2 - Choose your weapons

In order to get the sound he was looking for Marty opted to go for a tried a tested system combination that they have used many times before and claims is "the stuff" when it comes to sweet sound reproduction.

The system starts with a Clarion HXD2 coupled with an indash DVD player. Marty quite frankly states that while the aftermarket DVD player sound quality is not as good as the Clarion, it's the best sounding monitor on the market. The DVD player component was actually left over from Woollahra Car Audio's Lamborghini Diablo. Marty comments: "They (the DVD) are not too bad but are quite bass and treble heavy in my opinion. I suspect this is due to the younger market they are targeting having these tastes".

Amplification was another tough decision. In the end it came down to a choice between numeroues high end brands renown for high quality components and large power suppliy - ARC Audio, Treo, U-Dimension, Tru-Technology, Zapco, Boston, Phoenix Gold, Audison, Phass, Butler and Milbert. In order to keep on track with the budget, the Zapco C2K-6.0X II Competition amplifiers were given the go ahead for the system with a 1 channel 1200 watt lined up for the subs and a 2 channel 300 watt lined up for the front stage. The rear speakers are going to be run from the head unit as they will be running at 3db lower than the rest of the system.

While he would have liked the splits at the front to be DynAudio 8" midbass items, this was just not feasable due to the door size and the requirement that no metal be cut. Instead, trusty Morel Supremo Tweeters and Rainbow 6" midranges were chosen as the successers. Marty comments: "The Rainbow midranges have a smooth midbass sound and put out very strong bass like most Kickbass range of drivers. The Supremeo tweeters are very clean and their dispertion characteristics are fantastic thanks to a true hemisphereical dome. They also run down incredibly low, like around 700Hz".

In order to get the clean, loud and punchy subbass desired for this system Marty opted to go with the well used and trusted combination of Image Dynamics IDMAX series subs. These drivers are very good for accurate sound reproduction and can also output high SPL with the best of them when its called for. Originally he had planned to use three twelves but due to space restrictions, this could not be achieved with the desired look and feel within the confines of the boot.

"One of the most important and most commonly overlooked part of audio is the cables. Consider this: you don't run a nitro funny car on quarter inch fuel lines do you." All cables throughout the car are to be Esoteric Audio Streetwires while fuse and distribution blocks are to be provided by Stinger and Phoenix Gold. This is the highest quality audio gear in the industry and is the only stuff we use. The main power cable is 1/0 (21mm diamter) running down the chassis rail of the car to the boot, where it will be distributed there and feed all components.

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