Sound quality (SQ) and sound pressure level (SPL) competitions can take place at the same event, but the two couldn't be more different. The SPL circuit is a world filled with blown woofers, multi-ton vans and unearthly decibels. For a peek into that world, we chatted with top competitors Scott Owens and Mike Bartells. Owens, the current SPL world champion, has broken world records, scoring over 180dB. For the past three years, Bartells and his Extreme Audio van (which happens to be for sale) also hold 10 world records in his class at dB Drag, IDBL, USACi and MECA.
Mike Bartells
CA&E: How did you get involved in SPL competitions?M.B.: Back in early 1995 I was working in sales at a car stereo shop. A 15-year-old kid came in with his dad and started talking about how he wanted to turn his mom's Jeep into a competition vehicle. He'd been reading magazines like CA&E and had his mind set on setting a SPL record. After a year and a half of working, saving and planning, we built the Jeep that was now his, into an SPL machine. He set the world record in his class at the IASCA World Finals in 1996 and 1997. An addiction (mine, to competition) was created.
CA&E: What sort of planning went into your current vehicle?M.B.: The van of mine is basically as crazy as a car stereo could possibly go. The pressure and forces going on inside of it are hard to really compare to anything. The energy that we are trying to build up is so over the top, that the vehicle has to be modified more than you can imagine. The entire interior of the van was gutted to start with; nothing was left - dash, panels, nothing. Framework to shape the new interior is then installed. Through a mixture of various materials, concrete, sand, resin, fillite, steel and plexi, the interior is completely rebuilt. The windshield is 2" thick, the door windows are 4" thick. There are over 50 bags of concrete and 40 gallons of resin in the interior and in the doors. The doors themselves are now bolted shut to keep them from flexing when the bass hits. The sound pressure inside is in excess of 179dB and have enough force to rip just about anything to shreds in less than a minute. Since it's far too loud to let anyone sit inside, I'll often put a bag of Doritos on the center console to give people a visual. When you "burp" the stereo, in less than a second, the bag and all the chips will be ripped to shreds. It makes for a VERY funny demo.
CA&E: How many subwoofers are in your van and how many would you say are ideal? How would you calculate that?M.B.: The van currently runs four 18" Fi BTL woofers. Most classes of competition are now based on the number, or size of the speakers. I typically compete in a three to four woofer class that is designed for "Extremely" modified vehicles. I often compare them to a top fuel drag car - they are used for nothing but being ridiculously loud (fast) and nothing else. In my case, the most woofers I can run are four so I go for the largest I can fit and design to work right.
CA&E: What sort of speaker enclosures do you prefer using?M.B.: In the case of an Extreme vehicle like this, nothing is standard at all. The entire vehicle is basically the enclosure. Mine is built primarily with wood, roughly 2.5" thick, but reinforced with steel and completely encased in solid concrete.