If you have a hot car, great equipment and a sweet install, what do you do? The answer is simple: you show it off. No one can blame the people at Audiobahn for wanting to display their wares. This busy company located in Buena Park, California is constantly bringing new products to the market, creating the need for new demo vehicles to show consumers just how outstanding their equipment performs.
When the team at Audiobahn sat down to choose a car they wanted to have something that virtually anyone could relate to. The Honda Accord fit that category perfectly. It just so happened that Audiobahn's Western Regional Sales Manager, Rick Anderson, had recently purchased an Accord Coupe. The completed vehicle was slated for a full schedule, calling on dealers in the Southern California market place, while still garnering attention as a feature vehicle at special events such as Hot Import Nights, and dealer events. This would prove to be an ideal platform to work with.
While the sound system was in its planning stages, the Accord was taken to Kaminari USA for one of their latest body kits. And then Injen Technology helped the engine breathe easier with its high-performance intake system. The next stop was for the wheels and tires. To complement the body kit, the wheels needed to be aggressive, yet smooth. ALT Wheels had just the right combo with their AT191, called the "X-File." This 18-inch wheel package could only be covered by the best, as this car would soon see plenty of miles. The Proxes T1S size 225/40 ZR18 from Toyo Tires was the perfect choice for the demands that would be placed on them. The car was looking great now, but an altitude adjustment still needed to take place. Intrax made this possible with their Sport Lowering Springs. A drop of 13/4 inches gave this vehicle the aggressive stance it was asking for. Afterwards, a little exterior work needed to be done. A cruise on down to Modern Image Signworks in Huntington Beach, CA was the last stop. The guys there laid down vinyl that screams for attention. With all of the cosmetics taken care of it was now time to make this ride rock!
Pacific Stereo in Buena Park, CA had their lead installer, Ramses Sanchez, lend a hand at this point to map out the system. With everything in place now, the install was ready to get underway. All of the signals originate up front with a Nakamichi CD-45z AM/FM CD player, and an MF-51 changer with a DAC-41 D/A converter. Straight out of there it goes into Audiobahn's dash-mounted AEQ5, 5-band parametric equalizer for finger tip control. The signal then goes to an Audiobahn AEX300, 30-band equalizer with 3-way electronic crossover, mounted in a custom fiberglass tub on one of the side walls in the trunk. On the opposite side wall, there are two of Audiobahn's ACAP10 capacitor banks, also mounted in the same style tub. Four farad of capacitance keeps the Accord's power supply to the amps nice and steady.
The front stage was handled by Audiobahn's AT56 1-inch tweeters combined with their AMD50 5-inch glass-fiber midranges, mounted in custom fiberglass kick panels. These are powered by the high-end A2150HC amplifier, two channels, rated at 150 watts x 2 (but can actually put out over 1000 watts when loaded down).
The solution for the rear fill and mid bass come in the form of another set of Audiobahn's AT56 1-inch tweeters along with a pair of AMD60 6-inch glass-fiber mid-bass drivers, mounted in the custom rear deck area, also powered by an Audiobahn A2150HC amplifier.
One of the goals for the system was to play loud, but not at the sacrifice of smooth sound. When it came time to choose a subwoofer, the smoothest was the ALUM12, a 12-inch woofer that is aimed at aficionados of sound quality, yet is more than capable of serving serious bass-heads. Ramses took three of these subs and mounted them in a tri-chambered, sealed box, firing forward through the opening behind the rear seat. These subs can handle plenty of power, 1000 watts each; and of course the A2200HC amplifier has power to spare. It's a two channel amp rated at 200 x 2, but can deliver 1600 watts to the subs.
The three amplifiers are mounted in the center section of the trunk, with Audiobahn's high current A2200HC vertical behind the box, and the pair of high current A2150HC's sunk into the floor of the trunk, all protected by lexan. The two-tone vinyl wrapped fiberglass tubs that the equipment in the trunk is mounted on really do a great job of showing off the quality of the chrome & gold finish on Audiobahn's amps and processors.
With top-notch audio gear and the talent to integrate it into the car, there's no doubt that the Audiobahn team has ended up with a vehicle that will stop passers-by in their tracks. It's a great combination of car, gear, and installation; it is the culmination of a lot of creative thought and hard work. When you see this vehicle at a show, make sure you get a chance to sit inside. This isn't a system you just listen to or look at; it's a system you have to immerse yourself in for the total experience.