MECA Rules!!

MacLeod

Well first things first. Whos ya daddy?!


Yet another first place for the Club Polk trophy case!

I also got 2nd place in the RTA Freq Out which is very cool but all due to the Signature Reference. They stick a RTA in your drivers seat at head level and play pink noise thru your system and you have 2 minutes to EQ it as flat and symetrical as possible. Top score is 30, I got a 27 and the guy that beat me had 28. There are no classes in this, everybody in SQ competes equally. So I was in there with my humble treble/bass controls against 40 band EQ's and all kinds of processors. I keep most of my settings flat anyway so when he hooked mine up he looked at it for a long time with a funny look on his face (the judge gets the settings squared away and then turns the monitor so that you can see it) and then looked at me and said "never mind, youre done!" At that time I had the highest score beating last years world champ!! He asked how I did that and I told him it these SR's have the flattest frequency response on the market and dont require much tuning. But then some chick in the pro class hit a 28 so I got 2nd.

The Phat Truck is for the best truck of the bunch but as I was the only truck in the bunch it was a given.

Now about MECA. This is the organization for me! They take their SQ very seriously and the judging was very thorough. The coolest part of it was the big dawg, founder and commisoner of MECA was there helping out judging. Not only did I get to meet him and talk to him but he listened to my system and I learned more in that 10 minutes than I have in the last year reading forums and magazines and anything else I can get my hands on.

I also learned how bad my system really is! At my previous USACi shows, when I asked for the judges critique and opinion, they led me to believe I was the man! So I sat down with the MECA commissioner and he started pointing out all kinds of flaws, most of which I didnt even know I was supposed to be listening for! Then to make matters worse, I bought the MECA SQ CD which is the Chesky Demonstration Disc, and this thing opened my eyes in a huge way.

I tuned my system to Liquid Tension and Queensryche instead of supremely recorded jazz and classical and you can tell it. While my system is good enough to whoop up on the amateur ranks, if Im gonna move up to the big leagues next season Ive got a loooooot of work to do. So much so that Im going out tomorrow and start completely over from scratch.

Bottom line is MECA is an extremely professionaly ran organization with outstanding class structure and very cool people running it. I predict USACi and IASCA wont be top dogs for long.

cam5860

Hey mac outstanding job man you are doing excellent. Looks like you just about have all the competing stuff figured out with three first place finishes.

Man I bet that Demonstration cd is awesome wouldn't mind having one of those myself.

Now just wondering when you say your starting from scratch does than mean your going to replace everything you have?

The only thing I see you might need to upgrade is your headunit. That way you could get you at least a 5 band eq, some nice crossovers built in with 24 db slopes and so forth.

MacLeod

Believe me, Im far from having this stuff figured out. The first two events didnt have much competition and they dont take SQ nearly as seriously as MECA. This one not only had better competition but also had better judging. Plus they have a competitors clinic in which the judge (in my case the MECA commisioner) listens to your system with you in the car and basically rips it to shreds. It hurts your ego but its good for ya cause they pointed out all kinds of problems I didnt know I had!

As far as starting from scratch, Im not changing my equipment, maybe later Ill upgrade amps for more power but Ill never change speakers. Im just re-doing the tweeter angles and levels, completely resetting all the gains and basically just starting as I would if Id just installed everything for the first time.

There is a MECA show in February that is usually pretty big and there will definitely be more compeition so I need to get my **** together if Im going to continue this win streak. Its gotta end sometime but Id like to keep it going as long as I can.

1996blackmax

Congratulations Mac !

exalted512

congrats. keep on bringing those first places home:D
-Cody

Peter J

It sounds like a fun way to compete. If i should compete in a event like that i had to fire ut my laptop and connect it to the processor. It takes to much time:(

But its fun to read about different types of events. It would be fun to ship my car to the states and compete but it is so expensive and it take a very long time to ship the car in a container to cross the atlantic. But it would be intresting so se the differenses in bulding style and to se how my car would do with serius competition from the states!
But that will probalbly never happend! That is sad!!

MacLeod

Yeah, MECA will be the most fun out of all the orgs.

IASCA just started including SPL in their SQ scores and its got some people grumbling. USACi has SPL in its SQ division but has the Q division which is just "get in and listen" which is cool but its only divided into Consumer and Pro. So I would be going against world champs with custom interiors, processors and more fiberglass than you can shake a stick at.

With MECA, Ill be in the Amateur division all season long competing against other rookies with humble DIY systems.

I dont understand why the other orgs dont classify the way MECA does. I mean they classify SPL by vehicle mods, why not SQ?

nadams

Mac- it's nice to read about someone concerned with SQ in a vehicle. While I'm sure your system gets plenty LOUD, in my ears, it also has to sound good...

However, I will say, always tune your system so that it sounds best with the type of music YOU listen to. Don't tune it so that the mics think it sounds good

MacLeod

Hell yeah! Im glad to see the new subs are finally shipping! Id love to have one of those pulling sub duties. My Momo 10 does a terrific job but its always a good idea to upgrade!


Noah - The microphones are only used in the RTA part of the competition which is a little aside after the SQ judging and since Im using the SR6500's, all I had to do was set everything to flat and I came in 2nd!

My system was originally tuned for heavy metal which I now know wont work well for SQ judging. I always thought that since metal was such a "busy" recording that if I tuned it right then Id be set for anykind of music. Now I know that is way wrong. Metal has a lot of higher frequencies where reference music, like jazz, doesnt have any one range of frequencies overpowering another. Listening to this type of music has really pionted out a lot of holes in my system. And so now the "fun" starts in trying to fill all those holes.

audiobliss

Mac - That's awesome!!!! You've got a great winning streak going on! Congrats!!

Nice to see the SR series has been expanded, too.

LittleCar_w/12s

Mac. Thanks for representing us out there, especially in the SQ area. Congrats on the 1st and second places.

WOOT. One up for the polk team!

Btw, let me know if you have any tips as i am rebuilding the interior of the lemans. Maybe there can be two of us next time.

[Deleted User]

That's awesome, man. Do you plan on doing SBN? It's in Daytona in March. Here's the site: Spring Break Nationals . As far as I know, Polk should be there. BTW, my civic is gone and I have something new to play with.

audiobliss

Well, Mac's gonna flip out when he sees that! Beautiful color! I haven't seen one like that before.

Josh, maybe you'll hafta take some placement clues from Mac now!

[Deleted User]

Yeah, maybe.

ND13

Atlantic Blue

1996blackmax

Josh wrote:

That's awesome, man. Do you plan on doing SBN? It's in Daytona in March. Here's the site: Spring Break Nationals . As far as I know, Polk should be there. BTW, my civic is gone and I have something new to play with.

That is one nice truck .

exalted512

get an extended cab chevy...i need ideas
-Cody

MacLeod

Josh wrote:

That's awesome, man. Do you plan on doing SBN? It's in Daytona in March. Here's the site: Spring Break Nationals . As far as I know, Polk should be there. BTW, my civic is gone and I have something new to play with.

YEEESSS!!! Finally a pro with a Ram!! Im fumbling along in the dark over here so itll be great seeing what you come up with.

One thing is for sure, youre in a unique league now. Ive searched and searched and cant find ANYBODY with a competitve, SQ oriented install in a new Ram. One thing is for sure, those door locations are the devil!

Is this going to be a demo truck or are you going to keep it more conservative?

I dont know about SBN. I hadnt planned on it due to the 5 billion people thatll be down there, the $500 motel rooms and the imfamous stories of cops writing tickets for stupid stuff just cause they dont like spring breakers.

Still, MECA is going to be there this year and the wife is dying to go to Florida (Im not much of a sun and sand kinda guy) and it would be great to finally meet you and Thom. Plus Im wanting to go to World Finals this year and I need 35 points to do so and so far there are only 3 3x events scheduled within a realistic driving distance.

Yeah, what the hell. I think Ill plan on going if I can swing it.

audiobliss

MacLeod wrote:

One thing is for sure, youre in a unique league now. Ive searched and searched and cant find ANYBODY with a competitve, SQ oriented install in a new Ram.

Who said it's gonna be an SQ install? He's probably goin' for SPL.

[Deleted User]

It needs some body work and there's a quirk in the tranny, but I got it for $9K so I guess I should expect it to not be perfect. I'm going with a 3-way setup in the front with the 6.5 mid-bass in the doors and 5.25, tweet in the kicks. The front seat has a center console that will be replaced with a single downfiring SR 12". I plan on molding in a 400.4 in each rear door and a 500.1 in the rear of the sub box.

1996blackmax

That sound sweeeeet!

PoweredByDodge

YESSSSSSS! ANOTHER RAM MAN!

if the tranny isn't up to par - give a call to New Venture Gear... (248) 680-4900 and find out what stick shift they'd reccomend for your motor... you can usually do a full stick conversion for less than 3 grand if you price it out right - and since it a Polk Truck, and New Venture is the OEM supplier of Dodge anyway, I think you could probably swindle them into giving you the tranny and associated parts for free. NVG is the **** man.

audiobliss

You got that awesome truck for $9k?! Wow! And converting it to a stick shift would be sweet!

MacLeod

Josh wrote:

It needs some body work and there's a quirk in the tranny, but I got it for $9K so I guess I should expect it to not be perfect. I'm going with a 3-way setup in the front with the 6.5 mid-bass in the doors and 5.25, tweet in the kicks. The front seat has a center console that will be replaced with a single downfiring SR 12". I plan on molding in a 400.4 in each rear door and a 500.1 in the rear of the sub box.

Excellent! Ill eventually go with kicks and have been wondering how theyd work.

Im staying stock for this first season but next year Im probably going to move up to modified as I have to have some kick panels if I ever hope to compete on a serious level. The factory spots are so high up and far apart that I dont know if even time alignment will fix it.

Plus, Id rather have a spot on stage without TA.....cause everybody knows its cheating!

PoweredByDodge

... and for 2005 - dodge introduces a 6 speed new venture stick to mate to the base 4.7 engine... no more 3.7 v6 i hear... gotta check out if that's true. josh's looks to be certainly an 8 though, as only us poor peeps get 6 bangers.

exalted512

molding the amps into the rear doors...hmm. Thats a damn good idea.
-Cody

[Deleted User]

The truck is actually my DD. The wife has to drive it so a 6-speed is out of the question. I am doing a tranny fluid and filter this weekend. I am thinking they might have put ATF +3 in there instead of ATF +4. It is a 4.7. I don't think you can get the Sport with the V-6. I may be wrong. I am also doing a diff change, oil&filter, belt, plugs, and radiator flush.

PoweredByDodge

you are right - you can only get the piddily 6 banger with the ST (base model) ... hence, why I said "josh's looks like an 8".

ATF 3 will make that thing wrap like a ****... that may very well be your problem. It's worth a shot.

Just don't FLUSH it no matter what. Drain and Fill is the way to go (filter of course as well). only problem is if its got ATF 3 in there, then you'd want to get all of it out... personally I'd pull the tranny off the motor and drain the torque converter by hand before I would ever put a flushing machine onto a transmission. you can blow valves like a champ with a flusher.

Champion Truck Plugs are a good thing as well - they're about 2.50 ea, and they really are the best plug i've found for mopar motors. Other good choices are Champion Gold's and NGK Platinum's. Stay away from "multi - point" plugs like the Bosch +2 and +4 plugs... you can't gap them properly. I've had Bosch plugs coming apart where the insulator meets the threaded bottom casing... so I completely abandon buying them now.

5-30 synthetic in motor so long as you're not getting above the 90's in the summer there, and the motor may outlast the frame )

The diff is going to take about 5 pints, maybe more, maybe less depending on your specific model diff... any good quality hypoid gear oil will do... stay away from store brands and cheap stuff... you only do it ever 30 or 40k miles, so dump a few bucks in it. Valvoline, Castrol GTX, and Texaco all make good basic gear oils... in the 3 bucks per bottle range. Synthetics are about 8 or 10 bucks a bottle... I haven't experimented with those yet though. Haven't got any sludging with the dino-saur oil so I just kept using it. I believe you'll want an 85 w 90 oil (that should be what's called for... if not,then go by what the shop manual calls for). Its commonly stocked at every auto parts store -- the 90 w 120 stuff is too heavy... you'd use that if you had an older 350 series or 250 Heavy Duty truck. I use it in the Caddy only because it's what's called for... the stuff is like sludge. If you've got a limited slip rear end, you may need a mopar specific additive - that I would not know what it is, but I could dig if you need to find out (or call a dealer).

[Deleted User]

Thanks, PBD. I got the oil/filter, plugs, belt, and diff done today. Tomorrow, I'm doing the coolant flush. Yes, it needed an LSD additive, but I just used the CRC stuff.

exalted512

josh,
would you just make a whole other fiberglass panel, or would you use part of the existing one? When do you plan on doing it? I'm very very interested in that, do you know or have any pictures of anyone else thats done that?
-Cody

MacLeod

I talked to a Dodge Tech about changing spark plugs and he advised to stick with the basic Champion plug, this one. He said using any other type can cause problems. Ive also read this on a couple forums out there for what theyre worth.

Either way, I dont see why anyone would BS about this. These are the cheapest Champion plugs out there and Mopar doesnt make em.