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T U N I N G
E S S E N T I A L S
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M O B I L E
E L E C T R O N I C S
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CONTENTS 2015 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW
CES
Page
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SHOW COVERAGE:
2015 CAR AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS
EXCLUSIVE BUYERS GUIDES
34 Head Units
38 Speakers
40 Amplifiers
46 Subwoofers
50 Batteries
52 Wiring & Distribution
TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION PASMAG
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T U N I N G
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CONTENTS FEATURES
FLASH OF CLASS
Oracle’s Aston Martin Super Vantage
Page
GROUND POUNDER
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60,000 watts later Page
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BUNNY HUNTER
ARC Audio widebody FR-S Page
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TEST REPORTS
Audison AP8.9 bit Amplifier
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Sony MEX-XB100BT Head Unit
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Clarion XC2510 Compact Amplifier
66 MTX XTHUNDER 800.5 Amplifier
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TECH
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Garry’s Garage: Introducing PROJECT C6
COLUMNS
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Sound Advice: Making proper adjustments
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Cabe’s Corner: Getting to know the subwoofer
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PASMAG Tuning Essentials (ISSN # 1710-1573) is published 6 times a year by Performance Auto & Sound Inc. 100A-219 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON, M6K 3J1, Canada SUBSCRIPTION RATES: (10 issues) Canada and USA: $24.99 (20 issues) Canada and USA: $34.99 (30 issues) Canada and USA: $42.99 Toll Free: 1 (888) 564-SUBS [7827] Email: subs@pasmag.com www.pasmag.com/subscribe
GROUP PUBLISHER & CEO Tim Rutledge PUBLISHERS Blake Breslin & Perry Breslin FOUNDER & SR. VP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Frank Spezzano
EDITORIAL GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Shaun Keenan SENIOR EDITOR Jordan Lenssen ASSOCIATE EDITOR Micky Slinger TECHNICAL EDITOR Garry Springgay
CONTRIBUTORS Jacob Leveton Fred Lynch Jason Scott Cabe Sipes
ART & PRODUCTION CREATIVE DIRECTOR Queue Gonzalez PRODUCTION & SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Patrick Dinglasan SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Edward Shintani SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Patrick Beltijar GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mike Chan
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A D M I N I ST R AT I O N DIRECTOR, CIRCULATION & RETAIL MARKETING Craig Sweetman DIGITAL COORDINATOR Patrick Lagowski
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 PAP Registration #10760 PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NIAGARA FALLS, NY AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. U.S.P.S. # 022-608 U.S. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 2421 Hyde Park Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY, 14305 U.S. POSTMASTER SEND ADDRESS CORRECTIONS TO: Performance Auto & Sound, Box 1082, Niagara Falls, NY, 14304 Exclusive distribution by: Coast-to-Coast Newsstand Service Ltd. 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.
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ISSUE PREVIEW
SOUND OFF
“Finally!” some of you may be exclaiming. We know you guys love your audio as much as we do – after all, we are Performance Auto AND SOUND – and our car audio issues are our offerings to all you SPL, SQ or install heads. Aftermarket car audio is where we got our start and we will never forget those roots. All these years later and we’re still going strong with the support of the audio community. This one’s for you. On to the good stuff: what’s inside? It’s going to start on a bit of a bittersweet note, actually. We’ve been involved with George Dimitriadis’ ground-pounding Hummer H2 build since the beginning, and it all comes to a head in this issue. Check out the full feature with a breakdown of all the blood, sweat and beers that went into it. We’ll miss having the Ground Pounder in the pages, but Dimitriadis is far from done building and it’ll be far from the last time he’s heard from in these pages. We have a flash of class here as well, in the shape of the Aston Martin SuperVantage. Oracle Lighting’s show car extraordinaire received the full treatment to wow any audience with its impressive lighting and custom JL Audio install. What
exactly is a SuperVantage? Read on – though it’s probably exactly what you’re thinking. Our audio columnists are still kicking out the awesome material. Cabe Sipes takes us through what actually makes a subwoofer and what makes a blown waste of money. If you’re considering some new subs, you should give this a look. Garry Springgay has been super busy testing products for us (look for Audison, Sony, MTX and Clarion tests inside), but he’s also gearing up to build a kickass car. His in-
"Aftermarket car audio is where we got our start and we will never forget those roots. All these years later and we’re still going strong with the support of the audio community."
troduction to Project C6 will outline all you can expect from a sound engineer building a ’Vette. The Consumer Electronics Show is the subject of our latest event coverage. Check out my experiences as I stumbled around the show floor for the first time, taking pictures and trying not to nerd out too hard. This leads into our Buyers Guides for this issue, as over 70 of the items in the guide are new releases for 2015 that were unveiled at CES! There’s even more in here, so what are you still reading this for? Make some notes, get inspired and build something awesome. As always, you can send us an email at letters@ pasmag.com or post on our Facebook page if you think what you’ve made deserves to be shared. Thanks for picking up the mag. We look forward to hearing from you.
MICKY SLINGER
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TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION PASMAG
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SOUND ADVICE
WITH GARRY SPRINGGAY
THAT’S NOT WHAT THAT’S FOR! A guide to being a well-adjusted individual
Facebook: garry.springgay Website: cogentaudiolabs.com
will be wide, and can affect frequencies more than an octave on either side of the center frequency. High Q filters tend to be more useful for audiophile-type tuning, where a typical tone control will tend to use a low Q filter, operating over a wide range.
Crossovers As most of our regular readers know, I’ve been making a living in the audio industry since slightly after the earth cooled. One of the neat things about my nearly four decades of experience in this business is being able to watch and take part in the shifts in technology. Over the last 40 years, a great deal has changed in the entire audio world, and most of it for the better. Today’s products offer so much more in terms of features and convenience, it’s hard to compare them to products that were “cutting edge” back in the day. In the early years of the car audio industry, head units didn’t have pre-amp outputs or even LCD displays. Amplifiers didn’t have crossovers built in, and plenty of speakers didn’t even use tweeters. Now, even basic head units have powerful DSP processing, and products are being offered with a dizzying array of adjustability and tuning capabilities all of the time. That’s all well and good if you know what these features do and how to use them properly. A powerful audio processor in the hands of a skilled professional can make vast improvements to a system’s overall sound quality and reliability. However, if the person doing the tweaking doesn’t know exactly what they are doing and how those adjustments affect the system as a whole, it’s really easy to do much more harm than good. So, with that in mind, I thought we’d take a look at some of the more common DSP controlled adjustments and features, and explain a bit about each one and how to use it properly.
Equalization One of the most commonly used and abused tuning features is the ubiquitous equalizer. To be blunt about it, very few people use an EQ properly, and they gener-
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ally have poor sounding and potentially unreliable systems. The first thing you have to understand is that an equalizer cannot compensate for a bad installation or poor products. If you have an underpowered system, boosting a bunch of frequencies will not increase your power. It will make your amplifier clip at a lower volume setting and potentially damage your speakers. Likewise, boosting the bass won’t make a single eight-inch woofer equal the output of a pair of 12s. That’s not what the EQ is for. A properly-set EQ is used to correct small frequency response problems that may occur due to a variety of causes. If you chose your new speakers because they had a natural sounding mid-range and exceptional clarity, but after you installed them the tweeter pointing at your legs needed some help, you could use an EQ for that. But do you know the best way to make your tweeters sound brighter? Most amateur installers would simply bump up the EQ on the top end. Nope, that’s a bad idea. The best way to match your tweeter output to your mids is to actually decrease the output of the mids. By doing it this way, you don’t risk clipping your amp at the tweeter frequencies, thus reducing the abuse they have to endure. Not only that, but by using the “cut” function of the EQ, you are reducing overall system gain, thereby reducing noise problems, and giving you better control of the overall volume of your system. Some DSP-powered equalizers also offer a feature called “adjustable Q.” The Q of a filter refers to the effective width of the filter. For example, if you boost or cut a specific frequency, how much effect that boost has on adjacent frequencies is determined by the Q. “High Q” filters will drop off steeply on each side of the center frequency. A “low Q” filter
Another commonly adjusted feature is a basic crossover. Almost everyone knows that a crossover is used to remove unwanted frequencies from a given channel. How these crossovers get adjusted is a bit more complicated. For example, if you select a steeper crossover slope for a tweeter or mid-range speaker, you may be able to adjust the frequency to a lower frequency, since that low frequency information will be removed sooner due to the steeper slope. The slopes are always defined as X amount of “dB per octave.” Let’s take a look at a few examples: A high-pass crossover that is -12 dB/Oct and set at 400 Hz will be -6 dB at 300 Hz, and it will be -12 dB at 200 Hz (an octave is a halving or doubling of any given frequency). However, if that crossover was a -24 dB/ Oct filter, it would be a full -12 dB at 300 Hz, and it would be -24 dB at 200 Hz. Because of the steeper slope of the -24 dB crossover, you could set it to 300 Hz instead of 400 Hz and still have the same protection as found in the -12 dB slope.
s
Crossover Alignment Something else that’s not widely understood in crossover selection is the type of alignment. There are many different types technically possible, but the most common ones used in car audio are the Butterworth and Linkwitz-Riley alignments. Without getting all propeller-head here, you can simply think of them this way: A Butterworth crossover has a higher Q than a Linkwitz-Riley, (0.707 vs. 0.49) and therefore rolls off more steeply in the “knee” of the curve. The knee is the portion of the curve where the roll off begins, before the slope becomes asymptotic (or straight in its slope). The way the high-pass and low-pass
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PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION
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crossovers sum together changes with the alignment. Depending on where your speakers are placed, and the way they acoustically sum can vary drastically simply by changing the filter alignment. This is stuff you should be experimenting with and listening to what happens when you adjust things.
If you have ever wondered how they got those preset sound fields called “Jazz Club” or “Concert Hall,” now you know.”
Signal Alignment
for the driver, it will make the image for the passenger worse, or vice versa. Another common use for the signal delay function is to make the car sound “bigger” than it actually is. In a past life, I spent hundreds of hours doing audio system tuning for several car manufacturers, and the sound fields we could create by simply manipulating the arrival times of sounds from the various speaker positions were pretty amazing. If you have ever wondered how they got those preset sound fields called “Jazz Club” or “Concert Hall,” now you know. To determine how much delay is needed for your car, you can simply measure the distance from your ears to each of the speakers. The channels furthest away need no delay,
The last thing I’ll mention is the ability of certain head units or DSP processors to delay the signal of specific channels. Many people refer to this as “time alignment,” but since altering time is impossible, I prefer the more accurate term, “signal alignment.” The way this feature is designed to work is pretty basic. Since we cannot sit exactly equidistant between the speakers in our cars, we can delay the arrival time of the sound from the speakers nearest to us. This will create the auditory illusion of sitting in the center of the car, and vastly improve the left-to-right stereo image. However, it is crucial to note that you cannot correct for both sides of the car. If you set the delay to improve the image
but the closer ones can be adjusted to have all the sound arriving at the same time. To determine the amount of delay time needed, you can use some simple math. We know the speed of sound in the air is constant at approximately 1,126 feet per second. So, if we have a distance difference of one foot, we would add about one millisecond (1/1,000th of a second) of delay. If the distance difference is three feet, we’d increase the delay to about three milliseconds, and so on. Just bear in mind that any delay you calculate for a given position will generally make things worse for any other position in the car. Today’s car audio products come with a vast array of tuning tools, and if you know how to take advantage of them, they can make the cars you tune sound amazing. But a toolbox full of tools isn’t worth much to the person who doesn’t understand how to use them. Don’t be that person.
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find out what sound should be by calling us today. | 1-800-477-2267 stingerelectronics.com | phoenixgold.com Distributed in Canada by gentec-intl.com 2014-06-23 2:01 2015-02-05 4:51 PM
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The L7™ Subwoofer Big RMS power handling Bold small-box performance The foundation for high-end mobile audio
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L7 is available exclusively at Authorized Q-Class Retailers. See the list at www.kicker.com. Untitled-1 1
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CABE'S CORNER
BY CABE SIPES
THE BASKET A subwoofer basket can come in two varieties: either stamped steel or a die-cast frame. The difference between the two is cost and strength. Stamped steel baskets almost always indicate an imported subwoofer where there are thousands produced every day. This drives the cost down significantly and is why they are usually considered entry-level subwoofers. Die-cast frames are another beast altogether, and cost two to three times more than a stamped steel basket. A die-cast frame means the basket was custom designed, made into a mold and then cast with steel, aluminum or whatever spaceage material has been chosen. You will rarely find a high-end woofer that doesn't have a die-cast frame.
GET TO KNOW THE SUBWOOFER All of us, at one time or another, have been fooled into thinking a subwoofer will perform amazingly based on its looks. Whether it is a massive 500-ounce magnet or quadruple spiders with some crazy futuristic looking basket, we have been fooled. I say fooled because these things are almost always a form of visual trickery that was decided upon by the marketing team, rather than the engineering team. In the 25 years I've been involved in the industry, I have seen only two radical designs that were completely different from a standard subwoofer build. Those two would be the Illusion Audio driver with the motor placed in front of the cone (creating a very shallow woofer), and the Phoenix Gold Cyclone, which was a rotary servomotor subwoofer. Other than those two, subwoofers have stayed pretty much the same, with the exception of different materials to create lighter and more rigid cones, and different types of magnets and voice coil windings. That being said, the parts and construction of a subwoofer are still relatively the same and can be placed into certain categories of use based on those parts - if you know what to look for and understand how each part interacts with each other.
THE MOTOR A subwoofer motor is actually more than just the magnet, but this term has referred to the magnet for years, so I guess I will continue the trend. The magnet of a subwoofer is responsible for creating the magnetic field that forces the "voice coil" to move in and out of the "gap." I will discuss those two items later. As with any magnet, the larger it is, the bigger and stronger the magnetic field will be, which in turn will make the voice coil's holding field much stronger. We have all seen monsters boasting a 500-ounce magnet and thought to ourselves how amazing it must sound, but the magnet is just one of many parts that make up a subwoofer. Basing your decision on that alone is like buying a used car with a 900-horsepower engine and a stock transmission. It's not going to last very long, just like that massive magnet wrapped around a two-inch coil. THE VOICE COIL The voice coil is one of the most important parts of any speaker, and is the most important aspect when
TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION PASMAG
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determining which subwoofer is best for you. Voice coils come in many diameters, but the most common starting point for a subwoofer is a two-inch coil. If you're looking at a subwoofer with a one-inch coil, you should run far away from it. The voice coil is one of the determining factors in a subwoofer's power handling. The larger diameter the coil is, the more power it can take because the windings having more surface area to dissipate heat buildup. The number one killer of subwoofers is voice coil failure and that is normally due to overpowering and distortion. Those two items will kill a coil by overheating the coils, causing the windings to burn. Voice coils come in many different types of windings (e.g. copper and aluminum), and each has different melting temperatures and characteristics. The better the material, the better the heat dissipation, which in turn allows them to handle more power. THE GAP The gap is something that you, as a consumer, will have no chance to really look at, but it's good to know what it is. The gap is the tiny circular area in the magnet that the voice coil sits in. The distance from the coil to the magnet wall is mere millimeters, and the only thing keeping the coil from slamming and rubbing against the gap wall is the magnetic field produced by the magnet. If you play a speaker outside of its normal handling abilities, you will break that field and be on the road to coil failure. THE SPIDER The spider is the subwoofer's suspension, just like the suspension in your car. Just as the springs keep your vehicle frame from hitting the ground, the spider is there to keep the coil within the gap. When the subwoofer is moving outward, the spider restricts the coil from traveling outside of the magnetic field of the gap, and the same when the subwoofer moves in. Many manufacturers use multiple spiders on one subwoofer to achieve two things: to stiffen the suspension for higher power handling and to utilize a longer coil. As a subwoofer ages, the spider will begin to show signs of fatigue and eventually fail to keep the coil within the gap's safe zone. THE CONE The cone is what most people will see when they look at your system. Cones have one purpose, and that's to move air and move it quickly. The lighter a cone is, the faster it can move, but it also has to be rigid to handle the constant forces being applied against it. The need to have the best of both worlds has led to many different materials used in cone construction. Ranging from paper to aluminum and kevlar, they will make a huge difference in how the subwoofer sounds.
If you're looking at a subwoofer with a one-inch voice coil, you should run far away from it.
Every high-end component has an entry-level counterpart, so look at every part used to build the subwoofer. The next section of this article will help you distinguish between an entry-level and an elite subwoofer. COIL SIZE TO POWER RATIO The coil is basically a bunch of wires wound around a former. There are so many different types of formers and coil materials, so there is no way to give a cut-and-dry answer as to how much power a certain size coil can handle. If you are looking at a quality manufacturer and not some off-the-shelf brand, it makes it easier to determine because there are some quality standards. That being said, an entrylevel subwoofer will normally have a two-inch coil and handle 500 to 750 watts, depending on how well the magnet's air circulation can cool the coil. A mid-level woofer will usually have a three-inch coil and handle anywhere from 750 watts to 1,500 watts continuously. A highlevel woofer will likely have a four-inch coil and handle 1,000 watts to 5,000 watts continuous. There are a small handful of companies producing elite level woofers with five-inch coils that can handle extreme amounts of power, but due to the cost of producing the coils, these subs are very rare. BREAKING IT DOWN All of this should help you avoid overinflated, hyped-up subwoofers that will never do what they claim - and now you won't fall for it because now you know better. It's very simple: an entry-level subwoofer could have a stamped steel basket, two-inch coil and a 45 to 75 ounce magnet. If you see a subwoofer with a 350-ounce magnet and a die-cast frame boasting it can handle 5,000 watts, you might get excited, but then you see that it has a two-inch voice coil. RED FLAG! You know, based on this article, that a two-inch voice coil will not handle that kind of power and you're being sold a hyped-up, visually appealing subwoofer with cheap guts. Put your money back in your pocket, keep looking and thank me later.
THE DUST CAP This keeps dust out of the gap to protect the coil. That's pretty much it! HOW DOES THIS HELP ME? Now you have the basic knowledge of what makes up a subwoofer, but how do you take that knowledge and use it while shopping? First off, you're already ahead of the game. To utilize this newfound knowledge even further, take the items discussed and insert some common sense. If you're looking at a $500 subwoofer and it has a stamped steel basket, that should be a concern.
Twitter: @cabesipes Facebook: /CabeSipesFanPage Website: www.customaudioreimagined.com
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BACK TO THE FUTURE CES 2015 COVERAGE
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICKY SLINGER
he Consumer Electronics Show was a shock to the system. Yes, there were crazy, new innovations shown that might make your life easier and sound better, but I’m talking about the sheer enormity of this place. I have been fortunate enough to do both of the biggest trade shows in the world, in one year. After SEMA, I was under the impression that I was the king of the Las Vegas Convention Center. I’m also a huge nerd, so these were my people. I walked into Central Hall thinking, ‘Let me at ’em! I’ve conquered SEMA already. CES? Big deal!’ I busted through those doors and was instantly and completely overwhelmed. As I was carried by a sea of people down the hall and shipwrecked at a castaway cove of off-brand LED TVs, I realized just how ridiculous CES was. This wasn’t anything like SEMA. This was bigger and there was more of everything. After getting my bearings and snagging a floor map, I was ready to get to the North Hall - my home for the week. North Hall is where the bulk of the car audio industry sets up to show off their latest and greatest.
However, what I noticed on my way there was really intriguing: about three-quarters of the booths had a vehicle out front. FR-Ss, Mustangs, Jags, Jeeps, lifted trucks – they were all here. This year’s CES wasn’t too far off from SEMA in that way. With so many innovations being made in safety, and cars becoming more and more technologically advanced, we can expect this trend to carry on for the next few years. In North Hall, booth vehicles are a usual sight. There’s been a huge push in powersports products lately, so it only made sense to see UTVs, motorcycles and even the odd Slingshot or T-REX displayed outside the larger companies’ displays. Here are some of the notable highlights from the show: ORION KNOWS HOW TO HAVE A GOOD TIME These Miami bassheads definitely know how to party.
ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF THE BOOTHS HAD A VEHICLE OUT FRONT. WITH SO MANY INNOVATIONS BEING MADE... WE CAN EXPECT THIS TREND TO CARRY ON FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
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F E A T U R E
TOP: SPL Show lines this stacked Audison Fiat 500. MIDDLE: Custom bike-blasting sound by JL Audio. BOTTOM: Cerwin-Vega / Diamond Audio's booth had a Ferrari 458 with colormatched 3-piece wheels and Diamond amps. Fancy.
Orion’s space was huge and everything you needed for a great time at CES: awesome demo vehicles, loud noises, models aplenty and stellar espresso. One side of the booth was completely taken up by a Jeep Wrangler displaying some of the most impressive audio installations and output I’ve come across, shaking the hall and getting under the skin of some neighbors on occasion. The other side was host to a Dodge Challenger with an ultra-clean install inside, but an impressive woofer and amp display in the trunk. Stay tuned for both of these vehicles to grace the pages of PASMAG soon. IF IT'S TOO LOUD, YOU'RE NOT OLD ENOUGH Fifty. That’s a pretty monumental number in any right, and usually when life starts to slow down a little. Memphis turns the big five-O in 2015 and it’s not slowing down for anything; in fact, things are kicking in to high gear. Memphis’ CES booth was packed with promising things to come. A 1949
Crosley Business Coupe plastered in a Memphis 50th anniversary theme rocked some of the new catalog and rocked some crowd-pleasing demos. There was also a custom bike, complete with 20-inch spinners, decked out in the new powersports product. All this and Memphis still had room to show off the 50th anniversary limited edition amplifier. If you’re a fan of Memphis, get ready. 2015 is their year. OFF-SITE, OUT OF SIGHT One thing that’s becoming more common with booth space at a premium and the presence of large vehicle OEMs hitting the floor are the off-site locations of audio companies. We dedicated an entire day to seeing seven different companies at their private suites in four different hotels. Overall, I’d have to say that JL Audio and Rockford Fosgate had the most impressive setups. It was extremely easy to feel at home and at ease in a packed Palms suite for JL Audio because the whole thing was designed
TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION PASMAG
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©2015 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.
Big Power for 5 Channels • Full Range Class D Design Offers Excellent Efficiency for Both Subwoofers and Full Range Speakers • Low Profile Design Allows for Installation Anywhere • Cast Aluminum Top Cover Efficiently Dissipates Heat Removable Covers
MTX005100 RevA 2/15
The XTHUNDER800.5 is the latest evolution of the Thunder amplifier series that MTX Audio made famous almost 20 years ago. These amplifiers are designed to deliver extreme power to the most demanding systems. Mono Block and 4-Channel models are also available.
Get them from your local MTX dealers or at mtx.com Ke e p Up d a t e d
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT JL AUDIO TW1 SUBWOOFER
to be a laid-back house party. A full-serve bar and buffet kept attendees happy, while media members could easily snag a representative and get a tour of the new product lineup overlooking the Vegas skyline. All of the new marine application products were either submerged in the pool or had a waterfall pouring over it, all of which were providing the noise for anyone who wanted a demonstration. At Rockford Fosgate, being at the Hard Rock was already a bonus, but they put on a fantastic event as well. Taking up one of the conference rooms on the ground floor, Rockford had each of its brands (and there are many) displaying the 2015 products with active demos and knowledgeable staff. One of those staffers was Drew Kallan, a Rockford Fosgate speaker engineer, who showed me one of my favorite things of CES 2015: the 19inch Power T3 subwoofer. This thing is a behemoth compared to the other Power series products, and boasted dual spider suspension as well as out-of-this-world excursion. From what Kallan told me, they haven’t been able to kill this woofer yet. The people whose job it is to blow up subs at Rockford have run 3,000 to 5,000 watts through this beast, yet it just won’t give. Whoever buys this sub should probably just remove all of the glass from their car. This year’s CES was one for the books (or e-reader?). It was a shock at first, but that soon subsided to reveal a wonderland of new noise and automotive innovation. CES is definitely a show that takes more than a week to see the whole thing, so if you’re planning to head down, map out what you want to see. I’m already making my list for next year.
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Fits anywhere, looks fantastic and sounds like a larger diameter woofer. JL’s TW1 are available in a 10 or 12 inch to fit your application.
MB QUART TUF CUBE TWO
This little guy packs some big sound! Featuring a new and improved durable, waterproof case in Jobsite Camo green, the Tuf CUBE TWO is your solution for portable, wireless audio.
ESCORT PASSPORT MAX2
The jelaousy is boiling in my Canadian blood. The PASSPORT MAX2 is already award-winning, but the updates to detect more signals and even keep an eye on air traffic enforcers earn it another mention.
PIONEER NEX RECEIVERS I don’t think there’s anything the NEX series receivers can’t do. Supporting Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto is the latest tool added to the do-it-all of head units.
FOCAL FLAX SUBWOOFERS
The plant fiber cones are a really nice look that seriously delivers. I had the eight-inch FLAX subwoofers demo’d for me and I was blown away by their performance and extreme excursion.
2015-02-06 2:05 PM
FLASH OF CLASS
ORACLE LIGHTING’S ASTON MARTIN ESX SUPERVANTAGE BY JACOB LEVETON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ORACLE AND JASON SCOTT
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hoosing the right booth car is one of the most important decisions for SEMA vendors every year. For Justin Hartenstein and his team at ORACLE Lighting, that meant choosing a car that would silence the haters. After building a Ford, a Chevy and a Mopar for the previous three consecutive SEMA shows, show goers continued to ask why they didn’t build (insert car name here), rather than asking about the car itself. Before selecting the Aston Martin for the 2013 show, the goal was to find a car with universal appeal that wasn’t completely over-the-top and unachievable. With the Aston Martin V8 Vantage price point just nominally higher than a fully-optioned GT500 or Z06, it seemed like a great choice. “We wanted a car everyone can appreciate,” Hartenstein says. “When people see the Aston Martin, there’s a universal appreciation because it’s such a great looking automobile.” Of course, being a car guy at heart, no simple Aston Martin would do. After a bit of research, Hartenstein found out about the ESX SuperVantage, and knew it was the car he needed to be built for his booth at SEMA. The ESX SuperVantage is a limited edition version of the V8 Vantage built by Ali Afishar’s ESX Productions in Southern California, a company previously known for its Subaru drag race program, which still holds the world record for the quickest and fastest Subaru passes. Making the V8 Vantage into a SuperVantage made Oracle’s car just one of 16 in the world.
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Slick.
The new TW1 10TW1 300 W, 4 ohm
12TW1 300 W, 4 ohm
• Patented Thin-Line woofer technology • Tiny enclosure requirements! • Cast-alloy, space-saving frame design • Steel mesh grille included with each driver From the leader in thin woofer technology Also available in pre-built PowerWedge™ and MicroSub™ systems.
© 2014 JL AUDIO, Inc. For more information on our complete line of products, please visit your local authorized dealer or www.jlaudio.com. In Canada contact GemSen Distribution at www.gemsen.com
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What starts with a baseline Vantage V8 platform, it is transformed with a belt-driven supercharger, pushing seven pounds of boost through an air-to-water intercooler and standalone heat exchanger to blast more than 530 horsepower through the rear wheels. A custom tune put together by Osh Minelian from Race Marque Systems is paired with the ESX exhaust to allow the supercharged engine to breathe properly. It’s hard to upgrade the looks of the Vantage, but Hartenstein found some select carbon fiber bits to accentuate the OEM lines. A full suite of carbon fiber products from The Vantage Collection has been added, including the chin spoiler, side mirrors, fender vent strakes, rear diffuser and a ducktail spoiler. A set of charcoal metallic HRE P40 wheels (19x9 in the front and 19x11 in the rear) are wrapped in Continental ContiSportContact
tires to give the car a meaner stance and provide better traction for all that extra horsepower. H&R lowering springs also provide a slightly stiffer ride and help reduce squat on acceleration. To provide a unique color that would stand out on the SEMA floor, the entire car is wrapped in Hexis “Frozen Grey” material by Kevin Kempf at PG NOLA. Hartenstein was looking for a dark silver or gunmetal that would stand out, but was afraid of the car looking like it was primered. Kempf selected the Frozen Grey and the final product is getting rave reviews. Kempf also added some leather-look textured black vinyl material to the roof and rear tailgate to provide a bit of classy contrast. Since the car was showcasing ORACLE Lighting at SEMA, special attention was given to the entire lighting setup. After ORACLE’s Kirk
Jenevein pulled the headlights apart, the projector lenses were laser-engraved in-house with the ORACLE logo. Highlighting these details, the projector was backlit with blue LEDs and red halos were added around the projector. The factory daytime running lights are swapped for red LEDs to provide a matching theme. Red LEDs are also used behind the hood and fender vents, as well as inside the rear diffuser to keep the devilish appearance, regardless of what angle you look at the car. The final piece of the puzzle was the audio system, which was designed, fabricated and installed by Wesley Cato at Anything Car Audio. Cato started with a full catalog of JL Audio equipment and designed the system to showcase the capabilities of the components.
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ESSENTIALS
2013 ASTON MARTIN ESX SUPERVANTAGE OWNER: Justin Hartenstein BUILT BY: Oracle, Anything Car Audio, ESX Productions LOCATION: New Orleans, LA ENGINE: Aston Martin AJ 4.3L V8 HORSEPOWER: 530 HP ENGINE ∫ ESX (belt-driven supercharger, air-to-water intercooler, standalone heat exchanger) ∫ Race Marque Systems ECU tune EXHAUST ∫ ESX exhaust system ∫ Powder-coated black chrome exhaust tips SUSPENSION ∫ H&R progressive springs WHEELS / TIRES ∫ HRE P40 custom charcoal metallic wheels - 19x9 +46 (f), 19x11 +59 (r) ∫ Continental ContiSportContact tires – 275/30 R19 (f), 305/30 R19 (r)
Making the V8 Vantage into a SuperVantage made Oracle’s car just one of 16 in the world.” Starting in the trunk, the floating speakerbox is built with just enough depth to provide the pair of 10-inch 10TW3 “thin-line” subwoofers enough airspace for standout sound without taking up too much trunk space. Each corner of the interior is filled with four-inch C5400CM components paired with a C5075CT tweeter to round it out. Two XD700/5 amplifiers with built-in crossovers mounted in
a waterfall-style amp rack support whatever the soundtrack. All of the audio is run through the OEM Aston Martin head unit thanks to the JL CL441dsp OEM integration interface, while the signals are swept clean via the CL-SSi summing interface. Cato took the time to hide all the wiring and even soldered every amp and speaker connection to ensure the install looks and sounds as clean as possible. Since building the car for the 2013 SEMA show, Oracle has brought it to several events as a showcase of what can be built using their full line of products. After having the car in his possession for nearly 18 months, the Aston Martin still puts a smile on Hartenstein's face and turns heads at every stoplight every time he drives it. There are no more questions of “Why didn’t you build this one?” Now there are only whistles and nods of approval.
EXTERIOR ∫ Aston Martin The Vantage Collection carbon fiber (chin spoiler, side mirrors, fender vent strakes, V2 rear diffuser, ducktail spoiler) ∫ Hexis (“Frozen Grey” wrap, leather texture roof, leather texture rear tailgate) ∫ Powder-coated black chrome front grille ∫ ORACLE (customized headlights, laser-engraved projector lens, blue LED backlit projectors, red headlight halos, red DRLs, red LED backlit hood, red LED backlit fender fenders, SMD LED custom sidemarkers, red LED backlit rear diffuser) INTERIOR ∫ Anything Car Audio custom “ORACLE Edition” leather center console MOBILE ELECTRONICS ∫ JL Audio (C5-400CM components (4), C5-075CT tweeters (4), 10TW3 thin-line subwoofers (2), XD700/5 amplifiers (2), CL441dsp OEM interface, CL-SSi summing interface, wiring) ∫ Sound system designed, fabricated, and installed by Wesley Cato - Anything Car Audio (Kenner, LA) SPECIAL THANKS ∫ Wesley Cato of Anything Car Audio, Kevin Kempf of PGNOLA, Kirk Jenevein of ORACLE Lighting, Manville Smith at JL Audio, Osh Minelian from Race Marque Systems, Sheri Herrmann from Continental, and everyone that helped get this car completed and together before the 2013 SEMA Show deadline.
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BUYERS GUIDE
Axxera AV7225BH Multimedia Receiver $ 2 7 9 | a x x e ra . d u a l av. c o m
S D T I A E N H U
Axxera AV6225BH Multimedia Receiver $ 2 6 9 | a x x e ra . d u a l av. c o m
This head unit features built-in Bluetooth technology with ID3 Tag, hands-free calling, audio streaming and phonebook profiles. The DualMirror technology allows mirroring of the screen of an Apple or Android smartphone connected via HDMI. Other features include RDS tuner, USB, SD card and aux input, programmable Steering Wheel Control interface, 3 pairs of 4-volt RMS preamp outputs, 6-band graphic and 3-band Parametric EQs and variable subwoofer control.
This double-DIN head unit features built-in Bluetooth technology with ID3 Tag, hands-free calling, audio streaming and phonebook profiles. The DualMirror technology mirrors the screen of an Apple or Android smartphone connected via HDMI. Other features include 16 million RGB custom colors, RDS tuner, USB and 3.5-mm aux input, programmable Steering Wheel Control interface, 3 pairs of 4-volt RMS preamp outputs, 6-band graphic and 3-band Parametric EQs and variable subwoofer control.
Blaupunkt New York 840 Head Unit $ 74 9 . 9 9 | b l a u p u n k t. c o m Blaupunkt’s New York 840 head unit features a 6.2-inch double-DIN TFT touchscreen display, Android Music Control, iPod/iPhone direct control, as well as video and audio playback. Bluetooth capability comes courtesy of Parrot for hands-free calling and phone book access. Four-channel preamp and subwoofer outs run at a max power rating of 4 x 50 watts.
Alpine CDE-164BT Head Unit
Clarion NX605 Multimedia Receiver
Rydeen DVA6 Multimedia Receiver
$379 (CAD) | alpine-canada.com
$1,099 | clarion.com
$799 | rydeenmobile.com
The NX605 comes to the forefront of navigation units by incorporating Clarion’s exclusive Intelligent VOICE technology which utilizes Google provided POI information to make searching simpler and more effective. New features now allow you to access your Gmail and Google Calendar through natural voice conversation with the NX605. In addition, it is Sirius-XM ready, has a built-in HD Radio tuner, and provides crystal clear 6-channel/4volt RCA outputs.
The double-DIN DVA6 features an updated Android OS optimized for automotive use, a 6.2-inch capacitive touch screen, and an audio section employing a 24-bit D/A converter and built in 45 x 4 amplifier. Download apps, add a backup camera, play music or video from CD, DVD, SD or USB device, or stream via Bluetooth A2DP and make hands-free phone calls.
Prefer a good oldfashioned single-DIN head unit? The CDE-164BT is very similar in features to the CDE-154BT. Single CD, AM/FM tuner, SiriusXM ready, Bluetooth for hands-free calling and audio streaming, USB, AUX in, 9-band EQ, three 4-volt pre-outs, high and lowpass filter, sub level control and multicolor illuminatio
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S D T I A HE UN Kenwood DDX9902S Multimedia Receiver
JVC KW-V51BT Multimedia Receiver
Contact for pricing | kenwood.com
$569.95 | jvc.com
The DDX9902S is Kenwood’s first receiver to include both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The DDX9902S also features Bluetooth integration, built-in control of Pandora and iHeartRadio, HD Radio selection and is SiriusXM-Ready for even more listening options. A rear-view camera is easily added and steering wheel audio controls are also compatible with the device.
The KW-V51BT meets consumer need for a high-quality, touch-enabled unit that can be the center of entertainment for built-in and connected media. The JVC Smartphone Control app, available as a free download from Google Play, allows smartphone apps to be displayed and controlled on the receiver. In addition, the KW-V51BT is fully compatible with most factory steering wheel audio controls, rear-view cameras and Bluetooth devices.
Kenwood DNN992 Multimedia Receiver $1,400 | kenwoodusa.com In addition to standard features offered by an in-dash radio, the DNN992 uses its Internet access via connected smartphone to deliver next-generation, drive-centric data. The built-in navigation system displays weather, dynamic traffic flow, fuel locations and pricing, and local search for amenities. In addition, the DNN992 is able to play content from iHeartRadio and YouTube, as well as being Bluetooth ready.
Sony MEX-XB100BT Receiver $ 2 2 9 . 9 9 | s o n y. c o m
Pioneer NEX Series In-dash Receivers
The MEX-XB100BT is the world’s first CD receiver with a 40 W x 4 CEA RMS high-power built-in amplifier, which delivers external amplifier performance. Featuring MEGA BASS for punchy bass sound, Sound & Color Synchronization for dance club atmosphere, an advanced sound engine to adjust the sound environment, and one-touch Bluetooth connectivity. SongPal and Siri Eyes Free compatible for full smartphone control.
$700 to $1,400 | pioneerelectronics.com This is the second-generation of Networked Entertainment eXperience (NEX) in-dash receivers from Pioneer. Consisting of the AVIC-8100NEX, AVIC-7100NEX, AVIC-6100NEX, AVIC5100NEX and AVH-4100NEX, these models feature expanded smartphone connectivity and enhanced audio/video capabilities. All models include Apple CarPlay (3 compatible models include Android Auto), Pioneer’s AppRadio Mode, advanced Bluetooth capabilities and much more.
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Soundstream VR-74H2B Multimedia Receiver $289.95 | soundstream.com The VR-74H2B 2-DIN GPS navigation source unit with 6.2-inch LCD screen features complete integration with select Android devices. Bluetooth 3.0 enables hands-free calling and playback of MP3 and MP4 files is simple thanks to inputs for DVD, CD, USB, SD and auxiliary. Front and rear pre-amp outputs, variable pre-amp sub output, and 300 watt x 4-channel MOSFET speaker output make sounding good easy, too.
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DO THIS?
MADE WITH ANDROID, MADE FOR AUTOMOTIVE Get the ergonomic feel of physical buttons and a rotary volume control. Swipe and press on the 6.2-inch touch screen and the Android operating system comes alive. The DVA6 combines all controls via an intuitive user interface and places it at your fingertip. Customize your experience by placing your driver-centric apps and widgets where you want them. If you ever change your phone, your stored information at Google Services will follow you, providing the ultimate convenience and entertainment in your car.
In Canada contact Erikson Consumer
WWW.ERIKSONCONSUMER.COM
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BUYERS GUIDE
Clarion SRG6953R 6x9 Speaker $129.99 | clarion.com You would be hard pressed to find any other 6x9-inch speaker that packs as much punch as the SRG6953R 5-way. The SRG series is designed to be a great OEM replacement speaker while still remaining budget-conscious. Boasting a 6x9-inch MIPP cone woofer, 2.375-inch balanced midrange, and 1.375- and 0.3125-inch tweeters, the SRG6953R will surely put you in high-end heaven.
S R E K
A E P S
Illusion Audio C3CX Point Source Speaker $699 | illusionaudio-america.com
ARC Audio ARC 602 Speakers
The Illusion Audio C3CX point source has a smooth and extended off-axis frequency response so that all listening positions sound the same. The speaker is only 41 mm deep, so it can easily be mounted in the A-pillar for the best sound stage image. A full size, bi-ampable crossover is also included. The C3CX is the winner of the 2015 CES Innovations In Design And Engineering Award.
$319 | arcaudio.com ARC Series coaxial and component speaker systems create new levels of musical enjoyment and personalization, placing emphasis on enhanced mid-bass and low frequency response, dynamically engineered midrange for rich, natural and pronounced vocals and instrumentation, while efficiently enhancing upper frequencies with dynamic performance, ARC 602s give you the most value possible in stepping up your acoustic and performance capabilities.
DD Audio BC6.5 Component Speakers $419 | ddaudio.com Based on DD’s popular A-Series components, the BCs are packed with performance features like anodized aluminum diaphragms and shorting ring-equipped motors. Even the included passive crossover networks are feature rich: they’re bi-ampable and include tweeter attenuation and phase adjustment. In short, the BC6.5 components are sure to sonically please.
Rockford Fosgate POWER T1650 Coaxial Speakers $149.99 to $349.99 | rockfordfosgate.com Designed for both power and sound quality, the Power T1650 coax speaker now features a bridge-mounted tweeter versus the previous pole-mounted design. Both the T1650 and T1650-S also offer a true 6.5inch driver featuring the new FlexFit 2 mounting system. Much like the new PUNCH full-range models, this is important with so many different mounting hole configurations across all vehicle manufacturers.
Audiopipe APAW-35CFF Speaker Contact for pricing | audiopipe.com The new APAW line consists of four models (6.5and 8-inch, and slim-mount models) of indoor/ outdoor loudspeakers with a full carbon fiber cone. All models offer large power handling capabilities, 4-ohm impedance and water repellent carbon fiber construction, resulting in a lightweight, durable and great sounding speaker.
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Sony XB Series Speakers $ 9 9 . 9 9 t o $ 1 1 9 . 9 9 | s o n y. c o m Featuring a modulus, multi-layered, mica-reinforced cellular woofer diaphragm for high rigidity and precise bass, the XS-XB series full-range speakers also house a progressive height rate spider and rubber surround to realize 300, 350 and 500 W RMS in the 5.25-, 6.5- and 6x9-inch models. Connect directly to the matching high-power head unit with built-in 40 W x 4 CEA RMS amplifier and MEGA BASS circuitry for standalone subwoofer and amplifier performance.
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Memphis MClass Components $269.95 | memphiscaraudio.com Whether you want to upgrade the factory units or go with a custom install, the redesigned 2015 MClass MCX component speakers are the solution. The oversized cone and voice coil deliver great bass, while the separate tweeter allows for a variety of mounting locations. The separate crossover brings everything together for a great sounding component system.
Orion Cobalt CO652C Component Speakers $53 | orioncaraudio.com These Cobalt speakers are tuned for maximum performance, whether powered from a head unit or an amplifier. With recessed tweeters, universal baskets, and 50 watts RMS and 120 watts peak from 4 ohms, these speakers can be dropped into almost any vehicle to get the sound you’re looking for.
JVC HX Series Speakers $79.95 to $119.95 | jvc.com The HX series drops into standard-sized openings to improve low-end performance and voice clarity. Each driver features a carbon mica cone. The mid-range is bolstered by a pulp cone with fixed surround, and all speakers include polyetherimide tweeters for high strength and temperature tolerance. The HX series comes in three sizes (5.25-, 6.5- and 6x9-inch).
KICKER QS-Series Component Speakers $699.95 | kicker.com Tonally precise, the QS component system is an audiophile-quality set perfect for demanding listeners. Available in two system packages with either 6.75-inch (165 mm) or 6.5-inch (160mm) mid-range drivers featuring threelayer Tri-Tech cones, high-performance 30 mm tweeters with DuPont Tetoron domes and a superior crossover network with Mylar capacitors and high-powered resistors.
Phoenix Gold SX5CS Speakers $239.99 | phoenixgold.com Designed to perfectly match the SX series of amplifies and subwoofers, these speakers are manufactured using state of the art acoustic engineering and built using high-grade quality materials and components. The aluminum-plated grained polypropylene cone and soft-dome tweeter reproduces highend, natural sound. The SX series component speakers are available in 5.25-inch (SX5CS - shown) and 6.5-inch (SX65CS) diameters.
Pioneer TS-D Series Speakers $180 to $200 | pioneerelectronics.com Pioneer’s TS-D series speakers are designed to maintain open and smooth sound quality with solid bass response, vocals, staging and clear instrument separation. Featuring Twaron aramid fiber cones, elastic polymer surrounds and 0.9 inch tweeters, the TS-D components demonstrate quicker response and an open sound. Multiple adaption kits are included for easy installation in factory door locations.
MB Quart X-Line Coaxial Speakers $99.99 to $159.99 | mbquart.com A new line from MB Quart for 2015, X-Line coaxials provide a definite bang for the buck. Available in 5.25, 6.5 and 6x9 inches with .75-inch Titan tweeters. The coaxials feature a German-spec composite basket and mica-filled PP cone mated a to UV butyl surround. Twelve dB/octave crossovers are used throughout the line and hidden in the tweeter post for ultimate protection and reliability.
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BUYERS GUIDE ARC Audio XDi600.4 Amplifier $529 | arcaudio.com When it comes to dynamics and overall sound quality, nothing beats raw power - except clean power. With the XDi600.4 amplifier, that is exactly what you get. Delivering 150 watts into 4 channels at 2 or 4 ohms, it gives your mids and highs more than enough dynamic power to satisfy even the most demanding and critical listeners.
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AudioControl The Epicenter Amplifiers $499 to 699 | audiocontrol.com AudioControl EPICENTER 600 and 1200 power amplifiers are ideal solutions for high levels of power and feature a wide range of adjustability. Each model delivers high current, stable power down to 1 ohm, and each has a removable top cover that allows access to controls for THE EPICENTER effect, crossover frequency, gain, polarity, subsonic filter, signal sense, and expansion bus mode.
Audiopipe APMI-55100 Amplifier Contact for pricing | audiopipe.com The new APMI mini amplifier series are available in three class-D models and four multi-channel models. This new 11-inch, 5-channel amp offers four 98-watt standard mid/high channels along with one 338-watt sub channel allowing you to use one small, simple and powerful amplifier to run your entire system.
Kenwood KAC-M3001 Amplifier $250 | kenwoodusa.com / kenwood.ca Kenwood’s compact performance amplifiers are small in size, so they fit even the most limited installation areas. The amplifiers also use a conformal-coated main PCB, which offer extra layers of protection to help prevent moisture or damp air from damaging the product. Add this compact mono amp for 200 to 300 watts RMS of powerful bass for suitable subwoofer applications.
Clarion XC2110 Amplifier $ 24 9 . 9 9 | c l a r i o n . c o m At less than 8-inches wide and 4-inches tall, the class-D XC2110 mono amplifier is rated at a massive 400 watts (max) while providing 2-ohm stability. The pulse width modulated MOSFET power supply coupled with variable controls (bass boost, low-pass and gain) ensures that any music you run through the XC2110 will have clean, solid, low end.
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HELIX DSP PRO Digital Signal Processor $999.95 | audiotec-fischer.de The HELIX DSP PRO features 64-bit resolution and the HELIX Extension Card Slot (HEC). By using optional HEC modules, it allows for Bluetooth audio streaming, additional optical digital input, or optical digital output. The completely revised DSP PC-Tool software 3.0 adds many new functions and more precise adjustments of all parameters. The real-time analyzer comprises the revolutionary “AutoSet” function that makes for easy equalizer adjustment.
Axxera ASEQ505BT Bluetooth Smart EQ Processor $ 1 9 9 | a x x e ra . d u a l av. c o m This Smart EQ processor controls balance, fader, and features a 7-band graphic EQ with 20 presets. The processor works with a Bluetooth-connected Android or Apple smartphone or tablet using the free app. The processor connects to up to three amplifiers and a receiver via RCA inputs/outputs, and features signal-sensing technology for auto amp remote turn-on.
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DD Audio C-Series Amplifiers
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$359 to $399 | ddaudio.com DD Audio’s C-Series amps are available in two models: the 2-channel C3d and 4-channel C5d. Both amps feature class-A/B output stages, compact chassis, quality internal components, set screw terminals and panel mount RCA inputs. The C3d delivers 250 W x 2 @ 2 Ohm, and the C5d delivers 130 W x 4 @ 2 Ohm.
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Hifonics Zeus Elite ZEX Amplifiers $199.99 to $629.99 | hifonics.com Hifonics is expanding the successful Elite Program with new amplifiers that are intended for non-Internet distribution. The Zeus Elite line up offers the specialty retailer 9 new amplifiers including 2-channel, 4-channel and mono block models. This line features A/B full range design, variable bass boost (0 to +12 dB at 45 Hz) and 4-way system protection circuitry.
JL Audio HX Amplifiers Contact for pricing | jlaudio.com HX amplifiers employ JL Audio's highly efficient NexDT Class D technology and are housed in tiny, aluminum, IPX6 corrosion and water-resistant chassis. Two models: 300 watt x 1 at 2 ohms mono and a bridgeable 70 watt x 4 at 2 ohms model both feature flexible crossover filters and high and low-level input capability are available.
Hifonics Brutus Elite BEX Amplifiers $269.99 to $699.99 | hifonics.com Hifonics is expanding the successful Elite Program with new amplifiers that are intended for nonInternet distribution. The Brutus Elite line features seven new designs with 4-channel models, mono blocks, plus an all-new 5-channel. The mono block models are “Next Generation D-class,” while the stereo amplifiers share the “Super A/B class” design.
JVC KS-AX201 Mono-Channel Amplifier $129.95 | jvc.com The KS-AX201 adds a mono-channel unit to the current 2-channel and 4-channel models. Its compact size allows it to be placed under seats or in trunk space. The amp is rated at 500 watts peak power and 150 watts RMS at 4 ohms (250 watts RMS at 2 ohms). A variable low-pass frequency adjustment and switchable bass boost help tune the amplifier for optimum subwoofer performance.
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Infinity Kappa Amplifiers
KICKER IQ1000.5 Amplifier
$399.95 to $549.95 | infinityspeakers.com
$1,199.95 | kicker.com
The all-new Kappa amps deliver the sonic signature that Infinity is known for. A discrete dash remote easily controls hands-free calling operation, Clari-fi and exclusive BT Party Mode. Party Mode allows up to three passengers to share their playlist mix by putting them in control of the system wirelessly. Dynamic Bass Optimization circuitry allows for discrete bass tuning while protecting woofer(s) from overexcursion.
Very complex but remarkably easy to use, the IQ1000.5 is a 4-channel full-range class-D amp with a 500-watt sub section to run an entire system with this single unit. TWEEQ GUI-based DSP software is highly configurable, so the listener can tune it or use the setup wizard for initial tuning.
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Diamond Audio Motorsport Series Amplifiers $ 8 4 9 . 9 9 to $ 1 , 24 9 . 9 9 | d i a m o n d a u d i o . c o m Motorsport series amplifiers from Diamond Audio include two class-D monoblocks, a 2-channel and 4-channel, and its smallest footprint ever 6-channel amplifier. Engineered with the latest IR chipset design, housed in full aluminum construction and utilizing all stainless steel hardware. The PC board is conformal coated. The monoblock amplifiers deliver exceptional power and the multi-channel amplifiers are compatible with Diamond Audio’s latest Bluetooth receivers.
Alpine PDR-M65 Amplifier $549 (CAD) | alpine-canada.com The new PDR amplifiers are based on the original PDX designs, but Alpine has found a way to retain the sound quality and high-end specs of the earlier versions, at a lower price. With a tested power level of nearly 800 watts and a price tag $549, this is one amplifier that you get what you paid for; and then some.
Mosconi D2 100.4DSP Amplifier $1,299 | mosconi-america.com This class-D, 100-watt x 4 amplifier in a tiny 6x5-inch platform is Mosconi’s latest offering, designed and built in Italy. Featuring 6-channel on-board DSP and two digitally processed line outputs with SP-DIF digital input. There are AUX inputs suitable for hands-free, mobile navigation and external stereo sources. High quality Bluetooth streaming is an option for this model.
Image Dynamics MQ150.2 Amplifier $299.99 | imagedynamicsusa.net This diminutive 2-channel amplifier from Image Dynamics stands less than 1.5-inches tall, but don’t let the small size fool you. The MQ150.2 puts out over 300 watts of power (2 x 150 watts stereo into 4 ohms or 500 watts bridged mono at 2 ohms). It also has a 3.175-inch mini jack input for direct connection to an MP3 or mobile device.
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KICKER KX2400.1 Amplifier $1,199.95 | kicker.com The KX2400.1 produces the most power from any single KICKER amplifier, with 2,400 RMS-rated watts (14.4 V, 2-Ohm mono) surging to a raging subwoofer, and at only 15 inches long! The KX2400.1 uses a class-D boost-converter power supply for the highest sound quality and efficiency. Loaded with FIT (Fail-Safe Integration Technology) to accept output from all OEM or aftermarket source units.
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MB Quart Z-Line Amplifiers $269.99 to 499.99 | mbquart.com One of the many lines that MB Quart unleashed upon CES, the Z-Line amplifiers carry an entry-level price tag with striking design and performance. An elaborate preamplifier, the Q-Stasis preamp stage and top mounted controls allow for extended control and easy adjustment. Mono blocks use an SQ A/B topology, while the 4-channel models feature Q1 proprietary class D technology.
Memphis PRX1.1500 Amplifier $499.95 | memphiscaraudio.com The new Memphis PRX1.1500 delivers over 1,500 watts of class-D power into 1 ohm at a size that will fit any vehicle with a price you can live with. The removable top cover makes these amps look as smooth as they sound.
Soundstream Stealth ST4.1000DB Amplifier Contact for pricing | soundstream.com The ST4.1000DB amplifier from Soundstream features class-D efficiency, a hybrid aluminum alloy heatsink, built-in Bluetooth 3.0 for device playback, 200 mV to 12-volt high- or low-level RCA input, quick disconnect harnesses and dash-mount gain control. This Stealth amp handles 90 watts x 4 at 4 ohms, 125 watts x 4 At 2 ohms, and 250 watts bridged at 4 ohms.
Orion HCCA3000.2H Amplifier $902 | orioncaraudio.com The HCCA series 2-channel 12,000-watt max (6,000 watt nominal) amplifier by Orion offers the most power and quality out of any amplifier line Orion carries. The HCCA3000.2H handles 900 watts x 2 channels at 4 ohms, 1,500 watts x 2 channels at 2 ohms, and 3,320 watts bridged at 4 ohms.
BLUES AUDIO BA-1.500 Amplifier $149.99 | bluesaudiousa.com Blues Audio amplifiers offer classic performance and looks at a great price. This Mono Bass amplifier is feature packed with electronic crossover, phase reverse, bass boost subsonic filter and remote bass control.
PowerBass ACS-4120 Amplifier $154.99 | powerbassusa.com The ACS-4120 4-channel Class-A/B heads up the PowerBass compact amplifier series. Offering a choice of high- or low-level inputs, this MOSFET amplifier offers a fully adjustable electronic crossover network and selectable bass EQ circuit. The ACS-4120 puts out 120 watts x 4 at 2 ohms and 60 watts x 4 at 4 ohms.
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Phoenix Gold Ti22000.1 Amplifier $1,199.99 | phoenixgold.com Ti amplifiers are the definition of power and compactness and can be mounted just about anywhere, with power levels never seen previously in this class of products. The post filter feedback circuit, audiophile OP-AMPS and balanced differential inputs give these new amplifiers excellent musical reproduction. The low EMI circuit, ADAPT power management systems and thermal rollback circuit provides maximum efficiency and lower operating temperatures.
XFIRE XFR Series Amplifiers $349.99 to $999.99 | xfireaudio.com Peerless amplification unleashed. XFR series amplifiers feature ultra efficient 2, 4 and 5-channel full range Class-D topology, while XFR mono blocks utilize Class-D designs with 8-volt inputs and 1-ohm stability. Available models: XFR7500.1, XFR5000.1, XFR2000.5, XFR2000.4, XFR1800.2, XFR1200.4.
JBL GTR Amplifiers $349.95 to $499.95 | jbl.com GTR Bluetooth-enabled amplifiers connect to OEM and aftermarket car sound systems to improve smartphone source content through Clari-Fi sound restoration technology. This improves any compressed music source by restoring the harmonics, soundstage, bandwidth and overall vocal performance. A discrete dash remote enables hands-free calling, Clari-fi and Party Mode, which allows up to 3 passengers to share their playlist mix.
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Rockford Fosgate PUNCH PS-8 Powered Subwoofer Enclosure $299.99 | rockfordfosgate.com Fitting into limited space applications, the PS-8 includes a 150-watt Class-D amplifier and 8-inch shallow subwoofer. This makes it the ideal choice for trucks, hybrid and compact cars, and installs where the installer and consumer want the Punch signature sound, but don’t have a lot of room to play with.
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JL Audio ACP108LG-W3v3 MicroSub+ Amplified Subwoofer Contact for pricing | jlaudio.com The ACP108LG-W3v3 MicroSub+ subwoofer system combines a proprietary Direct Conversion Class-D amplifier with a unique low-impedance driver to achieve a real-world 94% efficiency and generate an impressive 250 watts of power output. The built-in amplifier accepts line or speaker level inputs and includes full-featured signal processing, plus remote level control capability.
Cadence SLW10 Subwoofer
Cerwin-Vega VPAS10 Powered Active Subwoofer
$116.00 | cadencesound.com
$299.99 to $349.99 | cerwinvegamobile.com
Saving space and making bass, the SLW10 10-inch shallow-mount subwoofer requires a mounting depth of only 3.625-inches, while having an XMAX of 9 mm. With a polypropylene-coated paper cone, rubber surround and available in 2- or 4-ohm impedance; the 10-inch sub handles 250 watts RMS power.
The VPAS10 consists of an active 10-inch subwoofer amplified for extreme output. Encased in a solid, cast-aluminum body frame for superior heat dissipation, the VPAS10 measures in at approximately 13.6 x 9.6 x 2.6-inches (L x W x H) for easy installation. Power comes from a PWM MOSFET power supply with an integrated thermal protection circuit and rated at 200-watts RMS at 2 ohms, 400-watts MAX.
DD Audio SW2508 Subwoofer $439 | ddaudio.com DD Audio’s SW2508 is loaded with state of the art ESP features, making it the most technologically advanced subwoofer in it’s class. It’s custom Sframe, V-ROM surround, True Size CFB cone, and 7.5-inch tuned composite spider system combine for a groundbreaking 8-inch subwoofer you have to hear to believe.
Alpine SWT-10S2 Subwoofer $379 | alpine-canada.com The Alpine SWT-10S2 is a great choice for a great sounding woofer that can be made to work in space restrictive applications. Its flexibility in shallow applications, overall musicality and great low frequency output makes it worth every penny.
Focal FLAX Subwoofers $299 to $399 | focal.com FLAX cone is a new signature of FOCAL cone technology. The choice of this ecotextile cone brings a unique product never available before in the subwoofer market. The affordability of a Made In France product inspired by the luxury sandwich cone, Focal brings with this new technology 3 subwoofers: the P20F (8-inch), the P25F (10-inch) and the P30F (12-inch).
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ARC Audio XDi Series Subwoofers $129 to 159 | arcaudio.com With sound quality and performance as its top priority, XDi subwoofers are designed with a lightweight pulp fiber non-pressed treated cone, progressive Nomex spider and reinforced dust cap. Making sure your bass stays strong and supportive, XDi subwoofers use dedicated Y30 motor structures, reinforced stamped steel baskets and tuned motor venting. Available in 10- and 12-inch with either dual- or 4-ohm configurations.
Audiomobile EVO Subwoofer
BLUES AUDIO BW-10D Subwoofer
Contact for pricing | audiomobile.net
$69.99 | bluesaudiousa.com
PowerBass M-1204D Subwoofer
This 10-inch DVC poly-coated woofer is designed for sealed or vented enclosures. A 30-oz pole vented FEA magnet with protective rubber boot is used for increased power handling. This is a subwoofer that offers an outstanding ratio of price to performance.
Audiomobile EVO Subwoofers utilize an array of unique performance technologies, including low-profile SLX cast alloy frame, proprietary Shaped-Manifold-Gap (“SMG�) compact motor, which is fully machined with multi-layer DVC design. Rated at 500 watts RMS, the Evo 2410 delivers over 16 mm of one-way linear Xmax, making it the longest excursion subwoofer available.
$109.99 | powerbassusa.com The M-1204D is the third generation of this popular subwoofer series offering proven performance. A four-layer non-pressed paper cone uses a proprietary DDC coating for low distortion and maximum SPL. Optimally designed for both sealed and ported enclosures.
Clarion WG3020D Subwoofer $119.99 | clarion.com The WG3020D is a 12-inch dual voice coil 4-ohm subwoofer. It features a thundering 1,000-watt max rating with support from rock solid components, such as a fiber-reinforced cone, nitrile butadiene rubber high-excursion surround, and a powder-coated steel chassis. Requiring only 1.5 cubic feet in ported enclosures and 1 cubic foot in sealed enclosures makes it an extremely versatile subwoofer.
Kenwood eXcelon KFC-XW120 Subwoofer $200 | kenwoodusa.com / kenwood.ca
IMAGE DYNAMICS IDQ8 Subwoofer $299.99 | imagedynamicsusa.net The IDQ series redefine performance for small enclosure subwoofers. Now available in an 8-inch model, the IDQ8 is capable of delivering thunderous bass in the smallest of enclosures. Handcrafted in the USA, all IDQ woofers offer a removable core assembly should it ever require servicing.
Get deep bass with this oversized 12-inch 400 watts RMS subwoofer featuring a stress-free spider design and a thermally efficient system. The mechanical and thermal durability has been improved dramatically resulting in smooth and strong bass sound with long lasting reliability using a standard cut hole for a 12-inch driver.
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JBL Series III Subwoofers $179.95 to $199.99 | jbl.com The Series III subwoofers are built for those who desire visceral performance. By leveraging HARMAN’s exclusive pro-audio voice coil technology, these subwoofers play cooler allowing them to play deeper, louder and longer than conventional subwoofer designs. The exclusive SSITM technology allows for simple system building; start with one sub today and add a second when the budget allows. Available in 10 and 12-inch dual 4 ohm.
Memphis PRX Subwoofers $115.95 to $170.95 | memphiscaraudio.com The Power Reference line has always stood for affordable high quality subs with great sound. Memphis gave the line a facelift in 2015, producing a stylish woofer that delivers the booming bass you expect from the Power Reference line. Available in 10-, 12- and 15inch single and dual voice coil versions.
Phoenix Gold Elite212d4 Subwoofer $700.00 | phoenixgold.com Elite2 subwoofers are engineered with extreme precision, high-temp 3-inch voice coils from Japan for increased power handling and reliability, a larger triple-stacked 230-oz motor and radial venting allows for 30% better heat dissipation. These subs are optimized for both sealed and vented enclosures to produce accurate sound quality and massive SPL performance.
KICKER L7 Subwoofer $499.95 to 799.95 | kicker.com Better than ever, the L7’s ultra-rigid, injectionmolded square cone was a 12-volt first, and it represents more surface area than a similarly sized round cone, pushing more air than its counterpart, assuring louder volume and the most bass. Not to mention, L7 came away with a subwoofer award from CES 2015. Available in 8- to 15-inch sizes.
Pioneer TS-WH500 Subwoofer $300 | pioneerelectronics.com The TS-WH500 uses HVT technology, which allows the dual motor structure to be positioned horizontally to the left and the right of the dual speaker diaphragms. Measuring 13.4 x 9.9 x 2.4 inches, the subwoofer can be installed in many small, tight areas. The TS-WH500A is a fully amplified with a wideband, high-current 50 watt RMS amplifier (150 watt max).
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Orion XTR PRO 154D Subwoofer
Soundstream T5 Subwoofers
$368.10 | orioncaraudio.com
$ 24 9 . 9 5 to $ 3 0 4 . 9 5 | s o u n d s t re a m . c o m
The 15-inch XTR PRO dual 4-ohm subwoofer handles 1,000 watts peak and 500 watts RMS. The polypropylene dust cap and paper cone are moisture and UV resistant and the nitrile-butadiene rubber surround enhances the linear excursion. Other features include a dual interlaced conex spider with stitched and looped tinsel leads, a custom cast aluminum frame and 87 dB of sensitivity from doublestacked ceramic magnets.
An overcompensating motor structure for increased magnetic strength, non-magnetic and non-resonating die-cast aluminum frame, 3-inch 4-layer voice coil, non-transfer spruce pulp cone with chemical and UV protection, stitched and glued surround and cone joints, and dual poly-cotton suspension make up the T5 subwoofers. Available in 12- or 15-inch, dual 2-ohm configurations with 2,000 and 2,600 watt max ratings, respectively.
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BUYERS GUIDE Kinetik REVolution Series Batteries From $99.99 | kinetikpower.com
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The REVolution Series features a new heatsink ridged case design to help reduce surface heat. The AGM plate technology provides more durability for an extended lifespan. REVolution Series batteries also come with a 2-year warranty. Available in all current Kinetik sizes, plus the new REV4: a smaller 18 Ah 12-volt unit putting out more power than 50 1 Farad capacitors.
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OPTIMA YELLOWTOP $214.99 to $309.9 optimabatteries.com Vehicles with high-demand electronics and audio systems can rely on the OPTIMA YELLOWTOP to provide ultimate starting and deep-cycle power. The YELLOWTOP can repeatedly be brought back from deep power drains to full charge, so it can power plenty of electronics and start up time after time. Low internal resistance also provides more consistent power output and faster recharges.
Stinger SPP1300C OEM Replacement Battery
Shuriken SK-BT3478DT Battery
$439.99 | stingerelectronics.com
Contact for pricing | shurikenonline.com
The SPP1300C is a direct OEM replacement for class 75 and 86 vehicles (GM and import applications). Inside, these batteries feature the most efficient plate design utilizing pure lead plates for the most power output per pound available. Copper alloy terminals provide superior current transfer and corrosion protection. Steel mounting cases improve heat resistance and extend battery life.
The Shuriken SK-BT3478DT replacement battery is designed to fit BCI group 34 and 78 applications with side and top SAE terminals. AGM technology makes this battery extra powerful and maintenance free. It comes from the factory fully charged and ready to go. Perfect fitment for GM and other vehicles makes.
Xstatic Batcap Model X400 $ 2 1 7. 5 5 | b a t c a p . n e t With the X400, Xstatic felt it was time for a new look and more power in a little package! The brand new design provides a sleeker, more sophisticated look. This new Batcap X400 is 20% lighter and 40% more powerful than its predecessor.
Reikken HO3209 Pure Lead Power Cell Contact for pricing | reikken.com The newest cell in the Reikken lineup sports pure lead plates, copper terminals and a fire-retardant case for the highest output and durability of any design to date. Earning rave reviews, this powerhouse provides high output and long service life for the most demanding systems.
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XS Power D3400R Battery Contact for pricing | 4xspower.com The new D3400R OE fit, right terminal, group 34R style battery offers real power and unreal performance. Weighing in at less than 48lbs, it produces 3,300 Max Amps of current and 1,000 cranking amps. BCI rated at 65 amp hours, the D3400R will keep the music playing, long after the party has faded.
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QUALITY, DURABILITY AND PERFORMANCE
THE ORIGINAL
POWER CELL COMPANY SINCE 1997
DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOME
MORE POWER PER POUND THAN A FLOODED BATTERY • NON-SPILLABLE AGM DESIGN • VIBRATION RESISTANT ULTRA LOW INTERNAL RESISTANCE • MOUNT IN ANY POSTION • FAST RECHARGE • DEEP CYCLE CONNECT WITH US ON
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BUYERS GUIDE
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KICKER CK4 Complete Power Kit $149.95 | kicker.com Everything you need to hook it up. KICKER’s best Hyper-Flex power, ground and turn-on cables, and high-performance K-Series interconnects and speaker wire, along with fuses and fuse holders, terminals, spade and ground lugs and zip ties. It's all here.
DD Audio Z-Wire Power Cable
Memphis Xtreme Audio MXA8GKIT/10GKIT
$359 to $459 | ddaudio.com DD Audio’s Z-Wire is simply power cable. It’s offered in red and black, Tru ID AWG-spec 50-foot 0-gauge spools and 100-foot 4-gauge spools. It uses high strand count, 100% oxygen-free copper. Each strand is tinned to resist oxidation, making it great for car and marine applications. It’s all encased in a durable, highly flexible PVC jacket.
$39.95 to $64.95 | memphiscaraudio.com MXA amp kits are specifically designed for powersports vehicles. MXA all-weather kits feature 6-feet of tinned copper power and ground wire with waterproof fuse holders. MXA kits include everything you need for great sound in any extreme environment, speaker wire included.
KnuKonceptz 4 Gauge Power Cable $ 7. 1 9 / f o o t | k n u k o n c e p t z . c o m KnuKonceptz 4/0 (0000) gauge power cable features over 10,000 tinned oxygenfree copper strands. With an outside diameter just under one inch and weighing nearly 1 pound per foot, KnuKonceptz 4/0 exceeds American Gauge Wire standards and every other cable in the 12 volt market today!
Xscorpion DAV02P Digital Amperage & Voltage Meter Contact for pricing | xscorpion.com Xscorpion’s Digital Amperage & Voltage Meter features 0/2-gauge input and output, integrated mounting holes for easy installation, set screw connections and gauge adapters. Everything is packed in a protective case and the red digital readout shows your amperage and voltage levels.
Wirez Modular Distribution Blocks Contact for pricing | gotwirez.com
Stinger SK6641 Wiring Kit $149.99 | stingerelectronics.com
Designed with flexibility in mind, Wirez Modular Fused and Ground Distribution Blocks make building your power distribution system quick and easy. Choose the right number of fuse blocks and ground blocks to feed your amplifiers, then link them together electrically and/or mechanically for a compact and efficient distribution solution.
The Stinger 6000 Series wiring kits are designed specifically for car audio systems up to 1,750 watts or 175 amps. Made from 100% oxygen-free copper for an uninterrupted transfer of power, the 6000 series Tru-Spec cables and wires meet or exceed the industry standard of copper required for the gauge size.
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Wirez Marine Amplifiers kits, Power and Speaker Wire features tinned conductors for corrosion resistance. The amp kits include 25 feet of Power and Ground Wire, a marine fuse and fuse holder and all the terminals you will need.
Install a new level of quiet with Wirez Premium Sound Deadening. The new sound deadening features our world-renkowned butyl base layer and thick aluminum layer, but features a new black finish to make your installs look even better!
Wirez new 18 gauge EIA standard color speaker wire features our M2 jacket and a tracer stripe on both sides of the wire for easy installation. The new 14 gauge primary wire shares all the same easy-to-use features of our 18 gauge wire.
Wirez isn’t just another accessory company. We are car and mobile electronics enthusiasts. We don’t just sell car audio systems, we install them too. This means, we know what people want when it comes to making an audio system perform to its fullest. Every Wirez product was thoughtfully designed to ensure each and every feature increases performance and reliability. From our Signature Series T2T Interconnects with the best noise rejection in the industry to our solid brass power distribution blocks with Grip Tip Set screws - everything makes your system sound better. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
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2014-12-19 3:06 PM
I
mpressive is definitely one word for the “BunnyHunter” FR-S. Owned by Sheena Dela Cruz (known online as NorCalGirl), it’s the spirit of individuality. The moniker “BunnyHunter” is a jab at all those who are using Rocket Bunny kits on their 86s. A playful jab, mind you; there’s nothing wrong with repping some RB. Dela Cruz is just saying that she’s coming after those other bolted fenders on the podium. “I’m big on customization and making something your own,” explains Dela Cruz. “I initially fell in love with the car just as it was when I first saw it, but of course I had to add my own personal touch to it.” Sheena was introduced to the 86 by her brother, Darrell, who is also her primary mechanic. She was looking for something new to have fun with and her brother told her to look no further than the Scion. Soon after, Dela Cruz joined up with NorCal 86 Owners Club, FT86.com and 86Drive.com and was hooked on taking on the “twisties” in her newfound FR love. Starting with suspension and some brotherly advice, Dela Cruz sourced some new legs that would make her even harder to keep up with on the club drive events she was now frequenting. KW coilovers, TRD sway bars and ISC lower control arms take residence below, while what seems like the full Cusco catalog braces just about everything possible within. Invidia N1 titanium-tipped exhaust, a Kartboy short shifter and a sweet set of 18inch Work VS-XX wheels with Brembo brakes were next in line to help fuel the mod bug that Sheena had absolutely given in to. With support from her brother and club members, she had all the encouragement in the world to keep pushing. “After winning the award for Best Female Owned FR-S/BRZ at the first meet I had attended, I caught the bug to continue building towards a show car,” Dela Cruz recalls. “After seeing show car quality audio builds, I wanted one in my car but wanted to add minimal weight, keep my Cusco rear strut bar in place and have a simple but elegant design that would complement the car.”
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Being referred to Simplicity in Sound in Milpitas, Cali was a step in the right direction, but installers Bing Xu and Joey Knapp’s advice to go with ARC Audio was a giant leap. Sheena is rocking some of the best audiophile gear out there, including ARC’s PS8 processor, XDi 1200.6 6-channel amp, a pair of ARC Series eight-inch dual four-ohm woofers and Black Series components. Paired with the custom door and trunk install by the boys at SIS, this FR-S is banging in looks and sound. Before this Scion was known as the BunnyHunter, it was lovingly referred to as “Diamond” and/or “Crystal.” Less aggressive yes, but that’s because the car itself wasn’t a hunter just yet. Wearing a Stillen lip kit and Stivo wing was a good look for Dela Cruz, but in order to score more style points and show her wild side, she started looking into widebody options. The ML24 arches and Chargespeed body kit seemed like winners, but fitment would be a problem. Sheena’s brother reassured her that they’d make it work.
“My primary mechanic is my brother, but I also got my hands dirty working on the car, installing and doing as much as I could do.” Sheena Dela Cruz
PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION
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BUNNY HUNTER
IT’S WABBIT SEASON
BY MICKY SLINGER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRED LYNCH
THERE’S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR INDIVIDUAL STANDOUTS IN THIS INSANE COLLECTION OF DIFFERING TASTES WE CALL THE CAR MODIFICATION SCENE. BEING ORIGINAL IS ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT AT WHAT POINT ARE YOU MODIFYING TO BE THE FIRST PERSON TO DO SOMETHING, OR BECAUSE IT’S REALLY WHAT YOU WANT? WITH SO MANY PEOPLE FOLLOWING TRENDS THESE DAYS, DOING YOUR OWN THING AND SETTING YOURSELF APART IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION PASMAG
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BUNNY HUNTER ESSENTIALS 2013 SCION FR-S
OWNER: Sheena Dela Cruz LOCATION: Daly City, CA BUILT BY: Darrell and Sheena Dela Cruz, Simplicity in Sound, AutoRnD CLUB AFFILIATION: NorCal 86 Owners, ft86club.com ENGINE: Toyota/Subaru 4U-GSE/FA20 2.0L flat-4 HORSEPOWER: 300 HP (est.) ENGINE ∫ AVO (Stage 2 turbocharger, front mounted intercooler, hoses, adjustable blow-off valve, 8 PSI wastegate actuator) ∫ AEM (Dryflow air filter, 41-1408DS electronically tuned intake) ∫ ECUtek ECU ∫ Cusco (oil catch tank, high-pressure radiator cap) ∫ Password:JDM (engine bay dress-up kit, dry carbon fiber engine cover, battery tie-down) EXHAUST ∫ Invidia N1 cat-back exhaust – titanium tip ∫ AVO headers ∫ PLM (up-pipe, down-pipe) DRIVETRAIN ∫ Kartboy (short shifter, shifter bushings) ∫ Whiteline transmission mount ∫ Braided stainless steel clutch line WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∫ Work VS-XX wheels – 18x10.5 -15et (f), 18x11 -5et (r) ∫ Toyo T1 Sport tires – 235/40 R18 (f), 265/35 R18 (r) ∫ ISC wheel spacers – 8 mm (f), 15 mm (r) ∫ Muteki lug nuts ∫ Brembo brake kit – 6-piston (f), 2-piston (r) ∫ DBA T2 Street Series unidirectional slotted rotors (f/r) ∫ Braided stainless steel brake lines ∫ Hawk Performance brake pads ∫ Cusco drift handbrake knob
The ML24 wide arches are trimmed here and there to fit around the Chargespeed pieces, and both kits are cut into a diffuserlike piece directly behind the rear wheels. This not only highlights the individuality aspect, but also lends to the aggressive factor that Dela Cruz was aiming for and makes the curious combination look like they were made for each other. Around the outside, carbon fiber accents work well against the pearl white paint. A Seibon carbon hood, JBlood window visors, TRD fender fins and Chargespeed trunk/spoiler combo (all done in carbon fiber) flare out to meet the bolted-on wheels arches. Winjet headlights give that JDM feel, while also being given the twist of 8000K HIDs and “Angel Eyes” courtesy of Diode Dynamics. With the killer audio upgrade and exterior transformation complete, Dela Cruz is carrying around some extra weight in the FR-S. To offset this, she opted to install an AVO Stage 2 turbo system. Complete with all the bells and (turbo) whistles and an ECUtek tune, the BunnyHunter was now pushing a 50 percent power increase. That should be enough to keep her competitive at Moto Miwa’s Dynamic Driving Academy sessions. Not only does Sheena drive (very well, in fact), but she also did a lot of the work to make her little, white 86 the widebody beast it is today. 56
CHASSIS / SUSPENSION ∫ KW V3 coilovers ∫ TRD sway bars ∫ Whiteline subframe bushing inserts ∫ Cusco (Type OS strut bars (f/r), Power Brace (engine room, rear side member), rear differential brace) ∫ ISC rear adjustable control arms ∫ Vorshlag (high caster camber plates, perches) ∫ Kartboy rear end links ∫ 742 harness bar
The moniker “BunnyHunter” is a jab at all those who are using Rocket Bunny kits on their 86s. A playful jab, mind you..." “My favorite aspect of the build was helping with the installations and work that was done on the car,” says Dela Cruz. “My primary mechanic is my brother, but I also got my hands dirty working on the car, installing and doing as much as I could do. I like the gratification of knowing that blood, sweat and tears went into building the car, not just other people’s, but also my own.” The BunnyHunter is absolutely blowing up on Instagram, winning show awards, commanding meets and inspiring others, but it has also been to both SEMA and CES with ARC Audio to show off. There’s a lot more to come from both the 86 and Sheena, and we’re looking forward to see what else she has up her sleeve to keep separated from the pack.
EXTERIOR ∫ Chargespeed (front bumper, rear bumper, grilles, carbon fiber trunk) ∫ ML24 widebody fender arches – modified ∫ Seibon Carbon FA-style carbon fiber hood ∫ Carbon fiber rear spats ∫ Hella Supertone horns ∫ JBlood carbon fiber window visors ∫ Beat-Sonic (carbon fiber roof spoiler, shark fin antenna) ∫ TRD fender fins ∫ APR Performance carbon fiber front splitter ∫ Winjet black housing headlights ∫ Diode Dynamics (Angel Eye Kit – RGB multicolor, 8000K HIDs, LED side mirror covers, license plate LEDs, multicolor LED engine bay kit) ∫ Spyder Version 2 taillights ∫ Bodywork by Darrel Dela Cruz INTERIOR ∫ Clear bubble shift knob ∫ Nardi Competition steering wheel – 330 mm ∫ Works Bell boss hub ∫ AEM (wideband gauge, boost gauge) ∫ Perrin dual gauge pod ∫ Cusco Bride Euro II+C seats ∫ Takata Racing Drift III snap harnesses ∫ Diode Dynamics (LED dome light, trunk light ∫ Vanity Sun visors ∫ Beat-Sonic (mobile holder dash stand, universal phone holder) ∫ Broadway rear view mirror AUDIO / MOBILE ELECTRONICS ∫ Pioneer AVH-4000NEX double-DIN head unit ∫ ARC Audio (PS8 processor, ALD line driver, XDi 1200.6 6-channel amplifier, ARC8 D4 8-inch subwoofers (2), Black Series 6.0 mid-bass drivers, Black Series 1.0 tweeters) ∫ Sealed subwoofer enclosure ∫ Optima Yellowtop battery ∫ Stinger (front fuse holder, main power wire, distribution blocks) ∫ Beat-Sonic back-up camera ∫ Simplicity in Sound (custom speaker rings, custom door speaker grilles) ∫ Installation by Simplicity in Sound (Milpitas, Califonia) SPONSORS Diode Dynamics, Beat-Sonic, ML24, ARC Audio, Simplicity in Sound, Cusco, Toyo Tires, ISC Suspension, Password:JDM
PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION
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“THIS TRULY IS A BLACK BOX FULL OF DIGITAL MAGIC...” GARRY SPRINGGAY, TECHNICAL EDITOR PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND MAGAZINE
PS8 PROCESSOR THE WORLDS MOST ADVANCED MOBILE AUDIO SOUND PROCESSOR D E S I G N E D A N D M A N U FA C T U R E D I N T H E U S A !
WWW.ARCAUDIO.COM
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TEST REPORT
Audison AP8.9 bit
Amplifier Review As a brand that has earned a reputation for developing trend-setting, category defining products, the team of audio enthusiasts at Audison have done it again. With the introduction of the all-new Prima “Sound Packs,” Audison has tackled the challenges of OEM integration and come up with one of the most elegant and complete solutions available. What makes Sound Packs systems completely different is the addition of a full DSP suite of controls built into three different models of compact amplifiers. For this review, Audison sent us the top-of-the-line Prima amplifier, the stunning new AP8.9 bit eight-channel unit. Rated at 35-watts x 8 into 4 Ohms, or 65-watts x 8 into 2 Ohms, and equipped with one of the most impressive DSP suites available, this amp can easily be the heart of an incredible system driven by an OEM or aftermarket source unit.
Features When you think about the AP bit amplifiers, you need to open your mind to new possibilities. For example, the amp has eight amplified and bridgeable channels, plus a dedicated subwoofer output channel that is used to drive a separate sub amplifier (if desired). There are seven signal inputs, including an S/PDIF digital input. It’s also compatible with the Audison DRC (digital remote control), which can put the control of the amp functions right at your fingertips. Fully equipped with the latest digital technology, it features a 32-bit, 147-MHz processor and a 24-bit AD/DA convertor. The amp is designed to connect to virtually any OEM system - even ones with built-in signal processing - thanks to its de-equalization capability. That’s just the beginning of the digital trickery this amp is capable of. Each channel can be configured individually and comes
BY GARRY SPRINGGAY
with parametric style equalization, a 68-frequency crossover with selectable slopes and alignments, and a fully adjustable signal delay function. Yes, I said each channel. The system is adjusted using a thorough control software that you install on your Windowsbased computer. The control panel is logically laid out, but a detailed read of the excellent owner’s manual is strongly suggested. After reading the manual, I found additional controls and adjustments I wouldn’t have even known existed. For instance, not only can you select what type of signal will turn the amp on, but you can even set the amount of turn-on delay for the amp and/or the trigger lead to an external amp. Another setting allows you to adjust how long the amp stays on after the signal has been removed. Thanks to the control software’s offline mode, you can play around with the tuning tools and get familiar with them before con-
necting the amp via the supplied USB cable. The software has two basic modes of operation: standard and expert. In standard mode, the most typical channel configurations are available, allowing you to set up a system with passive or active networks, and two- or three-way configurations. In this mode, only two MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS
Signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 2 V output (CEA-2006A) (1 W @ 4 Ω)
-82.7 dBA
Signal-to-noise ratio referenced to full output
-98.5 dBA
THD+N at rated 4 Ω power CEA-2006A rated 4 Ω power (minimum power per channel developed over the entire intended audio bandwidth)
38 W
Maximum efficiency at full 4 Ω power per channel
76.2 %
Maximum efficiency at full 2 Ω power per channel
84.2 %
Efficiency at 10 W per channel, 4 Ω
71.4 %
Idle current Input sensitivity Maximum current @ full power, lowest rated impedance Frequency response (-3 dB)
TECHNICAL
DATA
Manufacturer Rated Power
Actual Measured Power @ 1.0 % THD+N // @ 12.6 V Battery
Actual Measured Power @ 1.0 % THD+N // @ 14.4 V Battery
35 x 8 @ 4 Ω
38 x 8 @ 4 Ω
38 x 8 @ 4 Ω
65 x 8 @ 2 Ω
75 x 8 @ 2 Ω
75 x 8 @ 2 Ω
130 x 4 @ 4 Ω
149 x 4 @ 4 Ω
151 x 4 @ 4 Ω
The following power measurements were obtained using industry standard methods. (1kHZ @ 1.0% THD+N - Battery voltages shown +/- 0.2V)
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0.022%
1.5 A 2 V- 15 V 35.6 A <10 Hz – 24 kHz
High-pass crossover
68 Freqs -12 dB / -24 dB Butterworth / Linkwitz selectable
Low-pass crossover
68 Freqs -12dB/-24dB Butterworth / Linkwitz selectable
Subsonic filter
DSP controlled
Bass boost
Parametric EQ
PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION
TEST REPORT Audison AP8.9 (ME3).indd 1
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channels have zero configuration restrictions. In expert mode, there are no restrictions on the configuration of any channel - you can do whatever you like. By using the supplied set-up disc, you can easily optimize the input gain settings and remove the factory EQ curve from the amp output if desired. If you tend to go a little heavy on your own EQ settings, you can engage the dynamic EQ limiter, allowing the amp to soft clip when its power limits are reached. Once the amp inputs have been dialed in, proceed to setting the outputs. Here, select the type of speaker system you are using (whether it’s fully active or passive, two-way or three-way), and adjust all the crossover points. The software walks you through each of the steps, so there is no chance of forgetting something important. Again, a good read of the manual ahead of time will help first-time set up. Once you’ve done that, the software becomes second nature, thanks to its logical and intuitive design. There are so many features and controls to go over I could never cover it all here. There’s a reason the English manual is 58 pages. The amp connections are all on one long edge, and the included wiring harnesses are fully labeled with the description printed right onto each wire. Power and ground cables can be up to eight-gauge cable, and the amp is equipped with a 30A ATC style fuse.
4 OHM POWER VS. THD+N @ 1 KHZ 14.4V BATTERY
4 OHM POWER VS. THD+N @ 1 KHZ 12.6V BATTERY
10
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2
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1
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%
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2 OHM POWER VS. THD+N @ 1 KHZ 14.4V BATTERY
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2 OHM POWER VS. THD+N @ 1 KHZ 12.6V BATTERY
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75.1
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75.3
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Listening Connecting this amplifier in my listening room is a bit more complicated than usual. For my listening tests, I use two pairs of component speakers: one is TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION PASMAG
TEST REPORT Audison AP8.9 (ME3).indd 2
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TEST REPORT
Audison AP8.9 bit
Amplifier Review a typical two-way system and the other a three-way design. I choose to use the amp’s digitally controlled crossovers for all five channels. Once configured, with this much tuning available, I'll admit I play around with the DSP much more than usual. It’s pretty cool to be able to listen to the differences in crossover alignment or filter Q with a simple click or two. I can make my room sound much bigger, or make it very intimate simply by manipulating the signal delay controls. Properly used, this feature makes a huge difference in the way your car sounds. Eventually, I put the computer away and just listen to the music. The AP8.9 bit amplifier performs brilliantly, with full, rich and realistic sound. The amp sounds more powerful than you would expect from the modest 35-watt rating, and drives the speaker systems to volume levels that are more than adequate. Even though it measures about 7.5 x 4.75 x 1.3 inches (which is downright tiny for an eight-channel amp), it barely gets warm during my listening. I don’t notice any digital artifacts and frankly, the amp simply seems to disappear, which is precisely what a really good amp should do.
Conclusion The Audison Prima 8.9 bit amplifier is one of the most technologically advanced car audio amplifiers available. The DSP power that
AudisonHertz.com
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/AudisonChannel
HIGH PASS CROSSOVER TYPES FREQUENCY RESPONSE
+6
+6 +4
+5
+2
+4.5
-0
+4
-2
+3.5
-4
+3
-6
+2.5 +2
-8
+1.5
-10
+1
-12
+0.5
d B r
-0 -0.5 -1 -1.5
-14 -16 -18 -20
-2
-22
-2.5
-24
-3
-26
-3.5 -4
-28
-4.5
-30
-5
-32
-5.5 -6 10
This test report is also available on the PASMAG app. Download it from the App Store.
@AudisonOfficial
+5.5
-34 20
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LOW PASS CROSSOVER TYPES FREQUENCY RESPONSE
On the Bench Back on the test bench, I run the AP8.9 bit through the usual tests. The amp performs flawlessly, producing excellent performance and specifications. It exceeds the rated output power and has a ruler-flat response when set to full range with no EQ. Typically, DSP powered amplifiers struggle to maintain strong signal-to-noise specifications, but the Audison has no problems, managing better than -82 dBA on the difficult CEA-2006B one-watt test. Power efficiency is good
Audison.Official
MAX FLAT - FREQUENCY RESPONSE
d B r
Just be prepared to spend some time with them because you won’t be able to ignore the incredible system design flexibility. You’ll likely get wrapped up in their tuning capabilities, just as I did.
comes with this amplifier is more than enough to configure and very accurately tune virtually any vehicle. Just as important, it’s a good audio amplifier with low distortion, low noise, and exemplary audio performance. If you are ready to enter the future of car audio, you should head to your Audison dealer and check out the AP bit amps for yourself.
thanks to the Class D output topology, and a fully regulated supply ensures maximum power output regardless of fluctuations in battery voltage.
BANDPASS CROSSOVER TYPES FREQUENCY RESPONSE
+6
+6
+4
+4
+2
+2
-0
-0 -2
-2 -4
-4 -6
-6
-8
-8 -10
-10
-12
d B r
d B r
-14 -16
-14 -16
-18
-18
-20
-20
-22
-22
-24
-24
-26
-26
-28
-28
-30
-30
-32
-32
-34 -36 10
-12
-34 20
50
100
200
500
Hz
1k
2k
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20k
-36 10
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Hz
PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION
TEST REPORT Audison AP8.9 (ME3).indd 3
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TEST REPORT
Sony MEX-XB100BT CD Receiver Review Through the utilization of new highpower Class D chipsets, Sony has introduced the world’s most powerful CD receiver for car audio applications. The all-new Sony MEX-XB100BT is equipped with an honest-to-goodness CEA2006B rated, 40 watt per channel amplifier! This represents a near 100-percent increase in power available from a head unit. The new single-DIN powerhouse is also equipped with a host of other important and popular features and best of all, it has a retail price of only $249.99 in Canada and $229.99 in the US.
Features The MEX-XB100BT not only has about twice the power output of most head units, it is also equipped with Bluetooth, NFC, Sony’s Mega Bass sound shaping, Pandora (US only), SiriusXM connectivity, and perhaps best of all, voice control capability for either Android or iPhone. At the heart of the unit is the
four-channel Class D amplifier from Texas Instruments. This high performance integrated amplifier is designed for excellent sound quality and serious power output while maximizing power efficiency. Translation: It sounds great, makes a lot of power, and draws a minimum amount of current. When used with Sony’s XB series speakers, the system is designed to make the most of Sony’s Mega Bass circuitry, which might convince you that a subwoofer isn’t even needed! The “Advanced Sound Engine” DSP built into the MEX-XB100BT allows you to make all sorts of adjustments including custom equalization, crossover settings and more. But gobs of power and great sound simply aren’t enough these days. We expect to integrate our smartphones and take advantage of the technology provided. To that end, Sony has developed an app called SongPal, which can be downloaded and installed on your smartphone. With it, you can control your music and smartphone
BY GARRY SPRINGGAY
apps from either your phone or the head unit. Additionally, SongPal allows basic controls via voice commands. For example, you might say “navigation” to launch your navigation app, or reply to your last SMS message by simply speaking. You can even speak song track names and have them play automatically. If you get email on your phone, the SongPal app will keep you up to date by reading your mail or SMS messages to you. It also works in the other direction. For instance: if you have a USB drive loaded with music plugged into the MEXXB100BT, you can browse through the selections by using the screen on your smartphone. One more feature that may be quite popular for some users is the ability to bring a “dance club” atmosphere to your car’s dashboard. Thanks to Sony’s “Sound and Color Synchronization” feature that senses the beat of your music, the head unit’s LED display can change color and pulse to the beat of the music, giving passen-
AMPLIFIER
MEASURED
TECH SPECS
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gers a visual sensation to match the listening experience. To get the most out of the MEXXB100BT, Sony suggests pairing the unit with their new three-way XB series speakers. Available in three sizes (5.25, 6 and 6x9 inch), these speakers are designed to work perfectly with the more powerful amplifier used in the head unit. The speakers come with wiring, grilles and all the required mounting hardware.
Controls and Ergonomics The MEX-XB100BT is a simple and intuitive head unit. Commonly used functions like source selection and track up/down have large, well-placed buttons. The volume is controlled using a rotary encoder, which also houses the NFC contact point. Pairing a phone is very simple and quick, and the SongPal app is also easy to download and understand. The LCD display and the button illumination colors can be set independently from each other, and both have the ability to be set
PREAMP SECTION
CEA-2006A power per channel (all channels driven @ 4 Ω)
43 W / ch x 4
Max Usable RCA Output Voltage
5.1 Vrms
A-Wtd S/N Ratio (ref. to 2 V/1 W @ 4 Ω amplified output)
-80.1 dBA (CD)
A-Wtd S/N Ratio (ref. to full output voltage)
-85.8 dBA
THD+N @ 2 V / 1 W @ 4 Ω 1 kHz
0.02 %
Output Impedance
100 Ω
Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)
20 Hz – 20 kHz
Frequency Response (-3.0 dB)
20 Hz – 20 kHz
PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION
Sony MEX-XB100BT_v2.indd 1
2015-02-05 10:57 AM
AMPLIFIER MAX FLAT, CD SOURCE FREQUENCY RESPONSE
4 OHM POWER VS. THD+N +6
5
+5.5 +5
2
+4.5 +4
1
+3.5 +3
0.5
+2.5 +2 +1.5
0.2
+1
%
+0.5
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d B r
0.05
-0 -0.5 -1 -1.5
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-2 -2.5
0.01
-3 -3.5
0.005
-4 -4.5 -5
0.002
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600m
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43.6 50
20
-6 20
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PREAMP MAX FLAT, CD SOURCE FREQUENCY RESPONSE
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VOLUME DEPENDENT MEGA BASS FREQUENCY RESPONSE
Listening
+11.5
+5.5
+11
+5
+10.5 +10
+4.5
+9.5
+4
+9
+3.5
+8.5 +8
+3
+7.5
+2.5
+7
+2
+6.5 +6
+1.5
+5.5
+1
+5
+0.5
d B r
-0 -0.5 -1
+4.5 +4 +3.5 +3 +2.5 +2
-1.5
+1.5
-2
+1
-2.5
+0.5 +0
-3
-0.5
-3.5
-1
-4
-1.5 -2
-4.5
-2.5
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-3
-5.5 -6 20
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+6
d B r
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W
-3.5
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-4 20
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XS-XB160 THREE-WAY COAXIAL SPEAKERS Power Handling Nominal Impedance
500
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Hz
Hz
60 W RMS 4Ω
XS-XB690 THREE-WAY 6X9 COAXIAL SPEAKERS Power Handling Nominal Impedance
60 W RMS 4Ω
to pretty much any color you could possibly want. The display itself is well-lit and easy to read, except in direct sunlight, which is a common problem with displays of this type. The removable faceplate installs and removes easily with a quality feel. The menus and submenus are typical Sony; logically laid out and easy to understand. It would be nice to have the sub level control adjustment more readily available, but most subwoofer amps have their own level control anyway.
10k
20k
I install the XS-XB1630 six-inch three-way speakers in a set of sealed cabinets with about 0.75 cubic feet of air volume. The XSXB6930 6x9s are installed in my listening room baffles. I connect the four speakers to the outputs of the MEX-XB100BT and listen to the system for about three hours. The first thing I notice is the additional power available. Most head units play only moderately loud before becoming distorted, but the high power output in the Sony allows me to drive the system much harder than I would have expected for a simple “deck and four.” The bass response is strong and greater than I expected from this system, but serious audiophiles are still going to want a subwoofer. Throughout my listening session, I note the Sony system producing an “exciting” type of sound.
TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION PASMAG
Sony MEX-XB100BT_v2.indd 2
63
2015-02-05 10:58 AM
TEST REPORT XS-XB160 SPEAKERS
On the Bench After all the listening is over, I measure the specifications of the receiver and the XB speakers. Audio performance of the MEX-XB100BT is very good, and the internal amplifier actually
dB (Mic Reference)
Sony XS-XB 160.tds 8192 Samples in 6.8s, Frequency Res = 57.9 Hz, Time Res = 17.26 ms (0.00 Mic Distance Unit)
100
95
90
85
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70
65
60
exceeds the 40-watt rated power number. Signal-to-noise performance is excellent, as is distortion and crosstalk. The three pairs of pre-amp outputs provide over five volts of usable output and a ruler flat frequency response. As I surmised, the Mega-Bass circuit provides more boost at lower frequencies when the volume is low. As the volume increased, the circuit automatically reduces the amount of boost, and raises the effected frequency. This is a clever and effective method of equalization.
80
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2000
3000
4000
5000
7000
10000
20000
Frequency (Hz) Octave Smoothing = 33.0%
XS-XB690 SPEAKERS Sony XS-XB690.tds
dB (Mic Reference)
I play with the Mega-Bass button quite a bit during my listening, noticing that it has a greater effect on the music at lower volumes, and a decreasing effect as the volume is turned up. This is a good thing - not only in the interest of sound quality, but also in the longevity of the loudspeakers. The music feels lively and energetic, almost manic on occasion. Where an audiophile might look for flatter, more accurate response, this system provided a sound that will have great appeal for the average listener who simply wants good clean sound and plenty of volume.
8192 Samples in 6.8s, Frequency Res = 57.9 Hz, Time Res = 17.26 ms (0.00 Mic Distance Unit)
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Frequency (Hz) Octave Smoothing = 33.0%
Conclusion Many of us dream about huge systems with multiple amplifiers and all sorts of complicated and expensive gear, but there is a lot to be said for a simple, well executed system with plenty of power and pleasing performance. That’s exactly what the MEX-XB100BT and the XB series speakers are designed for. When used as a system, this simple “deck and four” might be all you ever need for your daily driver. Add in built-in smartphone connectivity and flexibility provided by the SongPal app, and it may also be the only system you ever really want.
For more test reports, download the PASMAG+ tablet app for free from the App Store.
64
Store.Sony.ca
SonyCanada
@Sony_Canada
Sony
PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION
Sony MEX-XB100BT_v2.indd 3
2015-02-05 10:58 AM
Untitled-3 1
2014-12-19 3:39 PM
TEST REPORT
Clarion XC2510
Compact Amplifier Review If you’ve ever found yourself faced with the seemingly impossible challenge of installing high quality, high power, multi-channel amplification in a system where there is little room and even less budget, Clarion has a solution. With the introduction of the new five-channel XC2510 power amplifier, you can now work the impossible when the car or boat is tight on space and so are the finances. Designed to be compatible and withstand the harsh environment of automotive or marine applications, the ultra compact multichannel Clarion amp should prove to be a problem solver for a lot of demanding applications. With a U.S. MSRP of under $350, it’s also going to make your bank account happier as well.
FEATURES Measuring only 11 x 4.3 x 1.5 inches, the XC2510 will fit almost anywhere. Thanks to the highly efficient Class D topology, it runs
cool without the need of internal fans while providing excellent power. The amp is rated at 50 watts x 4 channels and 200 watts x 1 channel into four ohms, or a whopping 75 watts x 4 channels and 300 watts x 1 channel when driving two-ohm loads. Think about that for a minute: that’s 700 watts from a chassis that’s small enough to fit inside most glove boxes. Along with this amazing power density, you also get all the usual features and controls. The XC2510 is equipped with high and low level inputs, making it OEM or aftermarket source unit friendly. It also has fully adjustable highpass crossovers for the four full range channels, with an adjustment range from 15 Hz to 250 Hz. The sub channel crossover can be dialed in to any frequency between 35 and 250 Hertz, and like the main channels, has a second order (-12 dB/Oct) slope. A variable bass boost control is also included, providing up to 12 dB of boost at 50 Hz.
LISTENING The Clarion XC2510 sounds very good when driving my com-
Manufacturer Rated Power
Actual Measured Power @ 1.0 % THD+N // @ 12.6 V Battery
Actual Measured Power @ 1.0 % THD+N // @ 14.4 V Battery
50 x 4 + 200 x 1 @ 4 Ω
42 x 4 + 169 x 1 @ 4 Ω
56 x 4 + 221 x 1 @ 4 Ω
75 x 4 + 300 x 1 @ 2 Ω
62 x 4 + 254 x 1 @ 2 Ω
81 x 4 + 332 x 1 @ 2 Ω
TECHNICAL
DATA
The amplifier is built on a high tech four-layer PCB, and then conformal coated for maximum reliability in harsh environments. A MOSFET power supply provides the energy to drive the five channels, which can also be configured as three channels by bridging the two pairs of full range channels. In three-channel mode the amp is rated for an impressive 150 watts x 2 channels and 200 watts x 1 channel into 4 ohms. A ground loop isolation circuit improves immunity from unwanted charging system noise, and there is even a soft mute circuit to ensure the amp turns on and off quietly. Power and speaker output connections are found on one end of the chassis, while the controls and input wiring resides at the opposing end. There are slotted sheet metal tabs on each corner of the the amp for mounting.
The following power measurements were obtained using industry standard methods. (1kHZ @ 1.0% THD+N - Battery voltages shown +/- 0.2V)
66
BY GARRY SPRINGGAY
ponent speakers and a 12-inch woofer. It has plenty of push when needed, and easily drives my loudspeakers to higher levels than I would have expected from an amp this size. Overall sound quality is very good. The amp sounds quite transparent MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS
Signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 2 V output (CEA-2006A) (1 W @ 4 Ω)
Main -74.1 dBA Sub -73.3 dBA
Signal-to-noise ratio referenced to full output
Main -91.5 dBA Sub -96.7 dBA
THD+N at rated 4 Ω power
Main 0.04% Sub 0.71%
Maximum efficiency at full 4 Ω power per channel
82.4%
Maximum efficiency at full 2 Ω power per channel
70.7%
Idle current
Input sensitivity Maximum current @ full power, lowest rated impedance Frequency response (-3 dB)
1.1 A RCA’s 205 mV- 7.6 V High Level 870 mV – 17.7 V 64.4 A Main 15 Hz – >30 kHz Sub 10 Hz – 254 Hz
High-pass crossover
15 Hz – 250 Hz -12 dB/Oct
Low-pass crossover
35Hz – 250 Hz -12 dB/Oct
Subsonic filter Bass boost
None Variable; 0 to +12 db @ 50 Hz
PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION
TEST REPORT Clarion XC2510_v2 (ME3) DPS.indd 1
2015-02-05 10:57 AM
4 OHM POWER VS. THD+N 100 HZ (14.4V BATTERY)
2 OHM POWER VS. THD+N 100 HZ (14.4V BATTERY)
10
10
5
5
2
2
1
1
0.5
0.5
0.2
0.2
4 OHM POWER VS. THD+N 100 HZ (14.4V BATTERY) +6 +5 +4 +3 +2 +1 -0
%
%
0.1
-1 -2
0.1
0.05
0.05
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.01
0.005
0.005
dBr
-3 -4 -5 -6 -7
0.001
-8 -9
0.002
0.002
0.001
600m
1
2
5
10
5056.7
20
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221 200
500
1k
-10 10
600m
1
2
5
10
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50
81.4 100
200
332.4
500
50
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SUB CHANNEL MAX FLAT FREQUENCY RESPONSE
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30
Hz
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W
CROSSOVER ADJUSTMENTS FREQUENCY RESPONSE
BASS BOOST FREQUENCY RESPONSE +14
+6 +4
+13
+2
+6
-0
+4
-2
+2
+12 +11
-0
-4
+10
-2
-6
+9
-4
-8
-6
-10
+8
-8
-12
-10
-14
-12
-16
-14
-18
-16
dBr -20
-18
+7 +6 +5
dBr+4
dBr -20
-22
+3
-22
-24
+2
-24
-26
-26
-28
+1
-28
-30
+0
-30
-32
-32
-34
-34
-36
-36
-38
-38
-40 10
20
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-40 10
-1 -2 -3 20
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THD+N VS. FREQUENCY
and has strong, authoritative bass and plenty of detail and clarity in the top end. During my full hour of enthusiastic listening, the amp gets good and warm but shows no signs of the distress or imminent shut down, which has happened with amps of similar power density.
ON THE BENCH The XC2510 proves to be an able performer on the unforgiving test bench. The amp exceeds all of the published power specifications by a healthy margin, and other critical parameters such as signal-to-noise ratio and frequency response also measure favorably. Distortion comes in well under one-tenth of a percent, and the gain pots used on the stereo channels track within 0.4 dB left to right. Input signal range measurements confirm that the XC2510 is compatible with virtually any aftermarket or OEM source unit.
The amp is well protected too, as I find out when I test it for thermal shutoff, over/under voltage conditions, and shorted outputs.
10
5
2
1
CONCLUSION
0.5
The Clarion XC2510 is a quality amplifier made to last in the most demanding conditions. With plenty of power on tap and well-planned installation flexibility, it may be one of the best multiple high-power channel amps I've seen that can fit both tight spaces and tight budgets. Check it out for yourself at a Clarion dealer near you, and visit them online at www.clarion.com.
For more test reports, download the PASMAG+ tablet app for free from the App Store.
0.2
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Clarion.com/us
ClarionUSAOnline
@ClarionUSA
ClarionUS
TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION PASMAG
TEST REPORT Clarion XC2510_v2 (ME3) DPS.indd 2
10k
20k
Hz
67
2015-02-05 11:00 AM
TEST REPORT
MTX XTHUNDER 800.5 Amplifier Review So you've upgraded your front and rear speakers and now it's time to add a subwoofer and some real power. Great! You're almost ready to experience good, proper audio in your car. But space is tight and multiple amplifiers are not going to be an option. Sound familiar? If so, read on, because the folks over at MTX have a solution to your problem. It comes in the form of the XTHUNDER 800.5, five-channel amplifier. By taking advantage of the high efficiency of Class D topology and some careful engineering, the XTHUNDER 800.5 is a small footprint, low-profile amplifier that will fit almost anywhere.
FEATURES The do-it-all amplifier from MTX provides four channels of full range output with up to 125 watts of power per channel. Then the fifth subwoofer channel can drive
two ohm loads with up to 400 watts, for a total power output of 900 watts! The amplifier uses a cast aluminum heatsink, measuring approximately 9 x 14 x 2 inches. Connections and controls are found on opposite ends of the amp, and the wires are hidden from view by a pair of removable aluminum end caps which trim things out nicely. For power wiring, the five-channel amp uses sturdy set screw connectors that accept four-gauge cable. Similarly built speaker connectors accept up to 12-gauge cable and also use angled set screws to secure them. A nice addition for anyone upgrading an OEM stereo are the high level inputs that accept speaker level signal, and the 800.5 can also turn itself on and off using the signal input as a trigger. If you're using RCA inputs, you can choose to drive the amp with four channels, or in five channel mode,
BY GARRY SPRINGGAY
which gives you the ability to run a dedicated subwoofer signal from your head unit to the sub input. To get your system dialed in properly, the XTHUNDER 800.5 is equipped with high-pass crossovers on the front and rear channels, adjustable from 40 to 250 Hz. The subwoofer channel gets a low-pass filter that mirrors the front. All crossovers are -12 dB/oct. In addition, the subwoofer channel has a bass boost EQ providing up to 18 dB of boost at 45 Hz. The sub channel also has a built-in, non-adjustable subsonic filter set from the factory at 27 Hz. If you get things horribly wrong during the installation, the XTHUNDER amp has several built-in protection circuits that can prevent damage and save your bacon. There is over-temp protection, short circuit protection, as well as high and low battery voltage protection, all there to ensure that everything works as it should.
MTX stands solidly behind their products too, with a full two-year free replacement warranty and then a prorated warranty covering the third to fifth year of ownership.
LISTENING With the amp driving my reference speakers and a 12-inch subwoofer, I find the MTX XTHUNDER 800.5 to be a very good and capable performer. There is plenty of power on tap to drive the MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS
Signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 2 V output (CEA2006A) (1 W @ 4 Ω)
Main -84.5 dBA Sub -68.1 dBA
Signal-to-noise ratio referenced to full output
Main -103.3 dBA Sub -93.0 dBA
THD+N at rated 4 Ω power Maximum efficiency at full 4 Ω power per channel
81.5%
Maximum efficiency at full 2 Ω power per channel
83.0%
Idle current Input sensitivity Maximum current @ full power, lowest rated impedance Frequency response (-3 dB)
TECHNICAL
DATA
Manufacturer Rated Power
Actual Measured Power @ 1.0 % THD+N // @ 12.6 V Battery
Actual Measured Power @ 1.0 % THD+N // @ 14.4 V Battery
75 x 4 + 300 x 1 @ 4 Ω
57 x 4 + 233 x 1 @ 4 Ω
76 x 4 + 310 x 1 @ 4 Ω
125 x 4 + 400 x 1 @ 2 Ω
90 x 4 + 344 x 1 @ 2 Ω
121 x 4 + 447 x 1 @ 2 Ω
The following power measurements were obtained using industry standard methods. (100 HZ @ 1.0% THD+N - Battery voltages shown, +/- 0.1 V)
68
Main 0.032% Sub 0.97%
1.7 A 196 mV- 5.2 V 77.9 A Main 10 Hz – >30 kHz Sub 27 Hz – 265 Hz
High-pass crossover (subsonic filter)
58 Hz – 240 Hz -12 dB/Oct
Low-pass crossover
27Hz – 265 Hz -12 dB/Oct
Subsonic filter
Fixed @ 27 Hz
Bass EQ boost
0 to +18.5 dB 44 Hz
PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION
TEST REPORT MTX XThunder_DPS.indd 1
2015-02-05 11:32 AM
4 OHM POWER VS. THD+N 100HZ 14.4V BATTERY
2 OHM POWER VS. THD+N 100HZ 14.4V BATTERY 10
10
5 5
system to any volume you care to listen at, and the sonic qualities of the amp are neutral and natural. I note during my listening session that the amp barely gets warm, thanks again to the highly efficient, full-range Class D topology. That also means it's not a current hog, so you won't need expensive batteries or a charging system upgrade to power it. Sounds good, runs cool, easy to power - what's not to like about that?
2 2
1 1
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%
%
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310
500
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50
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W
MAX FLAT FREQUENCY RESPONSE
CROSSOVER RANGE FREQUENCY RESPONSE
6 6
5.5
4
5 4.5
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4
-0
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-6
2 -8
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1
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d B r
-0 -0.5 -1 -1.5
-14 -16 -18 -20
-2
-22
-2.5
-24
-3
-26
-3.5 -28
-4
-30
-4.5
-32
-5
-34
-5.5 -6
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-36
30k
10
20
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CONCLUSION
1k
2k
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10k
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40k
HZ
HZ
If you need (or simply prefer) a single chassis amplifier solution to your car audio system, the MTX XTHUNDER 800.5 is worthy of your serious consideration. The amplifier has an MSRP of $599 with advertised prices somewhat south of that, and it comes with a fantastic warranty. For more information about this amplifier and all the other MTX products, check them out online at MTX.com.
20
W
ON THE BENCH On the test bench, the amp behaves as expected, delivering solid audio performance throughout the various tests. Frequency response measures nice and flat beyond the audio band, and the main channel's signal-to-noise performance is simply excellent. At low power levels (where we do most of our actual listening), distortion is low and the amp exhibits good stereo separation.
0.1
0.05
0.05
BASS BOOST FREQUENCY RESPONSE
THD+N VS. FREQUENCY
20 19
5
18 17 16
2
15 14
1
13 12 11
0.5
10 9 8
0.2
7
d B r
6
%
5
0.1
4 0.05
3
2
2 1
0.02
-0 -1 -2
0.01
-3 -4
0.005
-5 -6
For an expanded version of this test report, go to pasmag.com/testreports/MTXXTHUNDER800.5
-7
0.002
-8 -9 -10
0.001
10
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1k
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For more test reports, download the PASMAG+ tablet app for free from the App Store.
MTX.com
200
500
1k
2k
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10k
@MTXinstagram
MTXrocks
@MTXaudio
TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION PASMAG
TEST REPORT MTX XThunder_DPS.indd 2
20k
HZ
HZ
69
2015-02-05 11:32 AM
GROUND POUNDER:
ALL IN GEORGE DIMITRIADIS COMPLETES THE “BIG BRUTE” BY JORDAN LENSSEN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE THOMAS (STANCEISEVERYTHING.COM)
70
PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION
Ground Pounder v2.indd 1
2015-02-05 10:31 AM
STAGE 2:
Dressing the doors
STAGE 1: The teardown, the deadening, the wiring and the charging... Dimitriadis tore apart the entire interior of his H2 in an effort to make it the loudest, strongest, most all-encompassing audio build possible. With thousands of extra pounds in equipment and materials yet to be added, it was necessary to ensure that the inside was gutted, because even a single rattle could grow to be a much bigger problem – and once complete, would be nearly impossible to take apart and fix. So what was the damage? A week-long, complete interior strip to the bare metal, hundreds of square feet of 80- and 100-mil KnuKonceptz deadening, 200 feet of Knu ground and power wire, four 300A Ohio Generator alternators and eight KnuKonceptz ANL fuse holders. And that was just the start...
Construction on the door panels made up stage two exclusively. While it may sound ridiculous to dedicate an entire feature on cramming components in doors, consider that Dimitriadis and Co. were loading up a total of 16 – yes, 16 – entire sets of RE Audio components. Building the design in CAD, they were properly fitted using 1/4-inch MDF, then recut as final versions in one-inch MDF and molded using fiberglass for shape and style. To match the interior, Dimitriadis chose black vinyl and matching suede, loaded the sets, and covered the grille panel inserts in cloth. Each front door has seven 6.5-inch midbass speakers and four tweeters (with the remaining three tweeters housed in custom A-pillars), while the rears have four 6.5s and matching tweeters. In total, the front and rear doors are carrying 11 of the 16 sets!
TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION PASMAG
Ground Pounder v2.indd 2
71
2015-02-05 10:31 AM
GROUND POUNDER:
ALL IN
STAGE 3:
Building the house of shake
This isn’t called “Project Ground Pounder” for nothing. Stage three of the build focused on constructing (we use that term appropriately) the subwoofer enclosure. Inside, the cavernous enclosure houses 10 RE Audio XX15 subwoofers, each weighing 62 pounds, and behind it sit 21 batteries and over a dozen amps. It’s a proverbial nightmare to even begin to comprehend and still, it was
designed to be a musical fourth-order bandpass enclosure, opening directly beside the terrified ears of the front driver and passenger. In case it wasn’t obvious already, the rear seats needed to be deleted. To ensure the entire setup didn’t implode on itself, Dimitriadis was essentially forced to use 13 sheets of one-inch and six sheets of 3/4inch MDF for the entire assembly. The floor is 2 ¾-inches thick, the walls are two inches each, and the rear and ceiling are an incredible threeinches thick. Keeping it all together are boxes of wood glue, PL Premium adhesive and 1,500 screws (give or take), while the baffles stretch the height and length of the enclosure, acting as braces in the process. We’re pretty sure this thing would survive being dropped from a third story balcony. Instead, it’s the skeleton and lungs of this ludicrous audio engineering marvel.
STAGE 5: Ready to rumble
STAGE 4: Power up
For his previous build, Dimitriadis had run multiple charging setups for his oft-proclaimed “perfect” sound setup. For Project Ground Pounder, he decided on a single 12-volt charging system, comprised of the previously mentioned four 300A Ohio Generator alternators. He has these because of the 21 VMAX Charge Tank CT 2500 batteries, which offer quick recharge rates and provide a bank of 2,600 AH for long demos. How do you house 21 batteries in a system that’s already loaded with 10 subs and 16 sets of components? Dimitriadis decided to mount them vertically, and to carry the massive amount of weight (75 lbs. each, totaling 1,575 lbs.), he used one-inch square steel tubing and 0.125-inch flat steel bar. The battery rack is bolted to the Hummer floor and rear wall to secure the three rows of seven batteries. Once that was done, it was off to the races to install the enclosure, close up the sunroof and add the necessary bracing, but, in a last ditch effort for more sound, Dimitriadis opted for an additional five component sets to be added behind the rear doors, facing outward above the window line. Housing both mid-ranges and tweeters, the MDF was again wrapped in matching black vinyl and embedded with the RE Audio logo. 72
In this, the final stage of Dimitriadis’ Ground Pounder build, he mounted his batteries and wired them in spaghettilike fashion using KnuKonceptz OFC 1/0 cables. He also wired hundreds of feet of alternator charging cables to the battery bank. From there, Knu OFC power, ground and battery jumper wires were run and connected to an intuitive busbar system. With the cabling done, CTEK was enlisted for efficient battery charging, using the Multi US 25000 charger – a system with 25-amps of charging capacity – perfect for maintenance or when the Hummer is off the road. Next was building an amp rack strong enough to house 12 amps, including the four giant American Bass VFL 1100.1 monoblocks for the subs, rated between 10,000 to 12,000 watts each! Those were wired, and three switches
were added to control and separate the system into three parts: front doors and A-pillars, rear door and window components, and lastly, the 10 15-inch subs. This allows Dimitriadis to turn off components for SPL competition, or the rear door/window components during driving. Next, an AudioControl THREE.2 EQ was installed in the front dash and paired to a 6XS electronic crossover, allowing him to adjust his settings on the fly from his front seat. Last, but surely not least, the subs were loaded, and it was time to test out the system for the first time!
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GROUND POUNDER:
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leepers. You can’t pick ‘em out from a crowd. They look like your everyday rides. Perhaps they’ve got a set of wheels, some suspension work, or a loud set of pipes, but their intention is to creep out from the woodwork and just obliterate any overly enthusiastic competitors. Case in point, George Dimitriadis’ 2005 Hummer H2 is a beast – without any work. The hulking frame alone sits higher than most compacts and is able – and perhaps sometimes, willing – to drive over any snails lurking on the road ahead. It’s intimidating without the 24x11 Fuel Offroad Hostage D531 wheels and Toyo Open Country M/T treads, but to unsuspecting viewers, this is little more than a fancy Humvee. That is, until their cars suddenly shake and vibrate like they’re at ground zero of an instant earthquake. For those out of the loop, Dimitriadis had been building his Hummer from the bare steel up for the better part of four months, covered in depth in his “Project Ground Pounder” mini series featured in these very pages of PASMAG. (If you haven’t heard of it, we’ve included a brief synopsis of each stage here, but you can also find the full stories online at PASMAG.com.) The short of it: his audio system is one of the meanest, loudest, cleanest sounding and most intricately integrated setups we’ve ever seen. The sub stage alone could likely blow out your back teeth with 45,000 watts of pure punishment. Yes, you read that correctly.
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So, how does one get to the point of building a beast of such magnitude? If you can believe it, Dimitriadis was heavily into imports, with a revolving obsession of Hondas that included four Preludes – his most recent being the fifth gen – which was highlighted by a classic Wings West RS bodykit. Ironically, the car was about style and performance, and very little to do with audio. His audio builds however, date back to the mid ‘90s and, wanting to return to his roots with something out of the ordinary, he decided to go full out on an audio build. “The Hummer is the first truck I’ve ever owned,” Dimitriadis says. “I wanted to go with something different. I wanted to get a big SUV, but not any SUV – I wanted the biggest SUV I could find. It was a toss-up between the Hummer and an Escalade.” “It sat bone stock for a year. I didn’t touch it. People said, ‘You have so much space, put a 10 or a 12 [inch subwoofer] in it.’ But I’ve always been of the mindset that I’m either going to go all out, or noth-
ing at all. There’s no in between. In May 2011, I decided to do my first build with the truck.” That consisted of a wall behind the second row of seats loaded with four 15s and very little in the fabrication department. Six months later, Dimitriadis decided he needed bigger, which meant ripping out the rear bench in favor of two bucket seats out of a Denali, and packing eight 12-inch subs. He dove deeper into fabricating with a custom rear center console, finished in matching materials. But again, after six months, he still wasn’t content. “It was loud, it looked good, but I said, ‘OK, I want to do something else, but this is the last time!’ That’s when I decided to make it into a two-seater, move everything forward and make it what it is now.” What it is now, is something that’s much more than skin deep. Front to rear, as each of the driver, passenger, rear doors and back hatch open, people are treated to an eyegasm of RE Audio and American Bass components: in the rear is an amp wall filled with 12 American Bass amps, anchored by four massive American Bass VFL 1100.1 amps and eight Hybrid 150.4 amps (stacked two deep), for 12 all together. On the sides, RE Audio components are loaded into the front and rear doors and A-pillars, complemented by custom embossed RE panels. All of this is stacked so deep the doors barely close. Step inside and sit in the only two remaining seats, and behind them lies a black cave of sound so deep you might get lost. Designed by John Wolak of Ultimate Autosports, the fourth-order bandpass enclosure is big enough to crawl inside. If you dare, you’ll be surrounded by 620 lbs. of 15-inch RE Audio XX15 subwoofers – 10 in all – firing inward into the baffled enclosure and out through the center port for truly punishing bass. Hidden behind it all are the 21 VMAX batteries, and approximately 1,000 feet of KnuKonceptz Yellow and Black OFC 1/0 wire. The enclosure is open between the front seats for proper tuning and airflow, and trust me, there is some airflow.
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Dimitriadis came to PASMAG’s head office to show off his musical monster. We didn’t know what to expect, but when we found out, we were all a little scared. Our offices are in a century old, four-storey warehouse filled with windows. Wanting to sample a few bass tracks and see what his system could really do, we gathered outside and he turned the volume up. Starting relatively loud, he cranked the dial, which seemed like it would never max out. The system got louder and louder (while not losing any sound quality), to the point where every window in the block-long
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building began to reverberate. From 30 feet away, we felt our insides shaking. People driving by were stopping and laughing in amazement. The concern of office windows breaking was real. Then, an employee from another firm told us to turn it down because they couldn’t hear what was going on in their own conference room. It’s nearly 60,000 watts total - the audio equivalent of sitting trackside at a V12 F1 race; so needless to say, we had to try it once more. We’re such hooligans. Pushing this kind of power requires a lot of know-how. Not just of electronics and audio,
but also the massive sound pressure levels (SPL) that the interior handles. For a build of this magnitude Dimitriadis had to go above and beyond, building a solid sub box and battery rack to hold 21 the batteries totalling 1,575 lbs. To avoid blowing out his sunroof, front windshield and general bodywork up front, he filled the sunroof with MDF, and braced the entire front roof with stainless steel bracing, covered in a vinyl headliner. “It’s not a typical audio build,” Dimitriadis says. “With the roof for example – we welded a steel cage to the roof and reinforcements with braces. There's seven layers of sound deadener in the front doors to eliminate any and all door flexing and vibrating. There's a lot done to it that's not necessarily seen. And that’s part of the beauty of it.” While this may sound like a great deal of work, nowhere is it more obvious than when we found out Dimitriadis had nearly doubled the weight of his once 6,780-lb. H2. After all is said and done, it now tips the scales at a bone-mushing 12,500 lbs. That’s 3,125 lbs. under each wheel. To keep the Hummer from collapsing on itself, he sourced a set of custom rear springs (courtesy of Birchmount Auto Springs) and rear coil spring spacers,
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2005 HUMMER H2 “BIG BRUTE” OWNER: George Dimitriadis LOCATION: Toronto, ON ENGINE: 6.0L V8 HORSEPOWER: 325 HP @ 5,200 RPM TORQUE: 365 LB-FT @ 3,600 RPM ENGINE MODIFICATIONS ∫ Stock EXHAUST SYSTEM ∫ Custom center-fitted Magnaflow by Abe at Quick Muffler (exhaust, exhaust tips) DRIVETRAIN ∫ Stock
aided by an Air Lift Company Air Lift 1000 helper bag kit in the rear. Next up is a big brake kit upgrade to bring the rolling sound stage to a steady halt. Aside from that, Dimitriadis says his “Big Brute” has seen its final reno. “I might tweak it and tune it a little bit, but the overall setup won’t change. The sub quantity and configuration won’t change. I might change to a bigger sub or combination, but this is the final version. I can’t do anything else! I wouldn’t even be able to tear it down.” And why would he? From show to show, meet to meet, the reactions his Hummer garners is worth every penny.
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CHASSIS / SUSPENSION ∫ Custom rear springs by Birchmount Auto Springs ∫ Custom rear coil spring spacers ∫ Air Lift Company rear 1000 helper bag kit WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES ∫ Fuel Offshore Hostage D531 wheels – 24x11 (f/r) ∫ Toyo Open Country M/T tires – 37x13.50R24LT (f), 37x13.50R24LT (r) ∫ Upgraded brake rotors and calipers EXTERIOR ∫ Lumens HID headlights ∫ Custom frosted grey plastidip on entire vehicle by Autobahn Restyling ∫ Custom under-hood airbrushing by Gregg McPherson at Brushgroove
INTERIOR ∫ Completely custom (front/rear door speaker panels, custom suede/vinyl wrapped panels w/ RE Audio embossed logos, suede headliner, sunroof delete, reinforced front cabin w/ steel tubing) MOBILE ELECTRONICS ∫ Kenwood Excelon DDX790 DVD receiver ∫ AudioControl (THREE.2 in-dash equalizer, 6XS crossover) ∫ American Bass (VFL 1100.1 subwoofer amp (4), VFL Hybrid 150.4 mid-range amp (4), VFL Hybrid 150.4 highfrequency amp (4)) ∫ RE Audio (XX 15-in. subwoofers (10), 6.5-in. mid-range speakers (32), silk dome tweeters (32)) ∫ VMAX CT2500 batteries (21) totalling 2,600 AH ∫ KnuKonceptz Yellow and Black OFC 1/0 wire (1,000 ft.) ∫ Ohio Generator DR44 300A alternators (4) ∫ CTEK Multi US 25000 battery charger ∫ Custom-built fourth-order bandpass subwoofer enclosure designed and built by John Wolak SPECIAL THANKS ∫ My girl Sandy, Bill and Dan at KnuKoncepts, Ultimate Autosports (Jimmy, Mike and Kevin), John Wolak and Nick Cimino at Core Industries, Mike Miller at Toyo Tires Canada, Steve Bursach at MHT Wheels, Autobahn Restyling, Sean Reid at AudioControl, Tom at Ohio Generator, Hernando at RE Audio, Bob at American Bass, Abraham at VMAX Batteries, CTEK Battery Chargers, Gregg McPherson at Brushgroove
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e g a r a G s Garry’ PROJECT C6 BY GARRY SPRINGGAY
STAGE 1: Transforming the Grand Sport into a sound quality performer
Regular readers of PASMAG already know that Technical Editor Garry Springgay is a bona fide audio geek and has been making a living in the audio industry for over 30 years. But what most of you don’t know is that he’s also a pretty serious gear head; just as much into cars and motorcycles as he is audio. He’s had more than his share of fun toys over the years. Since his teens, Garry has owned and built over 70 cars, including a Vega with a 427 cubic-inch big block in it, a Lotus Esprit, an early 911, several GM F bodies, a 1971 Hemi-powered Roadrunner and a handful of Corvettes including a ‘57, ‘67 and ‘77. He has held SCCA and NHRA racing licenses and regularly attends the Bondurant Driving School. Just as passionate about life on two wheels, he has owned over 30 motorcycles from 15 different brands, and currently has eight (or nine) in his garage. Also in Garry’s Garage is an assortment of more tools and equipment than some professional shops. How many people own a modern tire-changing machine? Garry does.
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INTRODUCTION As a contributor to this fine publication for over seven years, I’m really excited about this new segment. It’s one thing to see all the reviews for cool products, but there isn’t much information available on how to install things to maximize performance, or how to plan a complete system from the ground up. So to that end, over the coming months, PASMAG and I will take you through the planning and installation of a serious sound-quality focused audio system in a recently acquired, very low mileage 2011 Corvette Grand Sport. Along the way we’ll provide instruction and information on how and why you can (and should) make these same improvements to your car, regardless of the year, make or model.
I’ve been a Corvette fan for a long time, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have owned a few over the years. But none of them come close to the technical prowess and honest performance of this C6 Grand Sport. The car is equipped with the 436 horsepower version of GM’s vaunted LS3 all-aluminum, dry-sump engine, and a Tremec TR-6060 manual sixspeed transmission. Other go-fast goodies include Z06 sway bars and brakes (six-piston front calipers and four-piston rears) and Grand Sport-specific spring rates. Because the Grand Sport shares the same widebody as the Z06 and ZR1, there is ample room in the wheel wells for some serious rubber. From the factory, the car uses 325/30/19s in the rear, and 275/35/18s in the front. In completely stock trim the car has respectable performance, with zero to 60 mph times in the 4.2-second range, quartermile passes in about 12.5 seconds, and an aero-limited top speed of over 180 mph. It handles as well as it goes too; capable of lateral G forces in excess of 1.0 G.
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[PASMAG and I] will provide instruction and information on how and why you can (and should) make these same improvements to your car, regardless of the year, make or model.” The interior of the car has the 3LT factory option, which basically includes power-operated everything, leather trimmed seats and a HUD (heads up display) showing everything from oil temperature to lateral G forces. The audio system consists of premium Bose gear, which might be good enough for the typical Corvette owner, but to my ear it’s so lousy I simply shut it off during a recent drive to Las Vegas. That’s justification for the first series of modifications that will be made to this ‘Vette. The OEM audio system has to go, and a true high-performance sound quality system will be designed and installed in its place. Like any good idea, it all starts with a plan. Far too often, well-meaning individuals will
begin a project without the proper foresight and planning, resulting in a less-than-optimal result. For this car, I will begin by walking you through the planning process, and explain the reasons for making certain decisions along the way. You’ll learn how to properly plan your project’s deconstruction and, along the way, get explanations on how to do things in the correct order to prevent re-doing things, or inadvertently missing steps altogether. From deconstruction through interior preparation (with sound deadening and heat shielding, equipment selection, wiring, speaker baffle fabrication and a custom subwoofer enclosure, component installation, and the final tweak and tune), the
entire project will be documented and shared with our subscribers and fans. When the audio system has been completed, the plan will shift to several popular performance modifications to the car. And while you may not have a Grand Sport Corvette, much of the planning, techniques and elbow grease will translate to whatever ride you’re working with. I’m really excited to share this project with you. Along the way, your comments and questions are welcome (just send them to letters@pasmag.com) and in addition to the print version of the magazine, the project will also be on the PASMAG website with additional photographs and video of the build. So follow along, and perhaps you’ll get a few ideas on how to improve the sound and performance of your own ride!
TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION PASMAG
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D IR ECTORY
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S P O CO M
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I M P O R T FAC E - O F F
V I P AU T O S A L O N
Orange, CA www.vipautosalon.com (800) 480-1094
FORMULA DRIFT
S P R I N G B R E A K N AT I O N A L S
E U R OT E C H M OT O R S P O R T S Mahwah, NJ www.eurotechms.com (201) 529-1860
Houston, TX. USA www.wekfest.net
Alpharetta, GA www.topspeedtuned.com (678) 297-7770
E XOT I C C A R AU D I O
Chico, CA www.exoticcaraudio.com (530) 895-1644
W E K F E ST
Fontana, CA www.nissanraceshop.com (866) 350-1005
www.stanceworks.com www.stancenation.com
ST R E E T SW E E P E R G A N G www.streetsweepergang.com
Phoenix, AZ www.forcedairtechnologies.com (602) 993-3288
V2LAB
VIVID RACING
www.sntrl.com
Gilbert, AZ www.vividracing.com (866) 448-4843
www.v2lab.com
SNTRL
HOONIGAN
www.hoonigan.com
PASMAG TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2015 MOBILE ELECTRONICS // 3RD EDITION
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AD INDEX Alpine Electronics of Canada, Inc. ....................83
ImageDynamics USA, Inc. ......................................73
Phoenix Gold & Stinger Electronics ................. 17
Arc Audio Inc .................................................................57
Installer Institute ....................................................... 76
Pioneer Electronics Canada
Assured Automotive ...................................................4
INTRAPHEX .................................................................. 81
- Future Shop ...............................................................2
AudioControl .................................................................41
JL Audio ........................................................................... 30
Powerbass .......................................................................82
Audiopipe ....................................................................... 45
Kenwood USA ...............................................................24
Reikken ............................................................................. 51
Audison ...............................................................................3
KICKER ............................................................................. 18
Rydeen ............................................................................... 17
Axxera ...............................................................................35
Knukonceptz.com .......................................................77
Sony of Canada Ltd. .................................................. 84
Bassworx ..........................................................................43
Lumens High Performance Lighting .................8
TSW Wheels ...................................................................32
Clarion .................................................................................2
McGard ...............................................................................7
Ultimate PremiumPlus ........................................... 12
CORE Industries ..........................................................75
Memphis Car Audio ...................................................61
Wirez ..................................................................................53
DD Audio ......................................................................... 49
MTX Audio ......................................................................26
XS Power .............................................................................6
Dynamat ..........................................................................14
Niche Road Wheels ......................................................5
Escort Inc. ..........................................................................9
ORACLE Lighting INC ............................................ 84
Focal - ORCA Design
Orion High Performance Car Audio .................10
& Manufacturing Corp. ............................... 20, 65
PASmag_Feb_MarIssue.pdf
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OSRAM SYLVANIA LTD. .........................................83
4:20 PM
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© 2014 OSRAM SYLVANIA
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14-SYLAUT-0218-Zevo-Prin-Ads-Full-Page-Rnd3.indd 1 Untitled-1 1
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