First thing u gatta do if u want SQ is to get rid of your Polk Audio speakers

Vital

So i'm driving home past some big car meet. Stop by to check out what's up, see this Crysler 300 with a really nice looking trunk. Custom work, suade, plexiglass, led lighting, paintjob, 2 Rockford 12'', cap.... Looks really nice and well done. Start talking to the guy, blah, blah, blah...

He's in his early 20s, drunk (as i realized shortly), with about 10 of his same-age/same blood alcohol level friends. All of them look just like these guys, wouln't be surprised if they were these guys, they all look the freaking same lol.
I'm still not sure how they all fit in that 300 since he was the only one there with a car



So he asked me what i got. I proudly go "All Polk Audio - bi-amped momo comps, 12'' db and 2 amps"
He goes "Why Polk???"
"Cuz i'm going for SQ"
"If you're going for SQ first thing u gatta do is to get rid of Polk Audio speakers"
"Well, what do you have??"
"100% Rockford!! 2 12'' subs and 4 6x9's - 2 in the front door, 2 in the rear deck. No tweeters"
"Okkk..... (that when i realized this guy is clueless and went along with it) Nice, let me hear what it sounds like"
He proudly "pumped it up" as all of his boys starting fist pumping all around his car.

He's got bass. No questiones asked. Not saying it's clean bass but he's got a lot of it and that's all that matters. No mids, no highs but that's doesn't matter, bass is all. Especially when it's mixed with rattles. ****, my freaking liver was rattling against his rear deck cover and i was sitting on the front.

After a few fist pumping anthems i go:
"Damn!! N-I-C-E!!!, what should i do to have a system like yours. Please keep in mind i'm looking for SQ"
"As i said - first thing is to get rid of your Polk Audio"
"what should i replace them with??"
"MB Quarts are the best speakers, then Rockford, Pioneer and Kenwood. Trust me i'm into car audio for 14 years (while his in his early 20s)"
"Cool man, thanx a lot!!"

As i got parked my car (i live just a few blocks from that meet) i turned on a few of my tunes and sat in the car for 20 minutes ENJOYING music and thanking god for giving me brains and hearing that i actually use.

MacLeod

Gee I guess I need to quit using Polk for my SQ competitions. Maybe thats why I never win......oh wait.

decal

" kids say the darndest things!!!"

cnh

No offense guys but that picture looks like a bunch of greasers from 50s N.J.! lol

cnh

arun1963

One of the few good things about age is that brings on a wider perspective.

Yeah was thinking the same thing. Wannabe James Dean'ish.

TakeTheTime

Oh my... I'm at the same age, 20 years old, and I know some people like this.
I just gotta say, I am not looking up to these guys, that's for sure!

Edit: Loved that picture w/ text by the way. Looks like some people in the neighborhood I know :P

RuSsMaN

Oompa, Loompa, doom-pa-dee-do....

arun1963

arun1963 wrote: »

One of the few good things about age is that brings on a wider perspective of time.

Yeah was thinking the same thing. Wannabe James Dean'ish.

corrected

catch22atplay

Bet they think they're so cool. They all need "clueless" captions above their heads. OK i may be close to 50. But i still enjoy bass pumping. But i still need the whole frequency spectrum covered as well. And it's got to sound damn good at any volume level. If i listen to bass heavy music the bass better be loud and tight. If i listen to classical music the violins, piano, etc better sound like i'm there when it was recorded. Play some Metallica it better sound like i'm at their concert, only better. I don't want one instrument muddying the sound of another instrument. I want to be able to hear each instrument clearly and accurately. I've tried 20 or so different brands of car audio speakers over the last 30 years. Polk is really the only brand i'd recommend to anyone. They're the only Brand that has met and exceeded my expectations. Those boyz need to get a clue.

[Deleted User]

I remember reading, somewhere, that excessive amounts of bass distortion lowers sperm counts. Mother Nature wins in the end.

hearingimpared

Kenneth Swauger wrote: »

I remember reading, somewhere, that excessive amounts of bass distortion lowers sperm counts. Mother Nature wins in the end.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA and brain cells!

catch22atplay

Kenneth Swauger wrote: »

I remember reading, somewhere, that excessive amounts of bass distortion lowers sperm counts. Mother Nature wins in the end.

That actually sounds like a positive to me. Already a grampa. I don't need more kids. That and bass is great for breaking up gallstones.

Pycroft

I know NOTHING about car audio, but I have to say that picture is SOOOOO 1988.

cstmar01

stop putting my picture on the internet God I hate when you people do this to me!!!

and yeah sounds like everyone around here in WI. All that matters is subs, everything else is pointless...

black magic

lol. Great story. Thanks for sharing.

Vital

This story is only a part of the "knowledge" this guy was sharing, i just gave you a quick "polk-related" side of it.

Here's some other things i was "enlighted" with:

"SQ and loudness is the same thing. No speakers sound good if they are not loud, even mb quards and roskfords (best speakers there are mind you)"

"I'm doing a car audio show tomorrow in NJ, you should come check it out"

"I paid $7,300 for this set up (money well spend lol). I can make a few calls for you if you want your system done at that place, usually a price for regular walk-ins would be over $10,000 for a system like that"

Meet was at Best Buy's parking lot so there was also this one:
"I'm not saying Polks are bad, but there are alot of better options out there. Polks are speakers for a regular guy who doesn't know much about car audio. You can get speakers right at Best Buy, that should tell you how good they are."
I go:
"well, no you can't, i've been there just yesterday"
"well, then they used to sell them, maybe not anymore"
"Well, maybe they did but they sell Rockford till this day, they are right on the displays"
"Yeah, that's cuz Rockfords are one of the best speakers and Best Buy must have someting good in their inventory"

Last one made no sense to me so i'll just blame it on his blood alcohol level.

Jstas

Kenneth Swauger wrote: »

I remember reading, somewhere, that excessive amounts of bass distortion lowers sperm counts. Mother Nature wins in the end.

What if it's clean, undistorted bass?


'Cause I know how to make some noise but I hate distortion.

Jstas

Vital wrote: »

"I'm doing a car audio show tomorrow in NJ, you should come check it out"

Meet was at Best Buy's parking lot so there was also this one:

Some local BestBuys sponsor local sound competitions. I'm not saying it legitimizes whatever they had but the local ones with giant parking lots take a back corner that's often unused and set up some lanes. They are usually sanctioned by the likes of IASCA and such so they aren't just a bunch of kids congregating in the lot.

However, some do have kids hanging around in the lot and the kids call it a "show" when really it's just "loitering" that turns in "trespassing" and often times "contributing to the delinquency of a minor".

Vital

That was def not related to Best Buy. It was aronund 10pm, best buy was closed, no signs of any sponsors on the scene, it wasn't even a car audio meet, just a lot of different cars, some of them with audio systems and i happened to talk to one of them.

Jstas

Wow. I didn't think the ricers still congregated like that. I thought that was old hat with lots of people complaining and getting them booted out of where ever they were being a nuisance. Well, at least I don't see it much around here anymore. nobody would really have a problem with it if they weren't being so inconsiderate. Too much noise, loud stereos and illegal drinking usually cause problems. Never mind the illegal street racing and gambling going on. But, alas, such is not the case.

It's a shame too because the local Lightning Club used to commandeer a section of a WAL*MART parking lot next to a hamburger joint. We used to park together, go grab a burger and a beer and just hang out. WAL*MART didn't have a problem with it and it usually coincided with the "Cruise Night" the burger joint ran. But apparently, when all the respectable people would leave for the night, the rowdy kids with the Honduhs and such would tear up the place. WAL*MART customers started to complain to WAL*MART and one week we went and there were township cops telling us we were no longer allowed to park there. 22 trucks loaded with people, hungry and thirsty and wanting some food and friends were told to leave. We weren't even the ones being the jerks. They lost alot of business that night. I stopped going. I dunno if everyone else is still going but I didn't need the hassle or being pegged by the local cops as a troublemaker.

bigaudiofanatic

The high end polk speakers are nice but if you are serious about SQ setups you need to look at these companies.
Image Dynamics
Hybrid Audio
Focal
Audison
Dynaudio

But Rockford not a chance.

chu

Awesome post! This is the funniest/best thing I've read all day lol @ fist pumping guidos.

MacLeod

Jstas wrote:

Some local BestBuys sponsor local sound competitions.

Best Buy hosted several MECA shows in 2008. They ran it as kind of a series. They had a bunch of smaller shows that led up to the big "finals" at the end of the year. Called them the "Geek Squad Series".

Wanna hear the best part?

Not only did I win my class at the final event also best of show (highest score).......and yes, with Polk speakers, amps and subs. No kidding.

This is the link to the event results. Click on "SQL Results". http://www.mecacaraudio.com/dnn50/Events/tabid/76/ctl/eventresults/mid/438/eventid/695/Default.aspx

Kind of ironic huh? Some guy at a Best Buy show trashing Polk speakers when Polk speakers, amps and subs won the whole Best Buy series just a couple years before.

bigaudiofanatic wrote: »

The high end polk speakers are nice but if you are serious about SQ setups you need to look at these companies.
Image Dynamics
Hybrid Audio
Focal
Audison
Dynaudio

But Rockford not a chance.

Ive not only looked at them and listened to several of them in systems, but Ive beat all of those brands at one time or another.

ID aint high end and I wouldnt consider Hybrid to be really high end. They can be made to sound great but I think thats more tuner than speaker. Focal is excellent albeit too bright, Audison doesnt make speakers and Dynaudio always sounded lifeless. Ill keep my SR's.

Boy listen to me talking smack! Who's ya daddy?!

bigaudiofanatic

Ya right someone needs to go listen to some speakers than. I love the polks do not get me wrong but the IDs alone are much smoother than them. The focals higher end ones are not as harsh after break in. Yes real SQ cars are about tuning and that is one thing I do.

Also might want to check again audison just started making speakers last year. They make the best amps though.

arun1963

yep, sq is about tuning. It's also about lifelike not smooth sound. With tuning you can dial in different sounds from any speakers. So it's essential to have transducers that produce the best lifelike sound, in the first place..

Your average 6.5" driver is two drivers (mid bass and midrange) squished into one. One range needs high excursion and the other needs rapid cycles. Two very different needs from the same cone. A lot of the lifelike cues come from the mid range. So having detail there is paramount. The best lifelike speakers almost always have a slightly lighter mid bass. Not saying the sr's are light on mid bass, cause the 6.5" will dig down to 30hz with authority. But yeah the mid bass on the focals is louder. But the sr's are more lifelike.

The sr's, scans, dls, morels are comparable in sq. The sr's though get the edge when you factor in value at this level. Haven't heard the scans and dls, but I trust Macs ear. The other two I've heard.

And If I was ever going to spend an insane amount on an amp, it would be Genesis/Helix.

bigaudiofanatic

Forgot about the morels. Helix is harsh to my ears even when they are on axis and tuned they sounded untamed the guy was running active but still something was either off or they just sounded harsh.

arun1963

How do you run an amp on axis???

Jstas

Yeah, Mac, what do you know? You should shut up already! Go listen to some speakers why don'tcha? Geez! Uncultured swine, I swear! :rolleyes:

arun1963

....hang on .......hang on.... let me zap some popcorn.Are we having a rerun of the Ford discussion?

Jstas

arun1963 wrote: »

....hang on .......hang on.... let me zap some popcorn.Are we having a rerun of the Ford discussion?

It was sarcasm.

arun1963

Must you puncture the balloon? Yes I know it was :rolleyes: It needed an ott response not an explanation. Mac must be right, on the sense of humour........and that is how its spelled. .......come on come on pass the ball......