European Mobile Multimedia Association UK 2011 Sound Off Season
How many of you have read about ‘Sound Off’ contests for cars’ sound systems and yet had no idea what in hell it was all about?
It’s about showing off.
Both with what your taste and pocket can afford (standard peacockery there, then) but most crucially of all, your skillset as a designer and fettler of sound systems in your car.
It takes a plethora of talents to make a system that is fit to compete in loveliness or power terms with others. You need to be a competent auto electrician, and systems designer, acoustician, fabricator, woodsmith, upholsterer and sound engineer.
Simples! Wow, it sounds ruddy impossible and indeed at the highest level, those who truly know about such stuff are literally and actually (BRITISH meaning) in awe of those who are good. Names like Mark Turner and Ian ‘˜Iceman’ Pinder are legendary in their own lunchtime. One for winning multiple champion crowns in SQ or Sound Quality and one for collecting the trophies for shaking the ground and making girls’ hair literally and actually stand on end!
You can find out all the rules and stuff and what different categories of car systems go against what on the European Mobile Multimedia Association’s UK website, right here.
The ‘Sound Off’ is always cited, like Formula One racing, as THE place to prove that your make of mobile electronics is the finest.
Be it sound quality or simply how bloody much Cain it can raise, the ‘˜take it out and measure it’ slogan, as espoused by the AudioControl guys, has always been king. For they produce the SA-3055 RTA/SPL meter. Not the single-task dedicated device used in professional audio, but rather made for in-car contests. It became the bastard child of the RTA and the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) meter and can even print out RTA scores specifically for contest formats, dependent upon which organisation’s software is used inside. For this writer, the device has wicked Hybrid Vigour and I am thrilled to have one for my use in reviews, directly from the USA. (Mwah!)
But the judgement is not all by the how-loud-does-it-go part and the RTA. Mostly it is by respected and further trained ears, for judge-to-judge consistency. As well as that, they will be looking to see how well installed the stuff is for its ability to look as if it had been factory-designed and integrated. They want matching trim and materials as well as acoustic genius to be shown.
Below…”Not Asleep… Judging!”
But it isn’t all for experienced and master craftsmen, so much as welcoming to the new guys. There’s even two classes of entry level competitions, one of which is ‘˜Rookie’ and is where you compete for your first season and are against other noobs only!
So do think about it if you reckon your two twelves in the boot are louder than anyone else’s two twelves in the boot! Or if you think you are a bit handy and your system sounds really sweet, then just imagine having a trophy to show off at car shows that proves it!
Meanwhile, I can happily announce that Talk Audio Magazine will be at all the EMMA sound offs through 2011 with reports and videos and so forth.
Come along and join in!
EMMA Dates 2011-02-11
20 March: EMMA-UK Kick-off Event @ ICE DOT COM EXPRESS(all day)
16 April: EMMA-UK 2011 Round 2 Modified Live Oulton Park(all day)
27 May: EMMA-UK 2011 Round 3 Modified Nationals Peterborough(all day)
25 June: EMMA-UK 2011 Round 4 Modified Live Brands Hatch(all day)
27 August: EMMA-UK 2011 GRAND FINAL”(all day)