> TM> Great sound, however, rocks my boat every time.  Competition car
 > TM> audio, for the most part, is ONLY concerned with loud.  
 >
 >*Ahem* not quite.  As far as IASCA (International Auto Sound Challenge
 >Assocition, *the* car-audio competition authority) is concerned, SPL counts
 >for
 >only a very small part of a competitor's total score.  Maximum score is 
given
 >for 140dB SPL, with points deducted for levels below that... so in essence,
 >going beyond 140dB is pointless, at least as far as competition is 
concerned.
     Not quite?  Do you realize how *loud* 140dB is and you say *not
quite* !?!?  Why 140dB?  Is that the level your ear drums instantly
explode at or something?  Human hearing is incapable of even realizing
dynamic levels beyond 120dB (it just becomes distortion after that).
It would take 1/6.67th the power to reach 120dB.  Why even waste the
money to go above that?  Heck, digital only has dynamic range of
around 96dB.  I just can't understand why they would award maximum
points for 140dB if *loud* wasn't high in their minds.
     Clearly, I don't have to play my stereo at 140dB to enjoy it.  I
don't have to play it at 120dB to enjoy it.  In fact, 90dB is barely a
safe listening level (my doctor reccomended 80dB!).  I realize a car
is a noiser environment, but if IASCA really gave a crap about sound
*quality* as opposed to *quantity*, they wouldn't award maximum points
for such a *ridiculous* level.
 >Most of the points are based on such criteria as installation safety and
 >quality (running 500W worth of amps on 16-gauge zip cord that comes out the
 >hood and through the door hinges is an automatic zero :), sound quality
 >(subjective to individual judges' ears and, to some degree, tastes), 
maging
 >and sound stage, and RTA measurements (they do pink-noise RTA at around 
100dB
 >SPL).  There are even points for presentation (the car's owner has to give 

 >brief speech on his system :) and car detailing (a rusted-out '74 Plymouth
 >that
 >you used for mud-racing immediately before the sound-off is a definite
 >liability! ;-)
     These sound more reasonable.  Actually, it's a shame a person has
to be penalized for having a stereo that can't do 140dB.  I only have
15 watts rms a channel (Clarion head unit and changer) in my car and
believe me, it can play louder than I'd ever want to hear it.  It'd
never win any prizes, I'm sure, but it has good *quality* sound.  It
doesn't even have a sub. The speakers cost me all of $200 total
(Blaupunkt 6x9s and 3.5" with dome tweeters).  One key is not to
install speakers in really bad locations (doors are the *worst* place
to put speakers.  I personally don't hear out of my knees....) It
doesn't compare to my home system, but I think it sounds decent for a
car.
 >Tom, you of all people should know how critical system headroom is to 
roper
 >audio reproduction.  Just because a car's system could blow out the windows
 >doesn't mean that it HAS to, or that the person normally (or EVER) listens 
to
 >it at those levels.
     I  know  my  Carver  AL-IIIs  can't do 140dB, (I doubt they could
120db) but that doesn't mean I think a pair of speakers that can would
sound  *better* because of it.  A good speaker is *not* a good speaker
because of the levels it can attain, at least not in my book.  If that
was true, nobody would be buying electrostatic or ribbon speakers,
which many consider as the best sounding type of drivers there are.
 >water, waving a magic wand in an attempt to attract smelly, slimy water
 >creatures, as a hobby... whatever turns your crank, dude :)
     I don't personally care if people like to blast themselves away
with loud levels...so long as they're not annoying me in the process.
Funny, as I was writing this message, some obnoxious flapper drove
down the street playing as loud as he could.
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