Matt
28-05-2004, 10:32 PM
Guys, this is lifted straight form a post by C Music on carsound, it's a cracking post which IMO is what really matters :)
I hope Chuck doesn;t mind, he;s a member on here and I'm sure I'll be berated soon enough if that's the case :)
here we go:
Special thanx go out to Mr. Chuck Music for his detailed write-up on how to get started in IASCA sound quality (SQ) competition. Chuck is a long-time competitor in the Pro Street 601+ class, and offers valuable insight into IASCA SQ competition, and joining the greater IASCA family:
Welcome to IASCA sound quality car audio competition! You have decided to try a show or two but have no idea of what is going on. I am going to explain what to expect at your first show. It may seem confusing at first but don’t worry you will have fun and get tips on how to improve your stereo system.
First, why enter a sound quality competition? I like to attend and compete in competitions because I am surrounded by many people who like to listen to their systems and enjoy the music! Next I like to look and listen to other competitor’s systems to get ideas and tips for my system. The competitors at IASCA shows are a part of a large extended family that welcomes new members. All these reasons make it worth enough to become a new IASCA competitor!
The next thing to do before the show is to call IASCA and join. With your membership you will get the official rulebook, the official test CD, and a membership card and IASCA sticker that will get you 5 bonus points at every show. The rulebook and CD is your guideline on how your system should be built and sound. The rulebook has exact ways your system should be installed so your system not only will do well in competition but also will be reliable and safe for years to come. The install rules provide a practical way to judge any system from a small practical system to a full-blown custom “jaw dropping” system that is more like a work of modern art. The test CD is what the judges use to evaluate your sound quality. It has specific musical and test tracks that will bring out the best and worst in any system. The notes that come with the CD tell how each track should sound. Having both the rulebook and test CD gives you the advantage to make your system into a winner.
A week or so before the show contact the people in charge of having the show. Ask where the show is going to be held. Ask for exact directions to the show. Ask when the show will start. Ask if the show is going to be outdoors or indoors. Ask what the entry fee is. Ask if there will be a concession stand at the show or if there are places to eat nearby.
You may want to take some extra items to the show with you. A folding chair, a cooler with drinks and snacks, cleaning and detailing supplies, your favorite CDs to demo your system with, etc. Clean your vehicle inside and out before the show. This is still a car show; you want your vehicle to look its best.
IASCA has two main divisions to compete in for sound quality, Street and Ultimate. The street division has rules that are more for systems that are in everyday use vehicles. A basic system, installed and tuned correctly and according to the rules, will do just as well against more advanced custom systems. Street is further divided into classes based upon experience and amplifier power. Rookie Street is for the new competitor that is in their first year of competition. Street Smart is for the second year competitor and on and is not sponsored by a shop, manufacturer, or by any method of getting equipment at less than retail prices. Pro Street is for competitors that are sponsored or for more experienced competitors that want to be judged to a higher standard. Street X is for highly experienced competitors that involve the toughest judging standards in the street division. Sound quality, installation, and sound pressure level (SPL, or how loud the system is), and real time analysis for rookie competitors only (RTA, or the frequency response of a system, as displayed on a computer monitor or as a series of red lights on a spectrum analyzer---basically what the car sounds like as interpreted by a microphone attached to an analyzer of some sort) are judged with sound quality having the largest percentage of the available points. For more information on the classes please refer to http://www.iasca.com/classes/sq/. At larger shows each class is further divided into 1 to 600 watt and 601+ wattage classes. To determine the amount of power your amplifiers put out, go to the manufacturer’s web site, and see what your amps are rated to put out, NOT necessarily peak power.
The ultimate division is for more highly advanced and custom systems. Strict sound quality and installation rules are used. Giving extra points for creative and unique items in each system further advances installation. The classes are Ultra SQi, Ultra Pro, and Ultra X. Ultra SQi is for competitors with advanced systems that are not sponsored. Ultra Pro is for competitors with advanced systems that are sponsored in some way or just choose to compete in the class. Ultra X is for the ultimate no-holds-barred systems that push the envelope of what is possible in car audio. Like the street division, the ultimate division is split into 1-600 and 601+ classes at larger shows.
With this information, determine which class you want to be in. For example, if you’re a first year competitor, with no sponsorships, don’t work for a car stereo shop, and pay for your gear through typical retail channels, and you have 600 watts of amplifier power, you might want to consider going into Rookie 1-600. If you work for a shop, and want to do car audio competitions for a hobby, and have 900 watts in your car, you might want to consider going into Pro Street 601+. If you don’t work for a shop, and pay retail for your gear, but have a crazy, creative installation, perhaps you should consider going into Ultra SQi. If you want the ultimate in competition, go into either one of the “X” classes; Street-X for less intensive installations which focus primarily on sound quality, and Ultra-X for more intensive installations, with the same focus on sound quality.
Once you figured out which class you want to compete in, go to an event! When you get to the show ask where to park. Usually the show organizers like to park competitors together in their classes. After parking your vehicle go find the registration table and register for the show. Sometimes there is a competitor meeting before the judging begins. In any case if you have any questions feel free to ask the show organizers or the judges before anything starts. Go back to your vehicle, open it up for spectators, fill out your information on your score sheet and sign it.
Usually there are several minutes or (sometimes) hours between when the show starts and when you will get judged. During this time it is good to do a final system check. Check such things as your sound quality settings and everything in the system is in its proper place. This is also a good time to show the system off and practice what you’re going to say to the installation judge(s) once they come to your car to judge the system. Once judging starts you are not allowed to change anything. If you need to change something do it now. If you’re not sure about something in your system ask an experienced competitor for help.
After the final check finish your detail cleaning (if necessary) and keep your vehicle open for spectators. Please stay with your vehicle to answer any questions that spectators or other competitors might have. If you get a chance, walk around and look at the other competitor’s vehicles. This is a great time to ask other competitors about their systems and to learn more about how to make your system better.
Usually sound quality is the first category to be judged. Introduce yourself to the judge and give him/her a handshake. Show the judge your IASCA membership card and logo on your vehicle to get the 5 bonus points. If you are in the rookie class, the judge will usually let you sit in while judging is going on. Explain to the judge where your main volume, track, and on/off buttons are in your system. These are the only controls the judge will use. The judge will not adjust anything to change the sound, like bass and treble controls. Listen to the judge’s comments and remember them. You might want to take a note pad into the car and take notes of the judge’s feedback. This way, you can go back later on and make improvements for the next show.
Please remember the judge is trained in judging sound quality and is judging to a standard put forth by IASCA. The judge most likely is a long-term competitor and loves car audio competition very much. You may not agree with some of the judge’s comments but remember your standard of great sound may be different than the standard the judge is judging by. The judge is human and no two humans hear the same, but IASCA judges are highly trained in listening and judging sound quality vehicles. In any case the judge is not out to make you lose or to hurt you, but to help you better your system according to IASCA standards of judging.
After the sound quality judging is done thank the judge and ask if he/she has any more comments on your system.
Next up is installation judging. Like with the sound quality judge greet the installation judge with an introduction and a handshake. Before the judge starts you need to open up all the doors, hood, truck, etc. In the rookie class you will have 5 minutes to go through your entire system and explain to the judge how everything is installed. You need to show the judge everything from the battery and fuses under the hood through the entire passenger compartment and to the trunk area. Everything that was installed for the system needs to be explained to the judge. Don’t worry about remembering exact manufacturer and model names of your equipment. The judge is looking at how well your system is installed according to the rules. If there is something the judge can’t see, like the wiring to the back of your head unit, you will need to show him/her a picture of it. If a judge can’t see something then he/she can’t give you the points for it. Therefore, it is very important to have a small, concise photo log of your installation, showing how the system was built, and outlining creative elements in the installation. After your presentation of your system to the judge step back and let the judge fill out the score sheet. Sometimes the judge will go back to certain areas of the vehicle to recheck something. Stay within 20’ feet of so of your vehicle incase the judge needs to ask you a question. When the judge is done thank him/her and ask if they have any comments. Like the sound quality judge, the install judge will give comments on your system. Take the comments and use them to make your system better for the next show.
If you’re competing in the rookie class then you will have the RTA next. This is to show you how loud your system’s bass, midrange, and treble are in relation together. The better sounding systems balance out the sound so no one frequency range drowns out the others. If your not too familiar with system tuning the RTA will show you what frequency areas of your system you will need to work on. You are allowed 2 minutes to adjust your system’s tuning to try to get the best score possible, before the judge puts the microphone into your car and takes a reading. The RTA microphone is placed in the driver’s seat on a stand approximately 26” tall. You have to play pink noise from the IASCA test CD the judge gives you.
Next for all the rookie and street classes is SPL testing. You are allowed two minutes to make system adjustments to try to get the loudest SPL you can out of your system before the microphone is placed within the car, and the testing is begun. You cannot add or remove equipment from your vehicle for SPL. Currently the SPL limit is 135 dB, with one point given for each decibel over 100 dB. The microphone is placed at the passenger side windshield. You are allowed to play any of the SPL tracks from the IASCA testing CD for 30 seconds.
After you are done judging, open up your vehicle for spectators and other competitors to look at. Offer listening demonstrations to anyone that seems interested. You may not have the best system at the show but constructive comments from listeners can help your system get better.
After judging is a good time to ask to listen to some of the top systems at the show. Bring your favorite CDs and ask other competitors if you can listen. Most will be happy for you to listen to their system. When listening, concentrate on the music with the guidelines in the rulebook. Ask the system owner how the system was designed and tuned. Again here you will learn many tips to make your system sound better. You will also realize that many systems sound different from one another. One system might have impressive staging and imaging while another system’s tonality sounds so real that the sound seems to come from the musicians, not a stereo system.
Ask other competitors about their installations. Many installation tricks and techniques can be learned by simply asking how they are done.
Next up is usually the trophy presentation and handing out of score sheets. No matter where you placed in your class be happy that you are at the show. If other competitors finish ahead of you then they probably deserve it this time. But with more competition experience you will be a winner soon. I look at losing this way; if someone beats me I am motivated to improve my system so I may win at the next show.
When you get your score sheet look over it carefully. If you don’t agree with or understand your scores ask the judge about them. Judges are usually among the last to leave a show because they stay around and talk with competitors about the scoring. No matter how much you disagree with the scores you were given a quick explanation from the judge will help you understand much better why you were given the scores you have. Then you will have even more information on how to make your system better.
After the show review your score sheet by looking up each score in the rulebook. This will give you more insight on why you scored the way you did and will provide an answer on how to score better at the next show.
By now I bet you are all charged up about competing and are ready for the next show. Perform the system improvements that were pointed out to you and you will do better if you did not win the first time out. Even if you did win every system can stand improvement in a few areas. Be prepared because the other competitors will want to win as much as you at the next show.
You are off to your first season in IASCA SQ competition. As I said above IASCA competitors and judges are like a large family. We gather at shows to talk about our system improvements and our lives outside of competition. We rely on each other when something goes wrong. We have deep respect for each other. We cheer on the champions of our sport while we always strive to do better. Welcome to the IASCA family!
For a discussion on this post go to :
http://www.carsound.com/UBB/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=003527
or of course, lets have one here :)
I hope Chuck doesn;t mind, he;s a member on here and I'm sure I'll be berated soon enough if that's the case :)
here we go:
Special thanx go out to Mr. Chuck Music for his detailed write-up on how to get started in IASCA sound quality (SQ) competition. Chuck is a long-time competitor in the Pro Street 601+ class, and offers valuable insight into IASCA SQ competition, and joining the greater IASCA family:
Welcome to IASCA sound quality car audio competition! You have decided to try a show or two but have no idea of what is going on. I am going to explain what to expect at your first show. It may seem confusing at first but don’t worry you will have fun and get tips on how to improve your stereo system.
First, why enter a sound quality competition? I like to attend and compete in competitions because I am surrounded by many people who like to listen to their systems and enjoy the music! Next I like to look and listen to other competitor’s systems to get ideas and tips for my system. The competitors at IASCA shows are a part of a large extended family that welcomes new members. All these reasons make it worth enough to become a new IASCA competitor!
The next thing to do before the show is to call IASCA and join. With your membership you will get the official rulebook, the official test CD, and a membership card and IASCA sticker that will get you 5 bonus points at every show. The rulebook and CD is your guideline on how your system should be built and sound. The rulebook has exact ways your system should be installed so your system not only will do well in competition but also will be reliable and safe for years to come. The install rules provide a practical way to judge any system from a small practical system to a full-blown custom “jaw dropping” system that is more like a work of modern art. The test CD is what the judges use to evaluate your sound quality. It has specific musical and test tracks that will bring out the best and worst in any system. The notes that come with the CD tell how each track should sound. Having both the rulebook and test CD gives you the advantage to make your system into a winner.
A week or so before the show contact the people in charge of having the show. Ask where the show is going to be held. Ask for exact directions to the show. Ask when the show will start. Ask if the show is going to be outdoors or indoors. Ask what the entry fee is. Ask if there will be a concession stand at the show or if there are places to eat nearby.
You may want to take some extra items to the show with you. A folding chair, a cooler with drinks and snacks, cleaning and detailing supplies, your favorite CDs to demo your system with, etc. Clean your vehicle inside and out before the show. This is still a car show; you want your vehicle to look its best.
IASCA has two main divisions to compete in for sound quality, Street and Ultimate. The street division has rules that are more for systems that are in everyday use vehicles. A basic system, installed and tuned correctly and according to the rules, will do just as well against more advanced custom systems. Street is further divided into classes based upon experience and amplifier power. Rookie Street is for the new competitor that is in their first year of competition. Street Smart is for the second year competitor and on and is not sponsored by a shop, manufacturer, or by any method of getting equipment at less than retail prices. Pro Street is for competitors that are sponsored or for more experienced competitors that want to be judged to a higher standard. Street X is for highly experienced competitors that involve the toughest judging standards in the street division. Sound quality, installation, and sound pressure level (SPL, or how loud the system is), and real time analysis for rookie competitors only (RTA, or the frequency response of a system, as displayed on a computer monitor or as a series of red lights on a spectrum analyzer---basically what the car sounds like as interpreted by a microphone attached to an analyzer of some sort) are judged with sound quality having the largest percentage of the available points. For more information on the classes please refer to http://www.iasca.com/classes/sq/. At larger shows each class is further divided into 1 to 600 watt and 601+ wattage classes. To determine the amount of power your amplifiers put out, go to the manufacturer’s web site, and see what your amps are rated to put out, NOT necessarily peak power.
The ultimate division is for more highly advanced and custom systems. Strict sound quality and installation rules are used. Giving extra points for creative and unique items in each system further advances installation. The classes are Ultra SQi, Ultra Pro, and Ultra X. Ultra SQi is for competitors with advanced systems that are not sponsored. Ultra Pro is for competitors with advanced systems that are sponsored in some way or just choose to compete in the class. Ultra X is for the ultimate no-holds-barred systems that push the envelope of what is possible in car audio. Like the street division, the ultimate division is split into 1-600 and 601+ classes at larger shows.
With this information, determine which class you want to be in. For example, if you’re a first year competitor, with no sponsorships, don’t work for a car stereo shop, and pay for your gear through typical retail channels, and you have 600 watts of amplifier power, you might want to consider going into Rookie 1-600. If you work for a shop, and want to do car audio competitions for a hobby, and have 900 watts in your car, you might want to consider going into Pro Street 601+. If you don’t work for a shop, and pay retail for your gear, but have a crazy, creative installation, perhaps you should consider going into Ultra SQi. If you want the ultimate in competition, go into either one of the “X” classes; Street-X for less intensive installations which focus primarily on sound quality, and Ultra-X for more intensive installations, with the same focus on sound quality.
Once you figured out which class you want to compete in, go to an event! When you get to the show ask where to park. Usually the show organizers like to park competitors together in their classes. After parking your vehicle go find the registration table and register for the show. Sometimes there is a competitor meeting before the judging begins. In any case if you have any questions feel free to ask the show organizers or the judges before anything starts. Go back to your vehicle, open it up for spectators, fill out your information on your score sheet and sign it.
Usually there are several minutes or (sometimes) hours between when the show starts and when you will get judged. During this time it is good to do a final system check. Check such things as your sound quality settings and everything in the system is in its proper place. This is also a good time to show the system off and practice what you’re going to say to the installation judge(s) once they come to your car to judge the system. Once judging starts you are not allowed to change anything. If you need to change something do it now. If you’re not sure about something in your system ask an experienced competitor for help.
After the final check finish your detail cleaning (if necessary) and keep your vehicle open for spectators. Please stay with your vehicle to answer any questions that spectators or other competitors might have. If you get a chance, walk around and look at the other competitor’s vehicles. This is a great time to ask other competitors about their systems and to learn more about how to make your system better.
Usually sound quality is the first category to be judged. Introduce yourself to the judge and give him/her a handshake. Show the judge your IASCA membership card and logo on your vehicle to get the 5 bonus points. If you are in the rookie class, the judge will usually let you sit in while judging is going on. Explain to the judge where your main volume, track, and on/off buttons are in your system. These are the only controls the judge will use. The judge will not adjust anything to change the sound, like bass and treble controls. Listen to the judge’s comments and remember them. You might want to take a note pad into the car and take notes of the judge’s feedback. This way, you can go back later on and make improvements for the next show.
Please remember the judge is trained in judging sound quality and is judging to a standard put forth by IASCA. The judge most likely is a long-term competitor and loves car audio competition very much. You may not agree with some of the judge’s comments but remember your standard of great sound may be different than the standard the judge is judging by. The judge is human and no two humans hear the same, but IASCA judges are highly trained in listening and judging sound quality vehicles. In any case the judge is not out to make you lose or to hurt you, but to help you better your system according to IASCA standards of judging.
After the sound quality judging is done thank the judge and ask if he/she has any more comments on your system.
Next up is installation judging. Like with the sound quality judge greet the installation judge with an introduction and a handshake. Before the judge starts you need to open up all the doors, hood, truck, etc. In the rookie class you will have 5 minutes to go through your entire system and explain to the judge how everything is installed. You need to show the judge everything from the battery and fuses under the hood through the entire passenger compartment and to the trunk area. Everything that was installed for the system needs to be explained to the judge. Don’t worry about remembering exact manufacturer and model names of your equipment. The judge is looking at how well your system is installed according to the rules. If there is something the judge can’t see, like the wiring to the back of your head unit, you will need to show him/her a picture of it. If a judge can’t see something then he/she can’t give you the points for it. Therefore, it is very important to have a small, concise photo log of your installation, showing how the system was built, and outlining creative elements in the installation. After your presentation of your system to the judge step back and let the judge fill out the score sheet. Sometimes the judge will go back to certain areas of the vehicle to recheck something. Stay within 20’ feet of so of your vehicle incase the judge needs to ask you a question. When the judge is done thank him/her and ask if they have any comments. Like the sound quality judge, the install judge will give comments on your system. Take the comments and use them to make your system better for the next show.
If you’re competing in the rookie class then you will have the RTA next. This is to show you how loud your system’s bass, midrange, and treble are in relation together. The better sounding systems balance out the sound so no one frequency range drowns out the others. If your not too familiar with system tuning the RTA will show you what frequency areas of your system you will need to work on. You are allowed 2 minutes to adjust your system’s tuning to try to get the best score possible, before the judge puts the microphone into your car and takes a reading. The RTA microphone is placed in the driver’s seat on a stand approximately 26” tall. You have to play pink noise from the IASCA test CD the judge gives you.
Next for all the rookie and street classes is SPL testing. You are allowed two minutes to make system adjustments to try to get the loudest SPL you can out of your system before the microphone is placed within the car, and the testing is begun. You cannot add or remove equipment from your vehicle for SPL. Currently the SPL limit is 135 dB, with one point given for each decibel over 100 dB. The microphone is placed at the passenger side windshield. You are allowed to play any of the SPL tracks from the IASCA testing CD for 30 seconds.
After you are done judging, open up your vehicle for spectators and other competitors to look at. Offer listening demonstrations to anyone that seems interested. You may not have the best system at the show but constructive comments from listeners can help your system get better.
After judging is a good time to ask to listen to some of the top systems at the show. Bring your favorite CDs and ask other competitors if you can listen. Most will be happy for you to listen to their system. When listening, concentrate on the music with the guidelines in the rulebook. Ask the system owner how the system was designed and tuned. Again here you will learn many tips to make your system sound better. You will also realize that many systems sound different from one another. One system might have impressive staging and imaging while another system’s tonality sounds so real that the sound seems to come from the musicians, not a stereo system.
Ask other competitors about their installations. Many installation tricks and techniques can be learned by simply asking how they are done.
Next up is usually the trophy presentation and handing out of score sheets. No matter where you placed in your class be happy that you are at the show. If other competitors finish ahead of you then they probably deserve it this time. But with more competition experience you will be a winner soon. I look at losing this way; if someone beats me I am motivated to improve my system so I may win at the next show.
When you get your score sheet look over it carefully. If you don’t agree with or understand your scores ask the judge about them. Judges are usually among the last to leave a show because they stay around and talk with competitors about the scoring. No matter how much you disagree with the scores you were given a quick explanation from the judge will help you understand much better why you were given the scores you have. Then you will have even more information on how to make your system better.
After the show review your score sheet by looking up each score in the rulebook. This will give you more insight on why you scored the way you did and will provide an answer on how to score better at the next show.
By now I bet you are all charged up about competing and are ready for the next show. Perform the system improvements that were pointed out to you and you will do better if you did not win the first time out. Even if you did win every system can stand improvement in a few areas. Be prepared because the other competitors will want to win as much as you at the next show.
You are off to your first season in IASCA SQ competition. As I said above IASCA competitors and judges are like a large family. We gather at shows to talk about our system improvements and our lives outside of competition. We rely on each other when something goes wrong. We have deep respect for each other. We cheer on the champions of our sport while we always strive to do better. Welcome to the IASCA family!
For a discussion on this post go to :
http://www.carsound.com/UBB/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=003527
or of course, lets have one here :)