT-50 amplif

AMPLIFIER annel, high current ampli-

G210PS WOOFER $349.9

image, even with the woofer mounted back in the trunk. With all the wiring connection one side of the amplifier and s made on easy to access top mounted controls, the GT-50 can be any variety of ways, making inst alled in it easy to blend in to any styl e of installation. Also assistin tion placement is the fan ass g in installaisted forced air cooling sys tem, making it possible to eve amp upside down! Seeing n mo unt this this is a high current design , and we’re using a 2 ohm would suggest a good quality brid ged load ,I 4 gauge cable amp kit like Tsunami’s AMP04RD.

The GT-50 is a 5 ch 1 ohm stereo or 2 ohm fier capable of driving pulse width modulated mono loads. It uses a Sand all N-channel MO MOSFET power supply low um current delivery, FET outputs for maxim cy d outstanding frequen output impedance, an t of useful features tha response. With a host ize system perforallow the user to maxim gle chassis solution mance, it’s truly a sin ication. to whole system amplif uration the amp In this systems config each of the to would provide 55 watts and a stout rs, 4 ohm SX series speake ofer, for a total wo 350 watts to the G2 sub tts wa . By using the system power of 570 d the GT-50’s unique an built in crossovers and ws ture, the GT-50 allo very useful Q-Tune fea the e the amplifier to suit the installer to fine tun e Th . specific installation speakers used and the Q the the user to adjust Q-Tune function allows just above the crossover of the bass response nt” ducing a “bass up fro point, which helps in pro

CONCLUSION

So there you have it, for aro und $1,500 you can build a complete high performance Acoustics system including Boston the subwoofer enclosure. Usi ng nothing more complicate a couple of Metra high to low d than level convertors, you can use your factory headunit to pro the signal, and sit back and vide enjoy custom tailored sound from the folks who have bee forefront of loudspeaker tec n at the hnology for decades, all the while basking in the knowle each component specifically dge that designed to work with the others to provide both great and maximum reliability. sound

GT50 AMPLIFIER $699

.95

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T E G D U B BUILD Text by Garry Springgay //

Photos by Manufacturers

rom the land of The Beatles car and David Beckham comes a ude attit audio company with an g n for doing things their way. Lon tatio and repu e som ver deli to acknowledged for the ability brand is now being serious bottom end, the Vibe the good folks at by rica distributed in North Ame ut Vibe, a look abo h muc too g Metra. Not knowin offer a fairly they that me ht taug at the website , with amplifiers, complete selection of products rs, subwoofers, component and coaxial speake Since I already enclosures, and accessories. bass, I figured it e knew they can certainly mak at what this look a would be interesting to take ld put tocou res sho our to relatively new brand em. With syst cale ups y fairl e gether for a complet d, I contacted the a budget limit of $3,500 in min ’d suggest. guys at Metra, to see what they a system that My plan was simple, I wanted lity, good tonal hit hard, but still had high fide alled, the ability inst balance, and when properly Bill Lauer at ge. ima eo to produce a decent ster rt order, the sho in and , guy Metra was my go to this. like ed look with system he came up

VIBE SPACE 3D 5 - INCH SPEAKER SYSTEM $409.99

SPEAKERS

of the We opted to go for two pairs range kit mid and eter twe 3D VIBE SPACE t doors and ($239.99), one set in the fron fill. These another set in the back for rear claim to VIBE top of the line speakers from but they’re ity clar l provide not only exceptiona wanted we er pow the also able to handle all using by that ms clai Vibe to throw at them. ge ran mid the ” logy hno a “Unique 3D Tec eter twe (the d bine com be can and tweeter e steimiz ) to max mounted over the mi drange 5mm 0.1 the , ition reo image coherency. In add elexc rs offe e con thin high fidelity aluminium PU roll l dua The ity. lent dynamics and musical the of ping dam cise pre surround offers fast allows signifiwoofer cone, and the dual roll at low listening e ons resp s bas d cantly improve offers superior levels. The cast alloy basket handling, while an strength and thermal power transfers heat to aluminium voice coil former d as an additional the woofer cone which is use dling and han er radiator for increased pow 45mm cted stru con ly reliability. The special

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and a silk dome tweeter e cone material as the woofer sam the zes utili er driv ” nge “midra that for optimal soundstaging, e up to 35KHz. Bill explained ons resp cy uen freq d rate a with al 3 way format, while the rear be mounted in a convention the front components should sed sound is significantly less nted in 3D format as the diffu components should be mou to a rear fill application. directional and is more suited

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BUDGBEUIT LD SUBWOOFERS & ENCLOSURE

When it came to the bottom end, I knew from my visits to England, the Vibe product was more than up to the task, and could provide all the authority I wanted, but retain good sound quality and bass definition. Another perusal through the VIBE website and Bill and I selected the SPACE 12-inch subwoofers ($409.99). Taking the lazy way out, but understanding that these guys built their company on enclosure design, we quickly decided not to build my own enclosure, opting instead for one of the pre-built enclosures that VIBE offers. It wasn’t a tough decision, as after one look at the CBR 12 TWIN enclosure ($939.99) I was won over. Not only does it look really zoomy – none of your square box with a bit of carpet wrapped around it here, but a very high quality enclosure complete with a pair of large vents and alloy trim. Suddenly it dawned on me how the VIBE name came about – Vented Innovative Bass Enclosures! The R&D team at VIBE HQ in the UK put serious effort into designing these to get the most out of the subwoofers and they have most certainly succeeded. The enclosure specific features include its Pressure Wedge 2 enclosure design, permitting the sub to be mounted both facing into the vehicle or towards the rear of the vehicle and allowing the user to tune the enclosures output to their individual taste. Bass reflex (ported) subwoofer enclosures typically offer a boosted bass response when combined with an appropriate woofer and all CBR enclosures feature the VIBE Turboport. This dual flared port allows smooth air flow in and out of the enclosure resulting in minimized port noise. A Port Plug allows easy conversion from a bass reflex to an acoustic suspension (sealed) enclosure, while the Anti Resonance Bass Support System (ARBSS) isolates the enclosure from the vehicle to reduce the transfer of unwanted resonance. Plus a Box Grip feature is a specially designed carry handle to allow easy handling of the enclosure. The Vibe subwoofer features a dual layer surround that blends 2 types of foam, resulting in a combination of high compliance and control and the one piece aluminium cone provides exceptionally light weight and very high rigidity. Its machined alloy basket is for high strength and support, while an aluminium voice coil former transfers heat to the woofer cone as in the Vibe Space 3D speaker mentioned above.

www.metraonline.com

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VIBE CBR 12 TWIN ENCLOS

URE - $939.99

AMPLIFIER

ct amplifier en it was now a case of matching the perfe With the speakers and subwoofers chos e – the Vibe choic one only SPACE components there was to each of these. According to Bill for the x 110w RMS at 4 4 des provi ifier ampl an shiny black slab of BlackBox Stereo 4 amplifier ($819.99). This pairs of full range nel) and is the perfect partner for the two ohms (or 4 x 175w RMS @ 2 ohms per chan B referenced to full ifier features signal to noise ratio of 110d speakers. The Vibe BlackBox Stereo 4 ampl network, with high itz-Riley -24dB per octave active crossover power, four layer PCB, High quality Linkw amplifier includes AB of 55Hz to 5.5kHz. In addition this class and low pass filters and a frequency range BassEnhance Its . itions voltage, short circuit and thermal cond microprocessor controlled protection for 4V selectwhile B2V, +18d as user to boost the EQ as much bass boost centered at 45Hz, allowing the signal to ing allow units head ge hing to low and high volta able input gain sensitivity allows easy matc noise ratio to be maximized. the top of the line to the VIBE BlackBox series and opted for To power the subwoofers we again went power – but beamp not only produces huge amounts of Bass5 ($1,199.99). This highly efficient mono for Class AB stereo with clarity and quality normally reserved cause it uses Class GH topology, it does so 5 amplifier features arable to that of Class D. The BlackBox Bass amplifiers, but with efficiency quite comp low pass filters and e active crossover network with high high quality a Linkwitz-Riley -24dB per octav referenced 94dB of ratio Their Bass5 offers signal to noise and a frequency range of 30Hz to 250Hz. ohms or 1 x 2 @ RMS w 1500 x 1 1 x 750w RMS @ 4 ohms, to full power and provides your choice of front of the the from ted adjus be to gain ol allows the amplifier 1350w RMS @ 1 ohm. Remote gain contr to be combined ned amplifier circuit allowing 2 amplifiers vehicle and this amp has a specifically desig 5 is controlled by a amplifiers into a single channel. The Bass (strappable) to deliver the full output of both following functions: protects the amplifiers and performs the digital signal processor which monitors and on delay 1. Sense turn on lead and provide turn ction prote t shor e 2. Sens 3. Enable/Disable amplifier’s bias 4. Sense temperature 5. Control diagnostic LEDs

6. Control Fan speed (based on item #4 and clipping) es LED) 7. Sense clipping (effects fan speed, flash ge 8. Analog input measures battery volta (over-voltage protection)

VIBE BLACKBOX AMPL

IFIER - $819.99

VERDICT

performance gear, we certainly didn’t want to limit the After choosing all this top of the line Vibe installation priate appro for ami Tsun turned back to the by connecting it with crappy cables, so we ding 4 provi s, need our for ct perfe were ami’s kits kits and connections. As it turns out, the Tsun ker wiring. well as their flat cables for the RCA and spea gauge power cables for the amplifiers, as plish accom ts to be mated together, we were able to By carefully selecting the proper componen home at lly equa is n budget. The result is a system that the original design goal, and stay well withi ritish non-B r prefe you Stones, or Radiohead. And even if playing Andrew Lloyd-Weber, The Rolling to please. sure is m musicians, this born in Britain syste

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MOBILE TECHNICAL TRAINING Tan –to- Black Rear Bench Seat

TOOLS REQUIRED

Text and Photos by Juan Romero Jr. (Student)

abric

his article was submitted by Juan Romero Jr., Full-Time Student from summer 2008. In this “How To” edition, we’ll learn the basic steps of how to re-upholster an existing factory seat. There may be many reasons a person would want to re-upholster factory seats including cosmetic, damage, stains and aesthetic reasons to match custom work. Whatever the reason may be, these instructions will provide a general understanding of how auto upholstery skills can be applied. These instructions are written for a person with basic knowledge of sewing techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the terminology or techniques in this article, try reading the Automotive Upholstery Handbook by Don Taylor.

BEFORE STEP 1

Remove seats from the vehicle and place all bolts and other fasteners into a marked container. Then, using pliers cut the hog rings using generally located on the edges of the rear side of the seat. Also, unclip any plastic retaining hooks and detach Velcro anchors.

BOTTOM SEAT PORTION

AFTER

C V

1 V T H

V 2A

E A

3 C

4A A

R R 2C C C Q

A 4C M M L

5 F

G 4B

G I

J K

STEP 2

Using a marker label on the back of the material. Here we are simply using a simple 1-9 pattern labeling each seat portion and A-Z for labeling adjacent sides. (You can choose your own system; just make sure it is consistent and accurate. It may also help to sketch out a picture or diagram of the seat.)

STEP 3

Find you locator marks, the small notches along the seam of the seats and mark them. This step is essential for sewing in later steps. Also, mark and label any Velcro, listings and other pieces that affix the seat to the foam or frame of the seat.

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Step 6

Next, using closed cell foam, cut out foam slightly larger than the new pieces that will touch the body of an occupant including the back rest, bottom seating area and bucket seat portions.

Step 4

Carefully, pop the seams using a sharp razor, separating each portion of the seat. Also remove any listings or other anchoring materials. Then, organize the seat portions according to their relative parts and remove/store listings for later use.

Step 7

Using the sewing machine, sew the pieces of foam to the newly cut piece making the stitch as close as possible to the edge as possible. Any color thread will work for this because the thread will not be seen inside the seam area. Once all the pieces are foamed, be sure to label the pieces and trim access foam making sure to cut the foam at an angle so that the fabric slightly over hangs the foam.

*tip 1

Use the needle foot or walking foot located on the sewing machine as a point of reference when stitching to make straighter and more consistent lines. Be one with the machine.

Step 5

**tip 2

If a piece cannot be easily identified use the locator marks from your OEM seat portions to match the unidentified piece of fabric.

Step 8

Lay put all of the new shapes matching all of the sides so that the sides match up as well as locator marks. Get familiar with the configuration of the seat. This will help speed up assembling the seats.

Once all of the seat portions are separated, spread your fabric material face-down and proceed to tack down the OEM portions using a tack hammer. Be sure to close to the edge as possible within 3/8 of an inch from the edge of the material. Trace the outside edge of each seat portion, making sure to include the locator marks. Label accordingly. Using a good pair of sheers carefully cut out the fabric. Store the old seat portions in a safe place as a reference.

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MOBILE TECHNICAL TRAINING

UPHOLSTERY 101 9

***tip 3

When you come to a curve in the material bend and stretch the top material as you are sewing around the corners as illustrated above. Be sure the locator marks align properly.

Step 9

Locate your central piece and begin sewing the seat portions beginning with a seam with the two portions face to face matching the locator marks and labeled sides. VERY IMPORTANT - Be sure to lock-stitch the beginning and end of each seam.

Step 10

Continue to sew your seam until you have a full portion of the seat together.

****tip 4

Make sure that as you are sewing to apply the Velcro or listings as you have labeled them.

Step 11

Step 12

In the design of my seat I introduced a French seam for the outer rim of the seat as well as down the both sides of the center insert of the seat. To do this, place your material on the table of the sewing machine face-up and fold the seams apart in the back. Place the fabric under the needle foot using either the outside of the walking foot or needle foot as your point of reference. As you are sewing, you want to keep your seam aligned with the chosen reference point.

At this point your seat cover is finished and should resemble an entire seat. Now we have to add the listings and Velcro as necessary and prepare for the final install.

Step 14

Install the seats and see how they look!

Step 13

Test fit the new seat and adjust the seat so that it fits properly. Using hog rings and a hog ring pliers, Secure the listings to the seat. Be sure to pull the material tight for a nice clean look.

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SOURCE

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12 VOLT GEAR 01. ARC Audio KS125.4 Mini Featuring class G Multi Rail switching technology the KS Mini Amplifier line will produce its rated power with an astounding over 80% efficiency allowing for cool operation with minimal power loss in the form of heat. Following the success of the designs used in Arc Audio’s SE and KS Series amplifiers, engineer Robert Zeff incorporated Noise reducing M.I.N.E.R. board design technology into each of the KS Mini Amplifier’s. As a result, KS Mini Amplifier’s obtained the goal of a small package but with the sound, performance, and quality of a high performance amplifier. For more visit www.arcaudio.com

02. Fusion CA-IP500 The Fusion CA-IP500 is the world’s first car audio receiver featuring true Apple iPod integration and internal docking. Offering innovative docking and charging inside the head unit, this new receiver eliminates installation hassles and the need for cables, while providing a stable and secure in-vehicle iPod location for the ultimate in flexibility and music accessibility. For more information visit www.fusioncaraudio.com. In Canada visit www.ps-canada.ca 03. iSimple Dual Input PXAUX Continuing to grow into the industry’s largest provider of automotive media integration solutions, iSimple introduces the PXAUX – a new interface solution that provides users with two 3.5mm “headphone-style” aux-in audio inputs, as well as two RCA audio inputs. The iSimple PXAUX provides a direct, hardwired connection between today’s popular portable audio devices and the factory headunits in many late-model cars, trucks and SUVs. For more information visit www.isimplesolutions.com or www.peripheralelectronics.com

04. MB Quart Formula Series Budget conscious audiophiles gladly listen up. MB Quart Formula series has unleashed two new subwoofers, the FWA304S and the FWA304D. Positioned as entry level quality audio, the Formula series offers features normally found in higher end units. Heat is dissipated with a high energy magnet, front-plate and multi-layer high temperature voice-coil cooling for added reliability. The black chrome gasket and impact resistant magnet cover not only add to the great looks but also play a role in the overall structural rigidity of the speaker frame. Furthermore, MB Quart has spared no expense by integrating woven spider tinsel-leads into the design. For more visit www.mbquartusa.com 05. Alpine KCE-400BT The Alpine KCE-400BT offers fully integrated handsfree phone functionality in the car, with the added bonus of streaming audio support for A2DP- and AVRCPenabled Bluetooth devices. The KCE-400BT works with all Alpine 2008 and 2009 model head units. Powered by Parrot for expanded phone compatibility and optimal sound quality, the KCE-400BT enables drivers to conduct hands-free phone conversations through the vehicle’s sound system. Users can view their phone book and full call information on the head unit’s display, including Caller ID, Missed Calls, Dialed Calls and Received Calls. When used with a touch-screen Alpine Mobile Multimedia Station, a 12-key input on the station’s monitor can be used to directly dial a number. Additionally, the KCE-400BT supports voicetag dialing and auto-answer, if the paired Bluetooth device has these features. For more visit www.alpine-usa.com

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12 VOLT GEAR

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01. Rockford Fosgate Collection So you’ve got the gear, now you need the garb. Rockford Fosgate’s 2008 ninja line can make a rockstar out of any ground pounder. Three collections are available (Heritage, Bass-Line and Lifestyle) catering to the RF in everyone. From the old school hammerhead to the new skool tuner, Rockford Fosgate’s collection has something for everyone. So keep pissing off the neighbors and let the world know what brand you rock! For more visit www.rockfordfosgate.com 02. Memphis Connections Already known for superior sound, Memphis Car Audio now rounds out their offerings with new and improved connections, power kits and RCAs. With higher strand counts and better quality materials than the competition, they’re ideal to enhance the sound of any amp, sub, or speaker. They are specifically engineered for superior conductivity and are ROHS compliant. As an added benefit to customers, when Memphis products are installed with Memphis Connections by an authorized installer, the product warranty is extended by one year. For more visit www.memphiscaraudio.com

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12 VOLT GEAR 01. Optima YellowTop The Optima YellowTop line of batteries is the perfect solution for those who test the limits of their vehicles. With up to two times longer life, faster recharging capabilities, optimal starting power and more than 15 times the vibration resistance, Optima batteries ensure that you stay on the road with your vehicle and its10,000 watts of electronics. If you demand extra reliability and performance from your vehicle, Optima high-performance AGM batteries deliver. For more visit www.optimabatteries.com or call (888) 8OPTIMA

02. Scosche GM13SR LAN 11 Bit Stereo Replacement Interface Scosche Industries is now shipping its GM13SR LAN 11 bit stereo replacement interface for select 200408 GM vehicles. While also introducing interfaces for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Volkswagen models, Scosche has expanded its line of OEM integration interfaces for the aftermarket, providing consumers with a variety of products that will enhance their car audio-listening experience. For more information visit www.scosche.com or call (800) 363-4490

03. Hybrid Audio Legatia L1V2 Hybrid Audio Technologies announces the release of the new Legatia L1V2 soft-dome car audio tweeter. The V2 tweeter is an enhancement on the original Legatia L1 design that has been immensely successful in the competition circuit. The V2 tweeter boasts a solid machined aluminum body to control edge and body resonance, a damped 20mm fine silk dome diaphragm, nickel-plated spring-loaded binding post terminals and an improved motor for smooth, airy treble playback and increased power handling.The V2 comes in both black and silver. For more information visit www.hybrid-audio.com. In Canada visit www.sound-solution.net or call (888) 811-6336

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The new xB Supercharger is now ready. The newly designed TRD Supercharger system will deliver up to 25% more horsepower and 13% more torque to your xB. Driving gloves not included. TRD Sport Parts do not void the warranty of the Scion new car warranty when installed by an authorized Toyota or Scion dealer. This part may not be sold with a new vehicle and may not be financed together with a new vehicle. Vehicle shown is a special project car, modified with non-Genuine Scion parts and accessories. Modification with these non-Genuine Scion parts or accessories will void the Scion warranty, may negatively impact vehicle performance & safety, and may not be street legal. ÂŠ 2009 Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc., Scion and the Scion logo are trademarks of Toyota Motor Corporation and Toyota is a registered trademark of Toyota Motor Sales. For more information, call 866-70-SCION (866-707-2466) or visit Scion.com.

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Believe the

nkew

By Dave Pa

Got somethinG to say? spit it. Wanna correct our mistakes? BrinG it. oh and if you discovered some sick media? send it! hypeman@pasmaG.com

WESTSIDE connect

eing away from home for over two weeks is never easy. But being in the center of the Performance Aftermarket universe for that span of time evaporates quick-time. Even though some of the working days (including all the after hours jams) can span 20 hours, the effects are never felt since you are so amped to see what is new and exciting the next day. With that said, we hope you appreciate all of the Redbull-vodkas, catered meals and lapdances we had to endure to bring you all of the heat from SEMA. Each SEMA we start invewstigating what will be the hot platform the aftermarket will latch onto for the following year. There was a clear winner, the Dodge Challenger was modified in record numbers. This hot new muscle car came in every flavor with domestic parts, or tuner parts made in Japan, vertical doors, air suspensions, dubb’ed out or full race prepped. You name it, there was a Challenger done in that style. The other runaway hit was the Subaru WRX & STi which cropped up in several booths. We especially liked the AEM / Clarion build complete with surfboard and skateboard racks. Then of course the Nissan GT-Rs were well represented with upwards of 30 of them at the show. Although 164

Eneos imported a crazy RHD one in from Japan it was Bulletproof Automotive that stole the show showcasing two of them with extensive body and performance modifications. As for best of show? Well, we couldn’t get enough ot the Tetsu Bentley GTR. This 800hp twin turbo beast is absolutely insane. Not only is it the most powerful and fastest Continental GT in the world but rolling automotive art with its hand-painted Japanese Maple motifs and gold inlay. This stunning build from Japan totally lit up the Toyo booth and for us, the entire SEMA experience! After SEMA, we rented a Charger and headed through the desert to LA. Now LA is like a second home to me considering I’ve jetted out there over 30 times but it’s always on business. On the hit list this time were a load of Japan-based companies. All of the top players in the business were on the radar for a shop visit and to talk to us about the new vision for PAS Mag. We hit up: Sun Auto, Tomei, Fujitsubo, Blitz, A’PEXi, Carbonetics, D-Max and ChargeSpeed to name a few. And each time we stopped by it was time to catch up with friends new and old during our shop visits. Many of the conversations surrounded the obvious concerns for consumers but many of

them were positive too. We brainstormed for the future and looked at ways we can target specific car models, geographic regions and examine areas of the business we can help amplify. Many of our contacts appreciate our fresh approach to promoting brands and selling their product. The word about our new direction and the relevance of having a performance guy onboard is spreading. In the case of D-Max USA, this new player to the US market came at a tough time. But then again, we’ve all had it rough at one time or another. D-Max now understands success in the US Market is not just about placing a couple ads. We sat down with D-Max USA Director Koji, a personal friend of mine and explained how the market will be approached and where some of the niches that are missing might be hiding, one of which is targeting Canada. Could it be the last frontier for some for some of the JDM manufacturers? PAS Mag distributes 170,000 copies each month and over 65,000 in Canada with 1500 direct to dealers for free! No other magazine out there can even pretend to claim that kind of dominance in Canada. Why is this relevant in a smaller market than the US? Well, the answer is twofold: the economy is still steaming along here and the 15 year rule means all kinds of JDM vehicles are imported here each year. Skyline R32 & R33, Fairlady, MKIV Supra, S13, S14, FD3S RX-7, 3000GT, EVO and all kinds other JDM and Euro stuff is flooding into the country. Part numbers that some companies thought were long since dead are being dusted off and reborn. Tomei alone sold 30 complete Genesis engines outside the US last year and they want to continue that trend and PAS will be there the make it happen. Another sector of the market to watch will be in the high-end as witnessed at SEMA. As I mentioned in the last column: Porsches, Ferraris, Lambos etc. are all becoming very affordable on the used market and their new owners will be eager to modify them.

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

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INSIDE:

INTERIOR ACCESSORIES GUIDE: SHIFT KNOBS

WHEELS

PEDALS + MORE

inside mine’s latest gt-r creation

sema 08

editor’s top picks OverDrive Cover 10.10 v2.indd 1

redbull

world drifting championships

pink

widebody turbo tc

backinblack lexus is250

03/12/08 11:21 AM

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INSIDE Text by Dave Pank

ew // Photos by Daisuke

Katsumura

n an effort to be “mad JDM tyte” many enthusiasts view video after video out of Japan for inspiration. Whether it’s Option, Best Motoring or Hot Version videos, many youngun tuners are always trying to sniff out what will be the next big trend or how to style their ride. Of course, they can’t understand a word that is being said and the subtitles are horribly inaccurate, but they try and remember part names and specs anyways to impress their friends. There are always some of the usual suspects in these videos like ‘Drift King’ Tsuchiya or Orido but then there are also celebrity cars and 166

shops that always pop up. And I can’t think of a more common tuner than Mine’s with their huge GT-R following. Mine’s is like the Lingenfelter of Japan. They take the fastest production car in the country and make it, well, faster. The GT-R is in many ways like the Corvette of Japan because it has many luxury appointments, impressive road manners but when provoked, the car gets very physical with the road. Both are heavy and complex cars but when it comes to high technology, the GT-R pulls away in a hurry. And Mine’s is all about retaining all of those elements the car is blessed with. They still integrate all of the

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comforts and luxuries one would expect in a car like a GT-R. Items like: full interior, air conditioning, power steering, traction control, cold weather starting and smooth idle are only some of the items that Mine’s is bent on maintaining. Just because the Mine’s cars appear stock don’t be fooled into thinking that they can’t perform. I have personally seen the Mine’s R34 hand it to highly modified Skylines on the race track. When I say highly modified I mean cars that are stripped, seam welded, cages, side exit exhausts with solid mounts and hard bushings. And these competition cars were dogged by a GT-R that still had the factory seats, radio and air conditioning. No one could believe what they were witnessing and Mine’s is more than happy to crack the hood and show off how unobtrusive they are with their record-setting projects. Recently PAS staff had a chance to visit the Mine’s facility at Yokosuka just outside Tokyo and were floored to see what was inside. Sure enough the R35 was there but several unbelievable customer cars and shop cars were present too. There were a pair of insane Bayside Blue R34s and of course the legendary Mine’s R34, the subject of many DVDs. But the real prize was the new R35 from Mine’s which has been tearing up Tsukuba and Time Attacks around Japan. The car has even made a cameo appearance in the new Fast’N’Furious 4 movie due in June 2009. Now details are sketchy and some we can’t talk about but there will be a role for the car in a few parking lot and race scenes.

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MOTIVATION Everything in the factory ECU is retained for daily drivability as well as the factory immobilizer. While retaining drivability and cold weather performance, the VX-ROM tuning put down 560whp on the dyno. Impressive from a car with only BPUs and rated at 480hp out of the box. At the core of every new Nissan GT-R is the hand-built VR38DETT engine. This V6, twin turbo, dual overhead cam engine displaces 3.8-liters and is embarrassing powerplants with double cylinders, double the displacement in chassis costing over five times as much. Nissan has been secretly developing the new GT-R since the demise of the R34 back in 2002. The Mine’s team is all about decoding what the factory blessed the car with and not cutting into perfection. For that reason, the internals of the car remain untouched. But Mine’s did develop the free-flowing VX Pro Titan II full titanium exhaust. This exhaust features free flowing cats and the system shaves off in excess of 15-pounds on the factory pieces. Then the Mine’s VX-Air filters open up the restrictive factory units but still maintain filtration. With the bolt-ons in place, the ECU tuning was critical to extract the most power.

000

Since the car has been released in Japan October 2007, Mine’s has had some time to decode the complex ECU Nissan has offered with the car. The ECU reads off GPS signals to speed limit the car to 180km/h unless it is on a race track where the cap is lifted. The tuned Mine’s VX-ROM not only lifts the speed cut and rev limiter but allows for fuel trim and ignition timing control. It also is able to modifiy the valve timing for most aggressive settings versus economy. Everything in the factory ECU is retained for temperature and altitude settings as well as the factory immobilizer. While retaining drivability and cold weather performance, the VX-ROM tuning put down 560whp on the dyno. Impressive from a car with only BPUs and rated at 480hp out of the box. Mine’s maintains that a MoTeC is able to extract more power out of the car but doesn’t maintain all of the functionality of the VX-ROM and costs far more.

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O B X

R A C I N G

S P O R T S

H I G H

P E R F O R M A N C E

P R O D U C T S

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FOOTWORK

it could be topped. They even went as far as to show in the manual a graphic of a modified cartoon GT-R and a big red “X” though it! But Mine’s thought a little differently. They developed some simple carbon add-ons to improve the airflow for both cooling and downforce. Up front is a carbon fiber lip spoiler and carbron fiber canards to reduce lift at speeds. Mine’s also developed a carbon fiber grill and radiator trim plate to keep air flowing through the engine bay. The factory NACA ducts have been replaced with carbon fiber pieces as well. Around back, carbon fiber accents around the exhausts are found in addition to a carbon fiber rear wing styled like the original. The end result is impressive. The Mine’s R35 is setting records and was scheduled to make a splash at a Time Attack event after SEMA. But due to visa problems had to be sent back to Japan. However, the Mine’s car has posted a 1:51.258 at Fuij Speedway and 0:59.367 at the benchmark for Time Attack Tsukuba Speedway outside Tokyo. For reference the insane HKS CT230R Evo ran at 53.589 and that car is a carbon shell with a cage! It basically stays with the sleeper philosophy of Niikura; keep the appearance of stock but dominate on the track.

the ine’s knewnanlling Eibach M d n a rs e p m ps F1 da ther they decided on ruend result HS develo he Since SACrs -R, toge T G e e th r groundethda. tTin creases th parameteto keoef p the 3800-poundfoca -R T G USD. 0 e 0 th ,0 springs ta suspension system mers at a high cost of $14 r is the Esance of the GT-R but co ere also upgraded to thicke w rm rs o a b rf pe ar sway The fronnt itasndtoreeliminate the roll. Mine’s u

OWNER: MICHIZO NIIKURA LOCATION: YOKOSUKA, JAPAN VEHICLE: 2008 NISSAN GT-R VEHICLE: 560WHP ENGINE

Nissan 3.8L VR38DETT V6

ENGINE MODIFICATIONS

Mine’s VX Air Filters Mine’s VX high-flow cats Mine’s VX Pro Titan Titanium exhaust

ENGINE MANAGEMENT Mine’s VX-ROM

BRAKES

Mine’s 400mm 2-piece slotted rotors x4

SUSPENSION

Mine’s Esta suspension (SACHS dampers Eibach springs)

EXTERIOR

Mine’s carbon fiber front lip Mine’s carbon fiber canards Mine’s carbon fiber NACA ducts Mine’s carbon fiber rear bumper accents Mine’s carbon fiber rear wing

INTERIOR

Recaro SPG seats Takata 4-point harnesses

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THE ESSENTIALS

Mines was also determined to take the handling and braking of the car up a notch. This is a car that holds nearly a G on the skidpad and brakes 60-0mph in only 104-feet. Mine’s believed there was more left in the platform. So they set out to develop a new set of dampers along with SACHS of France. Since SACHS develops F1 dampers and Mine’s knew all the parameters of the GT-R together they decided on running Eibach springs to keep the 3800-pound car grounded. The end result is the Esta suspension system for the GT-R that increases the performance of the GT-R but comes at a high cost of $14,000USD. The front and rear sway bars were also upgraded to thicker Mine’s units to eliminate the roll. Mine’s also addressed the brakes which are already a healthy 15-inch rotor from Brembo. They maintained the massive calipers but opted to redesign the front rotors to a larger 400mm (15.75-inches) with 24 slots. The rear rotors are also 400mm 2-piece design with 16-slits. The pads have been switched to Mine’s street/track compound developed in conjunction with Pagid. Nissan insisted that no tuner attempt to modify the aerodynamics of the new GT-R. The Nissan engineers spent countless hours to come up with that 100% functional shape and didn’t believe

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. Text by Dave Pankew

kew Photos by Dave Pan

and JP Kongas

008 NovembBeeacrh 1- Lo5ng-1Be6ac, h,2CA Port of Long

isted iniscent of some tw he scene was rem n were tio uc str fting and de video game where dri ustrial ind the s backdrop wa bound together. The l ica an ch me bio with rows of massive ming for Port of Long Beach rs ine nta co tal several stories of me ed looking cranes and rag s itie tiv y ac ll. As the opening da a menacing steel wa smoke and soot the th wi red ve co dually on, the sky was gra e ashes of all of the lifornia wildfires. Th of 3,000 acres of Ca wn from the skies ge Country rained do burning areas of Oran the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best crowd. Regardless, the d an ck tra the g coverin in a large paved s makeshift course thi up g rin tea re we drifters tire smoke hung Beach docks and the portion of the Long ack of booming audio ze. Set to the soundtr around in a thick ha ly apocalyptic feel, event had a decisive and unruly fans, this crowds into a frenzy. to end, sending the like it was all about rs, the Red Bull the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best drifte A gathering of 32 of ampions from Ch pionships included 14 World Drifting Cham m Europe, Asia, fro tion only, drifters ita inv By . be glo the around da had shipped over nd, the US and Cana Australia, New Zeala an attempt at the ls in preparation for too d an ws cre rs, their ca of spares because had brought plenty y the y kil luc d An . crown several cars were very unforgiving and the fast course was

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e. ing the wall in turn on damaged, most slapp dian sting more than Cana And no one felt that Santos in his General drifter Marco Santos. gh to ice, once hard enou Tires G35 crashed tw e ce. However, each tim bring out the ambulan n t the car back in actio he rebounded to ge , pro D ula rm Fo m in fro after some pitching ’s rld Wo the th wi re in he Chris Forsberg. “I’m ur all out and beyond yo best, you have to go ntos on a show.” Said Sa comfort level to put t of go, if the car steps ou “But the faster you s went feels like ice!” Santo the line just a bit, it Jr. in ooter Vaughn Gittin up against sharp-sh nd. stang in the first rou the Falken Tires Mu ing tin’s moves and keep Despite following Git , the tailing tandem run him sweating during the the win to Gittin and the Judges awarded was eliminated. DMCC representative vers at the top of the Having Formula D dri this d to be the destiny of game really appeare ge pionships. The stran first ever World Cham ed d Prix drivers steam absence of D1 Gran

ent. Saito would not both made it to the ev ng icals cti pe ex re the t were round due to mechan many of the fans tha make it into the first it t in 1 Bu . nd rld rou wo st tackle the make it pa to see Japan’s elite and Ueo would only stunt cision of the D1 de a tly maged AE86 from a ren da pa a ap , th be wi was not to t eliminations en ev ately the tun by for Un ve e. mo l for politica day be Grand Prix and not a against the barrier the rs, k ide too ins rs to fte dri ng rdi top co D. Ac D1, many organizers at Formula for the reputation of to le ing ab be t ail no av s ts mo slo and de d two the D1 Grand Prix ha on other engagements r, D1 officials ve we Ho y were invited to the rs. the t ve dri tha D1 top send their informed by rs ve dir six ng Nob Tanaguchi sti by reque ent. The list included ev ll Bu d allegedly countered Re r the 03 t and the rights to ga Youichi Imamura (20 show up for the even (2001 D1 Champion), . Ds DV l D1 sfu 05 es cc (20 su ma ir highly yaki Kaza video footage for the D1 Champion), Yasu ula D officials rm Fo , ns Kumakubo (2006 D1 tio ige tia sh go bu ne No After some Champion), ten GP ex ral ve se ite st. Desp Orido the judge of D1 agreed to the reque Champion), Manubu rs ve dri ict six nfl top co ir a to the enter try due sions, D1 declined to also had to decline en d event citing tough ore door was open for ns the po t an ll-s Bu me d is Re into the ing race. Th apa D ula rm Fo did e tim to step up … and in economic times. At no the rest of the world ter en of to ny tly ec ma e dir us ms d tea only beca proach the drivers an sense they did. But re any disrespect for the ing ow hard up the ladder we sh ing oid mb av cli to in order the drivers ing, cit US ex t the en in ev ide the res t ep to ke tries bu series. In an attempt born in foreign coun nd t a deal to get their ou d ula D. On to first rou rke rm wo Fo rs in ve ete dri two D1 and comp D1 s Bill er wa rm ts Fo se h. up ac Be the Long ns where one for tio na mi cars shipped over to eli d an i o in the Yuke’s Hatch s JVC S13 Champ, Katsuhiro Ue Sherman in the Retak pion am Ch x Pri d an Gr D1 Diago Saito, the 2008

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atori in the Super who dismissed Michihiro Tak haracteristic misAutobacs R34 after an unc nd matchups were take. Many of the first rou more time’ in order tight and demanded a ‘one Djan from Malaysia to decide a victor. Tengku chback meeting was on a tear in his S13 hat prodigy James up with 16 year old drifting s Nexen S14.5 Deane from Ireland. Deane’ style in a heated traded some paint NASCAR of it leaving on a battle. Deane got the worst ance. flatbed and Djan would adv p there with sto not did The mash-ups introduced to the several competitors being rad Grunewald in the wall. The list included Con ullivan’s beautiful Tanaka Racing Vette, Eric O’S 6 and lastly Kyle Rockstar Energy Drink AE8 Mohan in the KMR RX-7.

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e his hands full Hubinette would actually hav watching from s itor pet com ny ma putting on the ily left s eas Thi with Yoshihara who was rco Santos most Ma h wit ng alo h speed and s hig line le, side the best display with sick ang area with the lity pita hos l Bul hihara was Red Yos the in ugh likely ds of smoke. Sure eno Top 16 was formed it loa the e tim r making a the afte By ! ede bar n ope able to bounce the big Sw drivers were the D la mu For t hand had a tha er nt oth are the app was slight mistake. Millen on petition. It was 10 com the in e dly better ide forc dec ting a ina dom close battle with Foust but tional competitors rna inte six iron with sus roit ver Det all ers be driv FD line meant that it would ght on the shores fou be uld . wo wn cro tles bat the ide the and Formula D drivers to dec it would be re we s and odd len The Mil s ch. ate Bea g mm of Lon The finals between tea h no surprise that wit y and wa ing er anc eith adv win FD uld stly mo Yoshihara meant RMR wo two international y onl ice! The . cho out of n yed apo pla we it the is how and a Pontiac would be ad” Mike Whiddett a mission all day drivers to advance were “M Although Yoshihara was on er 4-rotor FD gst gan his in d lan ing his boss and Zea rac s of New he must have got nervou 6. AE8 the in Ueo n the win. the len and Mil 7 RXspun out to easily hand ted 6 vs. 2 for to Foust and nt we In the Great 8, it would be slan The consolation round hihara in the RMR Yos Dai s. guy D wrap it up and la to mu py For hap the crowds were probably Japan and Whidfor run ’s Ueo y conditions. end oke ld sm wou GTO out the falling ash and t in his F1-sounding get figh a of hell that someone one fire up p put cam t det All of LA smelled like a ugh to dispatch eno n’t was were eager it ny but r ma roto and d qua threw some garbage on Foust in the AEM ner Tan es were ion mp hom ir Cha the FD if 8 200 to get back home to see ling at the line stal rg sbe first ever For h the Wit of Z. cle r cta ksta Roc still there. The whole spe er. Vip par Mo the in mpionships was against Samuel Hubinette Red Bull World Drifting Cha cemented for this now e wer als Formula D1 will i-fin and sem The memorable. We trust D1 ure the compent. eve ens to oric s hist iron out their difference to see Rhys the drivers and h wit ed The semi-finals were going tition is properly balanc e who was stic Sol l Bul Red torsport that mo the in the len in Mil the machines involved field mistake-free the ugh thro g win che ly calm was born in Japan. On the other side versus ‘08 Champion Foust.

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S ’ Y D A L CHOICE Text by Dave Pankew // Photos

by Edwin Villanueva

a lot of s we’re sure you know we see e Toyota Sinc e. Scions around the PAS offic rs into dolla of has injected tens of millions de, Scion deca the of some of the best branding initiatives Canada in yet as not l, is basically a household name. Wel 2009. for ket mar that in since the brand is being launched a be it’ll sure e wer US, If it is half as successful as in the ning crow the e agre rts hit across Canada too. Many expe street credibility they that is e mad has n Scio ent achievem desire to own the have achieved with youth and build s. Even more pact com and customize one of these subultures, race, subc een impressive is that it blurs lines betw ple with peo d age dle age and Scion can sell cars to mid a radikind this n whe , families no question. With that said ther ano just was it up, cal pink female-owned tC popped hot ride we just had to feature. ne feature radar’ was What put this car on our ‘magazi n-grabbing paint that its aggressive widebody in attentio a sweet sounding somehow tastefully blends together ance upgrades. Owner audio install with a host of perform , CA was on the hunt to Tina Daneshmand of Los Angeles tC from a daily driver to find the right partners to take her heads at shows. The task a creation that would really turn s but Daneshmand would be huge and stressful at time ed to make it happen. stayed the course and was determin in the Scion, this ant With the improved 2.4L powerpl t a stou block that can motor has plenty of upside. It is and is competing in be turbocharged or supercharged t. Daneshmand opted motorsports around the continen dealer and had it fully for the TRD charger direct from the A n. custom Injen intake hand polished prior to installatio hed for effect. All of was added to the mix and high polis give it that gleamto the lines and piping were polished were bolted on ders hea gleam she was after. A set of DC ust l exha evacuating the feeding a custom JIC Magic dua also been replaced with fumes. Part of the coolant line has ponent of its kind. Killerglass the first see through com went with an air and To adjust the stance, Daneshm ner air bag system Run Air system with in-car controls. The can ajust and well is a high-grade setup that handles n it came to Whe e. rang the ride height up to 4-inches of em ending syst the on p braking, Daneshmand did not skim 4-piston e grad tion peti up with Endless brakes. This com on all fours rs roto ed slott system chomps down on 330mm for some capable stopping power.

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LADY’S CHOICE

HIGH OUTPUT

fully the dealer and had it om fr ct re di r ge ar e mix ch th D to TR the take was added in n je In om Daneshmand optedrfotor in st cu A n. tio stalla hand polished priofor effect. and high polished sound and video, this tC is ely snatches atThe shell of the tC is definit and bubble gum coattention with its fat stance Chris Rado bodykit ing. Staring with an 8-piece molded into the the panels were completely l hood was slapped body. A Kaminari reverse cow tely shaved clean. on and that car was comple mirrors are found on A pair of APR carbon fiber HID headlights and each side of th car and the o. The entire project LED tails are courtesy of Anz l coats of Bubble was then drenched in severa black accents were Gun PPG paint and a few flat added for contrast. an widebody, the With the outrageous paint that would be approject needed some rollers spec’ed out a set of propropriate. Daneshmand with custom offsets. VIP Modular VR03 wheels front with 4-inches An impressive 20x10-inch 20x13-inch rears and of lip rides up front, while out back. To keep a sick 6-inch lip are found

When it come to Proxes T1R’s were mphis Audio the car planted, some Toyo ered there as well. With a Me cov the front and a for R20 /30 inch subs, 255 12h r wit fou ed to mount 1,100W amp connected In the end, this r. rea the in ke some ma R20 to /25 re 315 ssu pre healthy there is enough sound and tire to make eel wh pse ugh Ecli eno an sts by boa led trol project hearts skip a beat. Con are sent sh. hs blu hig ars and erc s sup mid most AVN2454 headunit, the t tha rior inte dy rea w 4W for distribution to Behind the glass is a sho to a Memphis M-Class 75x d by an Autopower nde rou Sur s. res nd throughout the imp fou to s e is sur the Memphis component e, the interior has cag roll ta gen Ma black suede enclody Can tom t cus 4-poin cabin. In the trunk is a h Wit de. sue ck bla , Nitrous Xpress bottles been mostly recovered in rich sure and brackets for twin fiber race seats bon car h Tec Hi mo Mo for video playback. of r een a pai and a 17-inch LCD scr k harnesses, both -loc cam ch has a winner here 3-in rco ma Spa and All totaled up, Danesh nd . ride the for in d ppe l awards. The blend driver and passenger are stra literally by scooping severa rior pieces were also inte hed atc r-m colo audio makes this a l and era Sev of performance, show l of carbon accents. dfu han a h wit ng t with the kind of alo pac d alle com inst capable performance are a Nardi Classic in cab the de of a slick everyday insi out nd ect fou o Als gadgetry you would exp h wit ng alo b kno t rable Scion for sure wheel, Momo pedals and shif driver as well. Another memo are ls vita ine eng nt s, after all that is what custom tC door sills. Importa in a sea of customized one k sun volt and st boo , relayed with Auto Meter AFR the brand was born to do. . pod CF ter Me o Aut an into

ROLLIN’ DEEP

ta Daneshmand spec’ed ou 03 set of VIP Modular VRfs ets. of om st wheels with cu ch in 0x1 An impressive 20 rides front with 4-inches of lip h up front, while 20x13-ihnclip rears and a sick 6-inc keep are found out back. ToToyo the car planted, some ounted Proxes T1R’s were m e front with 255/30R20 for th in and a healthy 315/25R20 the rear.

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HEART STOPPER

LADY’S CHOICE

ND OWNER: TINA DANESHMACA LOCATION: LOS ANGELES, VEHICLE: 2006 SCION TC ENGINE / PERFORMANCE

TRD Supercharger fully hand polished Polished AC lines Custom fabricated Injen cold air intake DC headers JIC-Magic custom dual exhaust DME battery tie down DME air diversion Panel DME oil cap DME radiator cap First custom pink pyrex Killerglass setup for supercharger

With a Memphis Audio 1,100W amp connected to four 12-inch subs, there is enough sound pressure to make some hearts skip a beat. Controlled by an Eclipse AVN2454 headunit, the mids and highs are sent to a Memphis M-Class 75x4W for distribution to the Memphis components found throughout the cabin.

Endless big brakes kit Endless slotted rotors Endless brake SS-M brake pads Stainless steel brake lines

WHEELS & TIRES

VIP Modular VR03 wheels - 20x10 front (4” lip), 20x13 rear (6” lip)Toyo Proxes T1R’s in - 255/30/20 for the front & 315/25/20 the rear (tires stretched 1” in the rear)

Carbon fiber side view mirrors Shaved antenna B-pillar appliqué Custom grille kit VRD full third brake light Shaved Scion & tC emblems

INTERIOR

Full black suede interior roll cage Autopower 4 point candy magentarace seats MoMo Cup Hi Tech Carbon Fiber sses Sparco 3” 4 point camlock harne Wedge Engineering brackets & sliders Carbon fiber armrest Color matched interior pieces Nardi Classic steering wheel MoMo hub NRG quick release NRG quick release lock volt Autometer carbon fiber AFR/boost/pods meter gauges with carbon fiber

MoMo pedals MoMo shift knob tC door sills

MULTIMEDIA

4 12” Memphis M-class subwoofers 1 Memphis M-Class AB 75x4 amp 1 Memphis C-class 1100Wx1 amp Eclipse AVN2454 head unit 17” tv in trunk 0g monster cables Full dynamat Custom fiberglassed door pods for speakers fiber Back seat removed for full customentire glass enclosure through out the m trunk and back seat area with custo s housings for 2 Nitrous Express bottle and custom amp rack all wrapped in black suede

S L A I T N E S S E THE SUSPENSION & BRAKESn Air Runner Air Ride Suspensio DME strut bar

EXTERIOR

ody kit Chris Rado 8 piece molded wideb Custom PPG pink paint job with flat black accents Kaminari Reverse Cowl carbon fiber hood with custom black color trim Anzo head lights fabricated with stock eyelids (blacked out) Anzo tail lights

KCG

KEY ES COMPOSIT GROUP

FACTORY DIRECT PRICING CALL NOW 443-484-9432

Our mission at Key Composites Group, LLC is to be a leader in our market segment in terms of large product selection, fast delivery, real product knowledge, excellent customer service, and low prices. We see many different companies in the aftermarket automotive restyling industry using smoke and mirror marketing methods to push the same hand laid polyester resin products at over inflated prices. Why pay for their large marketing campaigns, and believe that what they have to offer is better than the next guys same polyester resin product when you can call us and get the real answers. We want to unsure all of our customers are happy with their purchase and they are aware of everything that our company has to offer in addition to offering by far the lowest prices in the industry by selling factory direct. In hard economic times KCG gives you the opportunity to pay less and get more! Weather your style is JDM, drifting, lifted or lowered trucks, the micro-compact scene, the drag racing scene, or really modifying any 90's or newer vehicle we have over 3000 molds of everything from light weight fiberglass doors to carbon fiber www.KeyCompositesGroup.com to see what we have to offer... you might just learn something useful about composites too. interior replacement pieces. Give us a call or visit our website ww

www.KeyCompositesGroup.com 000 180

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

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Photography by Robert Haleluk

“WELCOME TO THE CHILL ZONE”

PATENTED INTEGRATED COOLING CORE FREEZES THE CORE FROM THE INSIDE OUT !! EXTREME TEMPERATURE DROP AT A PUSH OF A BUTTON.. NO C02 CONTAMINATION, MINIMAL PRESSURE DROP AND MORE HORSEPOWER

ICETUBE

THE CHILL ZONE CO2 KIT CO2 IN

COLD AIR

HOT AIR

CO2 OUT

PATENT NUMBERS US 7,337,769 B2 US 7,341,050 B2

INNOVATION The only intercooler in the market with the patented integrated coil system.

STYLE

The Cool Can, a fuel chiller that looks as good as it performs.

PERFORMANCE The Ice Tube, an unique air chiller that prevents heat soaking and delivers more horsepower.

WWW.SPEEDMAXPERFORMANCE.COM EMAIL: INFO@SPEEDMAXPERFORMANCE.COM

DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOME I OFFICES AND WAREHOUSES ON BOTH COASTS EAST COAST OFFICE

TEL: 973.891.1755 FAX: 973.891.1757

SMAX 10.10.indd 1

WEST COAST OFFICE

TEL: 310.212.5886 FAX: 310.212.6185

04/12/08 1:49 PM

THE

R E K C O SH By Dave Pankew // Photos

By Jacob Leveton

p this sport sedan in the adjustment need to kee then was It ed. add was l gril pension is all Lexus shaved and a custom oduction check. The balance of the sus flat r Kolo of se platform that needs no intr Hou in ject ified with the help of time to drench the pro ne is but the chassis has been fort a h suc on see in today’s sport compact sce to rd wei manufacturer GT Spec black , which is always off the GT Spec. Renowned brace on visi onXen a e the Lexus IS line. Building kag pac the tie brace, front 4-point new car. To complete added: front 2-point lower r Supra’ approach, way doo the ‘4t l ligh ina to orig s its fog of 0K s 250 ces suc e, rear lower tie brace set of 8000K HIDs and lower tie brace, rear V-brac ch of different flabun a in and k bac is IS the t tower brace. The around Orange County. along with a Type-D front stru lowly IS250, to the es rad the upg from of l ing dfu . ryth han a Eve ed rs. vou sedan ready for the twisties The engine receiv “M3-fighter” the ne. end result is one stiff IS-F sce the the and into 50 ting IS3 is get us lly und urio lux to the gro since Feng is just rea Transferring these abilites ut of what the marSuper Induction Box as IS line has covered the gam ARC of Volk Racing an set ed A . add g ers roll Fen of public has expanded more one special set ing in l buy pul the to e And Pip r. tion afte is Suc ket reside on the corners well as ARC Intake Gunmetal 19-inch CE28Ns lly affordable. On tota and is lds IS e nifo bas ma the the ce hit sin to tires. With 215/35R19 air. The spent gases wrapped in Falken FK452 sible and there is its pos spl is t g tha t thin aus any m exh tfor gle pla sin this rears, there is ample head into a custom rs. fronts and 245/35R19 h, starting with its wit iste d can sse m ble niu is tita car HKS the h nty wit ple Lurking behind the into duals capped rubber underneath the IS. and kit ing ks. und loo d Gro goo er ng Hyp cki o sho Mu brakes to bring With only a SUN Aut gunmetal rollers are Project flat black paint gets tment trea ood erh und the Seems anything finished in ts, iston forged calipers a few dressup par the ride to a halt. With 4-p sinister appearance the And s. day se the n rd. ntio wa atte tem is connected with is fairly straightfor and 2-piece rotors, the sys is proof positive of to 50 IS2 able g’s be Fen car ny this Jon er sted insi own g of e pedal feel and filled Then again, Fen Project Mu lines to improv sists of a front lip, Zeal con of kit set A na g. Dig atin tex swe Ver out The t. with tha nail a corner down with Castrol SRF. k spoiler to set off of rs were added to provide all side skirts, rear apron and trun ove coil XS n ctio Fun The emblems were the look of this hyper sedan.

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PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Falken-GT Spec-Vertex IS250 10.10 V4.indd 2

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Motivation

Feng added an aRC Supe r induction Box as well as a R C in ta k e Su ction Pipe to pull in more air. the sp the manifolds and head ent gases hit single exhaust that spli into a custom ts into HKS dual titanium canisters.

WWW.PASMAG.COM â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND

Falken-GT Spec-Vertex IS250 10.10 V4.indd 3

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04/12/08 1:44 PM

On the inside, Feng’s project is ready for action. With a pa ir of Bride Hyperblue Zeta III clamped down by FO-Type Seat Brackets, the seating is definitely on point. Adding to the ride integrity, a pair of Takata 4-point harne sses strap occupants in tight. Steering inp uts are made with a Nardi NOB-edition 33 0mm sterring wheel, while gear selections are made gripping and ARC titanium kn ob. On the audio and multimedia side, Feng wanted something to compliment the alr eady amazing factory system. A Ec lipse AVN5500 DVD/ MP3/Navi headunit wa s added in addition

to a backup camera for reverse action. The signals are direc ted to a Crossfire 1000D mono amp an d a Crossfire VR404 4-channel. The low-en d is directed to a custom Plexiglas en closure in the trunk plugged with Crossfire BMF 12-inch subs. Another winner from SoCal that defines a slick and clean every day performer. Feng along with the help of his sponsors: Falken, Vertex, GTSp ec, Xenon-vision, Autowerks have put together a winner. We expect to see mo re from Feng, after all this 22 year old stu dent is just really getting into the scene .

ENgINE

-i Toyota 2.5L 4GR-FSE V6 VVT

ENgINE moDIFICATIoNS

ARC Oil Cap ARC Radiator Cap ARC Super Induction Box ARC Intake Suction Pipe aust piping Custom dual to single exh HKS Full Titanium Canister Sun Auto Hyper Gauss Kit Sun Auto Hyper Grounding Sun Auto Hyper Voltage Kit Sun Auto Hot Inazma Eco

INTERIoR

ARC Titanium Shift Knob ts Bride FO-Type Seat Bracke Bride Hyperblue Zeta III Wheel 330m Nardi Nob Edition Steering NRG Short Hub tem Project Mu Sports Pedal Sys ing Harnesses Takata MPH-340 4-Point Rac Works Bell Rapfix GTC

IA AuDIo & muLTImED fers x2

Crossfire BMF Subwoo Crossfire 1000D Amp Crossfire VR404 Amp avi Headunit Eclipse AVN5500 DVD/MP3/Nera Eclipse BEC106 Backup Cam MB Quart Crossovers x2

184

SuSpENSIoN

THE ESSENTIALS

FENg Owner: JoHNNyEI m, CA AH AN : On LOcati S IS250 xu LE VehicLe: 2006

er Tie Brace GTSPEC Front 2-Point Low er Tie Brace Low oint 4-P t Fron GTSPEC GTSPEC Rear V-Brace ce GTSPEC Rear Lower Tie Brat Tower Brace GTSPEC Type D-Front Stru Zeal Function XS Coilovers

AKES WHEELS, TIRES, BRFalk en

Volk Racing CE28N with FK452 tires R19 (f) 19x8.5-inch with 215/35 R19 (r) 19x10.5-inch with 245/35 nuts Kics Project Neo R26 Lug Pads Project Mu B-Force Brake n Calipers Project Mu Forged 4-Pisto Project Mu SCR-Pro Rotors s Project Mu Teflon Brake Line

ExTERIoR

k OEM grille Custom painted matte blacemblems k trun rear ved sha Custom t House of Kolor flat black pain Vertex Digna front lip Vertex Digna side steps apron Vertex Digna rear bumper iler Vertex Digna rear trunk spo Xenon-vision 8000k HID Kit Kit Xenon-vision 2500k HID Fog

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

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TS_1008_PAS.indd Turbosmart.indd 1 1

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OWNER: JONATHAN LACKINGER VEHICLE: 2004 NISSAN SE-R

EXTERIOR MODIFICATIONS

T O H S P A SN ociation.com

lcustomcarass

OF WHO IS U A SNAPSHOT ABOUT WHO YO GS IN BR S ERY MONTH PA E. IT ISN’T ALL EACH AND EV ENTS ON THE NCCA SCEN G THE EFFORT TO ATTEND E IN EM MAKING MOV POINTS BUT WHO IS MAK INS AS POSSIBLE. FOR THOS E H H R T Y EI G N H IMIZE T UP AS MA IS LEADIN R CAR TO MAX OWS AND HIT O ALL THOSE SH Y REWORK AREAS OF THEI PAS GIVING SOME CREDIT T SL E. ES R A EL W IR D T R O A H H E W AKE HOME TH SCORES AND T Y THEIR DUES. THOSE WHO PA By www.nationa

Full 2003 SE-R front end conversion Custom one-off Front Bumper (ViS R34 Octane) One-off Extreme Dimensions BC-2 Side Skirts Extreme Dimensions BC-2 Rear Painted 2 Tone ViS Carbon Fiber Evo Hood for 03 SE-R w. Painted Sides ViS Carbon Fiber Trunk Lid Painted to go with ViS Nismo Style CF Spoiler (1 of 10 produced) Body Lines ViS CF Mirrors (1 of 5 produced) Sarona Design s Roof Spoiler (1 of 10 produce Carbon Creations Carbon Fiber 2 piece Front d) Splitters Carbon Creations Carbon Fiber Side & Rear Splitters T-Rex Custom Front Billet Grill w/Oversized SE-R Logo Shaved Moldings on Doors Shaved Antenna Sonar Black Housing Headlights Hella German Supertone Horns 18-inch Work Special Edition Emotion CR-Kai Wheels Limited Edtion Red Work Wheel Decals and Valve Stems Vrdestein Ultrac Tires Welded Tow Hooks on Front and Rear Porsche Arctic Silver Metallic Paint (911 Twin Turbo) Painted CF Hood, Trunk, and Wing Gloss Black Painted Roof Accented CF Parts in Gloss Black All CF was Sanded and Clear Coated

INTERIOR MODIFICATIONS

NRG Innovations Carbon 8 Series Seats NRG Innovations 3-inch 6-point harnesses Fully Reupholstered Interior including: (Seats, Headliner, Pillars, Gauge, Pod, Door Inserts, Carpet, and Floor Mats in 2 Tone Black on Gray) Custom Stitched Nismo and SE-R Turbo Logos on Seats and Floor Mats NRG Steering Wheel, Quick Release, and Shorty Hub Adapter Carbon Fiber Dash Kit Ichibahn Carbon Fiber E-Brake Handle Ichibahn Leather E-Brake Boot Arospeed Carbon Fiber Pedals Import Intelligence Carbon Fiber Gauge Faces Import Intelligence Carbon Fiber HVAC Controls Ignited Switch Panel

I.C.E

Pioneer AVIC-N2 Head Unit w/ iPod kit Fahrenheit 7.5-inch TFT Screen in Visor Emerson 10.5-inch Flip Down LCD on Trunk Lid Camera mounted in Trunk 4 Beyma Amps Powering all speakers tweeter s and sub (2 2x150 and 2 4x75 1x200) 4 Beyma SCK-50 5.25-inch Speakers Custom Fiberglass’ed into Front Doors and wrapped in mulskin suede Beyma PH25 Tweeters in Front and Rear 4 Beyma M6 6.5-inch Mid Bass Speakers in Rear Beyma PL650 6.5-inch Speaker cutom fiberglassed into rear doors and Trunk Lid Beyma SCK 8 inch Subs fiberglassed into center Rockford Power Series 12-inch T2 Subwoofer of rear seats Custom Fiberglassed Deck Lid Reupholstered in Black and Gray Suede. Custom Fiberglass Trunk Lid with 10.5-inch flipdown speaker pods wrapped in Black and Gray Suede. and custom Nintendo Wii Gaming System Fiberglass’ed into Passenger Airbag Optima Battery Stinger Custom 200 amp Alternator Stinger Wiring Soundstream 4 farad capacitor

SUSPENSION & BRAKES

Wilwood Front 4-Piston Big Brake Kit RB Racing Brake Cross-Drilled and Slotted Rotors in Rear Hawk Performance Brake Pads BFGoodrich G-Stop Steel Brake Lines TEIN Super Street Coilovers TEIN EDFC Dampening Controller Nismo Front Strut Bar Nismo Front & Rear Sway Bars Energy Suspension Polyurethane Motor Mounts Rev Auto Torque Damper Kirk Racing 4-Point Competition Cage/Bar Painted Body Color Mimo Polished Floor Bar

ENGINE MODIFICATIONS

WHAT PAS THINKS?

Despite having to make trips to the local food court in a Sentra bumping Polish Techno to drown out the sound of a broken suspension, we still have a soft spot for the “Super Sentra.” Our former PAS Feature Editor swore by his Sentra but then swore at it when Pereira and Pankew would smoke him in the 350Z and the Skyline GT-R. Even though “The Fish” use to claim he would “get ya in the corners” it never really happened. Although that particular Sentra was borderline hooptie, we know they can be made to go fast. They handle well and have a legendary reputation of getting people in the corners, this is a fine boosted example of that!

186

Custom spa turbo kit based off of pti stage 3 kit APEX SAFC II Tial 38mm wastegate with 10 pound spring Greddy type rs bov Russel steel oil feed and return lines Turbonetics flanges Coated 2.5-inch j-tube, gaskets and bolts Coated protech hi-velocity manifold S-MAX intercooler Custom intercooler piping Black silicone couplers and t-bolt clamps 446cc injectors Powertech Performance upgraded fuel rail Fitting and swivel for fuel return line S-MAX fuel pressure regulator Walbro 255lph pump Custom RTR style side exhaust Caspers electronics o2 simulator NGK Iridium plugs DEI CRY02 kit with 10lb bottle & purge kit Perrin Performance aluminum gauge pod powder Prosport gauges: egt, oil pressure, boost, oil temp.coated black AEM wideband gauge Level 10 racing transmission & lsd B&M transmission cooler All steel lines and Russell fittings Koyo radiator

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

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2008

Text and Photos by Dave Pankew and Mark Pereira

The

otive put

Bulletproof Autom

tal GT-R together this stunning gunme

e HREs wheels and

complete with som

carbon lip kit

he sky’s the limit when it comes to getting attention and earning respect on the SEMA stage, as the scene’s top companies and tuners strut their stuff for the world to see. From high horsepower race cars and insane one-off custom rides to production-ready performance parts and prototype products, we simply couldn’t believe some of the craziness we came across. With so much to see and so little time, we wanted to share a few top rides and parts we caught on camera at SEMA 2008… enjoy.

From 600cc Kei-ca

The

Rhys Millen’s new

r to quarter mile ass

assin

A Japanese P51!

Get 800hp for $800,0

00 with ASI Bentley

VeilSide Supra roc

king new SSR VFR

188

hap

rie-Picard’s Evo mis

lica of Andrew Com

K&N made this rep

Tetsu GT-R

1 chromies!

Future cover car ma

drifter is in fact a Hyu

ndai! Imagine that

Motionless at SEM

terial, High End G3

7TT coming soon!

A, a killer at the Tim

e Attack!

OMG, Top Tuner bri ngs their A-game to with the new 1,400h SEMA p CTS-V found on the cover of last issue!

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Sema Performance 10.10a.indd 2

04/12/08 4:00 PM

TOP BUILD that isn’t built yet! ders already for a car STS is taking pre-or p, wh 700 r ove h Wit Z06 Vettes. tion STS Twin Turbo One of 50 Limited Edi

Playstation3! T we test drove...on

sler rolling on carbon

Wilwood had a Mo

fiber Dymags!

rcielago RG

The Lamborghini Mu

shap

What totally stopped us dead in our tracks was the all custom Kremyr Coupe near the entrance to South Hall. This Chromoly tube frame car inspired by legendary Shelby’s was built entirely by Kremyr Chassisworks in Vancouver, BC. Powered by a 500hp Ford Racing crate motor, the Kremyr features a GForce transmission with a Tilton triple plate and a Ford 9-inch rear end. The suspension is a multi-link using Alton adjustable coilovers and features and Wilwood 6-piston brakes behind custom billet wheels. The body is completely made of custom fiberglass and the interior was a blend of sheet metal and composites. An incredibly clean build that is used on the street and track got top honors from our staff as a true custom build with hardly anything off the shelf.

The Tomei / Cusco STi ran 1:44.5 at Buttonwillow TEIN switching gears with

Wheels Mustang! , we had to include this Hot

Umm

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Sema Performance 10.10a.indd 3

s, like this Stang!

new domestic application

e Attack Altima Hybrid in

Braille Batteries new Tim

lime green

Bulletproof’s second GT-R on Toyo R888s

04/12/08 4:04 PM

Hankook had their latest

AutoLOC was showcasing DOT R-Compound the RS-

their wide variety of

3 Z222

Viper ACR damper from

KW posted 7:22 on the Nur

burgring

Garrett had several new

several new products for

rse line-up

Enkei showing off their dive

n Turismo line

ence with an expanded Gra

Brembo had a huge pres

new Shutt showcased several impressive interior products

AEM’s huge display featured

GT-series ball bearing turb

2009

Continental’s sick Exclaim

s, ral new coilover application AZ-based K-Sport had seve suspension including their new air ride

Contact UHP tire!

JUN also enters the brak

Now owned by Tanabe, SSR

e market with 6-piston syst

wheels brought out designs

new and old for SEMA

Redline synthetics for all moving parts

Mine’s GT-R parts!!!

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PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Sema Performance 10.10a.indd 4

04/12/08 4:05 PM

accessories from lighting

to vertical doors to air ride

suspensions

Kinetik unveiled lightweight

Endura Tech’s latest dam

pers on display

racing batteries

SPEC’s new multi-plate clut

ch is in stock and ready

O.G. manufacturer TSW is

to order

still cranking out impress ive designs in a competitive

market

urbos

Yes, Recaro does gradient patterns too

Wilwood Brakes had several new racing apps.

Tanabe offers a speed-sensing dampening controller. The TEAS fits Tanabe coilovers only

SEMA

WWW.PASMAG.COM – PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND

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04/12/08 4:10 PM

INteRIoR >> buyer’s GuiDe CusCo

Drift Knobs Cusco Drift Knobs install in the e-brake to eliminate the need to press the button in order to release the lever. It also features a larger surface area for more precise use during drifting. Cusco’s WRC-inspired shift knob is an attractive upgrade to your car’s interior. It is available for Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Nissan vehicles.

www.napsusa.com

CusCo

WrC shift Knob Cusco’s WRC inspired shift knob is an attractive upgrade to any car’s interior. Installs in minutes and the look and feel of this shift knob upgrade is immediately apparent. With accurate shape and surface for improved grip, the Cusco knob stands out in the crowd. Available for Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan at a very affordable price.

www.napsusa.com

NRG

LedGLoW

Deep Dish style Wheel

7 Color interior liGhtinG

These units provide the best in both quality and styling. Many different sizes and designs available from classy smooth luxury leather with red stitch to 3 in. deep dish suede steering wheels for maximum control, NRG steering wheels are sure to give your vehicle that extra edge of control and styling.

www.getnrg.com

This new product from LEDGLOW is a 4-piece multi-colored expandable tube kit designed to illuminate your vehicle’s interior and is jam-packed with an assortment of features at an affordable price. It will allow you to choose between blue, red, green, purple, pink, aqua, white or yellow colors. Each kit includes a total of four 15-inch tubes with 30 ultra bright LEDs per tube giving you a total of 120 wide angle LEDs. Each tube features 6-feet of wire allowing maximum mounting capabilities. Our kit allows you to add an additional two 15-inch tubes or two 9-inch tubes giving you complete control over your interior’s style.

www.ledglow.com

Isotta

ZulaG steerinG Wheels Crafted from fine Italian leather the care, attention and professionalism of the Isotta range of styling shows in this Zulag steering wheel. Superbly designed with a modern approach with extremely high and uncompromising standards of, this 340mm wheel provides precise steering feel. The careful precision mechanical production and treatment of hides which has not forsaken its traditional methods result in the unmistakable image of the Isotta brand and its products.

www.isotta.com

IGNIted

Mtr GauGes Introducing the MTR Series performance gauges from Ignited Performance. Key features include a sleek “Black-Out” face, precision dials, LED back lighting, and an opening ceremony every time you turn your ignition! Each MTR Series gauge comes with an aluminum mounting bracket/stand and the required sensor/ sending unit (where applicable).Gauges are available in 52mm and 60mm.

www.ignitedperformance.com

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interior >> buyer’S guiDe MoMo

Drifting 33 Wheel Celebrating Momo Drifting’s success, the Drifting 33 has arrived. The new model, joining the best selling Drifting 350mm, has a reduced 330mm diameter for a more precise steering response and better feel. Drifting 33 is covered in genuine leather and includes red or blue leather inserts at the top of the rim in order to aid the driver’s steering control during spirited use. Its design is completed by an embroidered Drifting logo on the rim and a glossy, color-coordinated central button. MOMO Drifting 33 steering wheels are available in either red or blue.

USA - www.momousa.com Canada - www.momocanada.com

oBX

Carbon SerieS Need to give your shifter some tuner tech flair for gettin’ your shift on? With a carbon fiber sleeve sandwiched between two anodized billet aluminum pieces, the OBX shift knob has racer attitude built right into it. Wrap your fingers around the sleek, performance inspired design of the OBX shift knob and you’ll be ready for some ninja-quick shifting action! Cool and functional, the carbon fiber and anodized aluminum shift knob will give your Vehicle’s interior the perfect, race-infused finishing touch.

#www.obxracingsports.com

Interior Guide 10.10.indd 2

12/4/2008 5:21:04 PM

Spee

Steeda

billet KnobS These high-performance billet aluminum shift knobs feature a large 2-inch diameter rubber band to cushion your hand and improve grip under extreme shifting conditions. Large diameter makes them easy to grip from the top or side. Engraved with the Steeda logo, the knob includes a set screw to prevent the knob from rotating. Threaded in 12mm x 1.75 to fit stock and Tri-Ax shift handles for Ford vehicles. Steeda’s Custom Shift knob is also available in Satin.

www.steeda.ca

SparcO

345 Deep DiSh Steering Wheel Sparco’s 345 racing deep dish leather steering wheel is great for drifting and drivers who want that aggressive look with a luxurious feel. With a 350mm outside diameter and a 63mm dish, this wheel features rich black leather with yellow insert. A Sparco or equivalent hub is required for the install.

USA - www.sparcousa.com Canada - www.jrponline.com

www.speedtechracing.com

wholesale inquiries welcome

wholesale inquiries welcome 1-866-206-7751

1-866-206-7751

WWW.PASMAG.COM – PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND Speedtech Racing.indd 1

Interior Guide 10.10.indd 3 Speedtech Racing_v2.indd 1

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1/28/08 5:59:33 PM

12/4/2008 5:21:41 PM 2/29/08 6:49:37 PM

iNTErior >> Buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S guiDe Nardi

Deep Corn Steering Wheel The Deep Corn Line from Nardi is still one of the most demanded by lovers of race cars who appreciate elegance of its design and the comfort of the secure grip. It comes in sizes from 330mm or 350mm, either in black perforated leather or suede leather with black spokes and red thread. For an improved driving feel and superior grip, this wheel from Nardi is sure to impress.

www.nardicanada.com

SHUTT

NiSMo

trK peDalS

BlaCK Ball Shift KnoB

With modern parallel shape, aluminum made with stainless steel plates and Shutt logo deep embossed and laser engraved making this a very innovated and distinct set.

Born from motorsports leaders NISMO, the Black Ball manual shift knob integrates form and function. Direct screw on for easy installation on an manual transmission Nissan vehicle, this made in Japan unit is of the utmost quality. Be sure to go genuine Nismo!

www.nismoparts.com

www.shutauto.com

SHUTT

S3-r Steering Wheel The S3-R steering wheel is 13-inches (330mm) in diameter.The anatomic grip and a modern stylish straight bottom, gives the driver better control and security. The redesigned horn button with the Shutt logo enhances the design. Made in high quality Polyurethane. The bottom detail is covered with genuine hand sewed leather in black, gray or red color options.

www.shutauto.com

KEY!S

raCing Steering WheelS The KEY!S Racing steering wheels are second to none and are used in Super Taikyu, Super GT and D1 in Japan. Developed in conjunction with ATC in Italy, they are finished in two types of leather and are primarily designed to reduce fatigue over long distance driving and racing resulting in a thicker design.The Buck skin leather wheel is the true racing type and provides the maximum amount of grip when used with racing gloves. Its rough surface gives ultimate control and allows for accurate steering input. A KEY!S racing division horn button is included with each steering wheel. The KEY!S Racing steering wheels use a Nardi compatible steering boss also available in store.

www.cardome.com/keys

PErSoNal

neo grinta Wheel Having a Neo Grinta wheel from Personal is like holding victory in your hands. Choose from 330mm or 350mm sizes and red or black suede or black leather. For superior grip and improved steering feel, Personal offers this and a huge lineup of racing wheels for a variety of applications.

www.nardicanada.com

196

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WWW.PASMAG.COM

Interior Guide 10.10.indd 4

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, k c o t s t o ! n k s ' c If it in sto

it's

Customized CarSales.indd 1

01/12/08 9:21 AM

Speed

gear nkew

Text by Dave Pa

01. Continental tire extreme ContaCt dW The new ExtremeContact DW ultra-high performance Tire from Continental Tire is specially engineered to deliver serious performance on both dry and wet roads. The new ExtremeContact DW has pushed the envelope in performance with completely new technology exclusive to Continental Tire. The ExtremeContact DW delivers excellent traction and responsive handling in both wet and dry conditions, plus improved ride comfort and better mileage with industry leading rolling resistance levels. For more informatio visit www.continentaltire.com

02. g-ForCe gF12 raCing SeatS The GF12 Racing Seat is the latest addition to the G-Force line up. It offers sporty, yet comfortable support with a lightweight fiberglass backing shell. The GF12 is fully reclineable for comfort and rear seat accessability. These seats includes the sliders and are backed by a lifetime warranty on the frame. Available in black or grey fabric. For more information visit www.directautoimport.com

Speed Gear 10.10.indd 2

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Speed

gear 01

02. Weapon r MitSubiShi evo intercooler piping The WR Intercooler pipe kit is made of AL6061 aluminum and CNC mandrel bent, featuring 3-ply hi-pressure silicone hoses and hardware for easy installation. WR has experienced quicker turbo responses and an average increase of between 8-13whp gain on a properly tuned vehicle. Applications for Mitsubishi EVO 8, EVO 9, and coming soon EVO X. MazdaSpeed Protégé and Neon SRT-4 applications are also avaliable. For more information visit www.weapon-r.com

Congratulations Congratulations to Tanner Foust and the Papadakis Racing team for winning the 2007 Formula D Series Championship. Papadakis Racing has trusted ACT flywheels and clutches on its racecars since 2002.

XACT flywheels feature hot-forged, chrome-moly steel construction that delivers superior strength and is machinable/serviceable, with precisionmachined threads that do not strip or damage as easily as aluminum. We induction-harden the ring gears to deliver the longest life, and make them in one-piece to ensure efficient heat transfer and to eliminate warped inserts and loose ring gears. Every XACT Flywheel is SFI certified.

For more information call 661-940-7555 or

01. Mobil 1 racing 0W-20 and 0W-30 Mobil 1 Racing 0W-20 and 0W-30 are fully synthetic motor oils specifically designed to maximize horsepower in a wide range of race engine applications, including highly loaded flat tappet designs used in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. Mobil 1 Racing oils were engineered to help ontrack vehicles reach the peak of their performance potential. Mobil 1 Racing oil technology has been developed using our extensive experience in premier automotive racing series around the world, such as Formula 1, NASCAR, Le Mans, IRL, NHRA, Formula 3, SCCA GT and ALMS. The variety of demands that each racing series requires of a lubricant help us ensure that Mobil 1 Racing oils can meet the extreme conditions encountered on the race track. Provides exceptional high-temperature protection in high-RPM engine operation, even at temperatures up to 400°F (204°C). some of the most extreme conditions. For more information visit www.mobile1.com or call (800) MOBIL25

advancedclutch.com

714.378.1660 | CLIENT: ACT | 3550Z |

Speed Gear 10.10.indd 4PAS | 1/3 PAGE | ‘08

05/12/08 11:19 AM

03. True effecTs AppArel Tuner T-shirTs Tru Eeffect’s Apparel is a clothing line made up of automotive enthusiasts just like yourself with a strong passion for JDM inspired and retro clothing styles. The aspect that makes Tru Eeffect’s Apparel so incomparable is they design their shirts with what they themselves would wear in mind and are always adding new styles and designs to keep things fresh. Their clothing is a expression of the society and lifestyle we live in and the mindset of our youth. The Graffiti style is a dialect of art that has become an escape from the struggles of life and is perhaps the only liberating form of art not affected by technology. For more information visit www.eeffectapparel.com 04. Tein lexus is super sTreeT coilovers Tein is proud to offer both lowering springs and coilovers for the Lexus IS-F. High Tech lowering springs are designed for those seeking a slightly lowered stance while maintaining a comfortable ride quality. The Super Street coilover kit will fit Lexus IS250/350 and IS-F. Super Street coilovers feature ride-height adjustment, 16-levels of damping force adjustment and EDFC compatibility. Tein also offers the Comfort Sport coilovers available in two versions for the IS-F. A luxury version for those wanting ultracomfortable ride and a sports version for those seeking a sporty performance feel. For more information visit www.tein.com

ACURA/HONDA MITSUBISHI - Integra - RSX & Type S - Civic SI - K20 Swaps - D17 Civic - Prelude - S2000 - CBR 1100

AUDI/VW - 2.0t FSI - 1.8T

BMW

- E46 M3

CHEVROLET - C5/C6 - Cobalt - Cavalier - Duramax HD

DODGE

- EVO 8, 9 & 10 - Galant V6 - Eclipse V6 - 08+ Lancer NA - GST/GSX/VR4

MAZDA

- Mazda 3/6 - Mazdaspeed 3/6 - Protégé - RX7/RX8

NISSAN

- 350Z - SPEC V - SR20DET - S13/S14/S15 - Altima V6

PONTIAC - Solstice - G5

- Cummins 5.9L - SRT4 - SRT10

SCION

FORD

SUBARU

- tC - xB/xA

- Mustang - WRX/STi - Powerstroke 7.3L - Outback XT - Legacy GT - JDM WRX/STi INFINITI - G35 - FX35 SUZUKI - GSXR 1000 KAWASAKI - Hayabusa - ZX-10R

LEXUS - IS300 - GS300

LOTUS

- Elise/Exige

00+ Celica GT & GTS - $3995 & Up

05+ Ford Mustang GT - $4995.00

TOYOTA

- Celica GT & GTS - Corolla 1ZZ & 2ZZ - Matrix 1ZZ & 2ZZ - MR2 Spyder - MR2 3SGTE - Supra TT

05+ Scion tC Auto & Man - $3995.00

TurboKits.com - 860.676.2929 - sales@turbo-kits.com - Yeah, We Have a Turbo for That!

WWW.PASMAG.COM – PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND

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FUNKDY COL MEDINA

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PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WWW.PASMAG.COM

Erika Medina.indd 2

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A N I D E M A K I R E 2008

WINNER ®

knew this westss Erika Medina, we Mi on es ey d lai and countless event rom the first time we her many magazine es sid Be r. ilia fam body from coast hottie was very ous face and bangin’ recognize her gorge y ma u yo , America’s s es rie nc se ara appe the VH1 reality TV port Nights or from Im t Ho s in all their 2: d rve ice cu Ju ve g hours of playin ka and her seducti Eri ely lov the g rin l. After admi an cutie in person. Most Smartest Mode heat with this Mexic the up n tur to it wa ply couldn’t 1080p glory, we sim

been modeling and How long have you most about it? what do you enjoy t over a year now jus g I’ve been modelin ra in front of the came and I just love being ole t to do. The wh and the traveling I ge y amazing. stl ne experience is ho g? ur start in modelin How did you get yo ys gu deling for you Well, I did some mo also submitted some d an (PAS Magazine) . y called me back… snaps to FHM and the re. the m take off fro Things just started to you modeling highWhat are some of lights so far? answer… being on That’s an easy one to gazine this issue! the cover of PAS Ma rds? yourself in three wo

Can Describe Goofy, caring, honest.

akness? What is your one we e at times nic too I can be a little

Erika Medina.indd 3

value in others? What do you most Honesty and loyalty. kiss? Describe your first nt to high school It was with a guy I we on my 17th birthday with… it happened kiss it was both my first (New Years day) so ars kiss. and my first New Ye physical features? What are your best d my boobs… My eyes, my smile an real thank you and yes the ‘girls’ are very much! l feature you

Is there any physica would change? Absolutely nothing.

such great shape? How do you keep in d and junk-food and I eat lots of fast-foo . It’s actually a bad don’t exercise much ess I’ve been really habit of mine, so I gu good shape. lucky to stay in such

12/4/2008 2:25:25 PM

FUNKY COLD MEDINA

ERIKA MEDINA

We’ve heard you have a dog… what kind is he? Yeah I do, he’s great. I hav e a Maltipoo puppy that I found last year… his name is Timbo and I love ‘em. What frightens you? I don’t like the dark… I find

it kinda scary.

What is your greatest reg ret? I have no regrets, life is too short. What is your idea of hap piness? Being content with everyth ing in your life. What is your favorite typ e of food? I love Italian, Mandarin, Per uvian and of course Mexican food. I just love foo d period! What is your dream car? I really want a BMW 335 or an Infiniti G35 coupe. Those cars are sexy.

THE ESSENTIALS 204

What three items would you take with you to a deserted island? Food (including chocolate), my hottest-looking bikini and Justin Timberlak e. Have you ever posed in the nud e? I have never posed nude and don’t know if I ever will. I’m too much of a tease to pose nude (laughs) Have any of your dreams become reality? Im living my dream right now , my career is my passion and I love it. What do you do for fun? I enjoy doing all kinds of thin gs. From watching a movie with my girls to cosmic -bowling with pizza and beer or even going out dancing all night. What do you look for in a man? I look for a great smile and self-confidence. I also have a thing for strong hands, there’s just something sexy about them. (smiles)

BIRTH DATE: January 1 SIGN OF THE ZODIAC: Capricor n MEASUREMENTS: 34 NATIONALITY: 100% Mex / 26 / 32 icana baby! HOMETOWN: Anaheim, Ca TURN-ONS: Con sense of humor, nice smile fidence, TURN-OFFS: Guys that try too hard, cheesy pickup lines

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND – WWW.PASMAG.COM

Erika Medina.indd 4

12/4/2008 2:27:05 PM

2008

WINNER What quality do you like most in a man? Loyalty, honesty and treating me right. What modelling project has been most memorable for you? My most memorable would have to be modeling for FHM magazine. It was an extra big deal for me because it wa sa national magazine and it wa s my first modeling job ever. Do you have any shout out s or last words? Thanks for all the love and support and to see more of me you can check me out at www.erikamedina.com Mu ah!

Erika Medina.indd 5

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eRika

9 0 0 2 h MaR C

Medina sUndaY 01

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ror (gloss black with mir

black lip) hine face and gloss lace mac 8, 17x8, 18x8, 18x9.5, 19x 19x9.5, 20x8.5, 20x10

206

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WWW.PASMAG.COM

Konig Calendar 10.10.indd 1

Photo By Mike Brochu Hair & Makeup by Valerie JC & Gaby Ramos

03/12/08 4:56 PM

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10/28/08 4:51:32 PM

THE LATEST INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES NAME: FRANCISCO J. DECLET VEHICLE: 1993 MAZDA RX-7

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

NAME: PETER CHOE VEHICLE: 1995 NISSAN 240SX

RX-8 Exhaust - Awesome sound, hand-made quality, & stunning appearance! RX-8 REVi Intake Kit - improved performance, modest sound increase, genuine K&N Filter Element

Racing Beat exhaust systems are known for their deep, throaty sound. Ideally suited for your daily driven car! Racing Beat spring sets are designed for street & highway use. Sensible ride height drop & great ride quality.

New 2007 Catalog! Send $9.50 for our 80-page RX-7/RX-8 Technical Manual & Parts Catalog.

Racing Beat has been a leader in rotary performance for over 35 years. Visit us online, or grab a catalog to view our extensive rotary product line.

HOMETOWN: SAVANNAH, GA JOINED CARSPONSORSHIPS: FEB 10, 2008

ENGINE MODIFICATIONS Unorthodox pulley kit, Atkins thermal pellet, Atkins complete rebuilt kit with 2mm apex seals and race bearings, KG Parts Fuel system 1600cc injectors / 850cc injectors, Aeromotive FPR, Walboro fuel pump, Rotary performance OMP braided lines, Hose Techniques vacuum line kit, HKS wastegate, Garrett T04R, SS Manifold, 3-inch custom down pipe, APEX N1 exhaust, NGK Racing spark plugs, MSD SP wires, GReddy M-spec FMIC, GReddy Type RS BOV, Koyo aluminum Radiator, engine torque brace, dual oil coolers OTHER MODIFICATIONS Racing Beat sways with reinforce bar, aluminum strut tower brace, TEIN lowering springs. HP Racing 18x8.5-inch front and 18x9.5-inch, Feed II bumper, C-West side skirts painted Mazda â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;06 gunmetal paint with pearl, N1 fiberglass hood painted black with pearl, color-matched interior, B&M short shifter, GReddy shift knob, Redline Goods leather shift boot and e-brake cover, APEX Power FC with controller and datalogger, GReddy profec BII, GReddy turbo timer, Auto Meter EGT gauge, Faze water temp and boost gauge, AEM wideband UEGO, Panasonic head unit with a 10-inch woofer and amp

HOMETOWN: USAF ACADEMY, CO JOINED CARSPONSORSHIPS: JAN 16, 2008 ENGINE MODIFICATIONS Nissan Skyline RB25DET engine swap, series I intake manifold with Infiniti Q45 throttle body, NISMO type-A FPR Walbro 255lph fuel pump, Pauter connecting rods, Cosworth headgasket, ACL Race bearings, CP pistons, Tomei Poncams, ARP bolts all around, GReddy front mount intercooler, ACT clutch, Trust 4-inch exhaust BODY MODIFICATIONS B-Magic widebody kit, Kouki S14 front end conversion, VIS carbon fiber hood w/ hood pins, Weds Sport Kranze wheels: 18x9.5-inch and 18x10.5-inch

LISTINGS

100'S of parts for all Miata applications! Intake, exhaust, suspension , body kits & more!

4789 E Wesley Drive Anaheim, CA 92807 714-779-8677

All Parts Are Online At:

www.racingbeat.com

PAS 2007.indd 1 Sponsor Buzz 10.10.indd 1

We Ship Direct To Canada

FIDANZA FULL SPONSORSHIP

CARBONFIBER HOOD GLOSSER FULL SPONSORSHIP SPONSORSHIP

SUN AUTO FULL SPONSORSHIP

ATOMIC AUDIO FULL KYOWA SPONSORSHIP SPONSORSHIP

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ENKREUZ WHEELS FULL SPONSORSHIP

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INSTALLER INSTITUTE SCHOLARSHIP

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POWERSTOP BRAKES FULL SPONSORSHIP UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FAST FURIOUS 4 CASTING CALL AIR RIDE FULL SPONSORSHIP MONSTER TRANSMISSION FULL SPONSORSHIP

2/14/07 1:28:07 PM 03/12/08 9:49 AM

Mazda Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Ark Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Memphis Car Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Audison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92, 93

Mobile Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Autoloc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Mobile Technical Training (MTT) . . . . . . . . . . 101

Batcap (Xstatic) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Motevo Mobile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Beltronics USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

MSR Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

BLE Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

NOS Energy Drink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Blinqx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

OBX Racing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Bodykit Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Oxygen Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Brand X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Parrot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Cadence Sound Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Password JDM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Carlisle Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Performance World Custom . . . . . . . . . . 122, 123

Carsponsorships.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Powerbass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Chaser Aerodynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Pyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Clarion Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Racing Beat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

Clifford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover

Realm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Clutchmasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

Redline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

Crunch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Road Magnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Customized Car Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Rocawear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5

Diamond Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Rockford Fosgate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Direct Auto Import (DAI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Scion . . . . . . . . .Overdrive Inside Front Cover, 163

Dyn Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Shutt Auto Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Dynamic Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

SJA (Atomic Audio) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

E-Motor USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

Slow Boy Racing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

Eibach (Motovicity) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

SONY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outside Back Cover

Exedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Soundstream (PPI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Fidanza Engineering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Speedmax Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

Fusion Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Speedtech Racing Development. . . . . . . . . . . 195

Future Shop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Spyn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Gentec (Stinger). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Stinger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Glow Shift Gauges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 7

Tein USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

GT Factory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Turbo Kits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Hifonics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Turbosmart USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

HKS (Motovicity) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Ultra Rev . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Horsepower Freaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Unitronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

IASCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Valor DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Image Dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Valvoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Infinity Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

VIBE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Installer Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

VIS Racing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

JL Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Visions Electronics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

JVC Mobile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

Weapon-R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Kenwood USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Xo2 Racing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Key Composites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

Zenesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Kicker (Gem-Sen) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Untitled-2 1

DIDN’T YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE WITH THE “IN” CROWD

MB Quart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

ARC Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

WELL HERE’S YOUR CHANCE...

Massive Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

AR Fabrication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

We at Slowboy Racing strive stri to be the first choice of all automotive enthusiasts for aftermarket performance parts, OEM parts, p custom fabrication, and top notch service. Whatever goal you have for your vehicle, big or sm small, Slowboy can provide the parts and service to complete your project.

Kumho Tires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

American Bass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

300

KSPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Alpine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover

www.slowboyracing.com sales@slowboyracing.com 724-349-8417

Knukonceptz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Advanced Clutch Technology (ACT) . . . . . . . . 200

ER HORSEPOCWLUB

Kinetik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65, 109

Acoustic Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

DYNO

7 Elephants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

12/12/08 12:15 PM

photographed by Steven Lippman

Go ahead, touch it. The El Kameleon DVD/CD Receiver’s proximity sensor already knows you’re coming. Before you lay a finger on its virtually hidden display, the electrostatic controls and 3.5” widescreen monitor instantly light up so you can dial in your favorite music and videos. The El Kameleon comes iPod® ready, with integrated Bluetooth capability and a USB rear cable included. Note: Images displayed on your monitor may actually appear in real life, which could significantly raise the temperature inside your car. Go to mobile.jvc.com for a hot video demo.

Rear

Off

See PAPA ROACH and BUCKCHERRY on CRÜE FEST ‘08 *KD-AVX44 available with blue illumination in Canada only.

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S:7 in

S:9.75 in

Explosive sound. Sony® Xplod® GT Series car stereos deliver a sonic punch like you’ve never heard before. They work with most iPod ® players, select Digital Media Players, and USB Memory Devices. Plus they have features like Quick-BrowZer,™ ZAPPIN,™ and Passenger Control functionality. Throw in Xplod amps and subwoofers and you’ve got a system that not only thumps, it detonates. Learn more at sony.com/xplod

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