Last weekend entered in my 4th Sound Quality competition in the SLAP organization there was over 130 cars there and 28 in my class, Novice +601 watts, didn't think I was going to win. The event was the biggest I'd been too and ran much later than expected.

Award time came and my name was called for FIRST!!!!!

I'm now 4 for 4, so happy, getting a nice little collection going along with the Bonneville Fest Bracket race 1st trophy. There'* another show this coming weekend and I'm SO THERE!

Don't think I'm going to go to nationals in Maryland this year though, my work is moving that week, but that'* fine, I don't think I'm ready for it either, got some tweeking to do and few tricks up my sleeve, Thinking next year I could be a serious contender.

Picking up my plaque and $100 gift certificate tomarrow.

For those interested here is the orginazation I compete in http://www.slapshow.com

Damnit man! stop winning, yer makin us look bad

Hell naw, just ribbin ya bud, a huge congrats, after the dancing key trick I'm sure the judges were swayed in your direction

Congrats...thats great!!!

Congrats on the win.

Hagerstown is right up the block from me, about an hour and a half away.

Very nice Taylor. You have a smokin' Bonnie and it deserves to be recognized. What kind of music do you play for the judges?

congrads taylor i wanna know wha u play also

Typically they have a generic mix of music that they'll play in all cars. The guy playing 80'* hairband wont have the same bass response as the guy playing rap or hip hop.

Congratz on the win

Most excellent! You seem to be winning those audio contests like a knife through warm butta.

For a SQ comp in a Slap show, the judge brings this CD called "Shefield drive" it'* produced by a company called Sheffield Lab recordings, they have one of the nicest recording studios as far as room dampening and recording/computer equipment available. They put out this CD and it'* from "demo material for audio component testing and evalulation" So that means it'* nothing but top notch recording, the songs that are on it are well, an odd selection. There'* the Sanford and Son theme song done by a orchestrias, that song is great for measuring dynamics and balance. There'* "Puttin' on the Ritz" and most everything else is Jazz and unusual songs, Everything was done by orchestrias/Syphonies and couple bands with lots of horns and bass lines in them. All off-stream stuff and off stream musicans at least to me. With so many notes and instruments played this CD is what was chose to be used to evalute SOUD QUALITY. It is sold at any of there shows for like $12 bucks, so I bought one last year after my first show. I believe Meca also uses this CD, there'* an IASCA CD that is used. IASCA is the higest recongized stereo competition orginzation, I'd do there shows if there were more local, will try to hit one or two next year and see how I do also there techinical rules are harder and more outragous.

Anyways so the judge uses the same CD in everyones cars to make things fair. Usually listens to parts of 4-6 songs and has his routin, they let you sit with him on your first show and he explains what he'* listening for, ex, voice from certain song should be dead center on the dash, another is listen to first 30 seconds of sanford and son then, pause turn up the volume some, restart and listen from beggining, them repet little louder still, usuall 4 times, and the rest is how "full" the sound is, Staging left and right, hows the dynamics, and such, more info in link below.

Than the install judge comes along shortly afterwards and he goes at the techincal aspect of it all, You get 5 minutes to present your car/stereo. They want to see every electrical connection, all wires are secured and tied off neatly, IASCA wants every 6inches tied No safety devices/issues, no TV'* in steering wheel cause they took out the airbag, those cars go into the highest class automaticly if safety is comprimised in any way. Lots more he looks at too, everything is secured, they push everything, if it moves just a bit, lose points, I lost points do to the factory tweeter pods moved, he said I know it stinks, strive to make it better. If you don't have a picture of every thing hidden then they want to see it, you can be asked to disasemble what ever so they can see behind something, I had to remove my back seat before to see the battery connections, first fuse must be with the first 18in. That'* when I got the picture book, also why so many cardomain pictures, judges want to see it all. I'm still missing a few and got knocked, Little things like this I want taken care of before I go to nationals, next year will be my year!

Both Judges will explain what score they gave you and will give you a few tips to improve on. They'll tell you more if you ask, but you got to ask if you want to know. each judge spends say 8-20 minutes with you.

After the 2 judges come around, you wait your turn to roll up to the dB meter booth. My best to date is 139 dB, this event there was Mic problems(blew first mic 3 cars before me) and got a disapointing 132 db. Yes you where hearing protection. When I go to the meter I break the fuse to my 4 channel amp so just the subs and amps will be on to get the most power possible and not to blow my interior speakers. When getting metered it'* best to play "test tunes" which are on CD'* called Bass Mechanic available at best buy, there'* usually couple terriable songs with crazy bass, and then the tones, the CD book explains what Hz everthing is at and how to figure out the right HZ for you factorying in equipment and vechile accositcs/resonation. Basicly figure out what bass note is the loudest and play it as loud as you feel comfortable. I'm not in any fear of blowing my JL 1000.1 amp or W7 subs, if they do, the're warrented fir 5 years through my installer aka Tweeter company.

After your one shot at the meter, you wait till everybody is done and they add up the scores and............First place for Novice class at +601 watts,,,,,,,,Taylor Dus.

This is how the whole event is scored http://www.slapshow.com/assets/downl...etdBqRules.pdf

Oh and the rest of the time your there, you check out eveybodies rides and let me tell you, there are some weird cars at these shows, I recomend eveyone just at least goto one show and see the cars and stereos. The Crazys that just go for the higest dB goto the extremes in the crappiest small cars. several were trailer in, just because there SPL cars, they drive up on a milk crate, and the car is mostly concrete, steel and bullet proof plexi windows. Like I said CRAZY cars AND PEOPLE, they owners of those cars are characters let me tell you.

sorry for the length but just trying to explain exactly what happens. sorry if any type-0s I went fast knowing it be long.

Hope everyone goes and checks a show some day. Most people if you ask will let you test listen their car, I ask many people and many ask me!