[Shotimes] A quick one for all the aftermarket stereo guys....

[James F. Ryan III]

"Donald Mallinson" wrote:
> The one true fact of audio is the NOBODY can tell YOU how
> something sounds.  Everyone hears differently, and everyone
> has unique likes/dislikes.

AMEN, Don!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really dislike these threads about car stereos, tires, and computer
hardware & software.  I usually skim thru the posts just to make sure it
hasn't changed topic and then I quickly delete it.  But this time I felt I
should jump in to the foray and give my 2 cents.

I've been an electrical engineer for the past 15 years and I've been a
drummer for the last 20.  I have a 12-piece TAMA kit with double bass drums,
7 Sabian cymbals (4 crash, 1 ride, 2 Chinese) with all Sabian hardware, and
I use Vic Firth 5Bs and 2Bs.  I was in a band while in college and for a
short time after college.  We played everything from early 70s rock (The
Who, Led Zep, etc) to late 80s 'hair bands' (like Def Leppard, Queensryche,
etc).

The 3 guitar players in my band each had 2 amps - a small "practice" unit
and a larger Marshall or Peavey stack.  Never once did any of them say that
they needed more amps.  The ssmall unit was more than adequate for indoor
practice and the larger amps, well....when the police eventually showed up
(and they always did) to a party we were playing they usually tell us they
were getting complaints from houses a 1/4-mile away.

I truly, truly don't understand why you need so many Watts to fill the
interior of a car.  It is such an inhospitable environment for hi-fidelity
sound.  It is small, most new cars are air-tight which don't allow the
speakers to do their job, and there are many different materials (plastic,
leather, vinyl, carpeting, glass) each of which has its own sound absorption
and reflective properties.

So, if you're impressed with all of these black rap stars on MTV Cribs with
their 22" dubs and 40-speaker sound systems then I don't know what else to
say to you.  FWIW, my bandmates and I never had killer sound systems in our
cars; I still don't and never will.

When I practice (playing drums) I wear "big" headphones to listen to the
song I'm trying to learn, but it also helps to protect my ears.  However, I
have suffered some loss of hearing from the many years of playing.  A 5000W
system in your tiny SHO will slowly destroy your ears just the same.

I guess I haven't really added anything to this thread, but I will leave you
with this - "God only gave you 2 ears, take care of them, they have to last
you the rest of your life."


Jim Ryan - Wayne, NJ
91 Plus - all white/mocha
FPS 96 brakes, Carbotech pads, LPM and 80mm MAF w/ K&N and SHO Shop can &
horn, SHO Shop Y-pipe and cat-back w/ Edelbrock mufflers, KONIs with SHO
Shop linear springs, f&r strut tower braces and poly bushings all around,
HiRevs Jr clutch and lightweight flywheel, underdrive pulleys, torque
limiters, Cincy SHO reinforced engine mounts, Bridgestone Potenza RE730
tires (excellent), and police grille.