High Resolution Document - Rockford Fosgate

Watt Class-bd Constant Power amplifier (T1500-1bdCP)doesn’t break a sweat, while two 12” Punch P3 2-ohm DVCsubs (P3SD212) handle ALL the bass in a fraction of thespace. Paul still has room for the whole pit crew, or justpicking the kids and their friends up after school. “Come ondad, crank that volume!”PT might just be old school, but so is Rockford Fosgate.Both have been around long enough to see what kinda‘flash-in-the-pan’ is going to take the spotlight for thenext fifteen minutes, but when it matters, experience andreputation are going to outweigh the latest buzz. We’ll lookfor Paul on the track…. or at the tattoo shop…. or downthe road cruising one of his favorite rides, like the ‘51 Mercblaring pure attitude from his RF powered system.Growing up in Canada, PTfollowed the typical youth hockey game plan. What was nottypical was his underlying love to go fast on the racetrack.Not enough hours in the day, so pops made him choose..Bash guys into the boards, or pass guys en route towardsthe winner’s circle. This was a tough one. Lucky for us Paulchose the racing path giving fans over 20 years of nail-bitingaction to watch. He started early racing karts, moving upthrough the ranks winning most every class he started in.Driving loose and even a bit wild, Paul got noticed quicklyas one of the fastest on the track, making him a head towatch. This carried over one holiday night when Paul tookmom’s brand new car for a bit of a joyride. She never evengot to see her new Christmas gift before he wrappedit around a tree in the mall parking lot (boys will beboys). Luckily all the sacrifice his parents made wouldcome back tenfold when a career in open wheelracing blossomed and Paul took the 2003 IndycarChampionship title. Over the next grip of years, anintense race psyche earned Paul droves of supporters inthe stands, along with a couple of rivalries on the track. Buthey, to make a great omelet you gotta bust a couple eggs!This attitude and drive seen from the Tracy camp mirrors thepoint of view from the Rockford Fosgate people and productline.“If I’m going to do something,I’m going to give it 100% and do it right the first time,” Paulexplains. “Rockford follows this same philosophy makingthem a clear choice for all my cars and trucks. Even in myboat and Harleys…You’re just not going to match the samequality from Rockford products, anywhere. Period.”Take at long look at Paul’s daily driver but try not to drool.An F-350 so intimidating most of the local police take onelook and get out the way! RF laced it up with six, (yeah I saidSIX!) sets of 6.5” T3 Component speaker systems (T3652-S)all powered by a hefty 1,000 Watt Class-AD Full-Range4-channel amplifier (T10004-ad). Those mids andhighs sound as sharp as knives! Paul’s kids still need to getshuttled around so keeping the backseat was mandatory.That’s where the amazing technology from Rockford’sshallow subwoofer system comes into play. A single 15007 VOLUME 4.0Paul TracyScottsdale, AZ2003 Champ Car World Series 1 st Place

HOWtoPROPERLY SET YOUR GAINSYou meticulously selected the right products for your car audio system, installed them,and finally connected them together. It sounds good, but are you getting the most outof your system? By properly adjusting your system gains, the Sound Quality (SQ) and/orSound Pressure Level (SPL) can be greatly optimized.NOTE: This is a condensed version of our RFTECH “Gain Tutorial” (Knowledge Base ID#46). You can find the complete version online – along with steps for properly settinggains with systems having a signal processor – using the QR Codes at the end of thisarticle.Gain OverlapIf we want a “clean sounding” car audio system, it doesn’t mean setting the gain structure so our amplifier neverclips. If we did, the absolute highest musical peak would occur at the threshold of clipping and there would be noaudible distortion. In order to find a comfortable compromise between high signal-to-noise at low listening levels andlow distortion at high listening levels, we need to understand “Gain Overlap”, which is the amount of input signal thatoverdrives the amplifier’s input measured in decibels. If using a signal processor, we want to optimize the dynamicrange between the processor and amplifier, allowing the processor to determine the amount of gain overlap that drivesthe amplifier. The chart below shows the characteristics associated with different levels of gain overlap at the amplifier.Gain Overlap Performance Amp Output THD0 dB Best signal-to-noise / Low SPL *0%+5 dB Good signal-to-noise / Good SPL 20%+10 dB Best compromise between signal-to-noise and SPL 32%+15 dB Bad signal-to-noise / High SPL 39%+20 dB Terrible signal-to-noise / Best SPL 43%*At 0dB there is no clipping distortion and therefore THD will fallback on the amplifier’s rated THD specification.$At first, you may be concerned with the amount of distortion (THD) the amplifier can produce, but the amplifier is onlyproducing this during musical peaks, which account for a small percentage of the music track. Tests have shown thatmany people prefer +10 dB of gain overlap so the system retains reasonable Sound Quality while exhibiting an elevatedSound Pressure Level.Adjusting Gains by EarThis is the fastest and easiest method for adjusting system gains. The benefit is the cost which isFREE. It’s also fairly easy to do and only requires a screwdriver to adjust the gain controls.Step 1. Disconnect all speakers and RCA cables from source unit. Adjust source unit Bass, Treble, and Balance totheir center position.Step 2. Adjust all amplifier gains and any Punch EQ to minimum.Step 3. Play a music track with impactful bass, vocals and treble.Step 4. Increase the source unit volume to 3/4 (high performance source units to 7/8) maximum.Step 5. Increase the amplifier gain(s) until your preferred maximum loudness is achieved. If using amplifiers inbridged/mono mode or using two amplifiers in bd-SYNC mode, simultaneously increase both gain controlsso they are balanced at the same level.Adjusting Gains by MeterThis is the most cost effective method for adjusting system gains with predictable accuracy. Thisprocedure references a DIY Distortion Meter as follows; 1) Mini-Amplified Speaker, 2) SourceUnit Voltage Divider, and 3) Amplifier Voltage Divider. Instructions on how to build your own DIYDistortion Meter are available at the end of this article.Step 1. Disconnect all speakers and RCA cables from source unit. Adjust Bass, Treble, and Balance to theircenter position.Step 2. Connect the RCA end of the “Source Unit Voltage Divider” to the source unit’s RCA output. Connect the 1/8”jack end to the “Mini Amplified Speaker”.Step 3. Play a test tone, 1kHz @ 0dB. If source unit has a REPEAT TRACK function, press this button to provideadequate time to perform Step 4.Step 4. Turn on the “Mini Amplified Speaker” to a low listening level. Increase the source unit’s volume until themaximum output is produced without clipping (at clipping you can hear the tone change from clean toraspy). Stop the track when the test is complete. DO NOT change the source unit’s volume position.Step 5. Reconnect RCAs between source unit and amplifier(s).Step 6. Disconnect all speakers from amplifier(s). Adjust all amplifier gains and any Punch EQ to minimum.Step 7. Connect the alligator clips from the “Amplifier Voltage Divider” to the amplifier’s speaker outputs. Connectthe 1/8” jack end to the “Mini Amplified Speaker”.Step 8. Play the test tone of your choice (0dB/-5dB/-10dB) for the desired gain overlap.Step 9. Increase amplifier gain(s) until maximum amplifier output is produced without clipping (again, listen for thetone to change from clean to raspy). If using amplifiers in bridged/mono mode or using two amplifiers in bd-SYNC mode, simultaneously increase both gain controls so they are balanced (at the same level).Adjusting Gains by OscilloscopeThis is the most accurate method for adjusting system gains. However, the expense of owning anoscilloscope or access to one makes this option out of reach for most people. Fanatics enteringSound Quality competitions should use this method to ensure accuracy.Step 1. Disconnect all speakers and RCA cables from source unit. Adjust Bass, Treble, and Balance to theircenter position.Step 2. Connect the oscilloscope to the source unit’s RCA output.Step 3. Play a test tone, 1kHz @ 0dB. If source unit has a REPEAT TRACK function, press this button to provideadequate time to perform Step 4.Step 4. Increase the source unit’s volume until maximum output is produced without clipping. Stop the track whenthe test is complete. DO NOT change the source unit’s volume position.Step 5. Reconnect RCAs between source unit and amplifier(s).Step 6. Disconnect all speakers from amplifier(s). Adjust all amplifier gains and any Punch EQ to minimum.Step 7. Connect the oscilloscope to the amplifier’s speaker outputs.Step 8. Play the test tone of your choice (0dB/-5dB/-10dB) for the desired gain overlap.Step 9. Increase amplifier gain(s) until maximum output is produced without clipping. If using amplifiers in bridged/mono mode or using two amplifiers in bd-SYNC mode, simultaneously increase both gain controlsso they are balanced (at the same level).Gain Tutorial ChecklistDIY Distortion Meter9 VOLUME 4.0Download our convenient checklist for properly setting system gains. You can also download the test tones used to set gain overlap as mentioned above.Learn how to build a Do-It-Yourself Distortion Meter for around $30! Schematics for building the source unit & amplifier “Voltage Dividers” are available here.

When you hear theword “SmartCar”,you instantly think thereis no way to build anover the top car audiosystem in that small ofa vehicle! 30 year oldMr. Keiichiro Koshino,who owns a car audioshop “Sound Quality” inJapan, decided to takeon this challenge. Although Mr. Koshino’s hobbies are kartracing and soccer, he got into the car audio business afterseeing a great custom car audio installation at a local autoshow.tiny cameras were embedded inthe front and back of the body,so the driver can monitor roadhazards thru one of five LCDmonitors installed in the dash.For convenience, the steeringwheel is equipped with an iPadand a keyboard resides to the leftof the seat providing access tointernet, e-mail and other apps.This Smart Car resides on Sound Quality’s show floor inChiba Prefecture Yotsukaido, Japan ready for customerdemonstrations, and represents the type of amazinginstallations that can be done at this highly skilled shop.The 2009 “FourTwo” – called “SQ CORE” – is anincredible amusement ride packed with car audiocomponents in every square inch of its vinyl interior!Seven pair of Power (T1652) 6.5” full-range speakersoccupy kick panels and doors with two pair of (P132)3.5” full-range in the ceiling, all powered by two Prime(R300-4) amplifiers. Two Punch (P3SD210) 10” shallowsubwoofers provide mid-bass and were integrated intothe floor boards running off a Prime (R500-1) amplifier.Eight (P2D28) 8” subwoofers installed in a tube typeenclosure behind the drive, provides plenty of bass andare driven off another Prime (R500-1) mono amplifier.The driver’s seat is equipped with an electric slide thatglides over to welcome the driver when the door isopened. To maximize visibility while traveling, numerous17 VOLUME 4.0

We caught up with Ricky Mason, ex-racer and dirt trackowner…No, NOT Ricky Bobby. (although NASCAR is apassion of his) Ricky Mason grew up a country boy downMississippi way and as a young whippersnapper, Rickygot behind the wheel early. It was after drag racing in anolder friends’ Camaro SS that he made his mind up…That car would be his! Determined at sixteen, he startedpacking away every extra dollar he could till he couldreach his goal. Now there were heaps of distractions alongthe way; he had to dip into that pot to marry his beautifulwife Terry. Then there was starting off his business asa computer consultant. That’s right, our man is a smartcookie! And Ricky owned a dirt track where his friendsalong with aspiring big timers raced fender to fender.These life distractions kept pushing his dream car fartherand farther down the road.Well, Ricky’s time finally had come. But that old ’69 CamaroSS had some competition. Chevy had just released theirnew Camaro with the throwback bodystyle…oh yeah, it’son! Straight away the car was sent over to HennesseyPerformance, where the newly added superchargerpackage cranked it up to over 600 horsepower! Aftergetting his baby back, Ricky called his buddy at SoundWaves in D’Iberville and a plan was drawn up.. “Nothingcrazy, I wanna go classy…not flashy.” Ricky said. Claritywas the main focus, as this car needed to take hometitles at car shows. The crew at Sound Waves dug deepdropping two Power 10” T0 subwoofers (T0D4-10) to anchorthe trunk thumps. The in-cabin clarity was going to hit youfrom all angles…cutting the highest of highs with a T1T-Stweeter kit on the pillars, then a set of Power 6”x9”s (T1693)hits you in the back of the head, while a set of 5.25” componentspeakers (T152-S) anchor the kickpanels, and the front doorssmack you with a yet another set of T1 speakers (T1653),all accented with red LED lighting. That would be plenty forany machine, but Ricky was here to impress. It might havebeen salt water thinking, as Sound Waves loves custom boatinstallations, but just for the hal-i-but they agreed to install aset of T1 5.25” Full Range speakers (T152) flanking a videomonitor in a custom trunk-lid enclosure, perfect for tailgatingor day trips on the beach. The true beauty of the soundsystem is the complete patriotictrunk lighting scheme housingthe subs we mentioned earlierand two Rockford amplifierpowerhouses. Keeping theflag theme seen on the enginemanifold covers, the T600-4 &T1500-1bdCP Patriot custom amplifiers were picked to dothe work. “Clean and Mean” Ricky says, “I just love the claritymy Rockford Fosgate system puts out. It seems to be oneof the biggest attractions at the car shows. I’ll crank it up forthe crowd gathered around the car and no matter how loud itgets, it sounds great!”With so much time spent waiting for his dream machine to makeits way home it was only fitting that Ricky built an attachedgarage for his new sweetheart. Here she sits on soft carpet, cozywith climate control and underneath multiple security cameras.You’d think Ricky’s wife Terry would be a bit jealous, but shewas basically the reason he was able to save the money. Herfather might be a different story. Ricky said he told him, “Son,if there was a fire in this house, you’d save that car first, thenworry about the family… no son, I’m SERIOUS!”Ricky MaysonD’Iberville, MS21 VOLUME 4.0ROCKFORDFOSGATE.COM 22

questions and so many more that have goneunanswered for decades.by:PHILOSOPHYWhen it comes to choosing the “best” car audio system,there can be several options. Sure, there are constantslike factory speaker locations and the amount ofavailable space in a trunk. However, the selection ofproducts that make up a car audio system can vary,such as what speaker series to use (Prime, Punch,Power) and the age-old dilemma of using a monoamp for subwoofers with a 2-channel amp for midsand tweets, or just a 4-channel amp to run the entiresystem. Rockford Amplified Tuned Systems (RATS)takes the hard work out of system design throughinstallating and testing pre-configured componentsin real vehicles, then publishing the results on aninteractive website (rats.rockfordfosgate.com).STRATEGYTo determine what Rockford Fosgate products best complement each other wematched the RMS power handling of the speakers to the RMS power output ofamplifiers. We ensure that the power compatibility falls within the range of 30%of RMS (min.) to 100% RMS (max.) power. Next, we match these combinationsto specific vehicles to ensure they can be installed using the recommendedconfigurations. Then we use a frequency analyzer on the components to measuretheir effect inside the vehicle’s acoustical interior. Our SPL Microphone Array usesthree levels of precision matched stereo microphones horizontally staggeredto accommodate the height differences of short, average and tall drivers.This configuration allows us to “normalize” the frequency response bycapturing an “averaged” sample. The important parts to compare on thefrequency response graphs are:1. How many more musical frequenciesare played by the factory audio system.2. How much more SPL (SoundPressure Level) the Rockford Fosgate system provides. All this to giveconsumers the ability to simply choose which Rockford Fosgate subwoofer/amplifier combinationthey’d like to try againsttheir factory system profileto see which one willsound the best and playthe loudest! INSPIRATIONEver wonder what yourcar would sound like ifyou added a subwooferto it? Would extra bassimprove how your musicsounds? We designedRATS to answer thoseMILESTONEsBack in the fall of 2009 we quietly startedcollecting data and honing our testingprocedures. While we were getting theprogram off the ground, in the summer of2010 we moved into our new home tailoredspecifically to our needs and outfitted with all the tools and test equipment imaginable. However,the most exciting moment was late in 2011 when we tested our site with a small select group ofend users.CHALLENGESChange. Every year the auto manufactures release slightly changed body styles withimproved interiors and/or completely new vehicle models. With these changes comesa new slue of in-vehicle testing and validation. To compound these vehicle changes,are our own Rockford Fosgate product changes. If it were easy, everyone woulddo it, Right?WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENTOur comparison engine allows you to evaluate up to four subwooferconfigurations at once! By displaying the Frequency Response and SPL(Sound Pressure Level) for each design, you can see how the samesystem performs in different vehicle types. You can also comparea PRIME, PUNCH and POWER system against each other orcalculate the SPL difference between a Sealed, Vented andHigh-Output enclosure.Just look up your vehicle type (Truck, SUV, Sedan/Coupe,or Hatchback), then pick a subwoofer and watch howRockford Fosgate premium audio products can add toyour listening experience!WHAT SETS IT APARTRATS uses real in vehicle SPL andFrequency Response.TIMELINEWith a program such as RATS, it isalways evolving and we are dedicatedas a company to continue to putthe resources behind great toolssuch as RATS to bring a betterunderstanding of the benefitsof the products we produce toour consumers.ROCKFORDFOSGATE.COM24

ClOSed SuNdAy2763 South State StreetSalt Lake City, UT 84115801-485-0070Think how long your average car audio retailer hasbeen in business. Five years usually means they knowwhat they’re doing. Go back ten years and they’ve seena recession or two. Fifteen years in business ranks themup around Jedi status. While twenty years gives them theunequivocal right to make all around bow down in theirpresence. But let’s just ponder for a second what it wouldbe like to go beyond that, well beyond. This year SoundWarehouse in Utah is celebrating its 33 rd year in business;and the mighty skipper steering the boat is no other thanDean Magnesen.:Strike up a conversation with Dean and you’ll soonunderstand why his customer base is so loyal. At 63 yearsold, he has every right to be jaded about what he’s seen inthis industry over the last four decades, but he’s not. I’mtalking since way back when four track players were firstinstalled in cars. (That’s right, I said four track…eight trackcame later on!). Dean is as young and as enthusiastic asever, surrounding himself with a dedicated sales staff thatis knowledgeable on everything under the roof, and muchmore! There’s no room in his stores for absent-minded parttimers, staring at the clock, counting the minutes till theirshift ends. Most of his employees have been with SoundWarehouse for a good while.2822 Wall Ave.Ogden, UT 84401801-621-00861680 North StateOrem, UT 84057801-226-6090soundwarehouseutah.comfacebook.com/soundwarehouseyoutube.com/SoundWarehouseUtah“I think the ‘new guy’ has been here for two years” Deanremarks. “Exceptional customer service…professional andknowledgeable staff…high quality installations…this iswhat has kept us around so long, even with competitionfrom other local stores or the internet.”Stepping back, it’s easy to see why Sound Warehousehas been successful at the car audio game, it’s really allDean knows. Coming out of high school, Dean’s first jobwas a salesman for an audio equipment company thatmade components for home and car. We all know whichis ‘cooler’, so car audio became Dean’s focus and aftera good stretch of ten or so years, it was time for him totake the leap of faith opening a business of his own. Thefirst store sold home stereos as well as car audio, andwould you believe waterbeds too?! Well in all fairness,it was the ‘70s! Dean swears that’s how he landed hisbeautiful and supporting wife, Jennifer, but the waterbedsalong with home audio eventually cleared their way out ofthe store. (probably Jennifer’s idea). Since then SoundWarehouse has spawned off two additional locations asDean witnessed the rise and fall of big box stores andregional competitors as well.“I think our involvement in the community and beingout at events let us connect with our customers betterthan anyone else.” Dean states.:Recently Sound Warehouse and Rockford partnered upwith children’s charity organization W.A.C.K.Y. (WarriorsAgainst Cancer in Kids & Young adults).. RF drove one oftheir SoundLabs up to Utahand parked it in left field atthe Angels minor leaguebaseball team stadiumduring the fundraiser. Any flyballs that hit the SoundLabwould earn WACKY a tenthousand dollar donationfrom Sound Warehouse.“These kind of events saya lot to the surroundingcommunity and differentiateus from any competitors,”Dean explains. A pretty solidModel close-outs, discontinued iteMs and soMe specials are liMited to stock on hand and May include deMos. prices Guaranteed thru 9/22/10car audio • mobile video • automotive security / safety / remote start • navigation & more2010&effort, especially from a closet Yankee fan! Everybodycomes out a winner; and speaking of winners, Deanoffers up a motivating employee sales incentive planwhere the latest winners get to head down to tour theRockford Fosgate headquarters and watch some Springthe caraudio wonderof the worldfor car audio fanaticsthe rockford fosgate: sound lab / pressure chamberover 10,000 watts of body pounding power and speakersenter to win $500.00 in rockford fosgate productsorem location friday may 21st, 10:00am - 2:00 pmsalt lake location friday may 21st, 3:00pm - 7:00pmbar-b-que ogden location saturday may 22nd, 4:00pm - 7:00pmenter to win $500.00 in rockford fosgate productshigh card harley give-a-waysaturday may 22nd, 11:00am - 2:00pmgolden spike harley davidson, 892 w. riverdale rd. ogdenvisit us at the fim superbike andsupersport world championshipsmay 29th through memorial day may 31stmiller motor sports park, tooele, utcheck out page three for more current specialswww.soundWarehouseutah.comHours10:00 to7:00MON-SATslc 2763 s. state: 485-0070methods of paymentcash free layawayse hablaespañol • ogden 2822 Wall ave: 621-0086 • orem 1680 n. state: 226-6090training baseball. Informative, educational AND they getto recharge their batteries in the surrounding nightlife! Yougotta love —“WINNING!”:When asked how hemerchandises his store,Dean explains “I put asmuch inventory on thefloor as I can. It can’tlook messy, but peoplewant to be able to walkinto a store and see forthemselves exactly allyou have to offer them.Then I make sure tohave a connected unit,of everything, ready toplay for them becausethe next thing they’regoing to want is tohear how it sounds. Ialso take advantageof everything Rockfordhas available tome. Banners, floormats, neon signs,posterboards…the more imagery the better. The clothingsends the message home too. People tend to think weare a Rockford store, but it all helps sell the product. Weeven have a couple of great pop-up tents for our eventswe go out to. Those, plus using the RF SoundLab sprintervan at events, gets people going.”:Dean seems to be going strong with no sign of slowingdown. This model retailer exemplifies the same car audiopassion we have at Rockford Fosgate. Since both havebeen involved in audio components since the ‘70s, Deanand RF can stand together as true authentic originals. AsDean likes to say, “Doin’ it right, since ’79!”Founded in 1979Awards:Top 100 Retailer 2008, 2009, 2010City Weekly Best Way To Be “Fast & Furious”Daily Herald “Best of Utah County” 2011 and others.25 VOLUME 4.0ROCKFORDFOSGATE.COM 26

HOWtobuild a subwooferenclosure trim panelWe have been putting the DIY enclosure, from our last issue of VOLUME, to good use. We evenfinished it by wrapping it with charcoal grey carpet to match the trunk’s existing interior and integratedacrylic diamond ‘R’. For this article we decided to bring back this project and take the already customsized enclosure, but really give it custom looking fit.Supplies:1/4” Sheet of MDF, chip board orcardboard, coarse thread countersunkhead screws, pencil and tape1 2Tools:drill, 1/8” drill bit, countersink bit,and a jigsawNOTE: If being performed on an existing installthe subwoofers will need to be removed from theenclosure before you begin.Position enclosure and secure in place. NOTE:It may be necessary to space the enclosure upto center in the trunk opening.With the enclosure in place, start by transferringthe vehicles contours to your chipboard making atemplate. Repeat for opposite side. NOTE: Somevehicles may require additional templates.345Cut out your templates and return them tothe vehicle. With your templates in placemeasure the distance across. Now a piececan be made to fill the distance between.Take your template to the sheet of 1/4” MDF andtrace it onto the wood.Cut out your trim panel, cutting just outside ofyour traced line. NOTE: This will leave room forfine adjustments.678Fit your trim panel back in the vehicle andmake any modifications by sanding orcutting the edges to achieve a snug fit.Make the opening for the subs by first cuttingsmall openings in the trim panel that align withthe enclosure openings and trace from the inside.NOTE: Traced openings need to increase to includesubwoofer mounting flange/trim ring diameters.Multiple opening shapes can now be cut out(Flush, Pill, Offset…be creative). Finish bycovering in any desired material.TIP: This same easy to build enclosure trim panel can also be applied to any RF pre-loaded enclosure or pre-fab box.

RF Team Member - Test Development2001 Nissan MaximaTest Connection Consoleso our magician installers chose P3 shallow subwoofers to work insuch tight quarters. Mounting amplifiers presented a similar issue,but the compact Punch Boosted Rail amplifiers easily hid in a sidecompartment along with the 3Sixty.3. With the installation nowcomplete, time to unleash the unsurpassed tuning power of the3Sixty. To really dial in the sound, a six-microphone array alongwith the Rockford Technical Testing Institute tuning system was putto use…Yes! Being one of the RF gurus has its perks! The BMW’simproved output levels were measured, then recorded for comparisoninformation and future use on the RATS site.Speaking of rats and comparison, Rockford has put together somethingcompletely new, RATS… or Rockford Amplified Tuned Systems.This section of our website gives you super detailed comparisoninformation on RF bass systems. You can compare Prime vs. Punchitems, different amp sizes, performance stats on 10” vs. 12” subs,or even your upgraded Rockford package vs. your factory system.Just pick out your car, then pick your favorites and view, side by side,all the info our tedious techs spent a kajillion hours gathering…forFREE! It’s almost too easy. Why do we go through all this troubleto bring you this kind ofinformation? Because‘Easy St.’ has neveronce showed up on ourmap, and besides wehave a reputation andname to stand behind…it’s called ROCKFORDFOSGATE!RF Team Member - Engineering2010 Toyota CamryRF Team Member - Sales2010 Honda CivicRF Team Member - Marketing/New Products2010 Honda CRVrats.rockfordfosgate.com

About a 20 minute drive from my lab, over on Rockford Drivein Tempe, Arizona, is the world headquarters of RockfordFosgate. These folks live, breathe and sleep car audio. Ifyou have ever read any of Rockford Fosgate’s marketingmaterials, they talk a lot about passion for the car audiolifestyle, and it’s true. Their engineers have systems intheir daily drivers, and through daily use by these fanatics,new products are conceived, prototyped, developed, andas often as not, become production products that youand I can buy for our own rides. Just such a product isthe Power series of amplifiers, and in this review we’regoing to take a look at the biggest dog on the block, theT1000-4ad.FEATURESText and Measurements by Garry Springgay; published by PAS MagazineThe Rockford Fosgate T1000-4ad is a four channel ClassD full range amplifier that was developed by Rockford’sin-house enthusiasts to be their concept of the bestperformingfull-range Class D amplifier possible. Thepatent pending “ad” topology uses something Rockfordcalls “Dynamic Frequency Switching” to provide thebest possible performance. Additional feedback is usedafter the output inductors to further reduce unwantedswitching noise, and provide a clean musical outputsignal. The amp is rated at 250 watts x 4 into 4 or 2ohms, or 500 watts x 2 when bridged into 4 or 2 ohms.In addition, the T1000-4ad employs some old schoolcircuitry too, the famed Punch EQ circuit is on boardfor all four channels, and brings the same sort ofacoustic corrections to your car in 2011 that madethem famous in 1985. For those who like to tweak asthey drive, a remote mounted Punch EQ module isavailable separately. Front and rear high and low passcrossovers are adjustable from 50 to 500Hz, and theslopes are -24dB per octave.This is the biggest four channel model in the Power seriesline, but it’s still quite manageable from a size perspectiveat 14.9” x 8.1” x 2.4”. All of the connections and controlsare conveniently located on the long front side ofthe amp, to simplifyinstallation and setup. It’s a heftypiece too, weighing in at just over12 pounds.Inside the T1000-4ad, you’ll findtypical Rockford Fosgate build qualityand high performance components.The amplifier uses 0% tolerance surfacemount parts throughout, and clever constructiondetails like vertically-placed daughter boards not onlyadd circuit real estate space to the relatively compactamplifier, they also provide critical shielding to thesensitive audio input section. High current TO-220MOSFET devices are used in both the power supplyand the output stage. The inside of the amplifier isjammed with high tech, precision components, and avery intelligent layout, but I was somewhat appalledat the slipshod way great gobs of silicone was usedto help secure the heavier components. The use ofsilicone adhesive is a great idea, but I’d think it couldbe applied in a much neater fashion. On the other hand,there is no negative effect other than the cosmeticappearance of the inside of the amp, and since mostpeople will never look inside one of these amplifiers, itmay not matter.listeningIn my reference system I wired the T1000-4ad so it drovemy components with the front channels and a pair of4 ohm 12” woofers was bridged to the rear channels.After setting the crossovers and gain controls, I satdown to see if the Rockford engineering team still hadtheir chops. Almost immediately I realized there wasno question, the T1000-4ad sounded great on the firsttrack. For this session I began with some classic rockfrom Aerosmith, Deep Purple and Rush, and when Irealized the amplifier had way more power than myspeakers (or ears) would safely handle, I changedthings up to some classical tracks and concentratedon the “feel” of the music. The T1000-4ad is avery transparent sounding amp, adding almost nocharacter of its own to the music. Quiet details likea singer’s breathing, or the sense of motion on thesoundstagewere reproduced withsurprising realism. Musical timbre, orhow well the amp allows you to hear the differencebetween a Taylor and a Takamine was also surprisinglygood. Bass was incredibly tight, articulate, and seemedeffortless even at high volume. But let’s face it – thisamp is really about power, and lots of it. I ran the amp ashard as I dared and it never showed any sign of strain.My woofers would have tapped out before this ampever got close.MEASUREMENTSOn the test bench, the amplifier easily exceeded allthe specifications published in the owner’s manual,the amp actually made 286 watts per channel into 4ohms. I noticed that when the amplifier is switchedinto low pass mode, there is about 3.5dB of additionalgain added, but as long as you set your gains aftermaking the crossover adjustments, it shouldn’t bean issue. That one minor glitch aside, the actualaudio performance of the T1000-4ad was brilliant.It did get quite warm during testing, so if you aregoing to run one of these brutes hard, make sure it’sinstalled in a way to optimize the cooling. The ampis very efficient however, so at least the majority ofthe power consumed isn’t simply wasted as heat.ConclusionIf you need a powerful four channel amplifier andnothing you’ve seen seems like it’s quite enough,you need to check out a T1000-4ad. Designedby enthusiasts for enthusiasts, and built likethe proverbial brick outhouse, once again theRockford Fosgate team has developed anamplifier capable of satisfying even the mostdemanding user. The company tagline used tobe: “For those who think too much is just right.”Yes indeed.TECHNICAL DATAThe following power measurementswere obtained using industry standardmethods. (1kHZ @ 1.0% THD+N - Batteryvoltages shown +/- 0.2V)MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONSActual Measured Power@ 1.0% THD+N @ 12.6V BatteryManufacturers Rated Power250 x 4 @ 4 Ω250 x 4 @ 2 Ω250 x 4 @ 1 Ω500 x 2 @ 4 Ω500 x 2 @ 2 ΩActual Measured Power@ 1.0% THD+N @ 14.4V Battery232 x 4 @ 4 Ω 286 x 4 @ 4 Ω308 x 4 @ 2 Ω 328 x 4 @ 2 Ω316 x 4 @ 1 Ω 343 x 4 @ 1 Ω624 x 2 @ 4 Ω 642 x 2 @ 4 Ω635 x 2 @ 2 Ω 657 x 2 @ 2 Ω33 VOLUME 4.0ROCKFORDFOSGATE.COM 34

Erik “Fido” Westgaard is from a small villageof Tynset, Norway, a mere 130 kilometers (2hours) south of Trondheim. He has been into caraudio for several years and has designed systemsfor his fellow fanatics.Erik’s baby is a “1996 Seat Ibiza” painted Volvo R-redwith red pearl and trimmed with black paint and redpearl. The system has undergone continual improvementsince he purchased the car new – with the currentversion starting the summer of 2010 – and accumulated awhopping 3,000+ hours to construct the masterpiece.The Ibiza is equipped with a 1.8L Audi A3 enginefeaturing Seat/Audi wiring. A larger intercooler andcustom intercooler-pipes provide a whopping 180HP.Exhaust is made from 2.5” diameter stainless steelconnected to a Focuz muffler. EBC Brakes wereacquired from a VW Golf VR6 with modified stylingfrom Seidl.The body kit was adapted to fit the 19” wheels, withcustom side skirts and front/rear bumpers. The front ofthe hood was welded to fit the new custom fenders, clearglass headlights and direction lights pulled from an originalVW Polo 4. Side mirrors originate from an F1 formula car.The rear was also upgraded with Race Sport Lexus-stylelights, a custom rear hatch, and shaved rear door handles.The only original pieces are the side directional lights andwindow clean jets. The interior is all hand-made and thetrunk is detailed with paint, leather, glass and red neon.A different source unit and preamp deliver tunes to awelded amp rack containing two Power T600-4 WidowMaker amps driving the front/rear stage. Two additionalPower T1500-1bdCP Candy amps drive a T1D212subwoofer delivering tremendous bass that judges all overEurope love! All cables, connectors and power distributionare Rockford Fosgate.The car is a 5x Norwegian champion (3x runner up) and hasrepresented Norway at the European finals. With a total of96 trophies – including several from Sweden and Denmark- Erik owns one of the most winning cars in Europe! Specialthanks to Trond & Stig from “AutoHiFi“, the AuthorizedRockford Fosgate Distributor in Norway.35 VOLUME 4.0

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