PASMAG - Tuning Essentials - Mobile Electronics Guide - Vol. 6

CLARION BUILDS’ NSX: RESURRECTING A LEGEND T U N I N G ESSENTIALS

CAR AUDIO UPGRADE GUIDE S P E C I A L

HOT NEW MOBILE ELECTRONICS! PAS_2016_TE_ME06_Cover.indd 1

Display Until 11/30/16 R10760 PM40069655

100 OVER

$6.99

PASMAG.COM

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IMMORTALITY ACHIEVED

T H E U L T I M AT E M I X O F O L D A N D N E W MASTERED PERFECTLY BY CLARION BUILDS Clarion Builds’ Project NSX started with a bone stock, tired old gen one Acura NSX with 229,000 miles on the odometer. In our signature style, we brought together an elite group of industry leaders to do what they do best as we took on the ground-up restoration, modernization and tasteful modification of this automotive legend. After a full year of painstaking work, with a no-expenses barred attitude, we resurrected and reinvented an icon the like of which did not previously exist.

Learn about the Clarion Builds program, our mission, our partners and what went into bringing this genre-redefining supercar back to life at CLARIONBUILDS.COM

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KW-V820BT

MULTIMEDIA RECEIVER 6.8� CLEAR RESISTIVE TOUCH CONTROL JVC Mobile Entertainment JVC Mobile USA | Offici

APPLE CARPLAY

iDATALINK MAESTRO

HI-RESOLUTION AUDIO

@JVCMobileUSA @JVCMobile

#JVCMobile #QualityBuilt #Since1982 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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CDR895-4-697_PASMAG_LIFESTL_AD_PRINT.pdf

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MY

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CONTENTS T U N I N G

E S S E N T I A L S

18 R

2 0 1 6

M O B I L E

E L E C T R O N I C S

// 6 T H

E D I T I O N

22 28

Head Units & Multimedia

P

//

OD U

Subwoofers

Amplifiers

C T

G

U

IDE S

34 38 40 Speakers

Batteries

12-Volt Accessories

NSXT LEVEL Clarion Builds’ Acura NSX: Resurrecting a Legend

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TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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powered by

DIGITAL INTERFACE PROCESSOR

HIGH PERFORMANCE OEM INTEGRATION.

Hertz H8 DSP digital interface processor provides the ability to interface with any analog and/or digital source, transforming ordinary “audio” into a high-performance integrated system.

The unlimited calculation capability is combined with an extremely user-friendly software interface.

• • • • • • • •

Elettromedia USA

Contact phone: 877-567-3030 www.elettromedia-usa.com

OUTPUTS: 8 INDEPENDENT ANALOG PRE CHANNELS FEATURING ADJUSTABLE LEVEL. INPUTS: 4 INDEPENDENT HIGH-LEVEL CHANNELS, 1 ANALOG LOW-LEVEL STEREO AUXILIARY, 1 OPTICAL DIGITAL INPUT. AUTOMATIC DE-EQUALIZATION OF THE OEM SOURCE SIGNAL WITHOUT THE USE OF A PC. AUTOMATIC RECONSTRUCTION OF A LINEAR FULL-BANDWIDTH STEREO SIGNAL. TIME ALIGNMENT: GUIDED PROCEDURE FOR THE SPEAKER DISTANCE DATA ENTRY WITH AN AUTOMATED CALCULATION (DISTANCE TO TIME) FOR EACH CHANNEL ACCURATE TIMES DELAYS. HI-END 24 BIT A/D AND D/A CONVERTERS. CROSSOVERS: LINKWITZ OR BUTTERWORTH CROSSOVER ALIGNMENT, WITH ADJUSTABLE SLOPES (6- 24 DB/OCT.).

EQ: 31 BANDS OF 1/3 OCTAVE EQUALIZATION, +/- 12 DB RANGE WITH 128 STEPS RESOLUTION.

Optional DRC HE Digital Remote Control: set-up memory and inputs selection; volume, balance, fader and subwoofer level as well as display brightness adjustment.

Trends Electronics Canada

Contact phone: 877-946-9255 ca.hertzaudiovideo.com

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www.hertzaudiovideo.eu

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CONTENTS T U N I N G

E S S E N T I A L S

TEST REPORTS

76 FOCAL E 30 KX SUBWOOFER

//

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M O B I L E

E L E C T R O N I C S

50 CLARION FDS SYSTEM

// 6 T H

E D I T I O N

52 ALPINE INE-W967HD HEAD UNIT

56 KENWOOD DNX893S HEAD UNIT

78

72

POWERBASS OE65C-TY SPEAKERS

SONY XM-S400D AMPLIFIER

60

68 ROCKFORD FOSGATE T750X1BD AMPLIFIER

AUDIOPIPE APNK-40001 AMPLIFIER

64 KICKER CXA1800.1 AMPLIFIER

EXTRAS

82

14

SPOT THE DIFFERENCES: SLAMOLOGY 2016

PASMAG

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH 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

HERE COMES THE

I

BOOM Oh, hey. Fancy seeing you here.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS GOSDA

I recently believe I’ve become clairvoyant, so let me test the theory. You’re holding this issue because you love car audio, aren’t you? I know I was right. I foresaw it. Fight me, Long Island Medium.

Anyway, welcome to PASMAG’s special issue dedicated to all that is loud, proud, and stoking the crowd: car audio! If you’re in the market for some serious upgrades, or you’re just curious about what some of the newest tech out there for your sound system is, you’ve come to the right place, friend-o.

Garry Springgay is the man with the plan, and quite possibly some type of time distortion device, as we have no idea how he’s able to crank out Test Reports of the newest mobile electronics with such a frequency.

There are nine in this issue alone, ranging from bow to stern, head units up front to subs in the trunk, all from some serious innovators in the in-car technology game. Get yourself learned.

Our feature car this time around is the build process as a whole of the Clarion Builds NSX. You remember that little Bimmer we featured last year? Consider this the follow-up hit. The Builds team has taken a roughed-up 1991 Acura NSX and transformed it into a street-able daily driver supercar with some of the most innovative tech to hit the industry in some time.

Are we famous for our product guides yet? We should be at this point. I mean, look at how in-depth they are! For every single speaker, amp, and sub we’ve listed a breakdown of their specs for you to compare as you browse. You’re welcome (my psychic ability surfacing again). Be sure to check out the guides for head units and batteries, as well as “12-Volt Accessories,” which has all the bits and bobs to help complete your system.

From everyone here at PASMAG, we really hope you enjoy the issue. Have a question or comment? Building something awesome? Do you doubt my psychic ability? Are you the Long Island Medium and actually want to fight? Send me an email at edi or@pasmag.com! I always love to hear from you guys.

Until then: Stay loud!

MICKY SLINGER PASMAG EDITOR

C O N N E C T MAKING IT EASIER TO STALK US THAN EVER BEFORE!

pasmag.com

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TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH 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 EDITOR Micky Slinger EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Michael Bettencourt ASSOCIATE EDITOR Adam Gordon TECHNICAL EDITOR Garry Springgay DIGITAL COORDINATORS Nick Jambrosic, Adam Steinberg

C O N T R I B U TO R S Larry Chen Chris Gosda Jubal Leierer

A RT + P R O D U CT I O N 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 MEDIA SALES COORDINATOR/PRODUCT EDITOR Kevin Tay 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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Head Units & Multimedia

ACCELE ELECTRONICS

ALPINE

Importel.com

$1,700 | Alpine-USA.com

Accele Electronics ceiling-mounted monitors are the ultimate in performance and quality. Its 17-inch widescreen HD display and multiple source inputs make it the perfect entertainment companion for those long road trips.

The INE-W967HD audio/video/navigation/ Bluetooth mech-less receiver has a 7-inch capacitive touch screen. When used with the optional KAC-001 External Accessory Controller, it controls truck/Jeep accessories such as a motorized tonneau cover, light bar, and more from the touch screen. Features include HD Radio, iPod and iPhone control, HDMI playback and SiriusXM.

Enjoy 2-way DualMirror for Apple and Android devices: mirror the screen of the connected device onto the receiver’s screen, and control (Android only) the device directly from the receiver. Great for navigation, music, etc. Smartphones connect via cable or wirelessly. The built-in Bluetooth supports audio streaming with ID3 tag and hands-free calling.

CLARION

DS18

DUAL

$1,199.99 | Clarion.com

$179.99 | DS18.com

The NX706 is a premium 2-DIN Navigation receiver with a bright, clear 7-inch LCD Display and state-ofthe-art Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming.

The NX706 is the only source unit in the industry to output all signal sources via a TOSLINK Digital output while maintaining volume control functionality. This is perfect for the Clarion FDS, or any stand-alone DSP processor with a TOSLINK input.

Multimedia gets taken to another awesome level with DS18’s DD652. Sleek design and an entertaining interface are just the beginning. Features include AM/FM, CD, digital input, DVD-capability and USB compatibility.

JBL

JENSEN

AXFD17 Ceiling Monitor

NX706 Head Unit

Legend CP-100 Smartphone Receiver $399.95 | JBL.com The JBL Legend CP100 in-dash smartphone receiver upgrades your 2-DIN system to a 6.75inch touchscreen connected car experience. It’s Bluetooth-enabled, has a rear camera input, is steering wheel interface ready and provides turn-by- turn navigation through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

18

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PASMAG

INE-W967HD Head Unit

DD652 Head Unit

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

AXXERA

AV6336MB Multimedia Receiver w/ DualMirror $239.99 | AxxeraAudio.com

DV635MB Multimedia Receiver w/ DualMirror $ 2 1 9 . 9 9 | D u a l AV. c o m Enjoy 2-way DualMirror for Apple and Android devices: mirror the screen of the connected device onto the receiver’s screen, and control (Android only) the device directly from the receiver. Great for navigation, music, etc. Smartphone connects via cable or wirelessly (cables and DMH25 Wi-Fi dongle sold separately). The built-in Bluetooth supports audio streaming with ID3 tag and hands-free calling.

JVC

KW-V820BT CarPlay Receiver $699 | Kenwood.com Apple CarPlay Receiver featuring 6.8-inch clear resistive touch panel, high-resolution audio, and iDataLink Maestro compatibility to seemlessly intigrate into the factory sound system. Also capable of Bluetooth telephone and audio streaming, as well as features dual USBs and a 13-band EQ.

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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DON’T BREAK UP WITH YOUR CAR

UPGRADE IT

BEFORE

AFTER

SMARTPHONE TECHNOLOGY

CONVENIENCE PACKAGE

MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT

Upgrade your vehicle

Put your mind at ease while

Enjoy more entertainment

with the latest in-vehicle

on the road when you upgrade

options when you upgrade the

smartphone technology

your vehicle with safety and

music sources in your vehicle with

convenience features including

HD Radio™, Pandora®, SiriusXM®2,

back up camera, navigation,

and Spotify®.

by adding Android Auto™, Apple CarPlay™, and Bluetooth . ®

rear parking assist1, and vehicle diagnostic information1.

1. Retained features may vary by vehicle. Check compatibility at mestro.idatalink.com. Maestro RR module and additional accessory cables required.

2. SiriusXM Connect Vehicle Tuner and subscription to SiriusXM Radio required (sold separately).

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.

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Head Units & Multimedia

KENWOOD

METRA

PIONEER

$1,539 | Kenwood.com

MetraOnline.com

$700 | PioneerElectronics.com

The DNX893S features a 6.95-inch VGA color LCD display with LED back light, a capacitive touch panel, motorized reverse tilt with six-step angle adjust and built-in Garmin navigation with photoreal junction view and lane assist. Compatible with Anroid Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Painted scratch-resistant matte black, the new 957812B kit provides the ability to install a 2-DIN radio.

The kit includes a radio trim panel and brackets to mount the radio. To complete the installation, use Metra’s wiring harness (part number 70-1731), XSVI 1731 – Nav (only required to retain NAV outputs), and Antenna adapter (40-HD11), all sold separately.

This 2-DIN multimedia receiver with 7-inch touchscreen display, features Apple CarPlay, the smarter and safer way to use your iPhone in the car. The AVH-4200NEX also features Android Auto, which extends the Android platform into the car in a way that’s purpose-built for driving and automatically brings you useful information.

PLANET AUDIO

PYLE

ROCKFORD FOSGATE

$229.99 | PlanetAudioUSA.com

$886.99 |PyleAudio.com

From $299 | RockfordFosgate.com

The Planet Audio PNV9674 double-DIN unit has all of the features that users need at a price they can afford. With upgradable mapping, Bluetooth audio streaming, DVD/AM/FM/USB/SD and auxiliary inputs, the PNV9674 allows users the ultimate in flexibility and ease of use. The 6.2-inch touchscreen and custom GUI allow users complete control of their system.

Unlock tablet-style functionality, along with DVR dash cam recording for your vehicle with the Pyle Android stereo receiver and dash cam system.

The 7-inch touchscreen display head comes jampacked with entertainment and safety features like Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth wireless music streaming, hands-free calling, GPS navigation, HD 1080p multimedia support, web surfing, and downloadable apps.

The PMX-8BB hide-away digital media receiver is designed for system flexibility. With features like SiriusXM, Pandora control, Bluetooth audio steaming and true 4 zone/ 4 source control, this unit combined with the PMX-8DH display head becomes a true command center of any system. Add the EEprom memory system, Custom GUI and wired remote expansion capabilities and you're ready for anything.

ROSEN

SONY

SOUNDSTREAM

$1,899 | RosenElectronics.com

$ 1 ,4 9 9 . 9 9 | S o n y. c o m

$279.99 | Soundstream.com

The FIT-MUST15 is designed for select 2015 and up Ford Mustang vehicles. The complete upgrade kit provides a larger 8-inch LCD screen and includes the latest iGO NEXTGEN navigation for turn-by-turn route guidance, HDMI connectivity for smartphone mirroring, and a back-up camera input for safety and convenience. The system offers the same factory appearance and retains the Ford Sync system.

Take your in-car audio to outstanding new heights with the RSX-GS9 high-resolution audio receiver with Bluetooth. The new RSX-GS9 pairs outstanding sound with beautiful design for a truly exhilarating in-car high-res audio experience. It delivers the original, full range of sound from the master recording, offering a studio quality listening experience you have to hear to believe.

VRN-65HB features GPS turn-by turn navigation for USA, Canada, and Mexico. Set your destination and follow the commands by text-to-speech directions, including lane guidance. Additional features include favorites list, programmable home destination, destination fuel estimates, multi-lingual/multigender voices, speed limit warnings, and more!

DNX893S Multimedia Receiver

PNV9674 Navigation Receiver

FIT-MUST15 for 2015+ Ford Mustang

20

GUIDE

PASMAG

95-7812B Trim Kit for 2016+ Honda Civic

Pyleview PLDNANDVR695 Receiver

RSX-GS9 Hi-Res Media Receiver

AVH-4200NEX Multimedia Receiver

PMX-88B/PMX-8DH Multimedia Receiver

Aptix VRN-65HB Navigation Unit

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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Amplifier

ALPINE

ARC AUDIO

AUDIOCONTROL

$230 | Alpine-USA.com

$859 | ArcAudio.com

$499 | AudioControl.com

CHANNELS: 4 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 50 W x 4 CROSSOVERS: N/A EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20 Hz -20 kHz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): 98 dBA (10 W into 4 ohms) DIMENSIONS (IN.): 8.25 x 7.9 x 2.2 The MRV-F300 4-channel amplifier o ers style and performance at an attractive price. It's rated at 50W RMS x 4 (4 ohm @ 14.4 V ≤1% THD + N); 75W RMS x 4 (2 ohm @ 14.4 V ≤ 1% THD + N) and has a S/N ratio of 81 dB (1 W into 4 ohms). The small footprint allows for various install locations. The side control panel is accessed via a snap-on cover for easy tweaking.

CHANNELS: 6 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 150 W x 6 @ 4 ohms CROSSOVERS: Low-Pass/High-Pass/Bandpass EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20 Hz-20 kHz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): 81 dB DIMENSIONS (IN.): 13 x 6.26 x 2.162 Designed by Robert Zeff, exclusively for ARC Audio, the debut of the newest generation of XDi amplifiers is a estament to the out of the box thinking it takes to taking create the next "big thing" in car audio. The ARC Audio XDi 1200.6 multi-channel amplifier is the newest in single amplifier ystem solutions packing over 1,200 watts of power in a single chassis.

CHANNELS: 4 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 125 W x 4 @ 4 ohms CROSSOVERS: N/A EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: N/A S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): 102 dBA (200W into 2 ohms) DIMENSIONS (IN.): 9 x 7.95 x 2.1 AudioControl continues success with the introduction of another game changing full-range amplifie . The new LC-4.800 model features 4 channels of power and over 125 watts RMS at 4 ohms.

The LC-4.800 has six high-level speaker inputs that allow for signals to be summed directly into the amplifie , one input even has a level control to ensure matched input levels during summing.

AUDISON

AXXERA

A u di s o n . e u

$199.99 | AxxeraAudio.com

CHANNELS: 2 TOPOLOGY: Class-BR CEA-2006 POWER: N/A CROSSOVERS: DR High-Pass at 160 Hz EQUALIZATION: 7 dB boost @ 43 Hz FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20 Hz -30 kHz S/N RATIO: 90 dB DIMENSIONS (IN.): 6 x 2.5 x 1 Compact, active preamp OEM converter, with balanced, differential (high-level/RCA) inputs, provides 9.5 V RMS, with low output impedance, plus 'ELF-Q' sub-bass boost, and 24-dB gain for superior sound quality. Designed for use with most Euro factory amplified ystems, the LDS3 will accept up to 40 V/500 watts RMS, and features dual-mode smart turn-on/off ci cuity.

CHANNELS: 6 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 35 W x 8 @ 4 ohms (<1% THD+N, 14.4 V) CROSSOVERS: Full-Pass / High-Pass / Low-Pass / Bandpass Linkwitz @ 12/24 dB – Butterworth @ 6/12/18/24 dB EQUALIZATION: N.9 parametrics equalizers: +/- 12 dB; 10 pole; 20/20kHz FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10 Hz - 22 kHz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): 95 dBa DIMENSIONS (IN.): 7.8 x 1.8 x 5.27 Thanks to the 9-channel built-in DSP, the compact AP8.9 bit achieves impressive performances in OEM Integration applications.

The powerful management software ensures a wide array of adjustments to improve the acoustic response, and thanks to the innovative power supply stage, a power of 520 W total can be achieved in an extremely compact case.

CHANNELS: 4 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 74 W x 4 @ 4 ohms CROSSOVERS: Variable High-Pass (35 Hz - 250 Hz, 12 dB/Oct) / Variable Low-Pass (35 Hz - 250 Hz, 12 dB/Oct) EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10 Hz - 22 kHz (-3 dB) S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): >90 dB DIMENSIONS (IN.): 1.5 x 3 x 5.9 The AX47S 4-channel ultra mini class-D digital amplifier ha a super compact size that is perfect for motorcycle and ATV/ UTV applications. In addition to its 400-watt peak power, this amp has an outstanding efficie y that allows it to draw 60% less current than a typical Class-A/B or D car amplifier of eq al power. The ultra-wide frequency bandwidth allows for superior sound quality.

CERWIN-VEGA MOBILE

CLARION

DD AUDIO

$1,449.99 | CerwinVegaMobile.com

$769 | Clarion.com

$429 | DDAudio.com

CHANNELS: Mono TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 3,100 W x 1 @ 1 ohm CROSSOVERS: 40 Hz - 250 Hz EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10 Hz - 250 Hz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): N/A DIMENSIONS (IN.): 20.78 x 10.23 x 2.81 The Stroker Pro SPRO3100.1D monoblock amplifier d fine big power, big performance, big everything! Built with robust 1/0-AWG power connection for maximum current transfer, fan cooling, and mil-spec multi-layer PCB for high-current capability, this Stroker Pro is powerful enough to drive even the most inefficient s akers in the market. Phase and subsonic control included for accurate adjustments.

CHANNELS: 5 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 100 W x 4 + 500 W x 1 CROSSOVERS: Clarion XC-Tune DSP EQUALIZATION: Clarion XC-Tune DSP FREQUENCY RESPONSE: <10 Hz - >22 kHz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): >88 dB DIMENSIONS (IN.): N/A The XC7 series includes 4 and 5-channel amplifi ation with full on-board DSP processing for summing, EQ, crossovers, time alignment and output level control. A PC is required to run the XC-Tune software suite. Amplifi ation is provided by advanced Class-D 800-MHz controllers for lifelike detail, clarity and realism.

An 1,100-watt monoblock is also part of XC7.

CHANNELS: 5 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): N/A CROSSOVERS: N/A EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: N/A S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): >80 dB DIMENSIONS (IN.): 12 x 5 x 2 This feature packed 5-channel amplifier is designed to drive an entire high performance audio system while sacrificing minimal cabin space. It features a 90-watt x 4 section for driving mids and highs, and a 500-watt x 1 section that’s perfect for driving a loaded subwoofer enclosure. It also features high-level summing inputs, remote bass knob, and advanced protection circuits.

MRV-F300 Amplifier

AUDIOMOBILE LineDrive LDS3/RSL

$129.99 | Audiomobile.net

SPRO3100.1D Amplifier

22

GUIDE

PASMAG

XDi Amplifier

Prima AP8.9 bit Amplifier

XC7520 Amplifier

LC-4.800 Amplifier

AX47S Digital Compact Amplifier

D5.500 Amplifier

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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PROUD TO BE

@orioncaraudioofficial

/orion.car.audio

/OrionCarAudio

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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Amplifier

DIAMOND AUDIO

DS18

DUAL

$599.99 | DiamondAudio.com

$990 | DS18.com

$ 24 9 . 9 9 | D u a l AV. c o m

CHANNELS: 4 TOPOLOGY: Class-FD POWER (CEA-2006): 200 W x 4 @ 2 ohms CROSSOVERS: 12 dB/Oct adjustable EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: N/A S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): <97 dBa DIMENSIONS (IN.): 9.3 x 5.28 x 1.75 The HXM800.4D amplifier de ivers exceptional power and sound quality. Constructed to withstand the most extreme outdoor elements, multi-layer, shock absorbent, and conformal-coated PCB and heavy-duty aluminum casing provides performance for any motorsports application. Built in BTR technology lets you control your Bluetooth-enabled device via optional BT receiver.

CHANNELS: Mono TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 10 V - 16 V (DC) CROSSOVERS: Low-pass (50 Hz - 15 kHz) EQUALIZATION: High-pass (1 Hz - 500 Hz) FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10 Hz - 15 kHz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): 90 dB DIMENSIONS (IN.): N/A Full range amplifier with ,000 watts of pure power at 1 ohm, on 1-channel Class-D Korean board with built-in crossovers. Highpass and low-pass variable.

CHANNELS: 5 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): N/A CROSSOVERS: High-pass / Low-pass EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10 Hz – 22 kHz (-3 dB) S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): N/A DIMENSIONS (IN.): 1.6 x 4.7 x 10.2 The DA560D 5-channel compact Class-D digital amplifier has a small chassis for installation in tight spaces. Advanced Surface Mount Device (SMD) circuitry produces better current flow and reduces RF and EMF interference for cleaner sound and cooler operation. Large gauge power and speaker connection terminals increase current flow and reduce resistance, maximizing the amp’s 1,200-watt peak power.

JBL

JENSEN

JL AUDIO

$549.95 | JBL.com

$269.99 | JensenMobile.com

$999.99 | JLAudio.com

CHANNELS: 5 TOPOLOGY:Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 75 W x 4 + 350 W x 1 CROSSOVERS: Separate front / rear / subwoofer crossovers EQUALIZATION: Variable bass boost (sub channel) FREQUENCY RESPONSE: Full range (10 Hz - 100 kHz, Sub channel (10 Hz - 320 Hz) S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): N/A DIMENSIONS (IN.): 13.25 x 7.1 x 2.2 The GTR7535 offers Bluetooth audio streaming with party mode, allowing you to pair up to three smartphones at once so everyone in the car can play DJ. ClariFi music restoration technology is also built-in, which restores highly compressed music fi es in real-time.

An ADAS input is also included, allowing you to override the audio signal with safety accessories and other outboard devices.

CHANNELS: 5 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 60 W x 4 + 225 W x 1 @ 4 ohms (1% THD+N) CROSSOVERS: Low-pass (30 Hz - 160 Hz (12dB/Oct)) / Highpass (16 Hz - 160 Hz (12 dB/Oct)) EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: N/A S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): 80dB (1 W @ 4 ohms) DIMENSIONS (IN.): 13 x 8.25 x 2.125 The Power760x5D 5-channel Class-D amplifier is per ect for running a front/rear system and a dedicated subwoofer. The amp features a surface mount technology device for a smaller footprint and increased sound quality with 1,500 watts peak power output.

CHANNELS: Mono TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 1,200 W x 1 CROSSOVERS: N/A EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 6 Hz - 8 kHz (+0, -1 dB) S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): >79 dB DIMENSIONS (IN.): 1.93 x 10.74 x 8.29 While targeted primarily to subwoofer applications, the HD1200/1 is a wide-range amplifier that an also be used to drive highperformance mid-range speaker systems. This amplifier eatures a brushed aluminum finish with b ack powder-coated cast alloy heat sinks and bottom panel. A black powder-coated, gasketed cover is also provided to protect the controls.

KAPTION AUDIO

KENWOOD

KICKER

$459 | KaptionAudio.com

$509 | Kenwood.com

$1,099.95 | Kicker.com

CHANNELS: 5 TOPOLOGY: Class-AB POWER (CEA-2006): N/A CROSSOVERS: N/A EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: N/A S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): N/A DIMENSIONS (IN.): 15.59 x 6.06 x 2.4 Kaption's next-generation amplifiers ombine function and design with voltage, signal and temperature sensing technology built into the hardware you see and the hardware you don’t.

CHANNELS: 5 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 50 W x 4 + 300 W x 1 CROSSOVERS: Low-pass / High-pass EQUALIZATION: Bass Boost @ 40 Hz (0 - 18 dB) FREQUENCY RESPONSE: A/B: 20 Hz - 50 kHz (+0 db, -3dB), Sub: 20 Hz - 200 Hz (+0 db,-3 db) S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): 80 dBA DIMENSIONS (IN.): 9x 2.2 x 7.4 A Class-D 5-channel marine amplifier with onformal coating, speaker-level input, and current sensing turn-on. Featuring variable low-pass and high-pass fi ters with bass boost.

CHANNELS: Mono TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 1,200 W x 1 @ 4 ohms CROSSOVERS: Variable Low-pass (40 Hz - 160 Hz @ 24 dB/Oct) EQUALIZATION: Parametric (20 Hz - 80 Hz @ 24 dB/Oct) FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10 Hz - 160 Hz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): >95 dB DIMENSIONS (IN.): 2.1 x 15.5 x 8.3 The KX2400.1 features FIT (Fail-Safe Integration Technology) for superior power, clarity and dependability. The amp delivers up to 2,400 watts at 2 ohms. KickEQ+ gives you 18 dB of extra bump via the included bass knob. A powerful 24-dB DSP-controlled crossover is included.

HXM800.4D Amplifier

GTR7535 Amplifier

AZR 700X5 Amplifier

24

GUIDE

PASMAG

DS18 PRO FR 9000.1 Amplifier

POWER760x5D Amplifier

KAC-M8005 Amplifier

DA560D Digital Compact Amplifier

HD1200.1 Amplifier

KX2400.1 Amplifier

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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Pure.

Natural.

Immersive.

INTRODUCING FULL DIGITAL SOUND Clarionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revolutionary new Full Digital Sound maintains audio in an uncompromised full digital form up until the moment you hear it. Designed to eliminate fidelity loss, the system is also exceptionally efficient despite delivering performance comparable to traditional systems many times its size. With built in LSI processors in each speaker and a custom-developed and intelligent all-digital sound processor managing the system, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a surprise that what you hear is as pure, as natural and as immersive as imaginable. Brace yourselves for an audio experience that will move you like never before.

To learn more, visit clarion.com/us

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Amplifier

MOSCONI

MTX AUDIO

ORION

$399 | Mosconi-America.com

$179.95 | MTX.com

$975 | OrionCarAudio.com

CHANNELS: 2 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 80 W x 2 CROSSOVERS: High-pass / Low-pass EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: N/A S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): N/A DIMENSIONS (IN.): 3.4 x 3.1 x 1.2 This miniature amp comes in at 3.4 x 3.1 x 1.2 inches, making it one of the smallest amps ever made. Designed and made in Italy, this amplifier a so won the 2015/2016 Eisa Award for In-Car Smart Upgrade.

CHANNELS: Mono TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 500 W x 1 CROSSOVERS: Variable Low-pass (40 Hz - 220 Hz @ 12 dB/Oct) EQUALIZATION: Subsonic Filter (10 Hz - 50 Hz @ 12 dB/Oct variable) FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10 Hz - 220 Hz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): 80 dB DIMENSIONS (IN.): 6.3 x 8.94 x 2.25 The THUNDER500.1 is a high-powered monoblock subwoofer amplifier apable of delivering up to 500 watts RMS power at 2 ohms. A variable low-pass crossover (12 dB/Oct), subsonic fi ter, and bass boost give the user the ability to tailor the sound to their preference. The unit is designed to be installed in almost any vehicle due to its small size.

CHANNELS: Mono TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 4000 W x 1 @ 1 ohm CROSSOVERS: Yes EQUALIZATION: Yes FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20 Hz - 250 Hz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): >65 dB DIMENSIONS (IN.): 9.25 x 2.5 x 21.5 This sleek 1-channel amplifier orks at 12.6 volts stable. With a better current, the amplifier ends to give more power.

PHOENIX GOLD

PIONEER

PYLE

$1,430 | PhoenixGold.com

$150 | PioneerElectronics.com

$564.99 | PyleAudio.com

CHANNELS: 4 TOPOLOGY: Class-AB POWER (CEA-2006): N/A CROSSOVERS: N/A EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: N/A S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): N/A DIMENSIONS (IN.): 23.3 x 10.5 x 2.6 The Elite.4 has a smashing dynamic range that conveys a musical realism that transcends standard amplifiers It boasts Class-A/B topology and crossovers with 41 detents for exact frequency selection. With monolithic signal capacitors and massive dual package Sanken output devices, this amplifier acks a lot of power into its frame.

CHANNELS: 4 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): 45 W x 4 CROSSOVERS: Low-pass / High-pass (80Hz) EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10 Hz - 40 kHz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): 74 dBA (1W into 4 ohms) DIMENSIONS (IN.): 7.1 x 1.5 x 2.5 Whether you call it “compact” or “micro” the GM-D1004 will wear the name proudly. With its compact dimensions, mounting options are endless. The GM-D1004 is capable of delivering up to 400 watts of maximum output and is more than comfortable providing 45 watts of power per channel - more than enough to improve the performance of your factory or aftermarket speakers.

CHANNELS: 6 TOPOLOGY: Class-AB POWER (CEA-2006): 100 W x 6 + 250W x 2 @ 4 ohms CROSSOVERS: High-pass / Low-pass EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 15 Hz - 30 kHz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): 95 dB DIMENSIONS (IN.): 21.6 x 10.9 x 2.7 The Pyle Elite Series Bluetooth amps provide waterproof power for all of your speaker needs. The marine-grade waterproof construction and high-power efficie y ratings provide performance and reliability - rain or shine! Features include Bluetooth wireless music streaming ability.

ROCKFORD FOSGATE

SONY

SOUNDSTREAM

$999.99 | RockfordFosgate.com

$ 1 3 9 . 9 9 | S o n y. c o m

$329.99 | Soundstream.com

CHANNELS: 5 TOPOLOGY: Class-A/D POWER (CEA-2006): 1,000 W x 1 CROSSOVERS: High-pass/All-pass/Low-ass (front/rear, sub) EQUALIZATION: On-board Punch EQ, Infrasonic FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20 Hz - 20 kHz S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): >80 F/R, >75 Sub DIMENSIONS (IN.): 1.62 x 4.25 x 12 The Power T1000x5ad is a compact Class-A/D 1,000-watt multichannel amplifie . It features differential inputs with high-level auto turn-on, CLEAN circuit with input/output clip detection, top-mounted controls and dual-fan forced induction cooling.

It is perfect for hybrid and electric vehicles, small cars, trucks, motorcycles, and side-by-side UTVs.

CHANNELS: 4 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): N/A CROSSOVERS: N/A EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: N/A S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): N/A DIMENSIONS (IN.): N/A Power up your in-car sound with the XM-S400D 4-channel amplifie . With a continuous power output of 45 watts per channel, your music comes to life with depth and detail. Its compact size allows you to get the sound you deserve without losing any of the space that you need.

CHANNELS: 5 TOPOLOGY: Class-D POWER (CEA-2006): N/A CROSSOVERS: N/A EQUALIZATION: N/A FREQUENCY RESPONSE: N/A S/N RATIO (CEA-2006): N/A DIMENSIONS (IN.): 6.5 x 1.5 For 2016, Rubicon amplifiers a e all-new. Soundstream adopted the optimum Class-D performance, reliability, and footprint of the Picasso Nano platform to present to you the Rubicon Nano. Rubicon Nano’s signal inputs, power/ground, and speaker connections are all re-located to the leading edge of the chassis for an easier, more appealing install.

Pico 2 Miniature Amplifier

Elite.4 Amplifier

T1000X5ad Amplifier

26

GUIDE

PASMAG

THUNDER500.1 Amplifier

GM-D1004 Amplifier

XM-S400D Amplifier

XTR4000.1D Amplifier

Elite Series PLMRA830BT Amplifier

Rubicon Nano RN5.2000D Amplifier

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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DSP that makes way too much sense.

Presenting a full line of JL Audio® digital signal processors, equipped with powerful capabilities to tackle your toughest OEM integration challenges, and all your system tuning needs.

TwK ™ D8 System Tuning DSP FiX™ 86 OEM Integration DSP

TwK ™ 88 System Tuning DSP FiX™ 82 OEM Integration DSP

S O F T W A R E

Take the TüN™ software for a test drive: FREE DOWNLOAD at jlaudio.com/tun or jlaudio.ca/tun

© 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 Minimum PC Requirements: OS: Windows 7 SP1/Win 8.1/Win 10; 32 bit or 64 bit, Screen Resolution: 1280 x 768, CPU: 1GHz, RAM: 1GB for 32 bit, 2GB for 64 bit, Disk: 256MB free space

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Subwoofers

ALPINE

ARC AUDIO

AUDIOMOBILE

$150 | Alpine-USA.com

$159 | ArcAudio.com

$250-$350 | Audiomobile.net

SERIES: Type S DIAMETER (IN.): 10 IMPEDANCE: 2 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 500 W / 1500 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 5 - 5.999 CONE & SURROUND: Kevlar reinforced pulp cone, HAMR Santoprene rubber surround VOICE COIL: Dual 2 ohm BASKET: N/A The SWS-10D2 is a dual 2-ohm 10-inch subwoofer. As part of the Type S subwoofer series, it features Alpine's own HighAmplitude Multi-Roll (H.A.M.R.) surround technology and is known for powerful output and sound quality. CTA-2013 speaker specifi ations: 500 W RMS, 1500W Peak Power Handling.

Frequency reponse: 28 Hz - 200 Hz.

SERIES: XDi Series DIAMETER (IN.): 12 IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 250 W / 500 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 5-5.999 CONE & SURROUND: Rubber surround VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm BASKET: Stamped steel 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 sacrifi e large amounts of real estate in your vehicle. Featuring a nextgeneration tempered voice coil design and "Balanced Roll" surround, the XDi series takes on a technical, innovative direction.

DIAMETER (IN.): 10 IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 500 W / 1,000 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 3-3.999 CONE & SURROUND: Rubber surround VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm BASKET: Cast aluminum alloy The Evo series can be easily upgraded with the addition of "MCAR" matching pre-tuned transducer radiators to deliver unprecedented low-frequency performance, like that of a 13- to 16-inch subwoofer, from enclosures less than 5.5 inches deep, making Evo's perfect for low-space applications.

AUDISON

CERWIN-VEGA MOBILE

CLARION

A u di s o n . e u

$149.99 | CerwinVegaMobile.com

Clarion.com

SERIES: Prima DIAMETER (IN.): 10 IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 400 W / 800 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 3-3.999 CONE & SURROUND: Water-repellent treated paper cone VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm BASKET: Vented Prima subwoofer components have been developed with a primary goal: to deliver high output in tight spaces. The APS 10 D is designed to deliver maximum performance in a sealed enclosure with ultra-compact volumes, from 10 lt. to 12 lt.

It employs a special cone-dustcap-basket geometry which guarantees large excursion of the mobile group, while keeping the mounting depth to a minimum.

SERIES: Vega Pro DIAMETER (IN.): 12 IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 750 W / 1,500 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 5-5.999 CONE & SURROUND: Polypropylene composite weave, Santoprene surround VOICE COIL: 4 ohm BASKET: Stamped cast The Vega Pro VPRO122D is a high power handling sub constructed with a double stacked motor structure with double progressive spider encased in its very own proprietary stamped cast basket.

Premium high temperature grade voice coils are utilized for max performance and reliability. The newly integrated impedance selector feature makes installation that much easier!

SERIES: WQ DIAMETER (IN.): 10 IMPEDANCE: N/A POWER (RMS/PEAK): 500 W / 1,500 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 5-5.999 CONE & SURROUND: Reinforced SPP cone, Nitrile butadiene rubber surround VOICE COIL: Dual 2 ohm BASKET: Stamped steel with SET venting The Clarion WQ family of subwoofers includes dual-2 and dual-4ohm 10 and 12-inch inch models. Designed using Finite Element Analysis, the WQ subwoofers provide amazingly deep and articulate bass from compact enclosures. A 2-inch 4-layer voice coil and vented pole piece ensures 500 watts RMS / 1,500watts Max power handling. A reinforced SPP cone and aluminized dust cap provide distortion free response.

DD AUDIO

DIAMOND AUDIO

DS18

$839 | DDAudio.com

$179.99 | DiamondAudio.com

$5,999 | DS18.com

SERIES: 9500 Series DIAMETER (IN.): 10 IMPEDANCE: D0.5 / D1 POWER (RMS/PEAK): 1,000-2,000 W / 8,000 W (Burst) MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 10 CONE & SURROUND: Carbon-fibe -reinforced paper cone, V-ROM surround VOICE COIL: N/A BASKET: Cast aluminum Some of the most recognizable subwoofers in the world are the DD Audio 9500 Series, and the latest evolution is the 9510 ESP. This sub features new DD innovations like the V-ROM surround, S-Frame, TruSize carbon fiber einforced pulp cone, and 9-inch spider, which make it a high output tour de force.

SERIES: Diamond DIAMETER (IN.): 10 IMPEDANCE: 2 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 250 W / 500 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): > 3 CONE & SURROUND: Fiber weave paper cone, Rubber surround VOICE COIL: Single 2 ohm BASKET: Die-cast frame This Diamond Audio shallow sub performs like a conventional full-size sub and offers a true solution when challenged with space limitations. Performs best in a sealed enclosure for maximum bass response. The die-cast frame supports integral under/over spider venting and a protective ABS grill is included.

SERIES: SPL DIAMETER (IN.): 32 IMPEDANCE: 1 ohm POWER (RMS/PEAK): 18,000 W / 30,000 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): < 10 CONE & SURROUND: Blister paper cone VOICE COIL: Quad 1 ohm BASKET: Polished chrome-plated steel

SWS-10D2 Type S Subwoofer

APS 10 D Subwoofer

9510 ESP Subwoofer

28

GUIDE

PASMAG

XDi 12XDi Subwoofer

VPRO122D Subwoofer

DS102 Subwoofer

Evo 2410 Subwoofer

WQ2521D Subwoofer

TroubleMaker Subwoofer

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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Subwoofers

DUAL

FOCAL

HERTZ

$ 9 9 . 9 9 | D u a l AV. c o m

$999 | Focal-America.com

H e r t z A u di o V i de o . c o m

SERIES: N/A DIAMETER (IN.): 12 IMPEDANCE: 2 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 400 W / 800 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 6-6.999 CONE & SURROUND: Pressed paper cone, Rubber surround VOICE COIL: Dual 2 ohm BASKET: Stamped steel The DSD122D 12-inch subwoofer is built for extreme bass with an extra wide rubber surround and a stamped steel basket. The 75-oz. magnet and dual 2-ohm 4-layer 2-inch copper voice coils with an aluminum former provides huge power handling up to 800W Peak power / 400W RMS. The pressed paper cone provides a lightweight rigid cone for accurate bass reproduction and long-term reliability.

SERIES: K2 Power DIAMETER (IN.): 12 IMPEDANCE: 2 ohm POWER (RMS/PEAK): 800 W / 1,600 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 6-6.999 CONE & SURROUND: K2 Power Sandwich cone, Butyl surround VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm BASKET: Cast aluminum The K2 W sandwich cone construction has been further optimized to improve rigidity/sound speed/damping. To target the highest SPL possible, Focal used a new voice coil design, the largest ever done in a Focal car audio product.

SERIES: Mille.3 Legend DIAMETER (IN.): 10 IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 700 W / 1,400 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 5-5.999 CONE & SURROUND: Mineral-injected paper cone, “Boundary Free” IIR rubber surround VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm BASKET: Anti-resonant aluminum alloy Music fans who attend live concerts know well the emotions that low undistorted frequencies without dynamic compression can arouse. For this reason, HertzAudioVideo R&D created the ML 2500.3 Legend subwoofer. During the long development phase, the designers set themselves just one ambitious goal: to transfer the emotions of a live performance to the car environment.

DB DRIVE

JBL

JL AUDIO

$114.99 | Importel.com

$ 24 9 . 9 5 | J B L . c o m

SERIES: WDX DIAMETER (IN.): 6.5 IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 300 W / 600 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 6-6.999 CONE & SURROUND: N/A VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm BASKET: N/A The WDX Series Competition Subwoofers from DB Drive exemplify the company's commitment to big bass. The team worked without constraints to come up with what they believe is the ultimate subwoofer series.

DIAMETER (IN.): 8 IMPEDANCE: N/A POWER (RMS/PEAK): 250 W RMS MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): N/A CONE & SURROUND: N/A VOICE COIL: N/A BASKET: N/A No room for subwoofers in your car or truck? No problem. The JBL BassPro SL slips right under your seats and delivers JBL concert level bass by way of its onboard Class-D digital amplifi ation and matched 8-inch subwoofer. BassPro SL easily connects to any audio system with either high level or speaker level inputs.

KAPTION AUDIO

KENWOOD

KICKER

$299 | KaptionAudio.com

$229 | Kenwood.com

$799.95 | Kicker.com

SERIES: SQL DIAMETER (IN.): 10 IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 400 W / 800 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 3-3.999 CONE & SURROUND: N/A VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm BASKET: N/A

SERIES: Excelon DIAMETER (IN.): 10 IMPEDANCE: 2 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 300 W / 1,300 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 4-4.999 CONE & SURROUND: Rubber surround VOICE COIL: Dual 2 ohm BASKET: Stamped steel Excelon speakers employ oversized drivers to enhance the low end range. Oversized woofers provide quick response and offer stable and powerful bass. Let your ears be the judge.

SERIES: L7 DIAMETER (IN.): 15 IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 1,200 W RMS MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 7-10 CONE & SURROUND: Polypropylene cone, Santoprene surround VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm BASKET: Cast aluminum The L7's oversized magnets and aluminum voice coil allow every drop of power to get from the sub to your ears. Uniplate technology combines the pole piece and back plate as a single unit to pull damaging heat away from the sub. The KICKER L7 Subwoofer also uses a Blue Lace spider and ribbed surround to give you unparalleled accuracy and volume.

DSD122D Subwoofer

WDX6.5 3K Competition Subwoofer

SQLFW10D4 Flat Subwoofer

30

GUIDE

PASMAG

E 30 KX Subwoofer

BassPro SL Powered Subwoofer

XR-W1002 Subwoofer

ML 2500.3 Legend Subwoofer

ACP108LG-W3v3 Single 8W3v3 Microsub+ Powered Subwoofer $429.99 | JLAudio.com DIAMETER (IN.): 8 IMPEDANCE: 0.4 ohm POWER (RMS/PEAK): 250 MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): N/A CONE & SURROUND: N/A VOICE COIL: N/A BASKET: N/A With MicroSub+ systems, the power is built right into the subwoofer system. Housing a proprietary Class D amplifie , this incredible subwoofer system utilizes our exclusive DCD amplifier technology to extract maximum output from its specially engineered, ultra low-impedance W3v3 driver.

15L74 Subwoofer

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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16_PASmag-CXA-gemsen-YELLOW.pdf

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3/29/16

2:15 PM

C

M

Y

©2016 STILLWATER DESIGNS

Vertically integrated.

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Massive power in a compact unit, with hardware that enables convenient vertical mounting.

CX-Series Power Amplifiers

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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Subwoofers

MEMPHIS CAR AUDIO

MTX

ORION

M e m p h i s C a r A u di o . c o m

$349.95 | MTX.com

$553 |OrionCarAudio.com

DIAMETER (IN.): 10 IMPEDANCE: N/A POWER (RMS/PEAK): 150 W / 300 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): N/A CONE & SURROUND: N/A VOICE COIL: N/A BASKET: N/A The Memphis Car Audio Nanoboxx Underseat Bass system is the ultimate in slim application performance. The Nanoboxx is a fully powered enclosure boasting either a 10-inch or 12-inch ultra-slim woofer, which is designed to provide maximum bass in limited space courtesy of its oversized passive radiator.

DIAMETER (IN.): 12 IMPEDANCE: 2 ohm POWER (RMS/PEAK): 500 W / 1,000 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 6-6.999 CONE & SURROUND: Polypropylene cone, Patented surround geometry VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm BASKET: Steel The S6512-44 is a 12-inch subwoofer designed for enthusiasts that want to add extreme bass to their system. With more surface area than a round subwoofer and patented corner geometry that increases x-max, the S6512-44 delivers massive SPL. Featuring dual layer cooling technology with Spider Plateau venting that utilizes the sub's movement to target cool air at the voice coil.

SERIES: XTRPRO DIAMETER (IN.): 15 IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 1,800 W / 7,200 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): > 10 CONE & SURROUND: N/A VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm BASKET: Steel The XTR Pro subwoofer has inherited the true passion of Orion car audio. An impressively powerful new aluminum basket plus the highest quality material used in its creation together with the latest technology developed in the industry.

PHOENIX GOLD

PIONEER

POWERBASS

$799.99 | EchoMaster.com

$250 | PioneerElectronics.com

PowerBassUSA.com

SERIES: Elite DIAMETER (IN.): 12 IMPEDANCE: 2 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 1,200 W RMS MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 7-10 CONE & SURROUND: N/A VOICE COIL: Dual 2 ohm BASKET: Aluminum Phoenix Gold’s Elite subs are engineered with extreme precision for increased power handling and reliability. They boast 60 mm of peak to peak excursion, 1,200 watts RMS power handling, 3-inch copper wound voice coil, a radial backplate venting system, and optimization for sealed or vented enclosures.

SERIES: Powered Subwoofers DIAMETER (IN.): 8 IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 150 W RMS MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): < 3 CONE & SURROUND: Aluminum cone, rubber surround VOICE COIL: Single 4 ohm BASKET: N/A The TS-WX120A is a uniquely compact speaker that allows installation in a wide range of vehicle applications. Installing the subwoofer under seats, and in small spaces is ideal. It has a builtin MOSFET amplifier that p oduces deep, solid sounding bass.

Included is a wired remote for direct control of audio adjustments for the powered subwoofer.

DIAMETER (IN.): 15 IMPEDANCE: 1 ohm POWER (RMS/PEAK): 3,500 W / 7,000 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 11.25 CONE & SURROUND: Non-pressed pulp paper cone, Customtooled high roll 4-layer foam surround VOICE COIL: Dual 1 ohm BASKET: Cast aluminum The 15-inch PowerBass 4XL "Superwoofer" can produce world record-setting SPL, while also being capable of hair-blowing, window breaking pure bass sound that your neighbors are sure to love. Handles 3,500 watts RMS and an astonishing 7,000 watts of Peak power.

PYLE

ROCKFORD FOSGATE

SOUNDSTREAM

$311.99 | PyleAudio.com

$549.99 | RockfordFosgate.com

$79.99 | Soundstream.com

SERIES: Power DIAMETER (IN.): 12 IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 500 W / 1,000 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): > 10 CONE & SURROUND: Molded polypropylene cone VOICE COIL: Dual 4 ohm BASKET: Stamped steel Achieve more booming sound at lower power consumption with the Pyle Power subwoofer enclosure system. The slim-designed forward-vented enclosure system comes with two built-in subwoofers. These vented, precision-cut enclosures with preinstalled subwoofers will provide you with maximum bass-perwatt performance and powerful total watt output levels.

SERIES: Slim DIAMETER (IN.): 12 IMPEDANCE: 1 ohm POWER (RMS/PEAK): 600 W / 1,200 W MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 3-3.999 CONE & SURROUND: Tri-layer carbon fibe /Aramid honeycomb/glass fiber one, Injection molded foam surround VOICE COIL: Dual 1 ohm BASKET: Cast aluminum The power T1 Slim woofer is designed to perform like a standard woofer while only having a 3-inch mounting depth. Accomplished using a patented Encapsulating Voice Coil Coupling technology, split-yoke motor structure, specially designed 3-inch voice coil with inner and outer windings and neodymium magnet assembly allows the woofer to have high excursion and output capabilities.

SERIES: Reference DIAMETER (IN.): 8 IMPEDANCE: 2 ohms POWER (RMS/PEAK): 500 W RMS MOUNTING DEPTH (IN.): 5-5.999 CONE & SURROUND: N/A VOICE COIL: Dual 2 ohm BASKET: N/A Sometimes a woofer comes along that changes the game. The R3 is just that. It has a high roll surround for extended excursion. With a big 2-inch voice coil and gigantic motor structure, it can handle some serious power. With unparalleled sound quality, this little woofer can get down and hang with just about any other 8-inch woofer out there.

Nanoboxx Underseat Bass System

Elite3.12d2 High Excursion Subwoofer

Power PLPPS212 Enclosure System

32

GUIDE

PASMAG

S6512-44 Subwoofer

TS-WX120A Underseat Powered Subwoofer

T1S1-12 Slim Subwoofer

XTRPRO154D

4XL-151D Superwoofer

Reference R3.8 Subwoofer

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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Speakers

ARC AUDIO

AXXERA

CERWIN-VEGA MOBILE

$439 | ArcAudio.com

$169.99 | AxxeraAudio.com

$ 24 9 . 9 9 | C e rw i n Ve g a M o b i l e . c o m

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: Component WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Carbon roahacell composite cone, rubber surround TWEETER MATERIAL: Silk POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS BASKET: CNC cast "High end sonic purity" and "durable performance" are no longer mythical product characteristics in the world of car audio with the introduction of ARC Audio's ARC Series speaker line. Create a refined music xperience with natural extended low frequencies and smooth, but robust mid and highs.

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: Component WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Glass fiber and hon ycomb composite cone, rubber surround TWEETER MATERIAL: Silk POWER (RMS/PEAK): 51 W / 75 W BASKET: Aluminum The AS65C 6.5-inch component speakers feature 3-layer honeycomb glass fiber ones for less distortion and no resonating or off-axis movement. Laminated silk dome tweeters provide clean frequency reproduction and an overall wide range of sound. The Nomex spiders with woven tinsel leads allow for better durability, and the aluminum cast baskets provide midbass kick without distortion.

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: 2-way WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Waterproof composite paper cone, UV-coated rubber surround TWEETER MATERIAL: N/A POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS BASKET: High-temp injection molded composite Inspired by Cerwin-Vega's pro audio heritage, the SM65 speakers receive high performance tweaking and are given a shot of RZR (radial zip ring) technology for expanded high frequencies and deep lows, so it can play loud and crisp in recreation, powersport, or marine applications. Max x-max neo motor structure and RGB LED lighting completes this versatile speaker.

CLARION

DB DRIVE

DD AUDIO

$3,099.97 | Clarion.com

$279.95 | Importel.com

$259 | DDAudio.com

SIZE (IN.): 6.75 DESIGN: 3-way WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: N/A TWEETER MATERIAL: N/A POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS BASKET: Stamped Clarion presents FDS - An amplifi ation, processing and speaker system unlike any other on the planet. Using an advanced digital signal processing, the Z3 processor offers time alignment, FIR crossovers and 1/3-Octave equalization per channel for detailed system tuning. FDS speakers are powered by a 24.5-MHz SigmaDelta data stream. FDS is the world's first fu ly digital system from start to finish

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: Component WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: N/A TWEETER MATERIAL: Magnesium aluminum alloy POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS BASKET: Die cast The ES9 uses the finest dri er elements designed by DB Drive to deliver an unprecedented purity of sound for the most realistic sound reproduction possible. Pop, rock, jazz or classical music will sound as real as the day they were recorded in the studio.

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: Component WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Coated paper cone w/ rubber compound surround TWEETER MATERIAL: Silk dome POWER (RMS/PEAK): 60 W / 180 W BASKET: Cast aluminum This component set is the perfect balance of high-fide ity refinement and alue. The woofer has warm tonal characteristics and features a double slit voice coil former and 17-oz motor with a copper pole cap. The silk dome tweeter features a vented back for a wider/smoother frequency response, and the crossover networks are built with premium components.

FOCAL

HERTZ

ILLUSION AUDIO

$1,299 | Focal-America.com

H e r t z A u di o V i de o . c o m

$1,149 |IllusionAudio-America .com

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: 2-way WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: K2 Power Sandwich cone, butyl surround TWEETER MATERIAL: Aramid Fibre POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS BASKET: Cast aluminum This 6.5-inch component speaker system is the new flagship of the Focal ELITE K2 Power line. A monster of power and new innovation, the spirit of KX series is 100% oriented to ultimate performance. Made in France for custom luxurious installations.

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: 2-way WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Pressed-pulp cone w/ cotton fibers “Boundary Free” rubber surround TWEETER MATERIAL: Tetolon POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS BASKET: Acoustically transparent aluminum alloy The MPK 1650.3 car audio speaker system is the top of the range 2-way system of the Mille PRO line. The system uses the 28-mm diameter MP 28.3 tweeter inheriting all the technological features of the Mille Legend. The MP 165P.3 woofer electroacoustic parameters have been forged to give it pure and solid sound designed for high dynamic systems.

SIZE (IN.): 8 DESIGN: Component WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Carbon fiber one w/ butyl rubber surround TWEETER MATERIAL: Beryllium/Copper POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS BASKET: Cast aluminum High performance 8-inch 2-way component kit with 26mm beryllium copper dome tweeter. Thinner than most 6.5 inch speakers so it fits in the door of m st cars. With a lower tweeter crossover point of 2200 Hz, when installed in a car, it sounds like a 3-way kit, in a 2-way form.

ARC 6.2 Components

FDS Z3 / Z7 / Z25W System

ES165KX2

34

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PASMAG

AS65C Components

Euphoria ES9 Component System

MPK 1650.3 Mille.3 PRO System

SM65 2-Way

CC6.5 Components

C8

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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Distributed in Canada by Trends 1 . 800 . 618 . 7363

www.memphiscaraudio.com

@memphiscaraudioUSA

@Memphiscaraudio

#MEMPHISAUDIO P. 800-489-2300

If You Bump It... She Will Come...

MOJO6 BIGGER STRONGER LOUDER

4400 Watt Peak Power Power Handling Based On 15â&#x20AC;? MOJO6.

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Speakers

GUIDE

INFINITY

JENSEN

JVC

KICKER

$499.95 | InfinitySpeakers.com

$99.99 | JensenMobile.com

$139 | Kenwood.com

$229.95 | Kicker.com

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: 2-way, converts into 3-way WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Patented Plus One carbon fiber oofer cone and butyl surround TWEETER MATERIAL: Polymide POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS BASKET: Die-cast vented basket Infini y’s Kappa Perfect 600 speakers deliver high power handling, high SPL capability, and unparalleled response. With just the flick of a switch, you can transform a 2-way system into a 3-way system by adding the Kappa Perfect midrange speaker. The Plus One carbon fiber cones are specifi ally engineered to achieve the optimum blend of rigidity and sensitivity.

SIZE (IN.): 6x9 DESIGN: 3-way WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Nitrile Rubber Surround and Polypropylene cone TWEETER MATERIAL: Silk POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W / 400 W BASKET: Stamped steel The XS6090 6x9-inch triaxial speakers are designed to offer great sound quality, low distortion and high power handling. Silk dome tweeters offer smooth high frequency response and life-like sound. To ensure that they can withstand the mobile environment, these speakers use polypropylene cones and rubber surrounds, and feature 400 watts peak power output.

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: 2-way WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Waterproof PP cone, thermoplastic elastomer surround TWEETER MATERIAL: Poly-ether imide POWER (RMS/PEAK): 50 W / 300 W BASKET: Poly 6.5-inch 2-way coaxial speakers featuring a water-resistant woofer, UV-resistant grille, and 300 watts Max and 50 watts RMS at 4 ohm impedance.

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: Component WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Polypropylene cone TWEETER MATERIAL: Silk POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS BASKET: Steel A substantial upgrade from stock drivers, KS component speakers include a heavy-duty motor structure with EVC (Extended Voice Coil) technology for remarkable bass.

A removable phase plug allows coaxial mounting of the large 25-mm silk-dome tweeter. Easily mounted 2-way crossovers with tweeter level control let you customize your sound for the best sonic quality.

Kappa Perfect 600

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XS6090 Triaxial Speaker

CS-DR6200White

KS Series Components

2016-07-21 10:51 AM

MEMPHIS CAR AUDIO

ORION

PIONEER

ROCKFORD FOSGATE

MCX6S Components

$180 |OrionCarAudio.com

$130 | PioneerElectronics.com

$ 24 9 . 9 9 | R o c kfo rd F o s g a te . c o m

$379.95 | MemphisCarAudio.com

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: Midrange WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: High strength paper cone, cloth edge TWEETER MATERIAL: N/A POWER (RMS/PEAK): 75 W RMS BASKET: Steel HCCA neodymium series boasts very high power and performance with excellent midrange and extended mid high frequency range. Orion HCCA is bringing two series of neodymium midranges to their line in order to achieve high power and high efficie y.

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: Component WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Multilayer mica matrix cone, elastic polymer surround TWEETER MATERIAL: Tetron net POWER (RMS/PEAK): 51 W / 75 W BASKET: N/A The Pioneer TS-A1606C offers improved bass and dynamic range, higher power handling, and a new cosmetic design. The new design features a soft dome tweeter/midrange driver, and the woofer cone is 14% larger than conventional, providing outstanding response and deeper low-range sound reproduction.

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: 2-way component WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Mineral fi led polypropylene cone, Santoprene butyl rubber TWEETER MATERIAL: PEI Dome POWER (RMS/PEAK): 51 W / 75 W BASKET: Stamp cast aluminum Car audio fanatics will love the Punch series 6.5-inch component system. It features a Flex Fit2 basket to ensure compatibility with U.S., European, and import vehicles. Euro installers will love the "European Basket" to easily fit a variety of VW, Citroen, and Vauxhall models.

The system also features an external crossover for more precision of frequency cutoff.

SIZE (IN.): 6.5 DESIGN: Component WOOFER CONE & SURROUND: Carbon fibe cone, butyl rubber surround TWEETER MATERIAL: Soft dome tweeter POWER (RMS/PEAK): 50 W RMS BASKET: Stamped steel The most accurate sound ever produced by a Memphis speaker. The MC Sync component system sets the standard for what clean, clear, and detailed sound should be.

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HCCA64N Midrange

TS-A1606C Component

P165-SE Component System

2016-07-21 10:51 AM

Batteries

DS18

GP CAR AUDIO

INTERSTATE BATTERIES

$499 | DS18.com

G P C a r A u di o . c o m

From $191.95 | InterstateBatteries.com

Sometimes your high powered audio systems are going to require more power than your average battery is able to generate. DS18 high output and high current batteries combine deep cycle capabilities and the fastest charge and discharge rates, making them ideal for car audio and hydraulics applications. All sizes available.

The Northstar SMSAGM80 features Northstar's blue technology which can withstand extreme recharge and discharge rates. Small and compact at only 35 lbs. Unleash the full potential of your system while taking up little space.

Get long life and premium performance in any cold to moderate climate with Interstate Batteries' MegaTron Plus 94R/H7. With 30-month free replacement and six-year performance, this 790 CCA will meet or exceed your vehicle's starting requirements.

ODYSSEY BATTERY

OPTIMA BATTERIES

SHURIKEN

AGM Batteries

PC925LMJ

$ 1 8 3 . 2 1 | O d y s s e y B a t t e r y. c o m Whether for everyday or emergency use, today's vehicles are loaded with more electronics than would have been imaginable just a few years ago.

ODYSSEY batteries have been designed to keep up with the changes. Because their plates are made of pure virgin lead (unlike the lead alloy in most batteries), we can pack in more plates. More plates mean more plate surface area, and much more power - twice the overall power and three times the life of conventional batteries - up to 400 cycles at 80% depth of discharge!

SMSAGM80

Yellowtop High-Performance AGM Battery $225.99 | OptimaBatteries.com

Mega-Tron Plus

SK-Series Batteries ShurikenOnline.com

Up to two times longer life, more than 15 times the vibration resistance, maintenance-free, spill-free design, can be mounted in any position, lower self-discharge, longer shelf life, faster recharging capabilities, and optimal starting power regardless of temperature. These characteristics make a Yellowtop best suited for modern accessory-loaded vehicles with high cranking capabilities.

These batteries all use absorbed glass matte (AGM) technology and are fully charged ready to use right form the factory. These power cells are resistant to extreme heat and strong vibrations. With a super low internal resistant using tightly packed pure lead plates, each power cell packs a punch. They can be charged and discharged hundreds of time without any performance loss and they are non-spill able and maintenance free.

XS POWER

XS POWER

XSTATIC

$449.99 | 4XSPower.com

$449.99 | 4XSPower.com

$161.45 | Batcap.net

XS Power introduces a 12V BCI Group 34 AGM Starting Battery, with max amps rated at 3,300A CA: 1,000A. The A3400 delivers real power and unreal performance with a cool vintage look.

XS Power introduces a 12V BCI Group 34 AGM Starting Battery, with max amps rated at 3,300A CA: 1,000A. The V3400 delivers real power and unreal performance with a cool vintage look.

The Newly designed Xstatic Batcap X300 weighs only 3 lbs and measures 5.625 x 4.125 x 3.125-inches.

It is 3.5 AH and is perfect for any car audio system that needs a little boost of power!

A3400 Vintage Battery

38

GUIDE

PASMAG

V3400 Vintage Battery

Batcap X300

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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WWW.ARCAUDIO.COM AMPLIFIERS

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SPEAKERS

SUBWOOFERS

PROCESSORS

MOTORCYCLE AUDIO

2015-06-09 3:56 PM

12-Volt Accessories

ARC AUDIO

AUDISON

BELTRONICS

$69 | ArcAudio.com

A u di s o n . e u

$499.95 | EscortRadar.com

Get more bass without the additional demand on your speakers. That's exactly what you get with the ARC Audio BXM Module. This compact installation tool works with any aftermarket amplifier an allows you to hear more bass without additional wear and tear on your speakers. Perfect for small drivers and enclosures.

Wi-fi high esolution audio streaming with improved Android/IOS app, an internal SSD unit to store your complete high-res audio collection, 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.

Leveraging ESCORT’s powerful suite of radar technologies, the ESCORT iX features built-in Bluetooth connectivity to the award-winning ESCORTLive app, providing real-time speed limit data, speed trap and camera locations and shared radar alerts from nearby users. The detector’s GPS intelligence with AutoLearn uses patented anti-falsing technology to access GPS and exact frequency to learn and automatically reject unwanted fi ed position false alarms.

CLARION

DRONEMOBILE

ECHOMASTER

$149.99 | Clarion.com

$449.99 | DroneMobile.com

$165.99 | EchoMaster.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.

DroneMobile adds smartphone remote start, keyless entry, and GPS tracking to your vehicle.

Compatible with iOS and Android devices, and can be professionally installed on over 90% of vehicles on the road.

Drive, record, share with DC-27. Featuring a large, 2.7-inch 16:9 LED screen, providing 1080P high definition motion detected recording @ 30 FPS, delivering crisp, clear images always. Designed for quick and easy installation, the DC-27 simply attaches to any windshield or vehicle dash through the supplied bracket and provides a very unobtrusive appearance once installed.

GP CAR AUDIO

GP CAR AUDIO

GP CAR AUDIO

G P C a r A u di o . c o m

G P C a r A u di o . c o m

G P C a r A u di o . c o m

8 AWG to 4/0 AWG, pure copper, dual jacket, SAE certified or auto and marine use. Made in the U.S.A. so you know it’s tough. All performance, no BS.

Custom machined GP Audio SAE style battery terminals. Fits all standard SAE terminal style batteries, and allows for easier electrical wiring on larger audio systems.

The guys at GP Car Audio have teamed up with DH LABs to create the ultimate HiFi RCA for the car audio world. These new connectors feature a pure copper center pin and are then joined to a pure copper cable. Hand made in the U.S.A.

BXM Module

EQS755

PASMAG

Bit Play HD

DroneMobile Remote Starter

GP NO BS ‘Merica Wire

40

GUIDE

SAE Style Battery Terminals

Escort iX

DC-27

Ultra HiFi RCA cables

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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GPCARAUDIO.COM I 417-350-9935 G P I S Y O U R S O U R C E F O R T O P O F T H E L I N E V O LTA G E S TA B I L I T Y F O R Y O U R A U D I O S Y S T E M . A L O N G W I T H M A N Y O T H E R I T E M S

5% OFF FOR PASMAG READERS COUPON CODE: PASMAG

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12-Volt Accessories

GUIDE

HERTZ

KNUKONCEPTZ

KNUKONCEPTZ

H e r t z A u di o V i de o . c o m

From $0.39/ft | KnuKonceptz.com

$22.99 | KnuKonceptz.com

Hertz H8 DSP is capable of interfacing with any analog and/or digital source, transforming ordinary audio into a high-performance integrated system.

The simple and intuitive computer software ensures a wide array of adjustments to improve the acoustic response. It provides 7 signal inputs and 8 pre output with a variety of connection options.

Looking for an extra pop of color? KnuKonceptz Kandy Blue, Green, and Orange power cable available in 1/0, 4, and 8 gauge deliver your power with style!

KnuKonceptz offers all three colors in OFC and CCA to fit our system's demands.

The Krux RCA Cable concept is simple, deliver a smooth sounding, high purity signal path for your analog audio signal. Within the core of the Krux RCA Cable is pure oxygen free copper (OFC) drawn in three distinct diameters (3D). This 3D design provides optimal signal transmission as low, mid, and upper ranges each travel these diameters with less distortion. Available in 1.5 to 17-foot lengths.

H8 DSP – Digital Interface Processor

KCA Kandy Power Wire

Krux Interlaced RCA Cable

OPTIMA BATTERIES

Digital 1200 12V Performance Charger and Battery Maintainer $199.99 | OptimaBatteries.com Designed with advanced digital charging technology, the Digital 1200 charges batteries other chargers can’t, charges faster than competitive chargers with up to 2x the output, won’t overcharge your battery, and maximizes your batteries performance. The ultra-premium Digital 1200 will fully charge and maintain all types of 12volt batteries while signifi antly extending their lives.

Home & Mobile Audio Accessories

Standards.�

Never�compromised.�

Cables�for�your�demands in�OFC�and�CCA

Amp Kits • Distribution Blocks • Power / Speaker Wire • RCA Cable • Sound Deadener PAS_2016_ME6_BG_12VAccessories_V2.indd 2

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PAC

PYLE

RYDEEN

$199.95 | Pac-Audio.com

$435.99 |PyleAudio.com

$399.99 | RydeenMobile.com

The RadioPRO RP4.2-TY11 radio replacement interface is designed for 2001-2016 Toyota, Lexus, and Scion vehicles. The installation module retains the factory steering wheel control functions as well as maintaining compatibility with the factory JBL/JBL Synthesis amplified audio ystems, and the built-in 3.5 mm aux audio jack as well as built-in USB connection and backup camera (w/ opt. harness).

The Pyle Wireless Trailer / Hitch Camera & Monitor System adds convenient visual driving assistance.

Enjoy a clear, high-res color picture output while reversing. The 2.5-inch LCD display is windshield mountable and features a built-in 2.4 GHz wireless receiver that gets a picture from the wireless camera system. Mount the display screen on the inside, and mount the camera on the outside of car.

This DVR system from Rydeen features a 4-camera, 4-channel setup, which lets you choose which applications to use it for. The complete car DVR system can be confi ured to use one camera as a reverse cam, and the side cameras as blind spot detection thanks to reverse and signal input triggers. Includes an 8 GB micro SD card.

RadioPRO RP4.2-TY11

Pyleview PLCMH6

BVR400

WIREZ AKS-4

GotWirez.com Wirez Signature Series amp kits include 17 feet of full AWG spec all-copper power wire, 6 feet of ground wire, speaker wire and a set of their world renowned noise-rejecting 17 foot Signature Series interconnects. An ANL fuse holder, pre-crimped power rings and included wire ties, split-loom and Power Forx ensure efficient a reliable power delivery to your amplifie .

PREMIUM DSP MATRIX PROCESSOR

TAKE CONTROL WITH INCLUDED SMART USER INTERFACE SOFTWARE

Channel Summing, Input/Output RTA, 24 or 12 dB/octave Crossovers, Signal Delay, 30 Band EQ

MULTI-CHANNEL DSP MATRIX PROCESSOR | PREMIUM OEM INTEGRATION | ACCUBASS® PROCESSING | SPEAKER LEVEL AND LINE LEVEL INPUTS | DIGITAL COAX AND OPTICAL INPUTS | ASSIGNABLE REMOTE LEVEL CONTROL

Learn more at audiocontrol.com

www.audiocontrol.com 425.775.8461

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2016-07-21 10:42 AM

L

Bringing a Legend Back to Life

STORY BY MICKY SLINGER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUBAL LEIERER & LARRY CHEN

F

ollowing up a smash hit can be pretty difficult. Just a those guys. What’s their name again? Those guys with the faces.

You know who I’m talking about, right?

What I’m trying to say is that becoming a one-hit wonder is all too easy. You have to take what you’ve already been successful with, then crank it up to stand over what you’ve previously created.

For example: Clarion Builds’ BMW 2002.

If you’ll remember, that initiative got Clarion Builds on the map as a restoration program dedicated to bringing icons and legends of the automotive world back to their former glory, and then some, in the most modern version of a pure driver’s car that they can manage.

The kicker is, after all is said and done, the car is then auctioned off o a true enthusiast and every penny is donated to a deserving charity.

But wait, it gets better. The Builds team has announced their next project earlier on in 2016 as a 1991 Acura NSX. Designed after an F16 figh er jet’s cockpit, tuned by Formula One World Champion, Ayrton Senna, and singlehandedly changed the game on supercar ownership and reliability in the 1990s – the Acura NSX is the perfect example of a legend or an icon, and in most everyone’s mind, the most logical next step forward to live up to the stellar little BMW that came before it.

Luckily, I could pull the three guys responsible for the operation out of the garage long enough to provide me with some insight into the build: Allen Gharapetian, Clarion Builds Program Head, and Program Directors Jubal Leierer and Michael Farino.

FINDING THE ONE “We all said we should do an NSX,” explains Gharapetian. “It was something that we all admired growing up and we all agreed that the Acura NSX played a

Unfortunately, making NSXs more easily accessible in the ‘90s would turn out to throw a bit of a wrench in the plans of someone looking to buy an NSX a number of years later. Pristine examples of these cars can sometimes go for over $100,000, with fi er-uppers going for around $45,000, and those cars could have fallen victim to gaudy body kits and huge GT wings, courtesy of an extensive aftermarket and the modification tas es of the time – something Clarion found very challenging when whittling down the classifieds o find decent example for under $30,000.

The other challenge that the Builds team faced was the competitive used NSX market. Prices keep climbing and NSXs are usually snatched up within about half an hour of being posted – something that’s caused by what Gharapetian and Farino refer to as “NSX zombies.”

NSX zombies, by definition, are older gentlemen (typically mid-to-late-60s) that will pay outrageous prices for these cars, purely because they’ll do anything

“WHOEVER GETS THIS CAR, WHEN IT’S AUCTIONED OFF FOR CHARITY NEXT YEAR, WILL BE SMILING FOR DAYS,” SAYS GHARAPETIAN, SMILING HIMSELF. “WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AT THE END OF IT ALL, WHEN THE INK IS DRY AND EVERYONE IS HAPPY, A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY WILL GO TO A GOOD CAUSE.” great role in the automotive landscape.

You didn’t have to be a movie star or millionaire to own one.”

This is the car that made supercar manufacturers take a second look at how their cars were built, and opened the doors to another level of consumer to experience a purpose-built driving machine. The concept’s name (NS-X) initially stood for “New Sportscar eXperimental,” which just screams that Honda knew they had a game changer on their hands.

to get them. Like the living dead to brains, these fellows are magnetized to open their wallets to own this daily driver supercar. The guys at Clarion admit that they almost turned into zombies themselves in the desperation to find a orkable project car, that is until Farino found the what seemed like the perfect one.

“We eventually found the perfect car that was high mileage, used and abused, but still loved,” he recalls. “I found it on Craigslist!”

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NSXT LEVEL Their 1991 NSX was found in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and they bought it sight unseen.

There was no check-up at a mechanic or road trip out to see it, they just paid for it and got it trucked right to Clarion’s headquarters in California. When it arrived, Gharapetian thought they had made a mistake.

“I honestly thought that what we had bought was an Accord,” he laughs. “I was questioning our decision, so before I went and stored it in the warehouse at our office, I decided o take it for a quick spin. It took me less than a mile to realize how great and solid the car was. It had 229,000 miles on it, but it felt like it had 10,000.”

It was so good, in fact, that a couple of the guys involved with the program have bought their own NSXs since.

POWER UPS In 1990, the NSX launched with an allaluminum 3.0-liter C30A V6 engine featuring Honda’s infamous VTEC. The Builds team’s NSX came equipped with this 270-horsepower, 210 lb-ft of torque toting engine, as well as the matching fi e-speed manual gearbox. However, there was a nagging in the back of their heads – a 3.2-liter nagging.

In ’97, the NSX got a performance upgrade in the form of a more potent V6 (the C32B) with 20 more horses and 14 more lb-ft of torque paired up to a nicely geared six-speed transmission. As anyone in the NSX game knows, finding one of these si es is next to impossible, never mind getting it with the six-speed. Little did they know, the Clarion crew was about to make almost every NSX enthusiast seethingly jealous with their luck at AutoWave, Huntington Beach’s Honda/ Acura specialists and the chosen builder of the Clarion Builds NSX. “AutoWave actually had a newer NSX that was a salvage title that had been hit,” Leierer excitedly recalls. “Since it was a salvage title, they knew they wouldn’t get too much for it if they tried to sell it. So, we decided that the 3.2 would go in our car, while our motor would go into the salvage car to be sold that way.”

The engine and transmission were unaffected in the newer NSX’s accident, leaving Clarion Builds with an upgraded engine and six-speed manual transmission with just over 9,000 miles on it.

The Builds program is about going above and beyond OE, so forced induction was the next topic of discussion. At the end of the day, it was always going to be a CT Engineering supercharger, wasn’t it? Their storied history with Honda platforms paired with the fact that their systems are California CARB legal made a blower on the NSX a no-brainer.

Next up was a visit to AEM, who are a returning build partner from last year. When AEM heard that the Builds initiative was tackling an NSX, they jumped right on board and got the car into their R&D facility as soon as they could, creating a custom one-off carbon fiber int e system, as well as a brand-new exhaust system, leaving the NSX breathing easier than ever.

Altogether, between the intake, exhaust, new engine and supercharger, the NSX was making a newfound 344 horsepower to the wheels!

“That car screams,” grins Farino. “For being about 3,200 pounds, that 340 horsepower to the wheels will send you flying! There s nothing like when that car screams through the RPM range up to 8,200.”

LOOKING THE PART “We’re all car guys here, so we went through every single thing you could possibly do to these cars just to get an idea of what’s out there,” says Leierer. “We then went through that list and picked out the things Honda would have done, or did do, on certain models of the car. We wanted

our NSX to look like Honda had done a special version of the car.”

I’d say they achieved their cosmetic goals.

Using body panels and add-ons from Downforce USA, the Builds NSX started to look reminiscent of the rare and performance-oriented NSX-R. The hood and the rear spoiler are made of carbon fibe , while the diffuse s, rockers and wider fenders were all done in fiberglass, shavin some weight here and there.

The aforementioned wide fenders were defini ely necessary to fit the larger wheel an tire setup that the team had selected. Originally wanting the timeless TE37s, but not being able to find suitable sizing, the crew decided o stay in the Rays family and go with some CE28s in 18x9 and 19x9 front and rear sizing, dwarfin the 15- and 16-inch staggered offerings from factory. However, when the boxes rocked up to the workshop, they were a completely different wheel than expected: bronze ZE40s.

“Initially we thought, ‘Oh no, we’ve got the wrong wheels. What are we going to do?’ Leierer exclaims. “But once we gave them a once over and looked at the style and the color, we knew these were the ones.”

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NSXT LEVEL Satisfied with a est mounting and then wrapped in highly capable Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, the Builds team then completed the look and feel of the car with track-inspired parts that are perfect for a car that begs to be aggressively street driven. The NSX now stands on KW’s top-of-the-line V3 coilovers and is brought down by a StopTech BBK – a street-able version with a parking brake, which was part of a special run just for Clarion Builds.

To finish off the c , Clarion then draped the NSX in a Lamborghini Hurracan shade of “Blu Caelum Metallic” blue paint by Glasurit.

IT’S WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE THAT COUNTS Though the outside of the NSX can be considered classic and timeless, pop-up lights and all, one thing is true for almost any car of the ‘90s, and that is the fact that the interiors are god awful. Questionable shades and superdated electronics paired with the look of years of wear through use aren’t exactly welcoming combinations. When the Builds team picked up their NSX, it was no different.

“You could see wear on the seats and stains on the carpets,” Leierer says. “This car wasn’t babied.”

One of Mr. Farino’s tasks was finding a sui able company to tackle the reupholstering of the interior, to give the NSX a modern feel and a touch of class. He found his answer in the aptly-named LeatherSeats.com. What seems like the fi st search result on Google is actually a very high quality reupholstering company that tackled everything in the inside of the Acura – from the shift boots and headliner, to the seats and the pillars, everything has been treated to Terracotta brown leather and black Alcantara accenting. The head rests of the seats even feature a custom stitching of the Clarion Builds logo!

Of course, as this is a car built by the techheads at Clarion, it’s going to feature some serious technology. For a car straight out of the ‘90s, the NSX garnered more than enough attention at 2016’s CES because of all the impressive gear it’s packing.

When sitting inside, your ears are treated to super clean audio from all directions, courtesy of Clarion’s exclusive Full Digital Sound (FDS) system. With the system being fully digital, high-resolution audio can be fed straight into the system without worry of sound deterioration. The FDS system is also capable of outputting four times the power of conventional systems at approximately one-fifth of the usua power consumption, and that’s all without the use of an amplifie . Instead of an amp, the FDS system utilizes an LSI (Large Scale Integration) chip that ties together thousands of transistors all unto itself, like a microprocessor, which then sends a fully digital signal to the door speakers,

ESSENTIALS 1991 Acura NSX

BUILT BY: Clarion Builds, AutoWave, Beach Autosound, LeatherSeats.com LOCATION: Cypress, CA ENGINE: Honda C32B2 3.2L V6 HORSEPOWER: 344 hp TORQUE: 247 lb-ft SOCIAL MEDIA @clarionusa /clarionusaonline @ClarionUSA ClarionBuilds.com

ENGINE ∂ Honda C32B2 3.2L V6 engine swap ∂ CT Engineering supercharger ∂ AEM custom carbon fiber intake system ∂ AutoWave custom tune ∂ Walborough 255 LPH fuel pump ∂ Koyorad aluminum radiator

tweeters, and 10-inch subwoofer in the factory floo -mounted location. The Builds NSX is equipped with what could be a pretty important part of car audio history.

The NSX also shows off Clarion s Surround Eye 360-degree camera system. Surround Eye is a super intelligent camera system that stitches camera views from, in the NSX’s case, the front bumper, the rear license plate frame, and both of the side mirrors. The stitched image is a real-time bird’s-eye-view of the car. The cherry on top is that it’s all wired up to display on the JDM navigation pod, which was optional equipment on NSXs in Japan.

REPEAT SUCCESS The crew at Clarion Builds has done it again.

Their NSX is like if Gotye made a follow-up to Somebody That I Used To Know, and that follow-up song was even catchier (side note: is Gotye now officially somebody that e used to know?). They’re no one-hit wonders, that’s for sure. And in case you forgot, the car will be up for grabs once it’s finished ouring around and winning awards.

“Whoever gets this car, when it’s auctioned off or charity next year, will be smiling for days,” says Gharapetian, smiling himself. “We just want to make sure that at the end of it all, when the ink is dry and everyone is happy, a good amount of money will go to a good cause.”

EXHAUST ∂ AEM custom dual exhaust system ∂ Honda 2004 NSX headers DRIVETRAIN ∂ Honda 2004 NSX 6-speed manual transmission swap CHASSIS/SUSPENSION ∂ KW Variant 3 coilovers ∂ CT Engineering sway bars ∂ Okuyama Carbing rear shock tower brace WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∂ Rays Engineering Volk Racing ZE40 wheels – 18x9 +45 (f), 19x9 +33 (r) ∂ Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires – 225/35 R18 (f), 265/30 R19 (r) ∂ StopTech ST-40 BBK – 4-piston calipers, drilled 328x28-mm 2-piece rotors (f/r) ∂ Braided brake lines EXTERIOR ∂ Downforce USA (carbon fiber NSX-R hood, fiberglass diffusers (f/r), fiberglass wide fenders w/ marker light delete, carbon fiber NSX-R spoiler, rocker panels) ∂ Honda NSX second-gen taillights ∂ Glasurit Blu Caleum Metallic paintjob by Diamond Hills INTERIOR ∂ LeatherSeats.com (rewrapped and stitched shift knob, stitched shit & e-brake boots, custom reupholstered leather seats w/ “Clarion Builds” logos, Alcantara headliner, Alcantara pillars, Alcantara wondow visors) ∂ EuroBoutique flat-bottom sport grip modified OEM steering wheel ∂ Downforce USA fiberglass dual-DIN center console trim ∂ NSXCarpets.com custom floor mats ∂ Honda NSX JDM navigation pod MOBILE ELECTORNICS ∂ Clarion (Surround Eye 360-degree camera system, NX706 multimedia head unit, FDS Z3 control unit & tweeter system, Z25W 10-inch digital subwoofer, Z7 digital speakers) ∂ Hushmat sound deadening ∂ Downforce USA sealed floor subwoofer enclosure ∂ Optima BlueTop battery SPONSORS ∂ AutoWave ∂ Barrett-Jackson ∂ Pandora ∂ AEM ∂ Chris Forsberg Racing ∂ KW Suspension ∂ Michelin ∂ StopTech ∂ Diamond Hills Collision Center ∂ Downfroce USA ∂ Glasruit ∂ Hushmat ∂ Mothers ∂ Optima Batteries ∂ Rays Engineering ∂ South Coast Acura ∂ Hitatchi ∂ HD Radio ∂ Koyorad ∂ LeatherSeats.com ∂ Science of Speed ∂ Viper ∂ Wirez

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TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Clarion Full Digital Sound System Review

With the help of a valuable partnership and some impressive technological innovation, Clarion is bringing mobile audio to the next level with the world's first fully digital audio system.

A

nd now for something completely different!

Clarion has partnered with Trigence Semiconductor and their Dnote technology to be the fi st car audio company in the world to develop a true fully digital audio system. Fully digital from the source, all the way to the digitallydriven voice coils in the proprietary speakers. With this system, you can forget about ohms and volts, as there are no analog signals between the source and the speaker cones.

You can also forget about the traditional noise and interference issues we have dealt with for 30 years, as this system’s signal is fully digital from the front to the back of the car, thereby eliminating the entry points for common sources of noise.

Technology The Clarion Full Digital System (FDS for short) is comprised of three fundamental components that must be used together. First there’s the “brain” of the system, the Z3 processor. The Z3 is a small device that serves as the main connection point for all the inputs and outputs, and is packaged with a pair of one-inch soft dome tweeters and a remote commander unit for

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controlling the system. The tweeters plug directly into the Z3 and are driven by an onboard digital amplifie . Next is the Z7 loudspeaker, a 6.75-inch woofer/midrange with built-in custom LSI circuitry (more on this later). The Z7 speaker is equipped with six voice coils, and a fully digital drive circuit is mounted on the rear of the magnet. What would normally be the speaker wire is a small gauge digital input wire that also plugs directly into the Z3 processor. Last, but not least, is the Z25W subwoofer. It shares similar construction concepts with the midrange woofer, in that it also incorporates built-in LSI digital drive circuitry.

The LSI technology found in the Full Digital System has been custom developed by Clarion specifically or use in automotive applications. LSI stands for “Large Scale Integration” and it is the process of integrating or embedding thousands of transistors on a single silicon semiconductor chip. In the case of the LSI used here, the result is a microprocessor that consists of multiple complex subsystems, and is really more of an integrated system than an integrated circuit.

The Clarion system is capable of

maintaining a 96-kHz/24-Bit digital audio signal from the source to the speakers without ever converting it to analog or passing a signal through a traditional amplifie . The result is a faithful reproduction of high-resolution music files xactly as they were mastered, with absolutely no degradation in quality.

The Clarion Full Digital Sound speakers, each equipped with their own LSI chipset, utilize Dnote digital signal processing to transmit six digital signals to the multi-driver's six-layer multi-voice coils, which deliver precision cone control that translates to accurate sound and highly efficient p formance. Because this approach more than doubles the speed of conventional digital systems, it allows higher output power while requiring about half the input power, making this methodology of driving a loudspeaker far more efficient than en the best traditional Class-D amplifie s. Additionally, because of the way the drive circuits are mounted directly to the speaker and have very short distances to the multiple voice coils, there are lower distortion levels and increased speaker cone control at all volume levels.

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Z3 Details The Z3 is so small and doesn’t build up a lot of heat, so it can be mounted virtually anywhere. Inputs for analog stereo, optical digital, coaxial digital and USB digital (Android only) are all available. The outputs include connections for the included tweeters, two pairs of Z7 midrange speakers, and two Z25W subwoofers for a total of eight channels. There are also a pair of analog RCA outputs for adding a higher powered subwoofer amplifie and conventional subwoofers.

The remote commander controller features a large round volume knob and only two other buttons on the unit, marked “Mode” and “Set.” Pressing the Mode button allows you to scroll through the various menus shown on the large LCD display.

Tuning the system is accomplished via the free Clarion Z-tune app available on Google Play or the Apple App Store. Once installed, you are prompted to select your speaker configuration and then ha e the ability to adjust crossover frequency and slope, one-third octave equalization, and signal delay settings from the screen of your device. In addition, a section called “Intelligent Tune” is also available and offers various levels of implementation of “Sound Restorer,” “Virtual Bass” and “Reverb Control”. There are also four built-in sound field settings tha you can experiment with to achieve your desired effect.

The one-inch polyester dome tweeters that are packaged with the Z3 come with flush-moun and surface-mount angled cups and specially-terminated wiring extensions to accommodate direct connection to the Z3. The tweeters are the only speakers in the system where the digital drive circuitry remains inside the Z3 rather than outboard at the speaker.

Z7 Midrange The midrange drivers are 6.75inch units featuring a composite cone made of Aramid-, carbon- and mica-impregnated polypropylene.

Instead of a dustcap, the center of

the speaker uses a phase plug. A butyl rubber surround and Conex linear spider provide the compliance, while six one-inch copper voice coils provide the driving force.

The coils are wound on a TIL/GlassImide former and surrounded by a 280-gram strontium ferrite motor.

All of this technology is built into a stamped steel basket, topped by a high temp ABS grille.

Z25W 10-inch Subwoofer The Z25W subwoofer is built around a low-profile, shall wmount stamped steel basket.

In addition to the digital signal connection to the Z3, it also comes with a harness for 12-volt power and ground to power the onboard amplifie . The woofer uses a material Clarion calls “GAC-composite” for the cone. It also dons a nicely finished injection-molded dus cap.

The woofer can be mounted in as little as 3.4 inches of depth and works well with enclosure volumes of less than one cubic-foot.

The Source – NX706 DVD/CD Navi Receiver To showcase the Full Digital System’s sound quality potential, Clarion provided me with their top-of-the-line source unit, which just happens to be equipped with an optical digital output, so I could run a fully digital signal from source to loudspeakers.

The NX706 is a double-DIN size in-dash unit with a seven-inch touchscreen, full 2D or 3D GPS navigation with turn by turn directions, and millions of POIs. There’s DVD playback, Bluetooth hands-free, audio streaming, and lots more.

Mirror Mode allows you to mirror the screen of select smartphones, which brings all the apps on your phone to life on your dash. It has Pandora control built-in, and even Siri Eyes Free compatibility when paired to an iPhone via Bluetooth.

The audio section of the NX706 includes a built-in four-channel amplifier and pre-ou s for front, rear and subwoofer amplifie s.

Internal high- and low-pass crossover fil ers, a 15-band parametric EQ and source independent

@clarionusa

@clarionusa

gain and EQ make the NX706 an ideal cornerstone for any serious audio system.

Listening to the Full Digital System When I get presented with a completely new technology, such as this system represents, I tend to be very careful and thorough in my evaluation of it before forming an opinion. I mounted the Z3 tweeters and Z7 mid/woofers in my listening room’s baffles, and then install the woofer in an enclosure I modified o accept the additional power and ground connections required.

These fi e speakers were then all connected to the digital outputs of the Z3 processor. The NX706 was used as the source and, just for fun, I tried both the optical digital output, as well as the analog RCA outputs. I could leave them both connected and simply select the one I wanted from the remote commander’s menu. Then I downloaded the Z-tune application and installed it on an Android phone. With everything ready, I turned the system on and went through the basic setup.

Using the Z-tune app, I configure the crossovers, set the gains and began my listening.

As usual, I played a wide variety of music and experimented with various volume levels. I also connected my high resolution audio player during my listening so I could really experience the maximum sonic goodness that high-res music has to offer. After several hours of listening, experimenting and fiddling with all the control and inputs, I came away completely impressed.

The fidelity of the s stem is excellent, and while I originally had my doubts about driving speakers with a digital signal and on-board amplification, my doub s were erased. The system sounds very good, and has excellent clarity and intelligibility. Delicate nuances and detail in the music are fully apparent, and the system has a lifelike sound. I did not hear the digital artifacts that I had expected, and I was fairly gob-

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smacked at the amount of output available from a system that did not have a traditional amplifie .

Unlike many aftermarket systems where the bass can’t be heard at low volumes and is overbearing at high volumes, the Clarion FDS is very linear throughout the volume range. The Z-tune app made easy work of tuning the system and I actually found the built-in DSP effects available were actually useful.

At the end of the session, it occurred to me that the system had generated almost no heat, and most of the time was drawing less than 10 amperes total.

A good aftermarket system with this kind of sound used to mean a multi-channel amp (or two) and a source unit.

Conclusion I went home thinking about what this new technology meant for the future of car audio, and perhaps, eventually, all audio categories. Of course, leading edge technology comes with a price: $2,550 in this case. Considering the performance and exclusivity that comes along with it, I expect Clarion will sell quite a few. Over time, as the technology matures, the costs will go down and the performance will improve even more. We live in an exciting time for music enthusiasts.

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TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Alpine INE-W967HD Nav Receiver Review Single-DIN design with double-DIN functionality and more features than we know what to do with.

I

f you happen to drive a Jeep or truck and have a few aftermarket accessories installed, or if you always wanted a double-DIN sized touchscreen, but your dash doesn’t have the typical required depth, this review is for you. The Alpine INE-W967HD Audio/Video/ Navigation receiver is loaded with a bunch of cool capabilities that you may not have even dreamed about.

Not your typical AV/Nav piece, this unit is built on a space saving single-DIN chassis, but fi ed with a full-size seven-inch TFT touchscreen. Couple that with standard HD Radio, built-in Pandora control, plus an amazing array of expansion capabilities, and you have the cornerstone of a brilliantly conceived head unit.

Features The INE-W967HD is a mechless navigation receiver with unparalleled installation fl xibility. Because there is no built-in disc drive, the chassis is small and will fit in an opening that will take a double-DIN

TECHNICAL DATA

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faceplate. It allows you to use your portable media player or thumbdrive, but if you still want to play CDs and DVDs there is an optional disc player available (DVE-5300).

The navigation system will get you where you’re going via full 3D maps and voice guidance with text to speech functionality. This allows the INE-W967HD to speak street names, freeway numbers and exit names as you drive. The unit comes pre-loaded with HERE map data of the U.S. and Canada, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. With seven million POIs included, you’ll have no problem finding our favorite gas station or coffee house. Of course full Bluetooth communication and audio streaming are also part of the package, bringing all of the convenience and safety that being hands-free provides. Other convenient features can be accessed via the Alpine Connect app, which allows Yelp and iHeart Radio content to be controlled from the INE-W967HD when used with the free app on an iPhone or Android

smartphone. For example, you fin a restaurant on Yelp, then have the address sent directly to the INEW967HD so the navigation system can route you there.

Thanks to Alpine’s optional KAC-001 External Accessory Controller, you can actually use the faceplate of the Alpine receiver to control aftermarket accessories like a winch, auxiliary lighting, air suspension, or pretty much any other relay-controlled accessory.

A graphical icon and name can be assigned to each accessory for quick identification on the screen.

A simple press of the touchscreen allows each accessory to be controlled as a pulsed, latched or momentary output, depending on how the accessory is configured.

Say goodbye to that two-foot long row of toggle switches mounted under your dash; now you can control it all right from the touchscreen. How’s that for a little James Bond action?

If you need to keep tabs on what’s going on around your vehicle or trailer, the INE-W967HD

PREAMP SECTION

AMPLIFIER CEA-2006A Power per channel (all channels driven, @ 4 ohms)

18.5 watts/ch x 4

Max Usable Output Voltage

4.6 Vrms

A Wtd S/N Ratio (ref to 2V / 1W @ 4 ohms) Amplified output

-72.0 dBA (Aux)

A Wtd S/N Ratio ref to full output voltage

-80.0 dBA (Aux)

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

0.04%

Output Impedance

212 ohms

Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)

20 Hz – 8.0 kHz (Aux)

Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)

20 Hz – 8.0 kHz (Aux)

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TEST REPORT Alpine INE-W967HD Alpine.com

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AlpineTV

4 OHM POWER VS THD+N PER CHANNEL BATT 14.4V Cogent Audio Labs

4 OHM POWER vs THD+N PER CHANNEL

BATT 14.4V

20

10

5

2

1

0.5

0.2 % 0.1

0.05

0.02

0.01

0.005

0.002

0.001 1

2

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18.520

10

50

100

W ALPINE INE-W967HD

4 OHM POWER vs THD+N

PER CHANNEL

BATT - 14.4V

AMPLIFIER MAX FLAT Cogent Audio Labs

AMPLIFIER MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

+6 +5.5 +5

will allow up to three video camera systems to be controlled, using Alpine’s optional KCX-C250MC Multi-Camera Selector. This is also handy for off-roaders who use front and rear cameras to help during rock crawling adventures.

Controls and Functionality From a user’s perspective, the Alpine is very simple and intuitive. The touchscreen is responsive without being too delicate, and the combination of “hard-button” controls just below the display take care of all the frequently used functions nicely.

A dual screen function lets you display the A/V information, as well as the sat-nav map at the same time, and you can even select which one goes on which side. A new four-way swipe-based interface keeps you only a quick gesture away from most commonly accessed functions. Simply swipe left for navigation, right for audio and video features, swipe down to adjust the audio system and swipe up for Bluetooth and source selection. When you are on the audio and video page, you can just swipe across to access the various entertainment sources connected to the system.

The “My Favorites” feature lets you personalize quick-access screens with up to 80 shortcuts to your most-used features.

You can design as many as 10 "Favorites" page profiles, with up o eight shortcuts per page. The shortcuts can be audio sources, navigation commands (favorite places/direct search/nearest POI search), or even phone settings. The shortcuts are easily added by pressing the shortcut soft key that appears within all audio and hands-free sources. Once added, the settings are kept as a personal profile lin ed to your smartphone via Bluetooth.

And there’s more! Input and output HDMI ports are standard, as is a rearmounted USB port. The display can have eight different background colors and the hard key illumination can also be customized for color and brightness. Steering wheel controls can be retained via a control adapter (sold separately) and a wireless remote control is included.

Audio-oriented features are adjusted via the Alpine “TuneIt” app, and includes signal delay adjustability for all four channels, a nine-band parametric EQ, and 11 selectable crossover points for high- and low-pass fil ers. The crossovers also have four available slopes, from -6 dB to -24 dB in 6-dB increments.

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On the Bench Audio Performance With the INE-W967HD connected to my trusty Audio Precision analyzer, I ran the usual battery of tests and the Alpine performed to all of its specifications. I no ed that the frequency response wasn’t quite as flat as other Alpine pieces ha e been, but not out of line enough to cause anyone grief. The internal amplifier was good or more than the rated 18 watts per channel, and the three pairs of pre-outs had better than four volts of drive capability.

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Conclusion The Alpine INE-W967HD is a brilliant choice for anyone looking for a very full featured audio source and sat-nav combo.

Thanks to the amazing array of expansion capabilities, there’s almost nothing this piece can’t do, including fitting in a lot o dashboards where a full chassis doubleDIN unit won’t go. The INE-W967HD has a suggested retail price of $2,199 in Canada, and about $1,700 in the U.S.

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TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Kenwood DNX893S Navigation Receiver Review Simple interface with every feature in the book.

I

f there is a new sat-nav receiver on your shopping list, do yourself a favor and check out the new Kenwood DNX893S Navigation Receiver. This new model raises the bar for ease of use and intuitive control. When a source unit has this many features, functions, capabilities and adjustments, keeping this simple for the user is something that everyone can truly appreciate!

Features and Functions The Kenwood DNX893S has pretty much every feature you could ever want or hope for in a sat-nav receiver. Thanks to a

much faster processor, the boot time and functionality is greatly improved over earlier models.

Thanks to a new seven-inch glass capacitive touchscreen display (like a smartphone) and a new user friendly GUI and menu, all of your entertainment and information needs are readily available and easily accessed. Three programmable buttons offer a quick way to select your favorite sources. You get Garmin-based GPS navigation, compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, not to mention compatibility with iDatalink Maestro RR and all the advanced features that option brings. In

MEASURED SPECIFICATIONS AMPLIFIER CEA-2006A Power per channel (all channels driven, @ 4 ohms)

20.0 watts/ch X 4

A Wtd S/N Ratio (ref to 2 V/1 W @ 4 ohms) Amplified output

-80.9 dBA (CD)

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

0.08%

Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)

20 Hz – 20 kHz (CD) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (Aux)

PREAMP SECTION Max Usable Output Voltage

5.0 Vrms

A Wtd S/N Ratio ref to full output voltage

-89.8 dBA (CD)

Output Impedance

78 ohms

Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)

20 Hz – 20 kHz (CD) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (Aux)

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addition, the DNX893S is equipped with built-in Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming, Pandora and Spotify app control, and an HD Radio tuner. There are inputs for two cameras, and built-in parking guidelines for the optional rearview camera. A rear-view camera can also be used facing forward, as the unit has the ability to reverse the image for proper viewing.

Available Formats The Kenwood unit includes all the usual AM/FM/CD/DVD/MP3 sources, the aforementioned HD Radio tuner, SiriusXM readiness, FLAC compatibility, and DTS and Dolby Digital decoding. There is full iPod/iPad/iPhone compatibility, and connections can be made via dual USB ports, or an SD/SDHC card. High resolution playback is supported via FLAC or WAV music files up o 24 bit/192 kHz, via USB. The unit’s firmware can also b updated via USB. An MHL2 certifie HDMI port is also built into the connections on the rear panel.

ANDROID AUTO: The Kenwood navigation receiver supports the Android Auto app for Android smartphones running OS Lollipop (5.0 or newer). The compatible Android smartphone must be connected to the Kenwood receiver's USB port via the microUSB-to-

USB cable that came with your smartphone, plus be paired via Bluetooth. Android Auto extends the Android platform into your car in a way that's purpose-built for driving and automatically brings you useful information and organizes it into simple on-screen "card-style" pop-ups that appear just when they're needed. With Android Auto you get access to Google Speech, Google Maps, and text-to-speech for SMS messages.

You can also get Android Mirroring via HDMI/MHL with the addition of a Kenwood KCA-MH100 cable. Mirroring brings any stored movies or apps to your Kenwood’s screen, using the phone’s screen for control.

APPLE CARPLAY COMPATIBLE: Apple CarPlay is the smarter, safer in-vehicle interface to operate your iPhone (iOS 7.1+) with Lightning connector. Your iPhone must be connected to the Kenwood receiver via the Lightning cable that came with your Apple device.

CarPlay features Siri voice control and is specially designed for driving scenarios. It also works with the Kenwood receiver's touchscreen controls. Use CarPlay to get directions, make phone calls, listen to voicemail, send/receive messages or select music in a way that allows you to stay focused on the road ahead.

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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

TEST REPORT Kenwood DNX893S Kenwood.com

@kenwoodusa

A powerful DSP processor provides controls for various soundstage setups, a 13-band equalizer, as well as internal crossovers for high-pass on the front and rear outputs and low-pass on the subwoofer output. Thirteen separate frequencies are available, and you can also select from four different slopes. Delay of channels can also be adjusted for difference is distance of up to 20 feet in increments of less than an inch!

Navigation comes from Garmin and includes their excellent 3D mapping and Birds Eye junction view features. Millions of POIs are in the included database, and the power of the Garmin GPS is augmented with INRIX connectivity, one of the best real time traffic networks in the world. With this unit, you’ll not only get spoken directions to where you want to go, you’ll also get there more quickly and efficient .

OEM Connection Maybe you have a newer vehicle with Ford SYNC or OnStar functions. The DNX893S can be interfaced with those services via an iDatalink Maestro module, which is sold separately. When connected to the OnStar system all of the vehicles functions like steering wheel controls, chimes, and the OnStar service, if subscribed, are unaffected. Ford’s SYNC users will retain all of the

above plus additional features like tire pressure monitor data, climate controls, and all the voice controlled features as well.

*

Audio All of the connectivity and functionality in the world doesn’t do anyone any good without high performance audio performance, and that area certainly did not get neglected. A built-in four-channel MOSFET amplifier ra ed at 22 watts per channel is ready to drive your existing speakers, or you can take full advantage of the front, rear and sub RCA outputs with fi e volts of output. To keep things cool and ensure long-term durability, a cooling fan is built into the chassis.

Amplifier - requency Response Cogent Audio Labs

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Conclusion The Kenwood DNX893S is one of the most fully-featured and easy to use sat-nav receivers I’ve seen this year. With Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus the amazing functionality capabilities of the optional iDatalink Maestro module, I can’t really expect anything more. The audio section is truly high performance, and there’s enough on-board tuning and adjustability to satisfy all but the most ardent tweakophiles.

However, maybe the best part, is that all this goodness comes at a very affordable $1,399 in Canada, and slightly less in the U.S.

As usual, the fi st thing I do with any product I get for review is listen to it, so I unpacked the unit and began the process of hooking it up in my reference system. After familiarizing myself with the vari-

THD+N Ratio vs Frequency

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On the test bench, the Kenwood unit met or exceeded all of its measured specifications, exhibiting a nice, flat response curve, very good signal-to-noise performance, and respectably low output impedance.

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I immediately noticed the much faster boot up time when turning the unit on, and that alone is worth the price of admission. Thanks to an improved graphical user interface, the DNX893S is quite simple to use. Commonly used functions are readily available, and the new capacitive touchscreen is very responsive. Compared to other competitive units, I found myself cruising through the various screens and menus without much need for a manual. In terms of customization, there isn’t much to want for. As you’d expect, the screen colors and button illuminations are all customizable, and this unit can also display up to 26 different languages.

Available features may vary depending on the vehicle. The iDatalink Maestro RR is sold separately by Automotive Data Solutions.

KenwoodUSA

ous menus and controls, I set the unit for flat response and turne the DSP off o begin my listening.

In short order, I knew the audio section was good, and I spent some time fooling around with all the features and functions that having a powerful onboard DSP can provide. I also streamed music from my Pandora stations, and checked out the thumbs up and down controls. All the audio and video sources I used worked fla lessly, and the sonic performance was everything I’d expected.

Controls And Functionality

Sat-Nav

/kenwoodusa

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TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Audiopipe APNK-40001

a wired remote level control, so you can fine tun the amount of bass you get right from the driver’s seat.

Inside the amplifie you find a double-side PCB, along with specially treated transformers to improve reliability and eliminate transformer noise. Signal transfer from the output stage of the amp to the speaker terminals is accomplished via heavy-gauge pure copper stranded cables. The small signal parts are all traditional through-hole parts, and the amp sports 15 3,300-μF high temperature capacitors in the primary and another 10 1,200-μF caps in the high voltage stage.

The amplifier did not come wit any fusing, so this is something the installer would need to add during installation.

Amplifie Review With a price just over $500, rugged style, and an impressive amount of watts-per-dollar, getting the best bang for your buck has never been easier.

I

f you are looking for big bass power at an unexpected pricepoint, you may want to check out the Audiopipe APNK-40001 monoblock amplifie . The APNK-40001 is designed for reliable audio power, regardless of load impedance, right down to one ohm. With a suggested retail price of $566.99, it’s one of the most affordable ultrahigh-power amplifie s available.

the amp you will find the nic elplated 1/0-AWG power terminals and a set of four-AWG speaker outputs. The opposite end of the amp locates the signal inputs and outputs, which are rugged, highend-looking, panel-mount-style RCAs, as well as the adjustment pots for gain, a 50- to 250-Hz lowpass fil er, 15- to 40-Hz subsonic fil er, and bass EQ boost level with up to 18 dB of boost.

Self-protection comes in the form of built-in protection modes for thermal, short circuit, and low battery voltages. With an amplifie this massive, sturdy mounting feet are important, so the APNK-40001 comes with strong heavy-gauge steel tabs integrated into the amplifier's end panels. Also included i

Features The big monoblock looks pretty good, and feels it too, with a weight of right around 30 pounds! A black anodized extruded aluminum heatsink is finished in a brushed “hai line” look, just like expensive home audio components. On one end of 4 OHM POWER vs THD+N 100 Hz 14.4 V Batt Cogent Audio Labs

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When I get a powerhouse like this in my listening system, it’s always a treat because it’s one of those situations where I can simply play things as loud as I like without ever worrying about reaching the amplifie ’s limits.

I connected the APNK-40001 to four 15-inch woofers in sealed enclosures, with a final impe ance of two ohms. After setting

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TEST REPORT

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

Audiopipe APNK-4000 audiopipe.com

the gain and crossover, I picked a few favorite tracks from Telarc and Sheffield abs with excellent deep bass and fast, articulated notes in the lowermost registers.

The big Audiopipe amp certainly proves itself in terms of effortless power. Considering the price, I wasn’t expecting audiophile performance, but its ability to accurately reproduce deep bass notes from Don Dorsey’s synthesizer or the rapid attack and resonance of a large kick drum or kettle drum was still pretty decent. With this amp in my system, I found I reached

TECHNICAL DATA

@audiopipe

My only real complaint during listening was the loud noise of the internal cooling fans used to cool the power supply toroids and output chokes. If the amp was in a trunk, I suppose it wouldn’t be objectionable, but if you mount this amp inside your listening space, you are going to hear those fans.

a point where my ears would give up before the amp ran out of steam. Just beware; you’re going to need several (or more) very stout woofers to handle this beast, and if you use it at two- or one-ohm loads, you’ll need a serious charging system to handle the current demands.

I have a 200-amp supply in my listening room, and it hit its limit a few times.

Performance/Bench Measurements Moving from the sound room to my test bench, I put the APNK40001 through its paces and confirmed it does ma e serious power, if not quite as much as advertised.

MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS

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

Manufacturers Rated Power

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

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

1550 x 1 @ 4 Ω

1201 x 1 @ 4 Ω

1444 x 1 @ 4 Ω

2650 x 1 @ 2 Ω

1794 x 1 @ 2 Ω

2277 x 1 @ 2 Ω (at clipping)

4000 x 1 @ 1 Ω

2348 x 1 @ 1 Ω

3220 x 1 @ 1 Ω (at clipping)

MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

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The amp has relatively high levels of THD, especially at lower power levels, but this is mostly due to high frequency noise and will never be audible when driving a woofer.

This also tends to spoil the signalto-noise ratio somewhat, but again, this isn’t a critical spec for a subwoofer amp.

Efficiency is good, and the a is clearly built to handle huge amounts of current reliably. The adjustments and controls work as expected, and there were no unwanted surprises. My earlier comments about current demand were confirmed when I measure a current draw of 277 amps at full power into one ohm. If you buy one of these brutes, make sure you have the charging system and battery reserve to drive it.

From a pure value perspective, the Audiopipe APNK-40001 has a lot going for it, and offers more watts-per-dollar than almost anything else available. With plenty of power on tap for even the most enthusiastic users, heavy duty construction, and a price tag that’s affordable to almost anyone, this amp could be exactly what you need to get some accessibly big bass in your system.

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audiopipeusa

Conclusion

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TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

PAS_2016_Audiopipe_APNK-40001.indd 2

2016-07-20 6:41 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

PAS_2016_TE_Tech&Audio6_Azure_Audiomobile.indd 1

2016-07-15 10:29 AM

TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Kicker CXA1800.1 Amplifie Review Exemplary audio performance, loads of innovative features and a great price for what you're getting. This amplifier is a jack of all trades and master of many.

TECHNICAL DATA The following power measurements were obtained using industry standard methods. (100 HZ @ 1.0% THD+N Battery voltages shown +/- 0.2 V)

AMPLIFIER MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS Manufacturers Rated Power 900 x 1 @ 4 Ω 1800 x 1 @ 2 Ω

T

he Kicker CX series of amplifie s have been designed to provide not just the legendary power that Kicker is known for, but these amplifie s also offer several innovative and useful features that set them apart from the rest of the pack. This time, we’re going to have an in-depth look at the big dog in the line, the CXA1800.1 subwoofer amplifie .

“THE KICKER CXA1800.1 IS THE MOST POWERFUL AMPLIFIER IN Features THE CX SERIES The Kicker CXA1800.1 is the LINEUP, BUT WITH most powerful amplifier in the CX series lineup, but with a full A FULL RETAIL retail price of only $499.95 it’s PRICE OF ONLY still affordable to pretty much anyone interested in some serious $499.95 IT’S STILL bass power. It has power ratings AFFORDABLE of 900 watts into four ohms, and whopping 1,800 watts into two TO PRETTY aohms.

The CX series are some MUCH ANYONE of Kicker’s smallest chassis, and INTERESTED IN have optimized layouts to make use of the existing PCB area, and SOME SERIOUS allow smaller heat sinks. To that BASS POWER.” end, the CXA1800.1 is certainly smaller in physical size than you’d expect for an 1,800-watt piece,

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Actual Measured Power @ 1.0% THD+N @ 12.6 V Battery 1001 x 1 @ 4 Ω 1727 x 1 @ 2 Ω

measuring just over 14 x 6.75 x 2.25 inches.

The unit has understated cosmetics with a satin-finish blac powdercoated heatsink, and gray silk screening. All of the speaker and power connections live on one end of the amp, and these seriously robust terminals leave no doubt this amp means business.

The power connections will accept 1/0-gauge cables, and the convenient dual mono speaker terminals are large enough for eight-gauge cable.

The opposite end of the amp is home to the RCA input connections, and the signal control adjustments. Three potentiometers are provided for gain, a 50- to 200-Hz low-pass crossover, and a bass boost of up to 12 dB. There is also a permanent fourth order subsonic fil er set at 25 Hz to prevent unwanted subwoofer excursion at high power levels. The amplifier is moun ed via sturdy metal brackets, with additional brackets supplied to allow the amp to mount vertically on a horizontal surface. This allows an installer to

Actual Measured Power @ 1.0% THD+N @ 14.4 V Battery 1002 x 1 @ 4 Ω 1878 x 1 @ 2 Ω

mount several of these amplifie s one in front of the other in a minimum of space, as well as accommodate other imaginative installation ideas.

To further enhance installation fl xibility, the Kicker amp boasts Kicker’s F.I.T. (Failsafe Integration Technology) allowing compatibility with virtually any OEM or aftermarket source. Part of the F.I.T. system is a dual mode turn-on circuit that allows you to use either the usual 12-volt trigger, or DC sensing on the input circuitry when signal is coming from an OEM headunit.

Inside the CXA1800.1 I found high quality components, combined with top notch construction and attention to detail. Four TO220 case-size MOSFETs are used as power supply switchers, and another four are used for output devices. Capacitance for the power supply is handled by four 2,200-μF high temperature 35-volt caps, and eight 2,200-μF 100-volt caps are in the secondary to supply the output rails. No big surprises here, but the internals are top quality and the amp looks very well made.

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

PAS_2016_TechAudio_TR_Kicker_CXA1800.1.indd 1

2016-07-20 7:22 PM

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Untitled-1 1

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

TEST REPORT Kicker CXA1800.1 Kicker.com

TECHNICAL DATA Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to 2 V output.(CEA2006A) (1 watt @ 4 ohms)

-76.7 dBA

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to full output.

-106.7 dBA

THD+N at rated power

0.25%

Maximum Efficiency at full 2 ohm power per ch.

85.6%

Idle Current

1.1A

Input Sensitivity

125 mV- 10 V

Maximum Current @ full power, lowest rated impedance

152.4 A

Frequency Response (-3 dB)

27 Hz – 206 Hz

High Pass Crossover (Subsonic Filter)

27 Hz -24 dB/Oct

Low Pass Crossover

50 Hz – 206 Hz -12 dB/Oct

Bass EQ boost

+11.6 dB @ 42 Hz

Listening Putting the amp back together, I connected it into my reference system for some critical listening. The CXA1800.1 was connected to a pair of 12-inch woofers for a fina impedance of two ohms. I should mention something here that I don’t think Kicker gets enough credit for: this and all other Kicker sub amps are designed for a minimum of two-ohm loads. Kicker believes (and I agree with them) that the trade-offs involved for one-ohm operation are simply not worth it.

Two-ohm amps draw less current, run cooler, and as shown by this amp, can deliver all the power you’ll ever need. This is smart engineering and it’s in the end-user’s best long term interests. These guys understand high quality sound, and what it takes to get it.

With the amp set at about 100 Hz on the low-pass fil er and the boost left flat, I bega with some Joni Mitchell featuring the late, great Jaco Pastorius on bass. The CXA1800.1 did a great job of producing his amazing musicianship in detail, and because I like to hear his stuff loud, there was defin ely plenty of steam for when things got “enthusiastic.”

Switching to The Getaway People’s Mister E the Kicker amp proved it could handle tight bass and retain a warm, natural timbre.

Considering the amp’s musicality, I felt it only fitting o pull out some of Booker T’s Green Onions, and for good measure threw in some Issac Hayes and Otis Redding. The amp didn’t care what I played, it just continued to pump out clean, tight bass at any volume I wanted. Over the next couple of hours I listened to a lot of different music from heavy rock and metal to classical and country. At the end of the session, there were two comments that I found repeated in my notes. The fi st one was the amp’s seemingly effortless power. I played some of those tunes at levels that my ears would only handle for short periods, and never seemed to find the amp s power limits. The amp had zero turn-on or turn-off noise, and even though I had beat on it pretty good for a couple of hours, it was just warm to the touch.

@kickeraudio

/kickeraudio

KICKER

FOUR OHM POWER Cogent Audio Labs

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

10

5

2

1

0.5

0.2

%

0.1

0.05

0.02

0.01

0.005

0.002

0.001

600m

1

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

500

1.002k 1k

2k

6k

1.879k 2k

6k

W KICKER CXA1800.1

4 OHM - POWER vs THD

100Hz

14.4V Batt

TWO OHM POWER Cogent Audio Labs

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

10

5

2

1

0.5

0.2

%

Performance/Bench Measurements On the bench, the Kicker powerhouse exceeded all of its published specs for power, signal-to-noise and distortion. I measure well over 100 amps a year, and this amp is in the top 10 for overall performance and power efficien . Nowadays it seems so many amps just barely squeak by in this regard, so it was nice to see that there are still some brands that believe in delivering more than they promise.

I completed my full battery of tests and measurements, confir ing the low-pass crossover worked as expected, as did the bass boost. Efficiency was excellent, and the amplifier protected properly when I tried to over and under voltage it, or when I dead shorted the outputs. The red protection indicated a protection circuit had been engaged, but there was no drama; just a quick reset of the power and all was back to normal and working perfectly.

@kickeraudio

0.1

0.05

0.02

0.01

0.005

0.002

0.001

600m

1

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

500

1k

W KICKER CXA1800.1

2 OHM - POWER vs THD

100Hz

14.4V Batt

MAX FLAT RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

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

-14 -16 -18 -20 -22 -24 -26 -28 -30 -32 -34 -36 10

20

50

100

200

500

1k

500

1k

Hz KICKER CXA1800.1

MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

CROSSOVER ADJUSTMENT RANGE Cogent Audio Labs

CROSSOVER RANGE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

+6 +4

Conclusion The Kicker CXA1800.1 is a serious amplifier or anyone who wants big power and great musicality. Combining exemplary audio performance with innovative features, installation fl xibility and a very reasonable price, the CXA1800.1 will give you a hard time justifying anything else.

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

-14 -16 -18 -20 -22 -24 -26 -28 -30 -32 -34 -36 10

20

50

100

200

Hz KICKER CXA1800.1

66

PASMAG

CROSSOVER RANGE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

PAS_2016_TechAudio_TR_Kicker_CXA1800.1.indd 2

2016-07-20 7:25 PM

Untitled-2 1

2016-07-21 4:50 PM

TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Rockford Fosgate T750X1bd Amplifie Review

Impressive power in a compact design from one of the industry's most trusted names.

TECHNICAL DATA

A

lthough our vehicles evolve and change, our passion for music remains constant. Whether you want your music in a muscle car, hot import, hybrid or even a motorcycle, Rockford Fosgate remains dedicated to providing the gear you need to bring your music to life. To that end, recognizing the fact that cars are getting smaller, and available current is always at a premium, Rockford offers the compact, high efficiency ower Series of amplifie s. This series is built on small footprint, fan-cooled ultra-compact amplifie s with no compromise in audio performance.

This review will take a look at the

Manufacturer's Rated Power

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

500 x 1 @ 4 Ω

424 x 1 @ 4 Ω

750 x 1 @ 2 Ω

755 x 1 @ 2 Ω

750 x 1 @ 1 Ω

947 x 1 @ 4 Ω

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

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

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

Cogent Audio Labs

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

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

Cogent Audio Labs

10

10

10

5

5

5

2

2

2

1

1

1

0.5

0.5

0.5

0.2

%

Features

As you’d expect from a company that’s been doing high-end car audio for decades, the T750X1bd is loaded with Rockford Fosgate technology, including a bunch of stuff that ou simply can’t find o any other brand. As any experienced person will attest, setup and tuning of a system can make or break the entire install. To make sure the amp's gain settings are dialed in Actual Measured Power correctly, one of @ 1.0% THD+N @ 14.4 V Battery the most useful 503 x 1 @ 4 Ω features of the T750X1bd is 952 x 1 @ 2 Ω their patented 991 x 1 @ 1 Ω C.L.E.A.N. setup

MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS

The following power measurements were obtained using industry standard methods. (100Hz @ 1.0% THD+N Battery voltages shown +/- 0.2V)

0.2

0.1

%

%

0.1

0.05

0.05

0.02

0.02

0.02

0.01

0.01

0.01

0.005

0.005

0.005

0.001

0.002

600m

1

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

503 500

1k

2k

5k

0.001

0.002

600m

1

2

5

10

20

50

W ROCKFORD FOSGATE T750X1bd

68

PASMAG

4 OHM - POWER vs THD

100Hz

14.4V Batt

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

0.2

0.1

0.05

0.002

system. The acronym stands for “Calibrated Level Eliminates Audible Noise”. Included in the box with each amp is a special setup CD. You simply play the appropriate track from your head unit and increase the volume setting until the “Input Clip” indicator lights up on the top of the T750X1bd, then reduce the output one step. The next step is adjusting the gain control on the amplifier until the multicolo output clip indicators turn blue.

Once you’re there, that’s it, you’re done. If you wanted to tweak it a bit more to dial in some gain overlap and really get it perfect there are additional tracks on the disc, and you can double check your setup by monitoring the amp's output clip indicators while you are playing your favorite music.

To keep the heat under control, the T750X1bd also incorporates a special three-stage airfl w cooling system with dual fans to keep the power supply and output devices cool.

largest monoblock in the compact amp line, the T750X1bd. Loaded with innovations and several patented features, this amplifie is rated at 750 watts into two or one ohm loads, and has a U.S. suggested retail price of $799.99.

100

200

500

.952k 1k

2k

5k

0.001

600m

1

2

5

10

20

50

W ROCKFORD FOSGATE T750X1bd

2 OHM - POWER vs THD

100Hz

14.4V Batt

100

200

500

.991k 1k

2k

5k

W ROCKFORD FOSGATE T750X1bd

1 OHM - POWER vs THD

100Hz

14.4V Batt

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

PAS_2016_Tech and Audio_Rockford Fosgate T750X1BD.indd 1

2016-07-20 7:16 PM

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2016-07-18 2:34 PM

TEST REPORT Rockford Fosgate T750X1bd MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

CROSSOVER RANGE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

Cogent Audio Labs

+6

+6

+4

+4

+2

+2

-0

-0

-2

-2

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

PUNCH EQ - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

CROSSOVER RANGE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

Cogent Audio Labs

PUNCH EQ - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

+21 +20 +19 +18 +17 +16 +15

d B r

d B r

-14

+14 +13 +12 +11 +10 +9 d B r

-14

+8 +7

-16

-16

+6

-18

-18

+5

-20

-20

-22

-22

-24

-24

-26

-26

-28

-28

-30

-30

-32

-32

+4 +3 +2 +1 +0 -1 -2 -3 -4

-34 10

20

50

100

200

500

1k

-34 10

-5 20

50

Hz ROCKFORD FOSGATE T750X1bd

200

500

1k

-6 10

20

ROCKFORD FOSGATE T750X1bd

CROSSOVER RANGE - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

and is shipped with its own “birth certifica e” indicating the actual measured specifications

Listening For the listening part of my testing, I connected the T750X1bd to a pair of four-ohm woofers, wired in parallel for a nominal two-ohm load. As this particular woofer system used a sealed enclosure, I simply left the amp's infrasonic fil er turned off. The second order

PAS_2016_Tech and Audio_Rockford Fosgate T750X1BD.indd 2

50

100

200

500

1k

Hz

Hz

MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

Of course all the typical expected features are included as well, with adjustable frequency 50to 250-Hz low-pass crossover, and Punch equalization, which unlike a typical bass EQ found in other products, the patented Punch EQ provides a calculated amount of boost at 45 Hz to help overcome road noise. To ensure every amplifier sold is pe forming to Rockford Fosgate’s high expectations, each amplifier is individually ested

100

ROCKFORD FOSGATE T750X1bd

low-pass crossover was adjusted to an indicated 80 Hz, and then after a bit of gain adjustment, I was ready to give the Rockford monoblock a good listen.

I have to say, it performed far better than I would have expected, if its diminutive chassis was any indication. This amp may be small, but it develops prodigious power!

Judging by the way it handled the reproduction of difficult inst ments like Barenaked Ladies'

PUNCH EQ - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

stand-up bass, and Don Dorsey’s synthesizer, I couldn’t help but be impressed. Another favorite track for bass definition is Rickie ee Jones’ Danny’s All-Star Joint. This track has the amazing Willie Weeks on a Fender Jazz bass, and his plucking and thumb slapping are fantastic. During all these tracks, the T750X1bd provided good power and control, with tight, crisp bass notes delivered with good definition and clarit .

2016-07-20 7:17 PM

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

rockfordfosgate.com

INFRASONIC FILTER - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

@rockfordfosgate

INFRASONIC FILTER - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

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

-14 -16 -18 -20 -22 -24 -26 -28 -30 -32 -34 10

20

50

100

200

Hz ROCKFORD FOSGATE T750X1bd

INFRASONIC FILTER - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

The amp did not get overly warm during listening until I ran a few really bass-heavy tracks through it at really loud volumes, at which point it was very warm to the touch, but played on without complaint. The amp kept playing throughout my two hour session, and the dual cooling fans were virtually inaudible.

While I really liked the Rockford T750X1bd generally, I have to admit I was a little less enamored

with a couple of details. The amplifier is small, s I understand there isn’t much real estate for power and speaker connections. However, the power connections will accept a maximum of only eight-gauge wire.

When you realize that this amplifier can pull almost 100 amp of current, I think it needs and deserves a four-gauge connection to minimize voltage drops.

500

1k

Performance/Bench Measurements On the test bench, the Rockford Fosgate amplifier easily surpassed all of its published specific tions, and most by a considerable amount. Power at two ohms

PAS_2016_Tech and Audio_Rockford Fosgate T750X1BD.indd 3

and one ohm was significantly greater than advertised, and other typical specifications ere equally impressive. I did notice some heat buildup while doing the bench testing as well, so I think making sure the amp has plenty of space and airfl w in its installed location will be a good idea.

Conclusion The ultra-compact Power Series amplifie s are some of the highest power density amplifie s I have tested to date. The awesome amount of power developed by the T750X1bd is fantastic, but if you are going to drive it hard on a regular basis, make sure you give it a fighting chance o rid itself of heat. The amplifier sounds great, has excellent build quality and like other Rockford Fosgate products, it should be an exceptionally reliable performer.

rockfordfosgate

rockfordfosgate

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to 2 V output.

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

-83.1 dBA

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to full output.

-110.1 dBA

THD+N at rated 4 ohm power

0.87%

Maximum Efficiency at full 4 ohm power per ch.

86.2%

Maximum Efficiency at full 2 ohm power per ch.

86.4%

Efficiency at 10 watts per channel, 4 ohms

30.2%

Idle Current

1.5A

Input Sensitivity

142 mV- 12.0 V

Maximum Current @ full power, lowest rated impedance

98.9 A

Frequency Response (-3dB)

<10 Hz – 236 Hz

High Pass Crossover

N/A

Low Pass Crossover

50 Hz – 250 Hz -12 dB/Oct

Subsonic Filter

30 Hz

Punch EQ

+17 dB @ 45 Hz

2016-07-20 7:18 PM

TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Sony XM-S400D Component Review Compact design meets big sound with this Sony amplifier that just might be the right fit for your vehicle.

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

“IT’S SMALL ENOUGH TO BE MOUNTED BEHIND THE DASH NEAR YOUR RADIO!”

72

PASMAG

AMPLIFIER MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS Manufacturer's Rated Power

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

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

45 x 4 @ 4 Ω

53 x 4 @ 4 Ω

41 x 4 @ 4 Ω

M

aybe your stock audio system suits you pretty well, but it just lacks the clean power you need to really enjoy your music. And if you have a leased vehicle, or simply can’t a˜ ord the space or cash that a full-size amplifier requires, pay attention here because the folks at Sony have a solution.

Sony has introduced a compact four-channel amplifier designed to add some much needed power to your OEM system. The amp is called the XM-S400D, and is a

Class D unit with an advertised output power of 45 watts per channel into four ohms. Best of all, it can be used with virtually any aftermarket radio or OEM system.

It’s small enough to be mounted behind the dash near your radio!

Features With a compact chassis measuring about 6.5 x 2.5 x 1.5 inches, the Sony XM-S400D can be mounted nearly anywhere, and comes complete with a nice, long wiring harness and input harness-

es for both high-level or RCA-type inputs. The amplifier is very simple to connect and set up. Current draw is low, thanks to the Class D topology, so this amplifier can be powered via the vehicle’s fusebox rather than needing a dedicated power wire to the battery. There are only three possible adjustments to make, a switch for either two- or four-channel input, a switch that controls a 120 hertz high-pass filter for the front channels and a similar low-pass filter, also 120 hertz, for the rear channels.

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

PAS_2016_TechAudio6_TR_Sony_XM-S400D.indd 1

2016-07-22 2:13 PM

XMA

|

XL

POWER

|

ASA3

PER

|

ACS

DOLLAR

Engineered in the USA for Uncompromised Power & Performance

XMA

Untitled-2 1

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XL

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ASA3

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ACS

.com e r b a s s u s |a tel: 909.923.3868 w w w . p o w as s USA Inc. rB Š2015 Powe

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fax: 909.923

in the Engineered mproco n u USA for and er mised pow . ce an perform n more Hands dow ollar d watts per ading le er than oth k the ec h C brands. t u p d specs an the to s as PowerB ! ay test tod

2016-03-21 1:19 PM

TEST REPORT Sony XM-S400D 4 OHM POWER VS THD+N @1000 HZ 14.4V BATT Cogent Audio Labs

4 OHM POWER vs THD+N @ 1000 Hz 14.4V Batt

10

5

2

1

0.5

0.2

%

0.1

0.05

0.02

0.01

0.005

0.002

0.001 1

2

5

10

53.64 50

20

100

200

500

1k

W SONY XM-S400D

4 OHM POWER vs THD+N

1000 Hz

14.4V Batt

MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE Cogent Audio Labs

CROSSOVER SETTINGS - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

Cogent Audio Labs

+6

+6

+5.5

+4

+5

+2

+4.5

-0

+4

-2

+3.5

-4

+3

-6

+2.5

-8

+2

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+1.5

-12

+1 d B r

-14

+0.5

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-28

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-32

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-34 -36

-5

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CROSSOVER SETTINGS - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

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50

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MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

PAS_2016_TechAudio6_TR_Sony_XM-S400D.indd 2

50

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2k

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10k

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CROSSOVER SETTINGS - FREQUENCY RESPONSE

2016-07-20 7:09 PM

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

Sony.com

“THE SONY XM-S400D ADDS WELCOME CLEAN POWER TO YOUR SYSTEM AND IT SOUNDS GOOD DOING IT.” The amplifier is designed specifically or four-ohm loads, which makes it compatible with the vast majority of OEM and aftermarket full-range speaker systems.

For a real improvement, add the XMS400D and replace the factory speakers.

Night and day!

Listening The Sony XM-S400D adds welcome clean power to your system and it sounds good doing it. The little amp adds virtually no character of its own and simply does what a good amp should -

PAS_2016_TechAudio6_TR_Sony_XM-S400D.indd 3

faithful reproduction of the recording with adequate power. The amp has no audible noise floo , and during my listening session drew very little current barely getting warm.

Performance/Bench Measurements

@sonyelectronics

@sony

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to 2 V output.

/sony

Sony

-82.4 dBA

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

Signal to Noise Ratio referenced to full 4 ohm output.

-99.6 dBA

Distortion at rated power

0.08%

On the test bench the Sony XMS400D performed well, easily exceeding the 45-watt-per-channel rating. As I suspected when I listened to it, the frequency response is exceptionally flat and the signal-to-noise ratio was also very good. What more do you need?

(minimum power per channel developed over the entire audio bandwidth)

Maximum Efficiency at full 2 ohm power per ch.

75.1%

Conclusion

Idle Current (warm)

0.6 A

Maximum Current @ full power 2 ohms per ch.

19.6 A

Frequency Response (-3 dB)

10 Hz – >20 kHz

Stereo Separation (Crosstalk)

-55.8 dB @ 5 kHz

While many of us have been indoctrinated with the old “amps are big, need lots of power and go in the trunk” tradition, the Sony XM-S400D may cause a re-think of that idea. With its high efficiency design, ultra-compact si e, and startlingly good sound, not to mention a very affordable price tag, it might just be the perfect amplifier or you.

CEA-2006A rated 4 ohm Power 48 watts/ch

2016-07-20 7:10 PM

TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

Focal E 30 KX 12-inch Subwoofer Review From the modest city of Saint Etienne in central-east France comes Focal.

Saint Etienne has long been considered a center for design, in fact, in 2010, it was nominated as “City of Design” as part of Unesco’s Creative Cities Network.

And no doubt the legendary products from Focal have had something to do with building the city’s reputation.

I

n this review we are going to take a look at one of the newest Focal subwoofers. The Focal E 30 KX is a 12-inch dual voice coil woofer designed to appeal to the customer looking for a higher-end high-output sub. And from the looks of it, the high-end appeal target scores a bullseye.

Features

“REGARDLESS OF THE MUSIC I SELECTED, IT REPRODUCED THE BOTTOM-END CLEANLY, WITH GREAT CONTROL AND DEFINITION.”

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Built on a custom designed, rugged cast aluminum basket and nicely finished in gray powdercoat, the E 30 KX is an impressive woofer to un-box. The woofer is beefy, weighing in at just over 24 pounds, due in no small part to the massive 170-mm doublestacked magnet assembly.

Making full use of all that magnetic energy is a four-layer copper-clad aluminum voice coil, wound on a sti° fiberglass former.

The dual coil layout measures 65 mm in diameter, or roughly 2.5 inches. Keeping the coil centered in the magnetic gap, and providing compliance to the suspension, is the duty of a progressive-type 190-mm poly-cotton spider.

All of this technology connects to a hand-made conical

cone, built onsite at the Focal factory. The cone is formed by hand-stretching the Focal K2 fi fiber cloth on the front side of a foam core, followed by a fiberglass layer on the back. The result is a very well damped and sti° cone that will not create distortion and unwanted resonances. A convex injection-molded poly-dustcap finishes the cone, and carries the famous Focal logo. To connect the outer edge of the yellow cone to the cast basket, a full hemispherical rubber surround, measuring 29 mm in width is employed.

To aid in reliability, the voice coil is kept cool via the spider pumping air through six 6-mm holes in the former, to directly cool the voice coil. In addition, there are vent holes in the top and back plates, as well as the center pole. When it’s all said and done, there is enough cooling available to allow a power rating of 800 watts for the E 30 KX.

Listening After a break-in period* to normalize the driver’s suspension, I installed the E 30 KX in a 1.3-cubicfoot sealed enclosure. After getting it connected to my reference system, I began dialing in the cross-

over and gain settings. I found that this woofer had signifi significantly more high frequency output than many competitive woofers, and because of this, I preferred to use a steeper -24 dB crossover slope. I should note here that this is largely a matter of personal taste, and others may prefer the additional higher frequency output, and choose a -12 dB crossover. Bear in mind though that the higher the frequency you permit a woofer to reproduce, the easier it will be to locate where the woofer is placed in the vehicle. This makes it hard to get the “bass in the windshield” image that so many listeners prefer.

*

(You don’t need to break-in the woofer when you buy it, a few days of listening to it will do the same thing. I simply break-in all loudspeakers before doing critical listening or measurements, just for consistency and accuracy in the information) ~Garry Once everything was set, it didn’t take much more than the first track or two to thoroughly be impressed with the sound quality and overall excellent tonality the woofer provides. The very bottom

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Focal.com

@focalofficial

QUICK TECH SPECS

@focalofficial

/focal.corporate

FOCAL, Listen Beyond

Power Handling

800 Watts RMS

Frequency Range

20 Hz – 200 Hz

Sensitivity

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

Nominal Impedance

(2) 2 ohm coils

FOCAL E 30 KX WOOFER MEASURED SPECIFICATIONS

Parallel Coils

Electrical Parameters Re

and the next morning took it into the lab to be measured by my trusty Klippel analyzer. I’m happy to report the woofer measured as expected, and quite close to the factory published specifications

Conclusion Long before I’d completed the testing of the Focal E 30 KX woofer, I had decided that it was a very good piece of kit. With specific tions that indicate it could also be pressed into use in a vented box if desired, but with exceptional performance in a sealed enclosure, there isn’t much more one can expect from a subwoofer. Of course, this level of performance does not come cheap, and the Focal K2 Power series flagship come with a suggested list price of $999.

This is absolutely a case of getting what you paid for though, and those who can afford the E 30 KX will undoubtedly consider it money well spent.

electrical voice coil resistance at DC

1.826 mH

frequency independent part of voice coil inductance

L2

2.521 mH

para-inductance of voice coil

R2

of the musical spectrum is easily audible, and good enough in fact to easily 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 sounded good, with good control.

Dire Straits’ Heavy Fuel and Marc Cohen’s Walking in Memphis had excellent natural timbre. Plucked bass sounded nice, fat and round, as it should. Bass-heavy tracks, like the Pussycat Dolls’ Don’t Cha and 50 Cent’s In Da Club were reproduced with authority.

Switching musical gears to more audiophile-oriented material, tracks like Donald Fagens’ classic Ruby, sounded very tight and articulate, with great definitio in the bass and drums. On Rickie Lee Jones’ Danny’s All Star Joint, the bass was again smooth and very detailed, with a strong natural presence to the kick drum. All in all, regardless of the musical genre, this woofer sounds very good in the recommended sealed box, right up to the 800-watt power handling limit. Regardless of the music I selected, it reproduced the bottom-end cleanly, with great control and definition

1.69 Ohm

Le

3.26 Ohm

electrical resistance due to eddy current losses

Cmes

1684.1 μF

Lces

20.17 mH

electrical inductance representing driver compliance

Res

20.28 Ohm

resistance due to mechanical losses

fs

27.3 Hz

electrical capacitance representing moving mass

driver resonance frequency

Mechanical Parameters (using laser) Mms

178.67 g

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

Mmd

165.62 g

mechanical mass of voice coil and diaphragm without air load

Rms

5.231 kg/s

mechanical resistance of total-driver losses

Cms

0.190 mm/N

mechanical compliance of driver suspension

Kms

5.26 N/mm

Bl

10.300 N/A

mechanical stiffness of driver suspension force factor (Bl product)

Loss Factors Qtp

0.463

total Q-factor considering all losses

Qms

5.861

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

Qes

0.487

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

Qts

0.450

total Q-factor considering Re and Rms only

Other Parameters Vas

70.173 l

equivalent air volume of suspension

n0

0.282 %

reference efficiency (2 pi-radiation using Re)

Lm

86.70 dB

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

Lnom

87.45 dB

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

Sd EBP

510.71 cm 2 56.05

diaphragm area Efficiency bandwidth product

MAGNITUDE OF ELECTRIC IMPEDANCE Z(F)

SPL VS FREQ

Coils in Parallel

System Frequency Response – 1.3 cu.ft. sealed enclosure

On The Bench When my extended listening session was over, I allowed the woofer to cool down overnight,

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TEST REPORT

BY GARRY SPRINGGAY

PowerBass OE65C-TY Component Speaker Review The easiest way to improve your Toyota's audio system, bringing it to levels previously unheard of from the factory.

I

f you happen to be driving a Toyota, Lexus or Scion vehicle, and you’re just not happy with the factory supplied audio system, well, you’re not alone. Sure, you’d like to make some improvements, but maybe you don’t know where to begin, or you simply don’t have a trunk full of cash to spend. Maybe you can’t find produc s that fit, or are unwilling to do any modific tions to the car. In that case, you will want to read on because this review is about a new product that is the solution you’re looking for.

The folks at PowerBass understand that the weakest link in an OEM system is the factory supplied speakers. In every case, regardless of the vehicle, replacing the speakers will give you the biggest bang for the buck in terms of sonic improvement per dollar spent. To that end, they have

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developed a series of speakers that are designed to be direct bolt-in replacements for the OEM junk, right down to the electrical connections. The best part is, the 6.5-inch component set sells for just over $100, making this an incredible upgrade that anyone can afford.

The PowerBass system is called the OE65C-TY. It includes a pair of 6.5-inch mid-woofers, a pair of one-inch titanium tweeters, and everything needed to install them.

The system is rated at 60 watts of continuous power handling, with 120-watt peaks.

Features and Construction MIDRANGE: The midrange driver is built around a custom-tooled, injection-molded nylon basket.

This provides a strong, stiff frame for the driver and eliminates any

corrosion issues that are common in the automotive environment.

The basket is tooled to be a perfect drop-in replacement for the factory speakers, and uses the exact same bolt pattern. Care was taken to ensure the depth of the speaker was not going to cause fitment issues, and the electr cal connections are made via a direct plug and play connection, or through the use of various supplied adapter connectors.

Once through the input plug, the electrical signal fl ws through a pair of silver-plated copper tinsel leads, to a one-inch, duallayer copper voice coil. The coil is wound on a heat resistant Kapton former for reliability. Suspension and cone control is handled courtesy of a 50/50 wool and Nomex spider, and a rubber surround. A 20-ounce ceramic magnet provides the magnetic energy to drive

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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PATENTED TECHNOLOGY

SPIDER PLATEAU VENTING

The S65 Series Uses Patented Surround Geometry Resulting In Greater SPL • Radial Ribbed T-Yoke Dissipates Heat and Decreases Distortion • • Progressive Suspension Reduces Distortion • • MTX DNA Delivers the Boom • Available Exclusively @ Your Authorized MTX Retailer Visit mtx.com to See All the Thunderous Solutions Designed to Change the Way You Listen to Audio

Keep U pda ted

MTX005500 S65 PAS Ad.indd 1 Untitled-1 1

©2016 Mitek Corporation. All rights reserved. MTX and Feel the Thunder are trademarks of Mitek Corporation.

All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners and no endorsement is implied. MTX005500 RevA 6/16

6/30/16 10:40 AM 2016-07-05 11:59 AM

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

TEST REPORT PowerBass OE65C-TY PowerBassUSA.com

@powerbassusa

/powerbassusainc

PowerBass USA

QUICK SPECS Recommended Power

60 Watts

Sensitivity (2 V/1 M)

88 dB SPL

Frequency Response

50 Hz -25 kHz (-3 dB)

Mounting Depth (approx)

1.75 in. (45 mm)

FREQUENCY RESPONSE

the injection-molded polypropylene cone, which is trimmed out with a domed dustcap.

TWEETER: The tweeter used in the OE65CTY system measures one inch in diameter, and features a neodymium magnet and an inverted titanium dome to improve off-axis response.

A diffuser is moun ed in the center of the tweeter, again to help control the intended dispersion pattern.

The crossover is a simple fi st order fil er, unobtrusively integrated into the tweeter’s lead wires.

Listening Comparing the sound quality from the PowerBass system to the OEM speakers is like night and day.

Where the OEM speakers have little in the way of real mid-bass or high frequency response, the PowerBass system adds all of that important missing information back in. The OE65C-TY system has a smooth, pleasing response and provides the authority that had been lack-

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ing. Mid-bass notes are much better defined, and the le el of detail that the system provides compared to the factory system is instantly evident. Should you want to add a little more power once your system is suddenly worth listening to, the PowerBass system is very happily driven with a 40- or 50-watt per channel amp, which then sounds even better.

Conclusion If you find ourself less than impressed with your Toyotabased audio system, you owe it to yourself to audition this replacement set of speakers from PowerBass. It’s literally like hearing the music again for the fi st time. If you are only going to make one improvement to your Toyota-based system, this should be it.

“IF YOU ARE ONLY GOING TO MAKE ONE IMPROVEMENT TO YOUR TOYOTA-BASED SYSTEM, THIS SHOULD BE IT.”

TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2016 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 6TH EDITION

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SEE NEW PRODUCTS • DISCOVER NEW TECHNOLOGIES • MEET MANUFACTURERS • EXPERIENCE NEW TRENDS REGISTER TO ATTEND AT

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EXTRAS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS GOSDA

ORIGINAL

Spot THE DIFFERENCES. 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)!

ALTER

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2016-07-18 11:36 AM

Light is colorful Transform your headlight reflector with LED color Customize your vehicle’s look with the ZEVO® PULSE, a universal LED product designed to add colors to your headlight refl ctors.

ZEVO® PULSE allows you to match a color theme or pulse to the beat of your music. Using Bluetooth® technology, once paired the free SYLVANIA ZEVO® app allows you to control color, mode and multiple compatible products with one device.

/sylvaniaautomotive

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/sylvania

/sylvanialight

© 2015 OSRAM SYLVANIA. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Projector lens look acheived by using 2 PULSE systems per assembly.

www.sylvania.com/zevopulse

2015-08-14 4:08 PM