PASMAG - Tuning Essentials - Mobile Electronics - Vol.7

CAR AUDIO CHAMPIONSHIP DB DRAG IASCA MECA T U N I N G ESSENTIALS

CAR AUDIO UPGRADE GUIDE 2 0 1 7

S P E C I A L

2017 AUDIO EVENT PREVIEW PAS_2016_TE_ME07_Cover.indd 1

Display Until 03/31/17 R10760 PM40069655

NEW PRODUCTS TESTED

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ALL THE POWER AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

KW-V830BT MULTIMEDIA RECEIVER

Works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

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Android Auto works with devices using Android 5.0 software or higher. Some devices may not yet support Android Auto, see the Google site for the latest list of compatible devices. Android Auto and its logo is a trademark of Google Inc. Apple CarPlay works with iPhone 5 and newer phones.

Apple CarPlay and its user interface are trademarks of Apple Inc. For safety, various touch-screen functionality is disabled while the vehicle is in motion. See your local authorized dealer for more details. All logos are registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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@JVCMobileUSA

@JVCMobile

WWW.MOBILE.JVC.COM

2016-12-08 3:20 PM

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HALOGEN BULB REPLACEMENT BRIGHTER THAN HALOGEN SMALLER FOOTPRINT FOR VERSATILE APPLICATION FITMENT EXCELLENT FOCAL PATTERN 6 PCBBS FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY COOLING

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www.powerbassusa.com ©2016 PowerBass USA Inc.

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tel: 909.923.3868

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fax: 909.923.8048

XTREME POWERSPORTS SERIES UTV

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Come Visit us at CES, Booth #4110

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T U N I N G ESSENTIALS

CONTENTS TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 7TH EDITION

PREVIEW

18

20 BUYERS GUIDE MOBILE ELECTRONICS

2016 CAR AUDIO CHAMPIONSHIP

24

INAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

12

PASMAG

28

DB DRAG FINALS

32

MECA World Finals

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 7TH EDITION

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E H T T U O K C E H C E COM EST BOOTH INACLL ES! H H T R O N 5 1 LOUD 7 H #3 BOOT

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For dealer inquiries: www.orioncaraudio.com - info@mdaudio.net T: 305-593-8361 F: 305-593-8413 Toll free: 1-855-475-6048 Exclusive Canadian Distributor: Clarion Canada Inc. | 3800A Laird Road Unit 6, Mississauga, ON L5L 0B2 | 1-800-668-5612

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tings dio event lis 2017 car au MECA

Mobile Electronics Competition Association

dBDRA

dB Drag Racing Association

USACI

Autosound United States Competition International

IASCA

Sound International Auto Challenge Association the world, countries around Recognized in 34 car audio competition.

IASCA is more than members and retail High-profile industry to push marketing ability it dealers use IASCA’s stores as well. When business to their IASCA is about helping comes to competition, required to improve you gain the knowledge sheets showing score your system, with their setup, strong points of competitors the for where there is room as well as showing improvement.

in 1995, their first contest Beginning with to put fun and excitement dBDRA was created arena. sound competition back into the auto to date sanctioned events With over 10,000 the world, countries around in more than 40 car audio leader in serious dBDRA is an industry competition.

to globe, affiliates across With sanctioned USACI the United States, as well as across competition seriously. takes global audio rings and championship With certified judges their series of sanctioned planned for 2017, one to watch. competitions is

electronics club and a mobile MECA is both a body The organizing contest organization. complete and competitions hosts car shows shows feature contests. Their with music and competition, including varying levels of Quality Show & Shine, Sound everything from and even a Pressure League, League, Sound which lighting contest Ride the Light specialty They night-time event. makes for a great Power Kids contest using even have a MECA Wheels toys!

LOCATION

64

WEBSITE

ces.tech VENUE .org Las Vegas, NV usaciworldwide ORG Center et Henderson, NV importfaceoff.n Las Vegas Convention et SHOW NAME Tucson, AZ importfaceoff.n DC Sounds Unlimited et Bradenton, FL USACi importfaceoff.n Tucson Dragway CES Park Jan 5-8 Gainesville, FL USACi iasca.com Bradenton Motorsports CES Sound Off Jan 7 com Tucson Hopinsville, KY USACi mecacaraudio.

Auto Plus Raceway Import Face-Off: Jan 8 et Bradenton Lebanon, TN USACi importfaceoff.n Audio Specialists Import Face-Off: Jan 15 et Ag Center Gainesville Chandler, AZ IASCA, MECA importfaceoff.n James E. Ward Import Face-Off: Jan 29 own.com Motorsports Park Warm-Up Baytown, TX MECA lonestarthrowd Wild Horse Pass SQOLOGY: Winter Feb 5 ts.com Conroe, TX USACi Purple Raceway kossmotorspor Royal Freezefest et Feb 12 Center Chandler Rockingham, NC USACi importfaceoff.n Lone Star Expo Import Face-Off: Feb 12 .com Baytown Bakersfield, CA USACi Rockingham Dragway Import Face-Off: TX heatwaveshow et Raceway Feb 19 South Padre Island, SLS Sound Off importfaceoff.n Auto Club Famoso Lone Star Throwdown Center CA 24-26 Convention et Feb 1 Fontana, USACi importfaceoff.n South Padre Island Drag Strip KMS Drift: Round Feb 25 Way Bakersfield Mongomery, AL USACi iasca.com California Speed Import Face-Off: Park Feb 26 et Break Jam Knoxville, TX USACi importfaceoff.n Montgomery Raceway Heat Wave: Spring LA Rose, ts.com Mar 4-5 Fontana Belle USACi Factory kossmotorspor Sound Import Face-Off: Mar 5 et Montgomery Swansboro, NC IASCA, MECA importfaceoff.n No Problem Raceway Import Face-Off: Mar 5 Las Vegas, NV USACi autogras.com Carteret Speedway SQOLOGY: Knoxville Motor Speeway Mar 5 et New Orleans, LA SLS Sound Off Strip at Las Vegas Face-Off: Louisiana importfaceoff.n The Import et Mar 12 2 Crofton, MD USACi importfaceoff.n Zephyr Stadium KMS Drift: Round Mar 12 com Raceway Las Vegas Lexington, OK MECA mecacaraudio.

Official Capitol Import Face-Off: Mar 19 com Raceway Park Lebanon, TN USACi mecacaraudio.

Thunder Valley AUTOGRAS VA 25-26 et Mar Ag Center Crofton Manassas, USACi importfaceoff.n James E. Ward Import Face-Off: Mar 26 et Noble Atco, NJ MECA importfaceoff.n TBA Import Face-Off: Mar 26 et Rockingham, NC MECA importfaceoff.n Atco Raceway April’s Fool’s Fest KS Apr 2 ts.com Dragway Topeka, USACi kossmotorspor Rockingham Autism Awareness Apr 2 com Topeka Atco Rockingham, NC USACi mecacaraudio.

Heartland Park Import Face-Off: Apr 2 et Rockingham Ellicott City, MD USACi importfaceoff.n Rockingham Dragway Import Face-Off: Apr 2 et Pros Topeka Sound Off Hebron, OH SLS Designs Face-Off: importfaceoff.n Fresh Import NY Apr 9 et 3 West Lebanon, MECA importfaceoff.n National Trail Raceway KMS Drift: Round Apr 15 Series: 1 Speedway Madison, IL USACi iasca.com Lebanon Valley DelMarVa Soundfest Park Apr 23 et Chantilly, VA USACi Face-Off: Hebron importfaceoff.n Gateway Motorsports Import 23 Apr West Lebanon Ennis, TX USACi iasca.com Driven Mobile Electronics Import Face-Off: Apr 23 St. Louis Ellicott City, MD IASCA iasca.com Texas Motorplex Import Face-Off: Apr 30 ts.com Pros Bloomington, IL USACi kossmotorspor Fresh Designs SQOLOGY: Chantilly NC Apr 30 et Ennis Plus Rockingham, IASCA importfaceoff.n Mobile Audio Import Face-Off: May 7 com Epping, NH Pro Season Finale IASCA MECA mecacaraudio.

Rockingham Dragway & Motorsports Park Fresh Designs May 13 Lebanon, TN SLS Sound Off termpro.com New England Dragway SQOLOGY: Bloomington May 13 com Ag Center 4 Spruce Grove, AB Ward USACi E. Round Drift: mecacaraudio.

James KMS May 13 et Epping Sevierville, TN MECA importfaceoff.n FX Audio Import Face-Off: Fairgrounds et May 14 Milan, MI dB Drag importfaceoff.n Sevierville County Spring Fling May 21 Woodburn, OR MECA Dragway iasca.com Milan Drag dB TX May 27 College Station, USACi slamology.com Woodburn Dragstrip Slammin’ N’ Jammin May 27 et Milan Indianapolis, IN USACi importfaceoff.n Mobile Toys Inc Import Face-Off: May 28 et Woodburn Joliet, IL IASCA importfaceoff.n Lucas Oil Raceway Import Face-Off: Tournament SQ May 28 OK Tulsa, MECA termpro.com Route 66 Raceway Aggieland Invitational Jun 3 et Park Spruce Grove, AB USACi customaudio.n Tulsa Raceway Slamology Jun 10-11 Joliet Erie, PA USACi iasca.com FX Audio Import Face-Off: VA Jun 11 .com Tulsa Drag Chantilly, dB Audio Face-Off: heatwaveshow Custom Import Jun 11 Austin, TX MECA termpro.com Driven Mobile Electronics dB Drag Center Jun 24 com 1 Spruce Grove, AB IASCA mecacaraudio.

Travis County Expo Shake The Lake: Jun 25 com Ellicott City, MD USACi Chantilly Audio mecacaraudio.

FX SQOLOGY: Jun 25 com Pros Lebanon, TN dB Drag mecacaraudio.

Fresh Designs Texas Heat Heave Ag Center Jul 21-23 Goshen, IN MECA knowledgefest.org James E. Ward dB Drag Jul 22 Series: 2 com Dallas, TX MECA mecacaraudio.

GNC Customs DelMarVa Soundfest NC Center Jul 23 dio.net Claremont, MECA www.customau Dallas Convention The Vinny Jul 23 com Erie, PA Summer Mayhem mecacaraudio.

Sundown Audio SQOLOGY: Mid Aug 5 Dayton, OH MECA termpro.com Custom Audio KnowledgeFest Grove, AB Grounds Aug 12-14 Show Spruce Picnic MECA Club Audio iasca.com Polish Sundown Aug 12 .com 2 Lincoln City, OR MECA heatwaveshow FX Audio Shake The Lake: Aug 13 ts.com Casino Mercedes, TX dB Drag kossmotorspor Chinook Winds Slammin For Soldiers Show Aug 13 com Rockingham, NC dB Drag, IASCA Grande Valley Livestock audiointensity.

Drag Rio dB Aug 19 com Vacaville, CA USACi mecacaraudio.

Rockingham Dragway Surf City Soundoff com Aug 26-27 Bash Bloomington, IL SLS Sound Off mecacaraudio.

Audio Intensity Heat Wave: Border Sept TBA com 5 Lebanon, TN MECA mecacaraudio.

Mobile Audio Plus KMS Drift: Round MD Center City, Sept 9 .org Ag Ellicott MECA usaciworldwide James E. Ward SQOLOGY: Vacaville Sept 9 .com Finale Pros Wichita Falls, TX MECA heatwaveshow Fresh Designs SQOLOGY: Series State Finals Sept 16 ionship.com Robstown, TX MECA caraudiochamp Wichita Falls Expo Finals Tennessee Soundfest: Sept 24 ts.com Series: 3 - State Louisville, KY USACi kossmotorspor RMB Regional Fairgrounds DelMarVa Soundfest ts.com Oct 1 Swansboro, NC Expo Center USACi kossmotorspor World Finals MECA Kentucky Oct 6-8 Rockingham, NC dB Drag, IASCA, Carteret Speedway Heat Wave Oct 14-15 Dragway SLS Sound Off Rockingham Audio Championship Car Oct 14-15 6 SLS Sound Off KMS Drift: Round Oct 21 7 KMS Drift: Round Nov 11-12

DATE

TUNING ESSENTIALS

PASMAG

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ch_and_Audio

PAS_2016_Te

// 2017 TECH

& CAR AUDIO

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1

EXTRAS

PHOTOGRA PHY

BY TRAVIS CHIN

ORIGINAL

Spot THE DIFFERENCES.

2017 AUDiO eVeNT PReVieW

T U N I N G ESSENTIALS

CONTENTS TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 7TH EDITION

ALTERED

Want to win some awesome PASMAG gear ?

Send 10 CORRECT us the answe to this puzzl rs letters@pasmag e at .com for a chance to PASMAG Fanwin a Pack (T-shirt, Formul a 10th Anniversary Drift Photo Book, sticker s and some copies of PASMA G)!

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eDifferences.indd

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66

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SPOT THE DiffeReNCeS

TesT REPORtS

34 38 42 46 50 54 56 60

DD AUDiO 3510-ESP SUBWOOFER

14

PASMAG

JBL GTR-7535 AMPLIFIER

MtX S6512-44 SUBWOOFER

AUDiSON BIT ONE HD DSP

JL AUDiO RD400/4 AMPLIFIER

MeMPHiS VIV900.5 AMPLIFIER

KiCKeR COMPRT LOADED SUBWOOFER

KeNWOOD DRV-410 DASHCAM

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 7TH EDITION

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POWER COUPLE

KENWOOD amplifies your Apple CarPlay experience!

KENWOOD

What makes Apple CarPlay better on a KENWOOD device?

Touch Screen An intuitive smartphone-like display provides rich detail, as well as pinch, zoom, and swipe functionality

Finely Tuned Listening Break free of sonic limitations and personalize your audio tastes with sophisticated audio features such as Digital Time Alignment and Digital Filters

Greater Control A 13-band EQ is just one of many audio feature that gives you control of your drive time music experience with sound control

Also works with:

Android Auto works with devices using Android 5.0 software or higher. Some devices may not yet support Android Auto, see the Google site for the latest list of compatible devices. Android Auto and its logo is a trademark of Google Inc. Apple CarPlay works with iPhone 5 and newer phones. Apple CarPlay and its logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Kenwood is a trademark of JVCKenwood Corporation.

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ISSUE PREVIEW

LISTEN UP! CONNECT

PASMAG.COM TUNERBATTLEGROUNDS.COM PASMAG PASMAG PASMAG PASMAG.TUMBLR.COM BLOGS.PASMAG.COM PASNATION DOWNLOAD THE ITUNES APP PASMAG+

16

PASMAG

‘T

is the season to kick back and relax after running around in a panic, trying to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list, as you try to drown out the sounds of your wallet wailing in protest. Maybe you were also trying to drown out the sounds of terrible Christmas carol covers that retail stores are forced to have on loop for that next month or so. If you had an audiophile on your shopping list, or you yourself are the audiophile in question, but you didn't exactly get what you wanted, wrap yourself up in a cozy blanket by the fire with some nog and snuggle up to this issue. We’ll make buying the presents you actually wanted easy!

We present to you our Mobile Electronics special, just a little after the holidays. What? You think we weren't going to get you something?

Inside, you’ll come across a Hot New Products guide, stuffed with the hottest and newest electronics of the season. There’s also a preview of the largest announced audio event dates of 2017, so you can start planning all the places you’ll be able to show off all of the new toys you’ve acquired.

The star on top of the tree, if you will, of this issue is absolutely the Test Reports. Our resident cyborg/time lord (the only way I can fathom how he can accurately test so many products in such a tight deadline), Garry Springgay, has been really

working in his test bench, with eight fully-featured product reviews accounted for as evidence.

Brand-new offerings from DD Audio, MTX, Audison, JL Audio, Kicker, JBL, Kenwood, and Memphis have been scrutinized and pushed to their limits, with the graphs and tables to prove it, so you can breathe easy while deciding where you should upgrade your in-car game next. Have your notebook and pen ready – you’ll want to make a wish list of sorts.

Happy New Year from the PASMAG staff to you and your family!

Let’s make 2017 even louder.

MICKY SLINGER PASMAG EDITOR

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 TECH & CAR AUDIO // 7TH EDITION

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PASMAG (ISSN # 1710-1573) is published 14 times a year by Performance Auto & Sound Inc. 100A-219 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON, M6K 3J1, Canada SUBSCRIPTION RATES: (1 Year Starter) Canada and USA: $24.99 (2 Year Starter) Canada and USA: $34.99 (3 Year Starter) Canada and USA: $42.99 Toll Free: 1 (888) 564-SUBS [7827] subs@pasmag.com pasmag.com/subscribe GROUP PUBLISHER & CEO Tim Rutledge PUBLISHERS Blake Breslin & Perry Breslin FOUNDER & SR. VP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Frank Spezzano

EDITORIAL GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Lee Bailie EDITOR Micky Slinger ASSOCIATE EDITOR Adam Gordon TECHNICAL EDITOR Garry Springgay DIGITAL COORDINATORS Nick Jambrosic, Adam Steinberg

CONTRIBUTORS Travis Chin Brent Leavitt Steve Stern

ART + PRODUCTION CREATIVE DIRECTOR Queue Gonzalez PRODUCTION + SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Patrick Dinglasan SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Edward Shintani SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Patrick Beltijar GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mike Chan

S A L E S + A D M I N I S T R AT I O N DIRECTOR, AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT Randi Bentia DIRECTOR, CLIENT SERVICES Richard Robles DIRECTOR, SALES & MARKETING Frank Maguire DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Craig Sweetman CLIENT SERVICES Nicole Winters SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Anna Rutledge Performance Auto & Sound Magazine welcomes unsolicited contributions including stories (typewritten), photos, club news, events, etc. (Forward to PAS, 100A-219 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON, M6K 3J1, Canada) Canadian Publications Mail Products Sales Agreement #40069655 PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NIAGARA FALLS, NY AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. U.S.P.S. # 022-608 U.S. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 1855 Maryland Ave., Niagara Falls, NY, 14305 U.S. POSTMASTER SEND ADDRESS CORRECTIONS TO: Performance Auto & Sound, Box 1082, Niagara Falls, NY, 14304 Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies whose products and services might be of interest to our readers. If you prefer to have your name removed from this list, please write to us at the address below and include your mailing label. For any subscription inquiries, including change of address, call 1 (888) 564-SUBS.

PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND Phone: (416) 922-7526 Fax: (416) 964-1836 Toll Free: (866) 737-8805 pasmag.com pas@pasmag.com

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SEMA Member

2016-12-08 4:59 PM

GET THE FULL PICTURE

tr.

instagram.com/PASMAG

TRENDING

PREVIEW

DELPHI & MOBILEYE’S MASSIVE AUTOMATED DRIVING DEMO

The 6.3-mile drive will showcase Delphi and Mobileye’s Centralized Sensing Localization and Planning (CSLP) automated driving system, which will be ready for production by 2019.

CSLP is the first turnkey, fully integrated automated driving solution with an industry-leading

Delphi Automotive and Mobileye have

CES TURNS

50

perception system and computing platform.

confirmed they will conduct what they claim

The Las Vegas drive will tackle everyday

to be the most complex automated drive ever

driving challenges such as highway merges,

publicly demonstrated on an urban and high-

congested city streets with pedestrians and

way combined route in Las Vegas for CES 2017.

cyclists and a tunnel.

FARADAY FUTURE TO REVEAL PRODUCTION CAR After revealing a futuristic supercar concept at CES last year – the FFZero1 –

CES 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of one

Faraday Future is preparing to move one step closer to production with the reveal of

of the longest-running and largest trade

a passenger car slated for CES 2017. The company sent out a tweet from its official Twit-

shows in North America. Since the first CES

ter account suggesting a reveal at CES, and a spokesman confirmed it to CNET in late October.

was held in New York City in 1967, the show

No details about the car have been released, but it is unlikely to resemble the FFZero1, which was

has been showcasing innovative products and

widely criticized due to its seeming lack of relevance to the company’s production car plans.

technology that have changed the tech industry and our world.

In that first year, over 17,000 show-goers walked into the future to peruse technological advances from around about 100 exhibitors.

What was on display in 1967, you ask? Probably

HYUNDAI IONIQ CONCEPT x2

pre-churned butter or sliced bread. In 2017, there’s projected to be more than 170,000 attendees (10 times the ’67 audience number), who will amble through seas of people in the various halls of the Las Vegas Convention

The autonomous IONIQ concept

Center, ogling just shy of 3,700 companies’

uses the production car’s Smart

futuristic gear. This year, visions of the future

Cruise Control’s forward-facing ra-

will take the form of plenty of VR and cars that

dar and Lane Keep Assist cameras integrated with LiDAR technology.

drive themselves.

To celebrate 50 years, the Consumer Tech-

Hyundai is also developing its

nology Association (CTA), owner and producer

November, Hyundai Motor Company has confirmed it will

own autonomous vehicle operat-

of CES, will be selling limited-edition 50th An-

be bringing two of its autonomous IONIQ concepts to the

ing system, with the goal of using

niversary t-shirts and giving away copies of the

Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.

a lot less computing power. Hyun-

50 Years of CES - Milestones in the Technology

18

Fresh of its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in

With a design that resembles the rest of the IONIQ lineup,

dai’s aim is to create a low-cost

Industry timeline throughout the show, allowing

the vehicle is one of the few self-driving cars in development

platform which can be installed in

attendees to go back in time and explore the

to have a hidden LiDAR system in its front bumper instead of

future Hyundai models that will

very first days of CES.

on the roof, enabling it to look like any other car on the road.

offer greater affordability.

PASMAG

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 TECH & CAR AUDIO // 7TH EDITION

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2016-08-16 10:55 AM

tr. MOBILE ELECTRONICS

BUYERS GUIDE

Audison Bit Play HD

Arc Audio XDi 12XDi Subwoofers

Audison.eu

$159 | ArcAudio.com

Wi-Fi high resolution audio streaming with improved Android/IOS App. Internal SSD unit to store your complete Hi-Res (up to 24bit/96kHz) audio files collection, taking audio quality beyond the CD standards.

Digital output to build an Audison Full DA HD system. These and many more are the features which make bit Play HD the “European in-car HD media player of 2014-2015” as acknowledged by EISA.

Designed and manufactured for the enthusiast and bass lover alike, ARC Audio XDi series subwoofers deliver the best of both worlds without breaking the bank or having to sacrifice large amounts of real estate in your vehicle. Featuring a next generation tempered voice coil design and Balanced Roll surround the XDi series takes on a technical and yet innovative direction. SERIES: XDi Series / DIAMETER (in.): 12 / IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms / POWER (RMS/ Peak): 401-500 / MOUNTING DEPTH (in.): 5-5.999 / CONE & SURROUND: Rubber / VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm / BASKET: Stamped steel

DD Audio Z-Wire Speaker and Power Cable DDAudio.com Your audio system is only as good as its weakest link, so don’t sacrifice the sound quality by using sub-par cables. The Z-Wire line features high strand count 100% tinned OFC and are built to AWG conductors specs. The line offers 12 and 16-gauge speaker cables and 0, 4, and 8-gauge power and ground cables.

Clarion EQS755 $149.99 | Clarion.com The EQS755 is 1/2-DIN preamp with 7-bands of equalization built in. You have access to the main system volume level control, as well as fader and subwoofer level controls right from the front panel. An aux input for a portable media player or smartphone can be connected via a 1/4-inch jack right on the front panel. RCA or speaker level input is provided and the EQS755 will produce up to 8V of output.

DB Drive NEO Amplifier $289.99 | Importel.com CHANNELS: 1 (Mono) / TOPOLOGY: D / POWER (CEA-2006): 1500W max / CROSSOVERS: N/A / EQUALIZATION: N/A / FREQUENCY RESPONSE: N/A S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): N/A / DIMENSIONS (in.): 6.8 x 5.3 x 1.9

Focal FPX 5.1200

Illusion Audio Luccent L6

$799 | Focal-America.com

$699 | IllusionAudio-America.com

CHANNELS: 5 / TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 75 W x 4, 700 W x 1 / CROSSOVERS: 50-500 Hz HP/ LP / EQUALIZATION: 45 Hz bass boost / FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10 Hz-20 kHz +/- 1dB / S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): 75dBA / DIMENSIONS (IN.): 13.3 x 6.75 x 2.25

The Illusion Audio Luccent L6 has a neodymium front magnet design which keeps the driver light and thin, coming it at a 2-inch mounting depth that fits in most cars. It has a 25mm coated aluminum tweeter that has all the detail of a metal dome with the smoothness of a very good quality soft dome. Illusion also uses a sealed cast chamber behind the tweeter to help get it to a lower, 2000 Hz crossover point. SIZE (IN.): 6.5 / DESIGN: 2-way / WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Polypropylene cone, Butyl rubber surround / TWEETER MATERIAL: Ceramic-coated aluminum / POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS / BASKET: Cast Aluminum

Image Dynamics SQ1200.1D $499.99 | ImageDynamicsUSA.net SQ-series Full Range Digital Amplifiers feature the latest International Rectifier (IR) circuitry, delivering more power without rollback, providing more power on demand in a compact design without sacrificing the precise sound quality and reliability demands of the most discerning audiophile. CHANNELS: Mono / TOPOLOGY: Class-D / POWER (CEA-2006): 1,200 W x 1 @ 1 ohm CROSSOVERS: LPF, Subsonic / EQUALIZATION: N/S / FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10 Hz – 300 Hz / S/N RATIO (CEA2006): > 95 dB / DIMENSIONS (IN.): 13.3 x 7.25 x 2

Jensen VX7021 Multimedia DVD Receiver w/ Built-in Navigation $349.99 | JensenMobile.com The VX7021 multimedia receiver offers built-in navigation powered by iGo Primo “Next Gen” navigation engine, featuring over 10 million POIs, US, Puerto Rico and USVI map data and text to speech. Other features include built-in Bluetooth, SiriusXM Ready, iPhone/iPod via USB, Pandora, AV Input, rear camera input, RGB front panel illumination, 6VRMS preamp outputs, 10 band EQ and SWC Ready (Requires PAC Adapter).

20

PASMAG

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 7TH EDITION

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DON’T BREAK UP WITH YOUR CAR

UPGRADE IT SMARTPHONE TECHNOLOGY

MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT

CONVENIENCE PACKAGE

Upgrade your vehicle with the latest in-vehicle smartphone technology by adding Android Auto™, Apple CarPlay™, and Bluetooth®.

Enjoy more entertainment options when you upgrade the music sources in your vehicle with HD Radio™, Pandora®, SiriusXM®1, and Spotify®.

Put your mind at ease while on the road when you upgrade your vehicle with safety and convenience features including back up camera, navigation, rear parking assist2, and vehicle diagnostic information2.

pioneerelectronics.com/car 1. SiriusXM Connect Vehicle Tuner and subscription to SiriusXM Radio required (sold separately). 2. Retained features may vary by vehicle. Check compatibility at maestro.idatalink.com. Maestro RR module and additional accessory cables required. PIONEER, and the Pioneer logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Pioneer Corporation. Apple, CarPlay, and the CarPlay logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Bluetooth and associated logos are trademarks of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. HD Radio and the HD Radio logo are proprietary trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp.

SiriusXM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of SiriusXM Radio Inc. Android and Android Auto are trademarks of Google Inc. iDatalink and Maestro are trademarks of Automotive Data Solutions Inc. Pandora, the Pandora logo and the Pandora trade dress are trademarks of Pandora Media, Inc. used with permission. Spotify, the Spotify logo, and Spotify trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of Spotify AB used with permission. Copyright: 2017 Pioneer Electronics (USA) INC.

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Memphis Power Reference Speakers

tr. BUYERS GUIDE MOBILE ELECTRONICS

JVC KW-V820BT $699 | Kenwood.com Apple CarPlay Receiver featuring a 6.8-inch clear resistive touch panel, high-resolution audio, and iDataLink Maestro ready to seemlessly intrigrate into the factory sound system. Bluetooth telephone and audio streaming, dual USB ports and 3-band EQ are featured as well.

MemphisCarAudio.com This speaker sounds amazing at a reasonable price point with sizes to fit nearly every application from OEM replacements to a fully customized set up. For 2017 the PR speaker line received an upgrade with a new black-onblack cone, fully reworked basket along with several other refinements, making the PR speaker the best it has ever been. Multiple configurations of components and coaxial are available with 6.5-inch versions retailing for around $120 (coax) and $190 (component). SIZE (IN.): 2.75 – 6x9 / DESIGN: Coaxial and component / WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Polypropylene cone, Butyl rubber surround / TWEETER MATERIAL: Separate poly dome or PEI dome tweeter / POWER (RMS/PEAK): N/A / BASKET: N/A

Kicker CSC67 6.75-inch Coaxial Speakers $89.95 | Kicker.com The CS-series of KICKER coaxial speakers fit nearly every make and model of car or truck, optimized for any hole cutout thanks to zero-protrusion tweeters that don't physically interfere with factory grilles. CS woofers use EVC (Extended Voice Coil) technology for deeper bass, and a UV-treated surrounds that resist heat. They use PEIdomed half-inch tweeters and light neodymium magnets. SIZE (IN.): 6.75 / DESIGN: 2-way / WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Polypropylene cone, UV-treated poly-foam surround / TWEETER MATERIAL: PEI domes / POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS / BASKET: Steel

Orion XTR4000.1D $975 | OrionCarAudio.com

Sony XAVAX100 $499.99 | Sony.com Get help from your smartphone on the road without taking your hands off the wheel. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto let you get directions, communicate with your contacts, and control audio playback using voice commands.

Powerful 4 x 55 W amplification makes music sound clear and dynamic, even at high volumes.

PowerBass OE65C-TY

This monoblock amplifier features high speed MOSFET power supply, as well as Orion's industrial design. CHANNELS: 1 (Mono) / TOPOLOGY: D / POWER (CEA-2006): 4000 watts @ 1 ohm / CROSSOVERS: Yes / EQUALIZATION: Yes / FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz250Hz / S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): >65dB / DIMENSIONS (in.): 9.25 x 2.5 x 21.5

$109.99 | PowerBassUSA.com

Pioneer AVH-4200NEX $700 | PioneerElectronics.com Pioneer’s latest multimedia DVD receiver, complete with 7-inch WVGA clear type resistive touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Dual USB and SD Card Slot – all packed into an attractive head unit.

Mosconi 8to12 Aerospace

Making any factory sound system sound fantastic is simple with the new PowerBass OEM direct fit speakers for most Lexus, Scion, and Toyota cars, trucks, and SUVs. Engineered to deliver the music experience you have always wanted from your factory sound system with a direct fit install that requires no wires to be cut and is truly plug and play. Available in component and coaxial configuration. SIZE (IN.): 6.5 / DESIGN: Component / WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Injection molded PP cone, Rubber surround / TWEETER MATERIAL: Titanium / POWER (RMS/ PEAK): 51 W / 75 W / BASKET: Molded plastic

Rockford Fosgate Dead Skin Sound Dampening Kits From $25.99 | RockfordFosgate.com Dead Skin products reduce the resonating abilities of your vehicle panels allowing you to truly appreciate your music library the way it should be heard.

With a material thickness just under 1/8-inches (1.5mm), Dead Skin is designed to be applied to most surfaces with little or no preparation, is highly flexible and cold formable to irregular surfaces so no heat guns are required.

$1,399 | Mosconi-America.com The 8to12 Aerospace is proudly designed and built in Italy. It has eight inputs, with 12 channel outputs and offers two digital inputs and an optical output. It is the only processor that works with 192khz/24bit resolution internally throughout all stages. It has the power to do 120db/oct. slopes, along with many crossover types to choose from.

The powerful auto source selector is standard on the 8to12.

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CAR AUDIO CHAMPIONSHIP

INAC CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016 OCTOBER 15-16 2016

IASCA’S GREAT SUCCESS IN LOUISVILLE STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRAVIS CHIN

The IASCA North American Championships, known as INAC, was once again a huge success. Held at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky, the event brought in close to 70 SQ competitors and more than 100 IASCA SPL competitors from across the continent. With close to 300 registrations in IASCA Sound Quality, Installation Quality, IdBL and Bass Boxing competition, the judging team was working hard through the two full days of the event. “Once again, our team did a great job and we are extremely proud of them,” said Moe Sabourin, Director of Operations for IASCA Worldwide. “One of the toughest jobs in car audio competition is being a judge; most Judges know the competitors and have great friendships with them. When you’re judging, you have to turn off the friendship, focus on the rules, and ensure that everyone is following them. That’s not always an easy task when there’s so much passion and intensity in the lanes!”

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“This was our fifth year being part of the Unified Finals Championship,” Sabourin continues. “Working with great people, like Wayne and Celise Harris from dB Drag Racing and Steve Stern from MECA, along with their judging teams, has proven to the industry that our collective goal is the betterment of our industry; we’re proud to be part of the event.

From the orgs to our industry members who supported us, we are looking forward to continuing this partnership for many years to come.”

Title sponsor Alphard Sound Technology was on hand to show off their full lines of Machete and Deaf Bonce line with shelves full of products. Full Throttle featured Leslie Killian's lifted, show-stopping Ford 4x4 and Matthew Karlovic's Mazda built for sound quality. AAMP of America brought an Escalade stuffed top to bottom with Phoenix Gold, while MMATS brought out their SPL demo van. In the Audio booth were two sound quality demo vehicles, winning multiple awards during the weekend. Other supporting vendors on hand were Beyma, Boom Mat (Design Engineering Inc.), DD Audio, Hybrid Audio Technologies, Incriminator Audio, Linear Power, Ohio Generator, XS Power, Dad’s Custom Car Audio, and Audio Specialists.

With close to 300 vehicles competing at the event, the Unified Finals Championship took up two of the main buildings at the venue, including the Pavilion and the Broadbent Arena. There were also competitors staged outside due to overflow and the logistics of the event went off without any major issues. In the sound quality building, there was no shortage of spotless vehicles with stunning installations featuring a lot of LEDs, plexiglass, and motorization. In the Broadbent Arena, SPL competitors were lined up across six lanes, making spectators feel the bass through their entire bodies.

IASCA’s top award, the Triple Crown, given to the vehicle with the highest combined score of sound quality and installation, was won by Dan Merritt and his Dodge Charger.

Loudest in the IASCA SPL lanes was Andrew McCain’s DD-Audio-filled Chevrolet Astro van with a score of 170.6 dB!

An IASCA satellite location was held at Sight and Sound Audio Connections in Centralia, Washington, for IASCA SPL events.

Scores were combined with those in Louisville to determine the North American Champions in each class and division. Although the Centralia location experienced a rainstorm most of the day, competitors and spectators enjoyed the event late into the evening.

A special thanks goes out to all the IASCA judges who worked diligently throughout the weekend.

In SQC and IQC competition, the team comprised of Head Judge Travis Chin (WA), Keith Turner (VA), Tim Goudy (AR), John Sketoe (AR), Jeff Smith (FL), and Christerfer Pate (TX). The IASCA SPL Judging team consisted of Head Judge Aaron Dunkle (FL), Tony Economou (FL), Scott Sinde (IL), and Brandon Rosser (MI).

Thanks also goes out to the registration and administration team, including Kim Sabourin (FL), Terry Floyd (AL), Kim Cook (AL) and the Judges spouses, Chelsea, Elizabeth and Jessica who also helped out with set up and worked hard at the show over the weekend.

GET THE FULL PICTURE

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A

TIMELES S

CLASSIC

.

REMASTE RED

.

of industry leaders to do what they do best as we took on the remastering of this timeless classic. As the 850 moves on to become a Learn about the Clarion Builds program, our mission, our partners, and what went into bringing this masterpiece to life at C L A R I O N B U I L D S . C O M

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CAR AUDIO CHAMPIONSHIP

db DRAG DB drag FINALS finals 2016 OCTOBER 15-16 2016

MAKING THE WEST COAST THUMP

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENT LEAVITT (@LOWNOTESGARAGE)

The highlight of the 2016 competition season has finally come to an end with the North American Championship wrapping up. This event takes place in three separate locations with the main event located in Louisville, Kentucky and satellite locations in Sacramento, California and Spruce Grove in Alberta, Canada. Competitors traveled in their vehicles or with competition vehicles in tow from up to 2,000 miles away to attend the finale of the competition season. Both Canada and Sacramento locations were outdoor and plagued with horrible weather, but that didn't slow anyone down from making the event. One hundred and twenty-five total dB Drag competitors came together for a head-to-head battle of the loudest vehicles on the planet. Live streaming computers were setup and competitors from all over the North American continent were staged in the lanes against each other live via the internet or head-to-head in their respective locations.

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Lust is appropriate.

The all-new RD amplifiers are now available.

Š 2016 JL AUDIO, Inc. For more information on our complete line of products, please visit your local authorized dealer or www.jlaudio.com.

In Canada contact GemSen Distribution at www.gemsen.com

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The dB Drag organization is divided into four major classes of competition: dB Drag, Bass Race, Psychlone, and Top Dog. dB Drag is the largest of the events where competitors go head-tohead for the loudest scores. Bass Race is a competition of system control and competitors are set up to compete up to a certain volume, but not exceed that volume over a 30-second period.

Psychlone is a daily driven ground pounder competition that awards points for installation, frequency response between 20 to 20,000 Hz, and lowest and loudest musical average. Top Dog is a mixture of Bass Race and Psychlone, where competitors go head to head to maintain the highest overall average and gain points per 30-second run against their competitor. The event was full of tie-breakers and time extensions due to the high turnout in each class.

This is an exciting event to participate in because throughout the entire season competitors practice from show to show gaining points to perfect their skills and improve scores for the final show. Competitors arrive with extra subwoofers, amplifiers, and batteries just in case of a failure, which has become a pretty normal occurrence at the last show of the year. Vehicles are pushed beyond the limits with doors almost ripping off from 10,000- to 100,000watt sound systems, windshields shattering and folding inward, and vehicle sheet metal tearing apart from the continuous bass.

Like many forms of competition, it is a very friendly environment with many head-to-head competitors being close friends. There is an amazing amount of teamwork involved and overall the competition crowd is more of a family of likeminded car audio enthusiasts than archrivals. Competitors’ families bring out their barbecues and cook on site for the crowd, everyone lends a hand when equipment has trouble, and the atmosphere is laid back and relaxed. From the standpoint of a competitor, it is one of the most exciting competitions out there. Each year more experience and knowledge is gained to move forward and come back the following year for another shot at a championship ring.

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C

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©2016 STILLWATER DESIGNS

True, deep bass, made to fit.

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Using revolutionary Reflex-Subwoofer™ technology, KICKER has developed the perfect box for fitting behind your seat.

The CompRT® Loaded Enclosure

See it at www.kicker.com, or visit your nearest Authorized KICKER Dealer.

KICKER is distributed in Canada by Gem-Sen. www.gemsen.com

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CAR AUDIO CHAMPIONSHIP

MECA World Finals STORY BY STEVE STERN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRAVIS CHIN

Held in partnership with the Car Audio Championship event in Louisville, KY, the MECA car audio club presented its best Finals event with a record 62 vehicles participating in Sound Quality League contests. The Sound Pressure League contests featured the closest scores and high level competition for the bass and loud music competitors.

Of special note was the Dueling Demos matches with Anthony Caldwell (Team Xtreme/True Bass/XS Power) from Knoxville, TN, taking the World Champion-

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ship in the most advanced class, Extreme, with his incredible 70-plus-speaker mobile music van. Dueling Demos is a loud music contest, with bumper to bumper challenge matches in 3 classes, based on system complexity of design.

"This was the best Finals we've had in years, with speedy, spot-on judging, and a great cooperative spirit among our competitors, and with the other organizations,” noted Commissioner Steve Stern, event director and coordinator.

“Thanks to Linear Power Ohio Generator and XS Power Batteries for their support as co-sponsors!"

Bud Ballinger (KY) was the SPL Head Judge, with wife, Shannon, and daughter, Salena Sexton, helping in the lanes. Joe Ault (OH), Allan Shaffer(TN), and Cory Harrod (KY) rounded out the SPL Judge Team. The SQL Judge Team was headed by Vinny Taylor (TN), with Matt Roberts (NC), Linda Kobayashi (CA), Richard Papasin (CA), Heather Shaffer (TN), and Grace Hedrick (SC) acting as Scorekeeper.

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THE LATEST TRENDS, FULL THROTTLE

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NOTABLE MECA WORLD FINALISTS:

Scott Welch (Team Audio Intensity/Hybrids), from Vacaville, CA, won the Sound Best of Show, to be inscribed on MECA's Culbertson Cup, with the best sounding system.

Robert Corwin (Team Audio Specialists/Ohio Generator) from Powell, OH, won the Sound Quality League Best of Show, the best overall scores in SQ, Install, and RTA Freq Output.

Anthony Davis (Team Hybrids) from Greenville, NC, earned the SQL Install Best of Show with an innovative dashboard design.

Mike Flanagan (Team Linear Power/Sundown) from Byram, MS, was the overall Best of Show winner with outstanding performances in SPL and SQL contests, taking the seven-foot trophy home.

Wes Strickland (Team High Voltage/IAK) from Bristol, TN, earned the Sound Pressure League Best of Show 6.5-foot trophy for best combined Sound Pressure and Park & Pound Scores.

Wes Strickland’s granddaughter, Maddie Carmody, (Team High Voltage/IAK) was the MECA Kids World Champ in Sound Pressure, Park & Pound, and Dueling Demos for kids.

Jeremy Kough (Team dB Revolution/Sundown/XS Power) from Auburn, KY, was the Sound Pressure Best of Show with the highest score at 173.29 dB. Eric White (Team Devious Kustomz) from Alexandria, VA, earned the Show & Shine Best of Show with his highly evolved Camaro.

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2016-12-09 11:08 AM

TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

DD Audio 3510-ESP Subwoofer Review A no-compromise woofer that provides incredible bang for the buck, with emphasis on the bang.

S

ome people agonize for months over their choice of subwoofer. Do you go more sound quality or SPL? High power handling or high efficiency?

Sealed or vented? Well, if you ask the folks at Digital Designs, they’ll tell you that you don’t really have to compromise. To prove the point, they sent us one of their amazing Power Tuned 3500-ESP series dual voice coil woofers.

FEATURES

“THANKS TO A LOW MOVING MASS DESIGN, HIGH ENERGY, AND WELL-FOCUSED MAGNETICS, THESE WOOFERS PROVIDE ACCURATE REPRODUCTION OF ANY BASS NOTE, REGARDLESS OF HOW LOUD YOU WANT TO PLAY IT.”

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The Power Tuned woofers are constructed with additional mechanical and electrical damping to handle the daily rigors of any bass enthusiast. DD Audio’s 3500 series woofers are some of the most sonically accurate woofers the company sells. Thanks to a low moving mass design, high energy, and wellfocused magnetics, these woofers provide accurate reproduction of any bass note, regardless of how loud you want to play it.

The 3500 series woofers also come equipped with DD Audio’s Evolution Subwoofer Package (ESP).

The ESP-equipped subwoofer has a larger suspension diameter than a standard woofer, as well as a deeper basket and specially optimized surrounds for greater excursion and enhanced reliability.

Our sample is the 3510-ESP, a 10-inch subwoofer built on a

QUICK TECH SPECS

Power Handling

600+ Watts RMS

Frequency Range

20 Hz – 400 Hz

Sensitivity

83.4 dB/SPL @ 1.0 W (1.0V @ 1 ohm)

Nominal Impedance

(2) 2 ohm coils

rugged cast aluminum basket and powered by a huge triple-stacked 170-mm motor. The woofer tips the scales at right around 37 pounds, so you know this is a serious 10-inch driver as soon as you pick it up! The 3510’s magnetic energy is focused around a pair of three-inch, four-layer copper voice coils. The coils are coated with an ultra-high-temperature capable varnish, and wound on a special former composed of several different materials. All of this engineering is designed to result in excellent heat transfer, and allow really high power handling without failures.

Furthermore, the former is doubleslit to reduce inductance, and there are vent holes placed above the coil windings to increase airflow and improve coil cooling. The woofer has a continuous power rating of 600 watts, and I have no doubt that it will easily handle that all day long.

All of this technology drives a cone made from a combination of pulp and carbon fiber, which is also supported by a special V-ROM design foam surround. The surround is built with the same profile

as DD Audio’s Extended Range of Motion (EROM) surrounds, but with flex ribs that allow it to retain its strength and shape even at the extremes of excursion.

Audio power is fed into the coils via direct connection to 10-gauge copper cables. From there, it travels to the coils via high-current tinsel leads that are laminated in place between the spiders. A rubber gasket trims out the mounting flange of the woofer, and helps provide a good seal to the enclosure baffle.

NOTE: There are also Hi-Def tuned versions available for those wanting a more compliant suspension.

LISTENING After a few hours of break-in time to soften up the suspension and allow it to normalize, I mounted the 3510-ESP in a 1.25-cubic-foot vented enclosure that was tuned to exactly 31 Hz. In the supplied vented enclosure, the performance of the 3510-ESP certainly did not disappoint. The very bottom of the audible register was very low, allowing me to easily

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For more test reports, download the PASMAG+ tablet app for free from the App Store.

TEST REPORT DD Audio 3510-ESP DDAduio.com

@DDaudio

@dd_audio

/TrueToTheSource

DD AUDIO 3510-ESP PARAMETERS (Klippel Laser Interferometry Analyzer)

DD Audio

Coils in Parallel

Electrical Parameters Re

1.08 Ohm

electrical voice coil resistance at DC

Le

1.047 mH

frequency independent part of voice coil inductance

L2

1.635 mH

para-inductance of voice coil

R2 Cmes

2.79 Ohm 1888.70 µF

Lces

9.88 mH

Res

16.84 Ohm

fs

36.8 Hz

electrical resistance due to eddy current losses electrical capacitance representing moving mass electrical inductance representing driver compliance resistance due to mechanical losses driver resonance frequency

Mechanical Parameters (using laser)

hear the very subdued kick drum in Livingston Taylor’s Grandma’s Hands. This is a listening test I perform frequently, as a good many woofers do not reproduce these extremely low frequencies at audible levels. Well-recorded rock and roll sounds great, with very good control. Dire Straits’ Heavy Fuel and Marc Cohen’s Walking in Memphis were excellent, with tight transients and correct timbre. Plucked bass sounded nice, fat, and round, as it should. On more bass-heavy tracks like the Pussycat Dolls Don’t Cha and 50 Cent’s In Da Club came across with authority, and the DD Audio woofer showed no signs of stress or bottoming, even though my instrumentation showed it had received brief signals in excess of 800 watts.

Regardless of the type of music I played, or the levels I played it at, the DD Audio 3510-ESP took it all and seemed ready for more. I measured over 750 to 800 watts

36

being applied regularly, and the folks in the business next door to my lab will attest to the woofer having no lack of output!

ON THE BENCH After the woofer had cooled and normalized overnight, I moved to the lab and measured the small signal parameters and in-box frequency response. The parameters came in very close to the Digital Designs published specs, and well within the usual tolerances found in woofer specifications.

mechanical mass of driver diaphragm assembly including air load and voice coil

Mms

358.51 g

Mmd

348.81 g

mechanical mass of voice coil and diaphragm without air load

Rms

11.270 kg/s

mechanical resistance of total-driver losses

Cms

0.052 mm/N

mechanical compliance of driver suspension

Kms

19.21 N/mm

mechanical stiffness of driver suspension

Bl

13.777 N/A

force factor (Bl product)

Lambda

0.041

suspension creep factor

Loss factors Qtp

0.465

total Q-factor considering all losses

Qms

7.364

mechanical Q-factor of driver in free air considering Rms only

Qes

0.474

electrical Q-factor of driver in free air considering Re only

Qts

0.445

total Q-factor considering Re and Rms only

Other Parameters Vas

12.9399 l

equivalent air volume of suspension

n0

0.131 %

reference efficiency (2 pi-radiation using Re)

Lm

83.38 dB

characteristic sound pressure level (SPL at 1m for 1 W @ Re)

Lnom

80.02 dB

nominal sensitivity (SPL at 1m for 1 W @ Zn)

Sd EBP

419.10 cm²

diaphragm area

77.63

CONCLUSION

SPL vs Freq

Overall, I came away pretty impressed with the DD Audio 3510-ESP subwoofer. As previous evaluations have shown, these woofers continue to be very good-sounding, musical woofers that also happen to be able to produce some serious sound pressure. As with most true high performance products, the price reflects the performance, and at $549.00 USD, this woofer is worth the cost. So, if you are struggling with subwoofer selection, visit a DD Audio dealer and see for yourself that the compromises made don’t have to be as great as you may have thought.

Magnitude of Electric Impedance Z(f)

Magnitude of Electric Impedance Z(f)

SPL vs Freq

Free Air Impedance Coils in Parallel

System Frequency Response @ 1W/1M Woofers Free air impedance – coils in parallel

Nearfield SPL/Frequency Response 1W/1M

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#MEMPHISAUDIO

The most refined amplifier ever created by Memphis Audio. The VIV SIXFIVE Series amplifier is a bold step into high end audio.

VIV amplifiers feature DSP technology making them the most accurate and best performing amplifier created since our crea inception in 1965.

A HALF CENTURY IN THE MAKING

Distributed in Canada by Trends | 877-946-9255

www.memphiscaraudio.com | 800-489-2300

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TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

JBL GTR-7535 Amplifier Review

TECHNICAL DATA The following power measurements were obtained as follows: (100 HZ @ 1.0% THD+N - Battery voltages shown, +/- 0.1 V)

A full-featured and high-powered amplifier that will play your compressed audio files back in a way that you have never heard them before.

“THIS IS AN AMPLIFIER THAT BRINGS A LOT MORE THAN JUST POWER TO THE TABLE.”

MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS Manufacturer's Rated Power 75x4 + 200x1 @ 4 Ω

99x4 + 189x1 @ 4 Ω

111x4 + 227x1 @ 4 Ω

130x4 + 391x1 @ 2 Ω

200x4 + 361x1 @ 2 Ω

Y

ou’ve read the reviews, and followed everyone’s advice on upgrading your system. You have new speakers front and back, and a well-designed subwoofer system. Now you need power to drive everything, but space and budget are both looking tight.

If you fit into that category, and particularly if you listen to a lot of compressed audio, the folks at JBL have a solution for you. With the GTR-7535 amplifier, you can drive five channels of audio, improve your system’s sound quality, and allow hands-free receiving of phone calls, all with one compact amp. Priced right around $549 in the U.S., the GTR-7535 is rated at 4x75 watts per channel into four ohms, and the sub channel is rated for up to 350 watts into two ohms. But this is an amplifier that brings a lot more than just power to the table.

The JBL GTR series of amplifiers are built on rugged cast aluminum chassis, designed to be easy to install and fit in tight spaces. Generously-sized power and speaker connections are found along the length of one side of the amp, and the signal input and adjustment controls are located on

PASMAG

Actual Measured Power @ 1.0% THD+N @ 14.4 V Battery

100x4 + 350x1 @ 2 Ω

FEATURES

38

Actual Measured Power @ 1.0% THD+N @ 12.6 V Battery

the opposite side. There are crossover controls for front rear and sub channels, with the front and rears having adjustability from 32 to 320 Hz in high- or low-pass configurations. The subwoofer channel has the same frequency range in lowpass. The signal for the subwoofer input can be delivered separately, which is handy if you have a sublevel control on your source unit, or it can be derived internally from the main four-channel inputs. A 0/180-degree phase switch is also included for the sub channel, as well as an adjustable bass boost with up to 9 dB of boost available.

If you plan to drive the amplifier with speaker-level input signals, there are handy adapters included.

Simply connect the speaker wires to these voltage dividing adaptors and plug them into the appropriate RCA input, then select the highlevel position on the amp’s gain range switch.

What makes the GTR-7535 quite different from other five-channel amplifiers, however, is JBL’s proprietary Clari-Fi DSP technology. This circuitry is specifically designed for people who listen to compressed digital music. The Clari-Fi is based on a predictive algorithm that restores audio content that is lost in the compression process. JBL claims that the Clari-Fi circuitry

restores the natural warmth of vocals and extends the high frequency bandwidth, restoring your music to its original quality. You can learn more about Clarifi and hear a demo at ClarifiSound.com.

Another feature that separates the GTR-7535 from most other amplifiers is the remote-mounted control panel with Bluetooth. This included accessory allows you to easily stream audio from your smartphone or other Bluetooth device directly to the amplifier. You can even receive phone calls through the audio system simply by pressing a button on the control panel. If your car is already equipped with some sort of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System), the GTR amplifier can inform you with safety and navigation prompts via Bluetooth. A switch on the amplifier allows you to select which speaker is used for ADAS alerts. When an ADAS system is connected to the amplifier, the amp will automatically mute your music, broadcast the ADAS message, and then return to your tunes. And thanks to the unit’s Party Mode, anyone in the car can connect via Bluetooth and play road trip DJ! When in Party Mode, up to three devices can stream audio content without a permanent Bluetooth pairing.

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 TECH & CAR AUDIO // 7TH EDITION

PAS_2016_Tech_and_Audio7_JBL_GTR-7535.indd 1

2016-12-08 3:50 PM

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© 2016 HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Infinity is a trademark of HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States and/or other countries. Features, specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice.

Untitled-1 1

2016-08-19 2:23 PM

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TEST REPORT JBL GTR-7535 JBL.com

LISTENING I was particularly intrigued with the Clari-Fi feature on this amplifier, so I spent a little more time than usual doing my listening evaluation. Before I get to that, I should tell you that with a regular CD audio source, this is a good sounding amplifier. It has more than adequate power, fairly low noise and provides a high level of sonic performance in general. It runs relatively cool thanks to the high efficiency Class-D topology and a well-designed heatsink.

Bass was deep, tight and wellcontrolled. The midrange and high frequency ranges sounded open and natural with no obvious coloration from the amplifier. Stereo separation was good as well, and the GTR-7535 produced a wide, well-defined stereo image.

The Clari-Fi circuitry at first was a bit puzzling. Using the controller I could turn the circuit on and off at will, and frankly I didn’t notice a significant difference between the two settings. Then I realized

@JBLaudio

4 OHM POWER vs THD+N 100Hz 14.4V Batt Cogent Audio Labs

4 OHM POWER vs THD+N 100Hz

Cogent Audio Labs 10

5

5

2

2

1

1

0.5

0.5

JBL

2 OHM POWER vs THD+N 100Hz

14.4V Batt

0.2

0.1

%

0.1

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0.05

0.02

0.02

0.01

0.01

0.005

0.005

0.002

0.001

/JBL

2 OHM Power vs THD+N 100Hz 14.4V Batt

14.4V Batt

10

0.2

%

@jblaudio

0.002

600m

1

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111 100

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200227

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600m

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W JBL GTR-7535

4 OHM - POWER vs THD

100Hz

MAX FLAT MAIN & SUB CH - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

200

100

361

500

1k

2k

W JBL GTR-7535

14.4V Batt

2 OHM - POWER vs THD

100Hz

14.4V Batt

MAIN CH CROSSOVER - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

MAX FLAT MAIN & SUB CH - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

MAIN CH CROSSOVER - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

+8

+6 +5.5

+6

+5

+4

+4.5 +2

+4 +3.5

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MAX FLAT MAIN & SUB CH - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Ref: 2.0V @ 4 Ohms

MAIN CH CROSSOVER RANGE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Ref: 2.0V @ 4 Ohms

SUB CH CROSSOVER - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

SUB CH CROSSOVER - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

+6 +5 +4 +3 +2 +1 -0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6

I was listening to 320-kbps MP3 tracks, which are not nearly as compressed as most folks use, and nowhere near as compressed as streaming audio. When I switched over to a borrowed drive with all 96- to 128-kbps tracks, I then began to really understand the value of Clari-Fi. Streaming music over Bluetooth also sounded significantly better, and I noticed an obvious improvement in the sound quality of streaming channels like Pandora and iHeart Radio. I have to assume that similar improvements in quality will also be found on Sirius/XM satellite sources as well.

It would seem that the lower the bitrate of your music, the more difference the Clari-Fi circuitry makes. On the other hand, if all you ever listen to is music directly from CD, or if you have very high bitrate MP3s, you shouldn’t expect much difference. So, the importance of having Clari-Fi in your amplifier re40

PASMAG

ally depends on what you listen to most often, and how much compression is used in those tracks.

-7 d B r

-8 -9 -10 -11 -12 -13 -14

ON THE BENCH Back on the unforgiving Cogent test bench, the JBL GTR-7535 proved to be a very good performer. It made good power, easily exceeding the rated numbers. Measured frequency response is nice and flat, regardless of load impedance, which speaks to careful design of the output filters. The crossovers were accurately marked and operated exactly as expected. The built-in over and under voltage protection worked perfectly, as did the thermal protection. The Power and Protect LED indicators are designed to allow the user to troubleshoot a specific problem via specific flashes. All the various problems are listed in the troubleshooting section of the well-written owner’s manual.

CONCLUSION Anyone who listens to a lot of streamed music or has a lot of compressed music on their portable music player should strongly consider the GTR-7535 or other JBL models with Clari-Fi. For a good-sounding, uniquely-featured, compact and high-performance audio amplifier, the JBL GTR-7535 will be found at the top of the list.

-15 -16 -17 -18 -19 -20 -21 -22 -23 -24 10

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SUB CH CROSSOVER RANGE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Ref: 2.0V @ 4 Ohms

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to 2V output.

(CEA-2006A) (1 watt @ 4 ohms) -Main

-74.7 dBA

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to full output. -Main

-91.9 dBA

THD+N at rated 4 ohm power -Main

0.03%

Maximum Efficiency at full 4 ohm power per ch.

79.9%

Maximum Efficiency at full 2 ohm power per ch.

71.7%

Idle Current

1.8 A

Input Sensitivity (RCA low level)

295 mV – 2.8 V

Maximum Current @ full power, lowest rated impedance

120.6 A

Frequency Response (-3d ) -Main

10 Hz – >20 kHz

High Pass Crossover

32 to 320 Hz -12 dB/Oct

Low Pass Crossover (Sub ch)

32 to 320 Hz -12 dB/Oct

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 TECH & CAR AUDIO // 7TH EDITION

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2016-12-08 3:50 PM

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2016-07-18 2:34 PM

TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

MTX S6512-44 Subwoofer Review An innovative woofer that delivers both sound quality and groundpounding bass. Perfect for SQ and SPL enthusiasts alike.

F

or those of you who are simply looking for the most boom for the buck, MTX has built the S65 square series of subwoofers. Because a square shape has a greater surface area than a round shape in the same footprint, the S65 series of woofers move more air, and we all know what that translates into.

Designed for bass enthusiasts everywhere, the S6512-44 is a dual four-ohm voice coil twelveinch woofer and has a retail price of $349.95 here in the U.S.

FEATURES

QUICK TECH SPECS Power Handling Frequency Range Sensitivity (system) Nominal Impedance

42

PASMAG

The S6512-44 woofer boasts several technical features that allow it to outperform similar woofers. First, there is MTX’s patented surround geometry that delivers greater Xmax than other square surrounds. The patent ap500 Watts RMS plies to the way the corners of the surround are shaped 30Hz – 200Hz with molded-in inverted 89.4 dB/SPL @ 1.0W ribs that allow the corners (1.414V @ 2 ohms) to flex properly while (2) 4 ohm coils retaining the ability of high

Xmax. For the propeller heads out there, here is a very brief description of the patent: “This invention provides a square speaker with a square surround with a rounded corner having an arcuate portion having a radially inner portion having an arcuate transverse cross-section, a radially outer portion having an arcuate transverse cross-section, an apex defining a boundary there between, and circumferential undulations only on the outer portion.” (arcuate means “curved”) So we have a woofer that has a larger than normal cone area, and more Xmax, but they didn’t stop there. All that cone area and excursion is useless if the woofer won’t handle power, so MTX also builds the S65s with a special spider venting plateau that forces cool air over the voice coil. To further enhance the woofers thermal ability, a radially ribbed T-yoke also aids in heat dissipation, and can also lower distortion.

With great excursion comes the need for great suspension, and to

that end the S6512 is equipped with a progressive type spider that not only allows for lots of travel but it also lowers distortion at high power levels, keeping your bass clean and pure.

The patented surround is made from Santoprene, which can be easily molded to specific shapes.

A combination of stitching and adhesive solidly connects it to the cone material.

The woofer’s square polypropylene cone is vacuum formed into a parabolic shape, and it’s driven by a pair of two-inch copper voice coils, wound on a black anodized aluminum former. Electrical power is delivered to the voice coils through flat tinsel leads that are integrated into the spider. Connections to the amplifier are chrome plated and spring-loaded terminals that will accept up to 10-gauge wire.

Magnetic energy comes from an 88 ounce ceramic magnet, covered with a nice rubber boot. Thanks to the non-vented pole piece, the woofer can be mounted in shallower enclosures as well.

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 TECH & CAR AUDIO // 7TH EDITION

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2016-12-08 5:02 PM

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2016-12-08 2:11 PM

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TEST REPORT MTX S6512-44 MTX.com

@MTXAudio

@mtxaudiousa

/mtxrocks

MTX Audio USA

LISTENING For my listening session, I connected the S6512-44 to my reference system and set my amplifier's second order low pass crossover at 100Hz. I began with a 1.75-cubic-foot vented enclosure tuned to about 44 Hz. The MTX woofer system immediately impressed me with solid bass and a lot of output. In the vented enclosure the system had more output than any single twelve in recent memory, and could really rock the room. The typical and expected tradeoffs for a vented woofer were apparent, with a little added resonance and overhang, but man the thing will hammer! Then I switched to a smaller sealed enclosure, and as you’d expect, the sound quality improved and the bass went lower, but the obviously the output just wasn’t the same.

This is actually a big feather in the S6512’s cap, because it can be used to full potential by both SQ and SPL folks, depending on your choice of enclosure.

In a 1.25-cubic-foot sealed enclosure, the musicality of the woofer was impressive, as was its natural sounding timbre. One of the tracks I listened to at the beginning of my sealed box session was “My Maria” by Brooks and Dunn. The kick drum in this track is very well recorded using an AKG D112 mic. On a good system you can hear the attack as the batter strikes the drumhead, and the full, warm resonance of a properly tuned bass drum and an unclipped microphone. The S6512 did a great job, reproducing this very well, and with authority.

After hearing all sorts of tracks

Magnitude of electric impedance Z(f)

SPL vs Freq

Woofer Free-Air Impedance

Sealed vs. Vented System Frequency Response

from Yello, Muse, and Rusted Root, it was apparent the S6512 will more than hold its own regardless of the genre or box type. But if SPL is your thing, the vented enclosure had an almost 5dB edge over the sealed box.

ON THE BENCH After an overnight rest, I moved the woofer into the lab for some measurements. After double checking the cone area and wiring the coils in parallel, I mounted the S6512 in my Klippel analyzers laser stand, and measured the parameters.

My measured results were right in line with my listening experience, and very similar to MTX’s published specs.

MTX says the woofer will work in either 1.25-ft sealed, or 2.3-ft vented, and it definitely will. I really liked the performance in a 1.75-ft vented box too, so it seems you have some leeway in the enclosure volumes.

CONCLUSION If you are looking for maximum bang for the buck, the MTX S65 series of woofers won’t disappoint. Maybe best of all, it really doesn’t matter if you’re an SQ tweak or an SPL pounder, this is a woofer than can fill both roles with success.

MTX S6512-44 PARAMETERS

Measured Thiele-Small Parameters (Klippel Laser Interferometry)

Electrical Parameters Re

2.24 Ohm

electrical voice coil resistance at DC

Le

1.290 mH

frequency independent part of voice coil inductance

L2

2.121 mH

para-inductance of voice coil

R2 Cmes

3.59 Ohm 2611.59 µF

electrical resistance due to eddy current losses electrical capacitance representing moving mass

Lces

10.04 mH

electrical inductance representing driver compliance

Res

10.81 Ohm

resistance due to mechanical losses

fs

31.1 Hz

driver resonance frequency

Mechanical Parameters (using laser) Mms

278.057 g

mechanical mass of driver diaphragm assembly including air load and voice coil

Mmd

256.021 g

mechanical mass of voice coil and diaphragm without air load

Rms

9.851 kg/s

mechanical resistance of total-driver losses

Cms

0.094 mm/N

mechanical compliance of driver suspension

Kms

10.61 N/mm

mechanical stiffness of driver suspension

Bl Lambda

10.318 N/A 0.036

force factor (Bl product) suspension creep factor

Loss factors Qtp

0.964

total Q-factor considering all losses

Qms

5.513

mechanical Q-factor of driver in free air considering Rms only

Qes

1.144

electrical Q-factor of driver in free air considering Re only

Qts

0.947

total Q-factor considering Re and Rms only

Other Parameters Vas

reference efficiency (2 pi-radiation using Re)

Lm

84.67 dB

characteristic sound pressure level (SPL at 1m for 1W @ Re)

Lnom

84.18 dB

nominal sensitivity (SPL at 1m for 1W @ Zn)

EBP

PASMAG

equivalent air volume of suspension

0.177 %

Sd

44

70.0324 l

n0

724.50 cm²

diaphragm area

27.1

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 TECH & CAR AUDIO // 7TH EDITION

PAS_2016_Tech_and_Audio7_MTX_S6512-44.indd 2

2016-12-08 5:02 PM

tech·nol·o·gy: noun

1: higher performance in a smaller package.

2: the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area: engineering

"The Evo 10 delivered remarkably flat frequency response from 30 - 75 Hz, the critical subwoofer range, in the tiny 0.5 cubic foot enclosure." "...the bass was deep, and very well defined. In fact I was quite impressed with the systems tonality and definition. Chord changes and other low frequency nuances were distinct and pure." "...true no-compromise sonic performance and power handling. ...the Audiomobile system sounded simply excellent."

PAS Magazine

Power + Accuracy AUDIOMOBILE.NET

PAS_2016_Tech_Audio7_Audiomobile.indd 1

2016-12-08 4:22 PM

TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Audison bit One HD DSP Processor Review Undoubtedly one of the finest DSP units available on the market, delivering high resolution audio perfectly to any integrated system.

W

hen it comes to the world of DSP processing for car audio, one of the leading products for the last seven years has been the Audison bit One. Because Audison is so passionate about audio and relentlessly working towards producing ever better gear, we now have the new bit One HD. The bit One HD presents a whole new era of DSP performance, with the implementation of the most powerful DSP chipset available. Operating at 450 MHz/32 bits, the new processor provides the computing power to make the bit One HD capable of processing high resolution audio at 96 kHz/24 bits. The new flagship processor has a suggested retail price in the U.S. of around $1,700, and has already garnered a coveted EISA award.

THANKS TO AN AUTOMATED CALIBRATION PROCESS, THE BIT ONE HD CAN AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST AND MAKE CORRECTIONS FOR UP TO 12 DIFFERENT CHANNELS OF INPUT, INCLUDING FIXING FACTORY EQUALIZATION AND CHANNEL DELAY ISSUES.

46

PASMAG

FEATURES Everything you need is included in the box, including the control software to be installed on your computer, and even a handy RCA to 3.5-mm adapter to connect your iPod, smartphone, or Audison's RVA (Remote Volume Adjust) unit.

The RVA enables you to control the volume of a device connected to the bit One HD via the head unit. Once that’s done and you have opened the 70-page owner’s manual, there are clear instructions on how to proceed with your installation. Believe me, if this is your first bit One HD, you are going to want to read the instructions

carefully because this is a complicated device. A guiding hand from your local Audison dealer wouldn’t be a bad idea either. In addition to the manual, a handy fold-out quick start sheet with simple graphical instructions is also printed and enclosed. As software updates become available, the bit One HD is easily updatable as well, thanks to its open platform design.

When a product is this powerful, getting the installation dialed in is critical.

Thanks to an automated calibration process, the bit One HD can automatically adjust and make corrections for up to 12 different channels of input, including fixing factory equalization and channel delay issues. The unit

QUICK TECH SPECS

comes with two different discs (CD and DVD) that have specially developed audio setup tracks on them. Calibrating the input levels, correcting the factory EQ, and even compensating for the channel delays in OEM systems is done automatically by simply following some on-screen prompts. The software walks you through your system architecture, and even has provisions if you happen to be using some passive crossovers.

While the guided process works fine and is very simple to use, and I completely understand why the input sensitivity setup process has been automated, I’m sort of old school and I would prefer the option of setting it myself. If you're like me, fortunately you can manu-

Frequency Response (+/-3.0 dB)

<10 Hz – 44 kHz

Signal to Noise Ratio (ref to 2V out)

-90.3 dBA

THD+N (ref 2V out, @ 1 kHz)

0.004%

Input Impedance (Spkr Level)

15k Ohms

Output Impedance

210 Ohms

Input signal range

758 mV – 16 Vrms

Maximum Output Voltage Stereo outputs (unclipped)

4.1 Vrms

Maximum Output Voltage Subwoofer outputs (unclipped)

4.1 Vrms

Nominal Impedance

(2) 4 ohm coils

Mounting Depth

EVO 10 100 mm M-CAR 63 mm

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 TECH & CAR AUDIO // 7TH EDITION

PAS_2016_Tech_and_Audio7_TR_Audison.indd 1

2016-12-08 4:51 PM

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TEST REPORT DD Audio 3510-ESP Audison.eu

@AudisonOfficial

@audison_official

TECHNICAL DATA To provide a full list of all the features would require more space than I have in this issue, but here is a list of the main points of interest:

Audison.Official

Audison Official

PROCESSOR High resolution processing at 96 kHz/24 bit 12 input analog channels 2 optical digital inputs, max 192 kHz/24 bit Aux input 13 output channels 2 digital outputs (AD LINK) control bus (13 total output channels) Full-range, high-pass, band-pass, low-pass filters

ally setup the system after the automated procedure.

Once connected and setup, input signals are processed in their native resolution without downscaling, whether it’s the OEM radio’s output or a high-resolution audio source. The bit One HD is also equipped with full digital input capability, you can use it to create a fully digital system with a digital source, like the Audison bit Play HD or the Sony RSX-GS9 head unit we reviewed earlier this year. Then, the digital signal can be sent to an amp with fully digital inputs, like Audison’s Voce.

The new bit One HD has 12 input channels for speakerlevel inputs, and six channels for low-level inputs, as well as an auxiliary input and two TOSLINK optical digital inputs. The 13 channels of output can be configured to seven channels for even higher audio quality by adding in Audison’s optional Finite Impulse Response filter, which is a downloadable software release.

The control software for the bit One HD is very complete and allows the tuner to adjust virtually

anything, but it does take a little getting used to. There is a lot of functionality on that screen, so reading the manual and playing around a bit will save you from getting lost.

Once you've found your bearings, there isn’t much it won’t allow you to tune, adjust, or correct. For easy, common adjustments while driving, the bitOne HD includes a DRC MP (Digital Remote Control Multimedia Play). This easy-to-use remote connects via the Audison AC Link bus, and can function as your primary volume, balance and fader control, as well as sub volume and other additional functions.

Butterworth, Bessel, or L-R filter alignments

LISTENING

Self adjusting dynamic EQ for different volume levels

For my listening session, I chose to provide signal to the bit One HD with a Sony High Resolution Audio capable source unit - in this case, the RSX-GS9. The outputs were configured to three channels: full-range on left and right, plus a subwoofer. I did play around with the crossover filters while I was listening just to see how well they worked, and they worked perfectly.

I have to say the sound quality from the system is simply brilliant. If you have not experienced high resolution audio yet, and you are serious about your music, you are missing out on a great thing. Subtle nuances are always evident, and the dynamic range is amazing. The system’s ability to go from very soft to full crescendo is startling. Bass performance is solid and deep, and the system’s ability to create a realistic stereo image is uncanny. There are no untoward noise problems, and no issues with adjustments.

CONCLUSION There is no question that the Audison bit One HD represents some of the highest performing digital signal process-

Max Flat - Frequency Response Cogent Audio Labs

Selectable crossover slopes up to 48 dB/Oct 70 steps of frequency choices from 10 Hz to 20 kHz 0-180-degree phase control Individual channel mute when tuning Linked channels while tuning Parametric 5 pole input and main EQ, +/-12 dB; Parametric 11-pole output EQ, +/- 12 dB

Parametric bass boost, selectable from 10 to 500 Hz Time alignment up to 297 inches, with minimum resolution down to 0.01 ms 4-volt RMS output

ing available. It’s a very well thought out unit in terms of all the input and output capabilities and various modes of connectivity. Then there is the reason you buy such a product in the first place - the sonic performance. When it comes to sound quality, I think the new bit One HD is head and shoulders better than the original bit One. With 13 channels available, as well as de-equalization with FIR filters, the bit One HD could make a serious difference in any OEM configuration. I believe I heard every bit of the high resolution signal, and it sounded very good indeed. If you’re looking for a product to connect, control, and customize your sound, the bit One HD is worth a close look.

Full Bandwidth THD+N vs Frequency Cogent Audio Labs

MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

+6

Common Mode Rejection Ratio Cogent Audio Labs

FULL BANDWIDTH THD+N vs FREQUENCY

COMMON MODE REJECTION RATIO

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MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

Ref - 2.0V - 0dBr STEREO SWEEP

Ref - 2.0V - OdBr Stereo Sweep

PASMAG

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THD+N vs. FREQUENCY

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TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

JL Audio RD400/4 Amplifier Review JL Audio's technical innovation takes the 4-channel Class-D amplifier to the next level.

TECHNICAL DATA The following power measurements were obtained using industry standard methods. (1000 HZ @ 1.0% THD+N - Battery voltages shown +/- 0.1V)

MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS Manufacturers Rated 14.4V Power

I

75 x 4 @ 4 Ω

66 x 4 @ 4 Ω

88 x 4 @ 4 Ω

118 x 4 @ 2 Ω

153 x 4 @ 2 Ω

200 x 2 @ 4 Ω

234 x 2 @ 4 Ω

312 x 2 @ 4 Ω

“THE JL AUDIO RD400/4 IS A SOLID AUDIO PERFORMER WRAPPED UP IN A BOX FEATURES There’s no lack of four-channel OF COMMON Class-D amplifiers that provide SENSE.” prodigious power in a relatively

compact footprint, and to be sure, the JL Audio RD400/4 is one

PASMAG

Actual Measured Power @ 1.0% THD+N @ 14.4 V Battery

100 x 4 @ 2 Ω

f you are one of those people who think all amplifiers work and sound the same, the folks at JL Audio and I have news for you; they don’t. Not only are there big differences in amp designs (even within a specific topology), the sonic signatures of some of these amps can be as different as chalk and cheese. Case in point is the RD series of amplifiers from JL Audio featuring their NexD switching technology. The RD series amplifiers offer perhaps the best value of any amp in the JL Audio lineup, and are designed to meet the needs of almost any system. To give you an idea of what I’m on about, they were kind enough to send me one of their RD400/4 amplifiers for examination and review.

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Actual Measured Power @ 1.0% THD+N @ 12.6 V Battery

of them. After that is where the similarities to other amplifiers end. Without getting into a total techno-geek fest, the RD400/4 uses a NexD output stage that operates at much higher frequencies (over 400,000 times per second), and has high speed feedback correction. This feedback circuit reduces distortion and ensures clean power output.

The innovations don’t stop there. The amplifier is designed to be compatible with typical single-ended RCA input voltages or accept direct connection of an OEM power amplifier without the need for any adaptor or high to low signal converter. Another benefit of this clever design is the use of balanced fully differential inputs for excellent common mode noise rejection to minimize the chances of radiated noise issues from the signal cables. Then, to make things simpler and as accurate as possible when setting the gain adjustments, there are easyto-use clipping indicators built

into the amp. Getting the gains optimized on this amp should take about a minute. If you are going to integrate the RD400/4 into an OEM system, wouldn’t it be handy if it had signal sensing turn-on? Well, it does, as well as DC offset turn-on capability and the usual remoteon wire. These features make the RD400/4 compatible with virtually any source, from an iPod to an amplifier. The amplifier can be used in full-range mode, or in bi-amp mode by setting the independent front and rear channel crossover filters appropriately. A third pair of full-range RCA outputs are available to drive a second amplifier, and are configured for constant output regardless of fader position when using the front and rear inputs. If you are driving the amp with high-level signals, the RCA outputs are automatically attenuated by 12 dB when the input level switch is in the high position.

The heatsink of the RD400/4 is made of a cast aluminum alloy and trimmed with rugged-looking

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TEST REPORT plastic bits. A top cover protects all the top-mounted adjustable controls and is removed via two hex head screws. In typical JL fashion, the round logo is left unattached, and can be installed in the appropriate orientation for the installation. A cool high-techlooking amp status LED array lets you know the status of the amplifier and lights up in a medium blue color when all is functioning correctly, or bright red if there’s an issue.

The connections are all made on the front edge of the amplifier, and the terminals all fit flush with the chassis. There are no protruding terminals and nothing that could be accidentally shorted. The result is a clean and electrically safe installation.

LISTENING I installed the RD400/4 in my lab's reference system with the front channels connected to my reference speakers and the rear

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JL AUDIO RD400/4 channels bridged to a 12-inch four-ohm woofer. I left the front crossover in all-pass mode and set the rear channel crossover to about 80 Hz. Once that was done, I used the directions in the owner’s manual to set the gains. The process was quick and simple, but it’s very dependent on the crest factor in your music, so if you listen to a wide variety of musical genres, choosing the track you use to set the gain is important. JL Audio suggests using a sine wave track recorded at 0 dBfs. Once adjusted, the sound quality is excellent. Using the most revealing tracks from Spies and several other Sheffield Lab recordings, the RD400/4 proved it could reproduce the detail and articulation captured in these fantastic “live to two-track” recordings. Power output was prodigious and seemed quite effortless. Even at high volume levels, I never had a sense of

reaching the amp’s limits or making it really work hard. Bass output was strong with tight, well-behaved output, and always provided a sense of authority. I listened to it for a couple of hours, and even though I was giving my loudspeakers quite a workout, the amplifier barely got more than warm to the touch.

PERFORMANCE/BENCH MEASUREMENTS On the bench, the measurements backed up what I had heard the day before. The amplifier easily surpassed all of its published specifications, with low distortion and an inaudible noise floor. Crosstalk and Common Mode Rejection also measured

top notch, and when I did bad things to it, the amp simply protected itself until I corrected the problem.

CONCLUSION For an amplifier that is priced in the middle of the product range, the JL Audio RD400/4 is an impressive bit of kit. With a U.S. retail price of just $299.99, this amplifier is one of the best thought out products to come across my bench in a while. Thanks in no small part to the years of car audio experience and the ability to exploit today’s high speed device technology, the JL Audio RD400/4 is a solid audio performer wrapped up in a box of common sense.

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4 OHM Power vs THD+N @1000Hz 14.4V Batt Cogent Audio Labs

JLAudioInc

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-108.5 dBA

THD+N at rated power

0.06%

Maximum Efficiency at full 2 ohm power per ch.

88.2%

Idle Current

1.1 A

Input Sensitivity

119 mV – 8.0 V

Maximum Current @ full power, lowest rated impedance

50.3 A

Frequency Response (-3 dB)

10 Hz – 34.0 kHz

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TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Memphis Car Audio VIV900.5 Amplifier Review Performance and power without sacrificing practicality or efficiency.

B

rand-new from the folks at Memphis Car Audio comes a line of DSP-powered amplifiers, with all-new looks and leading edge technology. The new series is known as the Six Five Series, and is Memphisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first real foray into the DSP world. There are seven different models in the series with one-, two-, four- and fivechannel variations.

All of the amplifiers have a cool new cosmetic treatment and have the controls hidden behind a magnetically-latched cover panel. For the purposes of this review, they sent us a pre-production prototype of the five-channel version, called the VIV (Six Five, get it?) 900.5.

is found along with all of the rest of the controls, under the hinged front cover of the amplifier, just above the connections. In addition to the variable LED color, the amp is equipped with 24-dBper-octave crossovers, which provide bandpass configurations in addition to the typical high- and low-pass filters.

The VIV900.5 is rated at 50x4+300x1 into four ohms, or 75x4+500x1 at two ohms. Should the need arise, the sub channel can also drive a one-ohm load.

Also, in the interest of maximizing system design flexibility and installation friendliness, the VIV900.5 has three different ways to turn it on, with sensing for DC offset as found on most head units, signal sensing with musical input, and the conventional 12-volt

FEATURES The new look from Memphis also comes with a few unusual features, such as the ability to select from one of seven possible illumination colors for the power-on indication. The control for the LED color 4 OHM POWER vs THD+N 100Hz 14.4V Batt Cogent Audio Labs

2 OHM POWER vs THD+N 100Hz 14.4V Batt Cogent Audio Labs

4 OHM POWER vs THD+N 100Hz 14.4V Batt

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trigger. To make signal routing simpler for installers, there is also a switch that allows you to drive the amplifier with just a single pair of inputs, or four inputs to allow fading with constant bass output.

The heatsink is sized appropriately for this powerful an amplifier, and because of that and the high efficiency Class-D topology, the amplifier has excellent thermal performance, which is a sore spot for a lot of multi-channel car amps. The power and speaker connections will take generously sized cables (four- and 10-gauge, respectively) and the terminals are well-insulated and protected.

When it comes to tuning the system, to complement the accurate DSP-controlled crossover filters, there is also a variable bass boost controller that can provide up to 18-dB of bass boost at 45 Hz. This filter is also designed to have a high Q factor, which means its bandwidth is narrow so as to not have a detrimental effect on adjacent frequencies. This makes it more effective as a tuning tool, and results in a deeper, tighter bottom end.

MEMPHIS VIV800.5

BLUE=MAIN CH / RED=SUB CH

2 OHM - POWER vs THD 100Hz

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I connected the amp in my sound roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reference system, using a two-ohm 12 in a sealed enclosure as my woofer system, and then two pairs of four-ohm component speakers were connected for the full-range sound. After setting the subwoofer crossover

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to 80 Hz and leaving the full-range channels in all-pass mode, I was ready for some listening. As soon as I began to audition the VIV900.5, I knew I was in for some fun.

From a sonic perspective, the amp is very musical and virtually transparent. Stereo imaging is excellent, and there is no audible noise of any kind. From one end of the audible spectrum to the other, it simply made things louder, which is exactly what a good amp should do. With my wide ranging (some say ridiculous) musical tastes, I could go from 50 Cent, to Bach, to ZZ Top without any issues or adjustments. Low-bass is produced with authority and exhibits very good definition, while the amp still maintains smooth and detailed high frequencies, with no harshness or edginess.

Female vocals are smooth and harmonies well-defined, with no muddiness or smearing of the soundstage evident.

The amp proved to have plenty of power on tap, even for enthusiastic listening levels. During several hours of focused listening, the

Memphis amplifier sounds very natural and uncolored, regardless of the musical selection, handling dynamics and my reference woofer and full-range speakers with ease, while barely getting warm to the touch. This amplifier is exceptionally efficient, and not just at high power levels. I noticed the current draw was quite low, even when playing music at fairly loud levels. When it was all said and done, the VIV900.5 proved to be a very natural-sounding and powerful amplifier.

+6

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76x4 + 316x1 @ 4 Ω

94x4 + 421x1 @ 2 Ω

123x4 + 557x1 @ 2 Ω

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to 2V output.

(CEA-2006A) (1 watt @ 4 ohms)

Main

-79.2 dBA

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to full output.

Main

-98.0 dBA

THD+N at rated 4 ohm power

Main

0.003%

Maximum Efficiency at full 4 ohm power per ch.

87.2%

Maximum Efficiency at full 2 ohm power per ch.

80.9%

Idle Current

2.3 A

Input Sensitivity

(RCA low level)

Maximum Current @ full power, lowest rated impedance Frequency Response (-3 dB)

+1

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10 to 80Hz -24 dB/Oct

Bass EQ

+18 dB @ 45 Hz

efficiency at four ohms is better than 87 percent, which means only 13 percent of the power consumed was lost to heating.

At one-third power, where we do most of our listening, and many amplifiers struggle to hit 50 percent, the VIV900.5 came in at 80.7 percent!

REAR CHANNELS CROSSOVERS - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

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SUB CHANNEL FILTERS - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

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I am a fan of this amplifier. It’s wellmade, sounds good, has a lot of adjustability, and can easily be interfaced into almost any type of installation. If you’re in the market for a high-performance multichannel amplifier that can drive your whole system with only one chassis, the Memphis VIV900.5 should be high on your list of amps to audition.

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REAR CHANNELS CROSSOVERS - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

MemphisCarAudio

The following power measurements were obtained as follows: (100 HZ @ 1.0% THD+N - Battery voltages shown, +/- 0.1V)

Back on the test bench, the measurements correlated with what I had heard. The amplifier’s signal-to-noise performance is good, THD+N is very low, and the frequency response across the audio band is ruler flat, with less than 0.5 dB of deviation from perfect from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Multi-channel amplifiers aren’t always the most efficient models, but this amp proved to be just as good as many single- or twochannel models. Overall power

MAIN CH MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

@memphiscaraudiousa

TECHNICAL DATA

ON THE BENCH

MAIN CH MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

@MemphisCarAudio

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TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Kicker CompRT Subwoofer System Review Reliable, ground-pounding bass power in a format that will fit into the tighest of spaces in your vehicle.

F

“IF YOU HAVE EVER WANTED TO INSTALL A GROUND POUNDING SUBWOOFER SYSTEM IN YOUR VEHICLE, BUT COULDN’T OVERCOME SPACE CONSTRAINTS, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU.”

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rom their world headquarters in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the Kicker brand of car audio continues to turn out revolutionary problem solving new products. If you have ever wanted to install a ground pounding subwoofer system in your vehicle, but couldn’t overcome space constraints, this one’s for you. By utilizing their “Reflex Subwoofer” technology and advanced enclosure construction, Kicker has solved the space constraint problem for a lot of people.

The new CompRT loaded enclosures are some of the thinnest fully-finished enclosures available.

Thanks to the implementation of a passive radiator with the Reflex Subwoofer technology, these incredibly space-saving systems can provide all the bass you’ve been waiting for. The CompRT loaded enclosures are available in three sizes, eight, 10, and 12 inches, and each size can be had in either two- or four-ohm configurations. For our review, they graciously sent a 12-inch, two-ohm version, known as the TCWRT122. This system has a retail price of $349.95 in the U.S. and is designed to handle a 500watt amplifier.

FEATURES The shallow depth system is based around one of Kicker’s CompRT shallow-mount woofers, coupled with a specially designed passive radiator. Both elements use Kicker’s ribbed Santoprene surrounds and reinforced polypropylene flat cones. The enclosure is manufactured from medium density fiberboard (MDF) and uses rugged internal bracing to keep it rigid and resonance free.

So, why a passive radiator instead of a typical port? A passive radiator system works very similar to a typical ported enclosure, but has a few significant differences.

To be sure, designing a properly tuned passive radiator is more complex and expensive than standard ports, however, many ported systems with typical sub enclosure low frequency tuning lack the ability to displace the large volumes of air necessary when the woofer is operating near full excursion. This is because the port volume is almost always too small for the amount of air to be moved at high power levels. By the time you get the port volume large enough to displace the required air volume, the ports are too long to fit in the vehicle!

This is where the passive radiator comes in. Although it may not be readily apparent, passive radiators work on the same principle as a port. The air inside a sealed box is compressible, but then it “springs” back. This pushing back effect is called “compliance,” and mechanically it’s much like a spring. Any spring will have a resonance frequency. If you hang a weight on the end of the spring, it will oscillate slower, or at a lower frequency. Increase the weight, and you lower the frequency further. The same thing goes for a passive radiator. The tuning is accomplished by carefully adjusting the compliance and the moving mass. Only now, you don’t have to worry about losing output to inadequate port sizes because the passive radiators can have massive excursion capability.

LISTENING I connected the CompRT Loaded enclosure to my reference system and set my amplifier’s second order low-pass crossover at 100 Hz. The Kicker woofer system immediately surprised me with the amount of output produced. I began with a really cool bass track that isn’t very

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QUICK TECH SPECS well known. The song is BTO’s Not Fragile. Produced in the early ‘70s, this was one of the first recordings I have ever heard that had really well-recorded low bass on it. In the beginning of this track, bassist Fred Turner lays down a deep groove that’s continued throughout most of the song. Between Fred’s bass and Rob Bachman’s kick drum and floor tom work, the track is pretty telling of a woofer’s ability to reproduce rapid changes in deep bass notes. The slim Kicker system proved easily up to the task, with very good attack and decay, and a naturalsounding timbre. A truly musical woofer needs to be articulate and have the ability to not just boom, but also to reproduce all the intricate details that can be found in the bass portion of music. In this area, the shallow system really rose to the occasion. Using a bunch of different tracks, like Rickie Lee Jones’ Danny’s All Star Joint, or Imelda May’s Johnny Got a Boom Boom with expertly played plucked stand-up bass, the sonics of the system were impressive.

ON THE BENCH After the system had cooled down, I moved it back to the test bench for a couple of basic measurements. With the frequency response of the system measured

@kickeraudio

@kickeraudio

/kickeraudio

KICKER

Power Handling

500 Watts RMS

Frequency Range

30 Hz – 200 Hz

Sensitivity (system)

83.6 dB/SPL @ 1.0 W (1.414 V @ 2 ohms)v

Nominal Impedance

2 ohms (4 ohms available)

Impedance curve

Nearfield Frequency Response

and the impedance curve recorded, my measurements reinforced what I had heard the day before.

The shallow-mount woofer system has good output from about 40 Hz to over 150 Hz. When you factor in the typical transfer function of a car, there will be great output all the way down to the lowest registers. The impedance curve looked exactly as you’d expect with two pronounced impedance peaks on each side of the passive radiators resonant frequency (see the provided graphs).

CONCLUSION If you have been going without strong, deep bass in your ride because you couldn’t fit a typical enclosure in your available space, this system is going to make you a happy camper. For roughly the price of a good single woofer, you get a properly-built, accuratelytuned, fully-functional system.

The incredibly shallow design will fit in almost any vehicle, and the 500-watt power handling capability provides great reliability, as well as plenty of output for almost anyone.

What more can you ask for?

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TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Kenwood DRV-410 Dashboard Camera This dashcam from Kenwood records high quality video in a variety of light settings, and comes with bonus safety features to boot.

Y

“INSTALLATION OF THE CAMERA IS QUICK AND EASY.”

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ou may have noticed cars driving around with a small camera mounted to the dash, or perhaps you’ve seen a bunch of internet videos where these cameras recorded accidents or near-misses. While dash-cams have been popular in other parts of the world for quite a while, they are just now catching on in North America.

The dash-cam is simply a unit that mounts to your dash or windshield and automatically records as you drive. When the internal memory becomes full, it simply overwrites the earliest recordings and keeps on going. A good dashcam is one of the best possible witnesses you could have in the case of an accident, particularly when it’s down to a matter of your word against someone else’s as to who ran the red light. Dashboard cameras are also great tools for reporting reckless or drunk drivers, and are great for worried

parents of teen drivers. Another excellent reason for a dash cam is the prevention of the common fraudulent claim. From faking injuries to extorting payment on the spot, a dash cam will have these knuckleheads slinking off in the other direction. Maybe you simply want to record an epic drive or road trip. A good dash-cam and a handful of memory cards can provide an excellent memory of your adventure.

The Kenwood DRV-410 camera not only records your drives, but it does it in greater resolution than other cameras. With a resolution of 2304 by 1296 pixels, it has a three-megapixel capability rather than just the two megapixels you get from a regular “Hi-Vision” camera. Additionally, it’s GPS enabled, so it always knows exactly where you are should an event occur. Also built into the DRV-410 is a sophisticated three-axis G-force sensor with three levels

of sensitivity. This sensor can be used to begin a recording should an impact to the vehicle occur when parked. This can be incredibly helpful when trying to prove who is at fault in an accident, or where the car was located when vandalism occurred. Should an event occur, Kenwood Drive Reviewer is a free PC application that displays the recorded video and all the pertinent information, such as time of day, location, and speed on your computer.

Installation of the camera is quick and easy. You simply attach the mounting bracket to the camera, and stick the mount’s adhesive pad where you want the camera located. The unit can be powered by two different types of power cords: one is a typical cigarette lighter cord, and the other is a longer cord that can be hidden and hardwired to the vehicle’s fuse box for a more permanent installation, or if you want to make use

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 TECH & CAR AUDIO // 7TH EDITION

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TEST REPORT Kenwood DRV-410

of the parking recording function when your car is turned off. Once the camera is mounted and wired, you turn it on and adjust the angle for best coverage and tighten the locking ring.

Once installed and aimed, you go through a quick setup procedure in the camera’s menu, which sets the camera’s mounting height and distance back from the front bumper, and that’s it! You are ready to drive protected by Super HD video recording!

The DRV-410 uses high dynamic range capability to prevent under or overexposing the image, like when entering or exiting a tunnel in bright daylight for example. This improved dynamic range, coupled with the Super HD resolution, allows the camera to take much clearer and legible video in difficult places, like parking garages or at night. Memory for the camera is via a standard SD card and the camera includes an 8-GB memory card, but you can swap it out for up to a 32-GB card.

With the included 8-GB card, you can record up to 50 minutes in Super HD video, or up to five separate files before any overwriting begins.

There are four available recording modes, with a Continuous Recording mode being the

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For more test reports, download the PASMAG+ tablet app for free from the App Store.

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“THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER VALUABLE AND SAFETY RELATED FUNCTIONS BUILT INTO THE KENWOOD CAMERA AS WELL.”

default that comes on at camera power up. There is also a manual recording mode, which will record everything from 10 seconds before you pressed the button until you stop the recording or it times out at the time setting you selected. You can also extend the manual recording time by simply pressing the button again. Event Recording mode starts after the detection of a sudden collision or other impact. This event recording creates its own file, and begins 10 seconds before the event occurred if you were already in the continuous recording mode. The fourth mode is Parking Recording mode, which occurs when the power to the unit is normally turned off, but the camera has been hardwired to a constant power source.

Thanks to the onboard G-force sensor, the impact will turn the camera on, and recording will start a few seconds after the impact occurred. When parking recording ends, the camera automatically returns to collision monitoring. The Kenwood camera allows you to start recording manually as well, and can also be used to take still photos if needed.

There are several other valuable and

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safety related functions built into the Kenwood camera as well. For example, if you are traveling over 40 mph and your car drifts into an adjacent lane, the unit will beep to alert you. If you become too close to the car in front of you, the collision avoidance warning will sound, giving you time to brake and avoid a collision. It will even remind you that the traffic in front of you has moved when waiting at a stop light, or if your car has begun to roll backward, should you become distracted. In case of an unexpected interruption of the power, there are internal super capacitor power supplies that retain power long enough for the video file to be closed properly, instead of getting corrupted and becoming useless.

With the introduction of the Kenwood DRV-410, there is a simple easy-to-use camera that can not only provide peace of mind and critical evidence if needed, but its safety warnings can keep you out of trouble during your daily commute. The DRV-410 sells for around $200 in the U.S. and is available at your local Kenwood dealer.

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2017 car audio event listings IASCA

USACI

dBDRA

MECA

International Auto Sound Challenge Association

United States Autosound Competition International

dB Drag Racing Association

Mobile Electronics Competition Association

Recognized in 34 countries around the world, IASCA is more than car audio competition.

High-profile industry members and retail dealers use IASCA’s marketing ability to push business to their stores as well. When it comes to competition, IASCA is about helping you gain the knowledge required to improve your system, with score sheets showing competitors the strong points of their setup, as well as showing where there is room for improvement.

With sanctioned affiliates across to globe, as well as across the United States, USACI takes global audio competition seriously.

With certified judges and championship rings planned for 2017, their series of sanctioned competitions is one to watch.

Beginning with their first contest in 1995, dBDRA was created to put fun and excitement back into the auto sound competition arena.

With over 10,000 sanctioned events to date in more than 40 countries around the world, dBDRA is an industry leader in serious car audio competition.

MECA is both a club and a mobile electronics contest organization. The organizing body hosts car shows and competitions complete with music and contests. Their shows feature varying levels of competition, including everything from Show & Shine, Sound Quality League, Sound Pressure League, and even a Ride the Light specialty lighting contest which makes for a great night-time event. They even have a MECA Kids contest using Power Wheels toys!

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DATE

SHOW NAME

ORG

Jan 5-8 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 15 Jan 29 Feb 5 Feb 12 Feb 12 Feb 19 Feb 24-26 Feb 25 Feb 26 Mar 4-5 Mar 5 Mar 5 Mar 5 Mar 12 Mar 12 Mar 19 Mar 25-26 Mar 26 Mar 26 Apr 2 Apr 2 Apr 2 Apr 2 Apr 9 Apr 15 Apr 23 Apr 23 Apr 23 Apr 30 Apr 30 May 7 May 13 May 13 May 13 May 14 May 21 May 27 May 27 May 28 May 28 Jun 3 Jun 10-11 Jun 11 Jun 11 Jun 24 Jun 25 Jun 25 Jul 21-23 Jul 22 Jul 23 Jul 23 Aug 5 Aug 12-14 Aug 12 Aug 13 Aug 13 Aug 19 Aug 26-27 Sept TBA Sept 9 Sept 9 Sept 16 Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 6-8 Oct 14-15 Oct 14-15 Oct 21 Nov 11-12

CES CES Sound Off Import Face-Off: Tucson Import Face-Off: Bradenton Import Face-Off: Gainesville SQOLOGY: Winter Warm-Up Freezefest Import Face-Off: Chandler Import Face-Off: Baytown Lone Star Throwdown KMS Drift: Round 1 Import Face-Off: Bakersfield Heat Wave: Spring Break Jam Import Face-Off: Fontana Import Face-Off: Montgomery SQOLOGY: Knoxville Import Face-Off: Louisiana KMS Drift: Round 2 Import Face-Off: Las Vegas AUTOGRAS Import Face-Off: Crofton Import Face-Off: Noble April’s Fool’s Fest Autism Awareness Import Face-Off: Atco Import Face-Off: Rockingham Import Face-Off: Topeka KMS Drift: Round 3 DelMarVa Soundfest Series: 1 Import Face-Off: Hebron Import Face-Off: West Lebanon Import Face-Off: St. Louis SQOLOGY: Chantilly Import Face-Off: Ennis Fresh Designs Pro Season Finale SQOLOGY: Bloomington KMS Drift: Round 4 Import Face-Off: Epping Spring Fling dB Drag Slammin’ N’ Jammin Import Face-Off: Milan Import Face-Off: Woodburn Aggieland Invitational SQ Tournament Slamology Import Face-Off: Joliet Import Face-Off: Tulsa dB Drag Shake The Lake: 1 SQOLOGY: Chantilly Texas Heat Heave dB Drag DelMarVa Soundfest Series: 2 The Vinny SQOLOGY: Mid Summer Mayhem KnowledgeFest Sundown Audio Show Shake The Lake: 2 Slammin For Soldiers dB Drag Surf City Soundoff Heat Wave: Border Bash KMS Drift: Round 5 SQOLOGY: Vacaville SQOLOGY: Series Finale Tennessee Soundfest: State Finals DelMarVa Soundfest Series: 3 - State Finals World Finals Heat Wave Car Audio Championship KMS Drift: Round 6 KMS Drift: Round 7

USACi USACi USACi USACi IASCA, MECA MECA USACi USACi USACi SLS Sound Off USACi USACi USACi USACi IASCA, MECA USACi SLS Sound Off USACi MECA USACi USACi MECA MECA USACi USACi USACi SLS Sound Off MECA USACi USACi USACi IASCA USACi IASCA IASCA MECA SLS Sound Off USACi MECA dB Drag MECA USACi USACi IASCA MECA USACi USACi dB Drag MECA IASCA USACi dB Drag MECA MECA MECA MECA MECA MECA dB Drag dB Drag, IASCA USACi SLS Sound Off MECA MECA MECA MECA USACi USACi dB Drag, IASCA, MECA SLS Sound Off SLS Sound Off

PASMAG

VENUE Las Vegas Convention Center DC Sounds Unlimited Tucson Dragway Bradenton Motorsports Park Auto Plus Raceway Audio Specialists James E. Ward Ag Center Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park Royal Purple Raceway Lone Star Expo Center Rockingham Dragway Auto Club Famoso Raceway South Padre Island Convention Center California Speed Way Drag Strip Montgomery Raceway Park Sound Factory No Problem Raceway Carteret Speedway The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speeway Zephyr Stadium Official Capitol Raceway Thunder Valley Raceway Park James E. Ward Ag Center TBA Atco Raceway Rockingham Dragway Heartland Park Topeka Rockingham Dragway Fresh Designs Pros National Trail Raceway Lebanon Valley Speedway Gateway Motorsports Park Driven Mobile Electronics Texas Motorplex Fresh Designs Pros Mobile Audio Plus Rockingham Dragway New England Dragway & Motorsports Park James E. Ward Ag Center FX Audio Sevierville County Fairgrounds Milan Dragway Woodburn Dragstrip Mobile Toys Inc Lucas Oil Raceway Route 66 Raceway Tulsa Raceway Park FX Audio Custom Audio Driven Mobile Electronics Travis County Expo Center FX Audio Fresh Designs Pros James E. Ward Ag Center GNC Customs Dallas Convention Center Sundown Audio Custom Audio Polish Club Picnic Grounds FX Audio Chinook Winds Casino Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Rockingham Dragway Audio Intensity Mobile Audio Plus James E. Ward Ag Center Fresh Designs Pros Wichita Falls Expo RMB Regional Fairgrounds Kentucky Expo Center Carteret Speedway Rockingham Dragway

LOCATION Las Vegas, NV Henderson, NV Tucson, AZ Bradenton, FL Gainesville, FL Hopinsville, KY Lebanon, TN Chandler, AZ Baytown, TX Conroe, TX Rockingham, NC Bakersfield, CA South Padre Island, TX Fontana, CA Mongomery, AL Knoxville, TX Belle Rose, LA Swansboro, NC Las Vegas, NV New Orleans, LA Crofton, MD Lexington, OK Lebanon, TN Manassas, VA Atco, NJ Rockingham, NC Topeka, KS Rockingham, NC Ellicott City, MD Hebron, OH West Lebanon, NY Madison, IL Chantilly, VA Ennis, TX Ellicott City, MD Bloomington, IL Rockingham, NC Epping, NH Lebanon, TN Spruce Grove, AB Sevierville, TN Milan, MI Woodburn, OR College Station, TX Indianapolis, IN Joliet, IL Tulsa, OK Spruce Grove, AB Erie, PA Chantilly, VA Austin, TX Spruce Grove, AB Ellicott City, MD Lebanon, TN Goshen, IN Dallas, TX Claremont, NC Erie, PA Dayton, OH Spruce Grove, AB Lincoln City, OR Mercedes, TX Rockingham, NC Vacaville, CA Bloomington, IL Lebanon, TN Ellicott City, MD Wichita Falls, TX Robstown, TX Louisville, KY Swansboro, NC Rockingham, NC

WEBSITE ces.tech usaciworldwide.org importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net iasca.com mecacaraudio.com importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net lonestarthrowdown.com kossmotorsports.com importfaceoff.net heatwaveshow.com importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net iasca.com importfaceoff.net kossmotorsports.com importfaceoff.net autogras.com importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net mecacaraudio.com mecacaraudio.com importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net kossmotorsports.com mecacaraudio.com importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net iasca.com importfaceoff.net iasca.com iasca.com kossmotorsports.com importfaceoff.net mecacaraudio.com termpro.com mecacaraudio.com importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net iasca.com slamology.com importfaceoff.net importfaceoff.net termpro.com customaudio.net iasca.com heatwaveshow.com termpro.com mecacaraudio.com mecacaraudio.com mecacaraudio.com knowledgefest.org mecacaraudio.com www.customaudio.net mecacaraudio.com termpro.com iasca.com heatwaveshow.com kossmotorsports.com audiointensity.com mecacaraudio.com mecacaraudio.com mecacaraudio.com usaciworldwide.org heatwaveshow.com caraudiochampionship.com kossmotorsports.com kossmotorsports.com

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 TECH & CAR AUDIO // 7TH EDITION

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S65

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Spot EXTRAS THE DIFFERENCES.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRAVIS CHIN

ORIGINAL

ALTERED

Want to win some awesome PASMAG gear?

Send us the 10 CORRECT answers to this puzzle at letters@pasmag.com for a chance to win a PASMAG Fan Pack (T-shirt, Formula Drift 10th Anniversary Photo Book, stickers and some copies of PASMAG)!

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