volume 4.0

HOW TO: GAIN SETTINGS | HOW TO: TRIM PANEL | TEST & REVIEW: T1000-4AD | TEST & REVIEW: T3 FULL RANGE

JAPAN’S - SMART INSIDE LOOK - ROCKFORD AMPLIFIED TUNED SYSTEMS

RATS - EVERYTHING BUT LAB COATS

NORWAY’S - SEAT IBIZA

DEALER SPOTLIGHT - SOUNDWAREHOUSE

Arie de Groot - Holland

Michael Avila - Bolivia

Pascal Laponder - Holland

Shannen Ross -

Western Austr

alia

Niels de Snoo - Hollan

d

Michael Avila -

Bolivia

Brent Leavitt - Idaho

Jovani Cesneros - Texas

Junior Flores - Arizona

Brett Soendker - Missouri

1 VOLUME 4.0

WELCOME TO OUR BRAND, ROCKFORD FOSGATE! Since our beginning in 1980, Rockford Fosgate has been dedicated to providing you with the highest performance car audio products on the planet. We take great pride in the fact that our products are designed and engineered here in Tempe, Arizona, USA. The Rockford team is a collection of the best product and engineering minds in the car audio industry. They are true enthusiasts and “super users”.

A major objective for Rockford Fosgate this year was to focus on application. Our research and product development teams have been receiving feedback from customers wanting to integrate the Rockford Fosgate “experience” into their powersport vehicles, RV’s/toy haulers, marine watercraft, and hybrid vehicles. In other words, developing products that fit into YOUR mobile lifestyle and desired mode of transportation.

Your feedback led us to develop our latest series of amplifiers, the ultra compact Punch Boosted Rail amplifiers and a slew of high efficiency Full Range Class D amplifiers (Power AD, Punch FRD, Prime/Marine FRD). To complement our solution-based amplifiers, a new line of full range speakers are now available in virtually every size to fit your application. Most importantly, an upgraded audio system always needs quality bass response. This year we have launched a new generation of Punch P3 shallow subwoofers that are guaranteed to bring big time bass in a shallow, easy to install design. So whether you are looking to upgrade an ATV, motorcycle, boat or daily driver, we have a Rockford Fosgate audio solution to fit your application.

At the end of the day, great brands are built and sustain over time as a result of passionate and enthusiastic customers. Because of you, we are committed to keep pushing this brand and ourselves to higher and higher levels. From the entire team in Tempe Arizona, we thank you for your FANATICAL support.

Bill Jackson

President/CEO Rockford Corporation

2ROCKFORDFOSGATE.COM

9 // HOW TO - GAIN SETTINGS

15 // TEST & REVIEW - T3 FULL RANGE

17 // INTERNATIONAL - JAPAN SMART CAR

23 // INSIDE LOOK - RATS

25 // DEALER SPOTLIGHT - SOUND WAREHOUSE

27 // HOW TO - TRIM PANEL

33 // TEST & REVIEW - T1000-4AD

35 // INTERNATIONAL - NORWAY SEAT IBIZA

37 // ROCKFORD FOSGATE PUNCH WEAR

5 // THRILL FROM WEST HILLPAUL TRACY

11 // A KNOCK ABOVE THE RESTF-350

19 // 600 PROOF HENNESSEYCAMARO SS

29 // RATS - EVERYTHING BUT LAB COATSROCKFORD AMPLIFIED TUNED SYSTEM

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3 VOLUME 4.0

5 VOLUME 4.0

Paul Tracy keeps his focus sharp in the crisp, dry air of the Arizona desert. Whether going fast on two wheels

or four, he’s a tough dude to catch up with. This iconic racer has seen his fair share of rodeos, been there done

that, and will give you a straight up opinion on what’s really goin’ on out there…if you asked for it or not. Paul

and Rockford coming together was a no-brainer, as every good gunslinger needs his trusted piece of iron.aul Tracy keeps his focus sharp in the crisp, dry air of the Arizona desert. Whether going fast on two wheels

aul Tracy keeps his focus sharp in the crisp, dry air of the Arizona desert. Whether going fast on two wheels





Growing up in Canada, PT followed the typical youth hockey game plan. What was not typical 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 towards the winner’s circle. This was a tough one. Lucky for us Paul chose the racing path giving fans over 20 years of nail-biting action to watch. He started early racing karts, moving up through the ranks winning most every class he started in. Driving loose and even a bit wild, Paul got noticed quickly as one of the fastest on the track, making him a head to watch. This carried over one holiday night when Paul took mom’s brand new car for a bit of a joyride. She never even got to see her new Christmas gift before he wrapped it around a tree in the mall parking lot (boys will be boys). Luckily all the sacrifice his parents made would come back tenfold when a career in open wheel racing blossomed and Paul took the 2003 Indycar Championship title. Over the next grip of years, an intense race psyche earned Paul droves of supporters in the stands, along with a couple of rivalries on the track. But hey, to make a great omelet you gotta bust a couple eggs!

This attitude and drive seen from the Tracy camp mirrors the point of view from the Rockford Fosgate people and product

l ine. “If I’m going to do something, I’m going to give it 100% and do it right the first time,” Paul explains. “Rockford follows this same philosophy making them a clear choice for all my cars and trucks. Even in my boat and Harleys…You’re just not going to match the same quality 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 one look and get out the way! RF laced it up with six, (yeah I said SIX!) sets of 6.5” T3 Component speaker systems (T3652-S) all powered by a hefty 1,000 Watt Class-AD Full-Range

4-channel amplifier (T1000

4-ad). Those mids and highs sound as sharp as knives! Paul’s kids still need to get shuttled around so keeping the backseat was mandatory. That’s where the amazing technology from Rockford’s shallow subwoofer system comes into play. A single 1500

7 VOLUME 4.0

Watt Class-bd Constant Power amplifier (T1500-1bdCP) doesn’t break a sweat, while two 12” Punch P3 2-ohm DVC subs (P3SD212) handle ALL the bass in a fraction of the space. Paul still has room for the whole pit crew, or just picking the kids and their friends up after school. “Come on dad, 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 the next fifteen minutes, but when it matters, experience and reputation are going to outweigh the latest buzz. We’ll look for Paul on the track…. or at the tattoo shop…. or down the road cruising one of his favorite rides, like the ‘51 Merc blaring pure attitude from his RF powered system.

PAUL TRACYScottsdale, AZ2003 Champ Car World Series 1st 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 out of your system? By properly adjusting your system gains, the Sound Quality (SQ) and/or Sound 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 setting gains with systems having a signal processor – using the QR Codes at the end of this article.

GAIN OVERLAP If we want a “clean sounding” car audio system, it doesn’t mean setting the gain structure so our amplifier never clips. If we did, the absolute highest musical peak would occur at the threshold of clipping and there would be no audible distortion. In order to find a comfortable compromise between high signal-to-noise at low listening levels and low distortion at high listening levels, we need to understand “Gain Overlap”, which is the amount of input signal that overdrives the amplifier’s input measured in decibels. If using a signal processor, we want to optimize the dynamic range between the processor and amplifier, allowing the processor to determine the amount of gain overlap that drives the amplifier. The chart below shows the characteristics associated with different levels of gain overlap at the amplifier.

At first, you may be concerned with the amount of distortion (THD) the amplifier can produce, but the amplifier is only producing this during musical peaks, which account for a small percentage of the music track. Tests have shown that many people prefer +10 dB of gain overlap so the system retains reasonable Sound Quality while exhibiting an elevated Sound Pressure Level.

ADJUSTING GAINS BY EARThis is the fastest and easiest method for adjusting system gains. The benefit is the cost which is FREE. 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 to their 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 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.

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.$

Gain Tutorial Checklist

Download our convenient checklist for properly setting system gains. You can also download the test tones used to set gain overlap as mentioned above.9 VOLUME 4.0

ADJUSTING GAINS BY METERThis is the most cost effective method for adjusting system gains with predictable accuracy. This procedure references a DIY Distortion Meter as follows; 1) Mini-Amplified Speaker, 2) Source Unit Voltage Divider, and 3) Amplifier Voltage Divider. Instructions on how to build your own DIY Distortion 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 their center 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 provide adequate 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 the maximum output is produced without clipping (at clipping you can hear the tone change from clean to raspy). 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. Connect the 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 the tone 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 an oscilloscope or access to one makes this option out of reach for most people. Fanatics entering Sound 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 their center 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 provide adequate time to perform Step 4.

Step 4. Increase the source unit’s volume until maximum output is produced without clipping. 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 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 controls so they are balanced (at the same level).

DIY Distortion MeterLearn how to build a Do-It-Yourself Distortion Meter for around $30! Schematics for building the source unit & amplifier “Voltage Dividers” are available here.

ALEX FREGOSOMesa, AZ

Alex Fregoso thinks size matters… When it came to his most recent project, an F-350 package, he had one specific goal in mind, “I wanna turn heads and bust out windows driving down the street…just annihilate anything else out there.” With the setup he’s running, Alex is going to do just that.

Alex knew from the beginning he was going to build the loudest truck around and do it right. From all the chrome, to the paint, and the sound system, Alex runs it loud and proud. Rockford Fosgate was his first choice in products dating back from an experience he had as a kid. “I remember going to my first car show like fifteen or twenty years ago and just seeing everything around. The baddest car there was knocking bass just sooo loud, and he was running a Fosgate system. From then on I knew Fosgate was what I was always going to use.” Since those early days, Alex’s focus has always been on cars, especially lowriders. Most

of his free time is spent fabricating metal or hitting switches making his babies dance. The F-350 was something new, but he did it in his own style.

This F-350 with very low miles was resurrected from a friend’s construction business (the canvas was now chosen). Prestige Customs out of Mesa, AZ transformed this work truck into the raised up head turner you see

today. The artistes at Bug’s Auto Art sprayed the paint and colored the lines, providing the distinguishable character of this beauty (personality established). Finally, the crew at Sound Xpression gave her a soul. Alex explained how some of the loudest cars he ever heard were using Rockford

components. The Sound Xpression team agreed and started to draw up the game plan. Alex talked about fitting two subs somewhere in the backseat, but if two were good, six were waaay better. So the gloves came off and the installers at Sound Xpression did a meticulous installation, filling the bed of the blue beast with six Power 15” high output subwoofers (T1D215). These were driven by three 2500 Watt Class-bd Constant Power mono amplifiers (T2500-1bdCP) pushing a set each, for a total of 7500 watts of pounding power! Moving inside the cabin, custom fabricated front door panels each house six 6.5” T2 component speakers EACH, yeah I said each! (more is always better) Backing that up are another four T2 component speakers in the rear doors run by two Power 1000 Watt Class AD Full Range 4-channel amplifiers (T1000-4ad). Essentially this is literally enough juice to knock your socks off, AND chase them down the street! All power and sound lines are RF product as well as are all the connections (thus---completing the masterpiece).

Being from the desert, hot weekends are spent on the river. So Alex’s 1200hp jet boat is currently going through the same transformation getting a matching blue paint job and Rockford marine audio system just in time for the holiday weekend! When he’s not escaping the heat at the river, this matching set will be shown off around local car shows.


There are few brands in the car audio world that garner

the respect and recognition that Rockford Fosgate enjoys.

However, when most of us think of Rockford Fosgate, we

think of amplifiers and subwoofers, because it’s in those

two categories that the RF brand has traditionally enjoyed

the most suc¬cess. But over the last several years,

Rockford Fosgate has challenged themselves to shatter

that perception, by creating some truly high perfor¬mance,

great sounding products in other categories. One such

example of their efforts, are the Power T3 component

speakers, which utilize multiple design cues developed for

their statement T5 series speakers.

FEATURESThe T3 component speakers feature a special Liquid

Crystal Polymer (LCP) cone material. The cone material is

a distinctive light yellow color, and the material appears to

be woven much like carbon fiber would be. A matching

inverted dustcap trims out the center of the cone. Attaching

the cone to the top edge of the cast aluminum FlexFit, slot

mounting frame pattern, basket is a rubber surround that

utilizes Rock¬ford’s proprietary Vertical Attach Surround

Technique (VAST) which provides an

increase in effective cone area when

compared to other drivers of a

similar diameter. As a result,

the speakers sensitivity and

overall output levels are

improved. Cool looking

concave grilles and trim

rings are included in the

kit if you’re mounting

the speakers in a

way that shows

them off.

The T3652-S

m i d r a n g e s

use powerful

and very costly

n e o d y m i u m

magnets to drive

their 1.5” copper voice coils, which are held securely

centered in the magnetic gap by a flat spider incorporating

woven tinsel leads. To maintain perfect spider linearity

there are a set of “dummy” tinsels woven opposite the

working ones. This attention to detail pays off in the long

run with a better sounding loudspeaker.

To handle the rated power of 125W, a special Inductive

Damping Heat Sink (IDHS) is wrapped around the outer

diameter of the motor. This heatsink not only helps to

dissipate heat generated, but it’s also used to control

the motors magnetic lines of flux, thereby reducing

distortion and improving sensitivity.

The tweeter used in the T3652-S kit also uses the

same woven LCP material for its 1” dome, and is

also powered by a neodymium magnet. The tweeters

mount in either surface or flush mount con¬figurations

using a patent-pending mount design that Rockford

calls “Discreet Dual Clamp” (DDC). In this design the

mounting cups are not actually mounting “cups” at all,

but rather a cleverly designed clamping system that

easily mounts into a standard 1.75” hole-saw opening.

A single screw in the center of the retainer clamps

the tweeter mount in place, and then the tweeter

simply snaps into place and is secured by a snap-

on trim ring. The tweeter comes with a permanent¬ly

attached metal mesh grill, with a transparent phase

plug attached to the inside of the mesh.

The crossover networks are nice and com¬pact in

size, measuring about 4.5” square and about 1.4”

tall. The wire terminals are some of the easiest to

use in recent memory, and mimic the same type of

rugged terminal block style connections found in the

Punch and Power se¬ries amplifiers. The T3652-S

crossovers can be set to ac¬cept regular inputs or bi-

amplified inputs. Two externally adjustable switches

provide on/off axis tuning adjustments and a three

position tweeter level control. Inside the housing

there are air core inductors and fast high quality

polystyrene capacitors for the high frequency signal

manipulation, and electrolytic caps are used on the

Text and Measurements by Garry Springgay; originally published online 2011 by PAS Magazine

low pass for

the midrange.

LISTENINGAfter unpacking

the system from it’s cool

Styrofoam suitcase style box I

installed it in my listening room

and let it play at low vol¬umes for a

couple of days to break everything in. This

step isn’t required when installing in your car,

I do this step only for critical evalua¬tions of

brand new speakers.

After getting the crossovers adjusted to suit my on-axis

listening position, I began my listening evaluation with

a few of my favorite vocal performances by Thursday

Diva, Jennifer Warnes, Marc Cohn, The Manhattan

Transfer, and Michael Ruff, I was very impressed by the

sonics of this new Rockford Fosgate system. Female

vocals came through with won¬derful accuracy of

pitch and timbre, and the system exhibited a very

lifelike openness, with excellent detail and clarity.

Changing things up to some well recorded rock, I

first listened to Supertramp’s “Rudy”, and was blown

away by the realism of the sound of the ocean in the

opening and the airiness of the piano. In Marc Cohn’s

“Perfect Love” the acoustic guitar sounded like it

was in the room with me, and throughout the song

all of the subtleties of the individual instruments

remained distinct and easily to pick out. Very nice

indeed. On Rush’s “Red Barchetta” the bass was

strong, and clean, and at no time did the system

become ton¬ally unbalanced. Switching to some

big band and jazz, I found the T3652-S system to

be just as impressive when it came to reproducing

difficult instruments like horns and acoustic

piano, and harmony vocals. The tonality was very

rich and natural sounding,

with great clarity and sense

of space. These just may be

the best sounding Rockford Fosgate

branded speakers I’ve ever heard.

ON THE BENCHWith the all important listening session completed, I moved

the system into the lab and measured the impedance curve as

well as the on-axis frequency response. All of the parameters

were well within the published specs, and the graphs of those

measurements are below. The tweeter level adjustment wasn’t

quite accurate on the -2dB setting, it was actually about -1dB.

The on/off axis switch actually affects the upper midrange

frequencies, as seen in the accompanying graph.

CONCLUSIONI’ll be the first to admit that in the past Rockford Fosgate hasn’t

been one of the first brands to come to mind when talking

about audiophile quality component loudspeaker systems.

But if this system is any indication, things are changing for

the better. Frankly the T3652-S system just impressed the

hell out of me, and I could be quite happy with this system in

my own daily driver. If you still think that Rockford Fosgate

is only about amps and subwoofers, do yourself a favor and

check the T3 components out. See if you don’t come away

just as impressed as I did. As good as this is, it makes me

wonder how much better the T5 systems are.

RF T3652-S Off Axis -2db TW Freq Resp Cogent Audio Labs

– RT T3652-S Off Axis 0db TW Freq Resp. tds – RT T3652-S On Axis +2db TW

Freq Resp.tds – RT T3652-S Off Axis +2db TW Freq Resp. tds

– RT T3652-S Off Axis +2db TW Freq Resp. tds


When you hear the word “SmartCar”,

you instantly think there is no way to build an over the top car audio system in that small of a vehicle! 30 year old Mr. Keiichiro Koshino, who owns a car audio shop “Sound Quality” in Japan, decided to take on this challenge. Although Mr. Koshino’s hobbies are kart racing and soccer, he got into the car audio business after seeing a great custom car audio installation at a local auto show.

The 2009 “FourTwo” – called “SQ CORE” – is an incredible amusement ride packed with car audio components in every square inch of its vinyl interior! Seven pair of Power (T1652) 6.5” full-range speakers occupy 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” shallow subwoofers provide mid-bass and were integrated into the floor boards running off a Prime (R500-1) amplifier. Eight (P2D28) 8” subwoofers installed in a tube type enclosure behind the drive, provides plenty of bass and are driven off another Prime (R500-1) mono amplifier.

The driver’s seat is equipped with an electric slide that glides over to welcome the driver when the door is opened. To maximize visibility while traveling, numerous

tiny cameras were embedded in the front and back of the body, so the driver can monitor road hazards thru one of five LCD monitors installed in the dash. For convenience, the steering wheel is equipped with an iPad and a keyboard resides to the left of the seat providing access to internet, e-mail and other apps.

This Smart Car resides on Sound Quality’s show floor in Chiba Prefecture Yotsukaido, Japan ready for customer demonstrations, and represents the type of amazing installations that can be done at this highly skilled shop.

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19 VOLUME 4.0

We caught up with Ricky Mason, ex-racer and dirt track owner…No, NOT Ricky Bobby. (although NASCAR is a passion of his) Ricky Mason grew up a country boy down Mississippi way and as a young whippersnapper, Ricky got behind the wheel early. It was after drag racing in an older friends’ Camaro SS that he made his mind up…That car would be his! Determined at sixteen, he started packing away every extra dollar he could till he could reach his goal. Now there were heaps of distractions along the way; he had to dip into that pot to marry his beautiful wife Terry. Then there was starting off his business as a computer consultant. That’s right, our man is a smart cookie! And Ricky owned a dirt track where his friends along with aspiring big timers raced fender to fender.

These life distractions kept pushing his dream car farther and farther down the road.

Well, Ricky’s time finally had come. But that old ’69 Camaro SS had some competition. Chevy had just released their new Camaro with the throwback bodystyle…oh yeah, it’s on! Straight away the car was sent over to Hennessey Performance, where the newly added supercharger package cranked it up to over 600 horsepower! After getting his baby back, Ricky called his buddy at Sound Waves in D’Iberville and a plan was drawn up.. “Nothing crazy, I wanna go classy…not flashy.” Ricky said. Clarity was the main focus, as this car needed to take home titles at car shows. The crew at Sound Waves dug deep

21 VOLUME 4.0

RICKY MAYSOND’Iberville, MS

dropping two Power 10” T0 subwoofers (T0D4-10) to anchor the trunk thumps. The in-cabin clarity was going to hit you from all angles…cutting the highest of highs with a T1T-S tweeter 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” component speakers (T152-S) anchor the kickpanels, and the front doors smack you with a yet another set of T1 speakers (T1653), all accented with red LED lighting. That would be plenty for any machine, but Ricky was here to impress. It might have been salt water thinking, as Sound Waves loves custom boat installations, but just for the hal-i-but they agreed to install a set of T1 5.25” Full Range speakers (T152) flanking a video monitor in a custom trunk-lid enclosure, perfect for tailgating or day trips on the beach. The true beauty of the sound

system is the complete patriotic trunk lighting scheme housing the subs we mentioned earlier and two Rockford amplifier powerhouses. Keeping the flag theme seen on the engine manifold covers, the T600-4 &

T1500-1bdCP Patriot custom amplifiers were picked to do the work. “Clean and Mean” Ricky says, “I just love the clarity my Rockford Fosgate system puts out. It seems to be one of the biggest attractions at the car shows. I’ll crank it up for the crowd gathered around the car and no matter how loud it gets, it sounds great!”

With so much time spent waiting for his dream machine to make its way home it was only fitting that Ricky built an attached garage for his new sweetheart. Here she sits on soft carpet, cozy with climate control and underneath multiple security cameras. You’d think Ricky’s wife Terry would be a bit jealous, but she was basically the reason he was able to save the money. Her father 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, then worry about the family… no son, I’m SERIOUS!”


PHILOSOPHYWhen it comes to choosing the “best” car audio system, there can be several options. Sure, there are constants like factory speaker locations and the amount of available space in a trunk. However, the selection of products 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 mono amp for subwoofers with a 2-channel amp for mids and tweets, or just a 4-channel amp to run the entire system. Rockford Amplified Tuned Systems (RATS) takes the hard work out of system design through installating and testing pre-configured components in real vehicles, then publishing the results on an interactive website (rats.rockfordfosgate.com).

STRATEGYTo determine what Rockford Fosgate products best complement each other we matched the RMS power handling of the speakers to the RMS power output of amplifiers. We ensure that the power compatibility falls within the range of 30% of RMS (min.) to 100% RMS (max.) power. Next, we match these combinations to specific vehicles to ensure they can be installed using the recommended configurations. Then we use a frequency analyzer on the components to measure their effect inside the vehicle’s acoustical interior. Our SPL Microphone Array uses

three levels of precision matched stereo microphones horizontally staggered to accommodate the height differences of short, average and tall drivers.

This configuration allows us to “normalize” the frequency response by capturing an “averaged” sample. The important parts to compare on the frequency response graphs are: 1. How many more musical frequencies are played by the factory audio system. 2. How much more SPL (Sound Pressure Level) the Rockford Fosgate system provides. All this to give

consumers the ability to simply choose which Rockford Fosgate subwoofer/amplifier combination they’d like to try against their factory system profile to see which one will sound the best and play the loudest!

INSPIRATIONEver wonder what your car would sound like if you added a subwoofer to it? Would extra bass improve how your music sounds? We designed RATS to answer those

by:

questions and so many more that have gone unanswered for decades.

MILESTONEsBack in the fall of 2009 we quietly started collecting data and honing our testing procedures. While we were getting the program off the ground, in the summer of 2010 we moved into our new home tailored specifically 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 of end users.

CHALLENGESChange. Every year the auto manufactures release slightly changed body styles with improved interiors and/or completely new vehicle models. With these changes comes a 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 would do it, Right?

WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENTOur comparison engine allows you to evaluate up to four subwoofer configurations at once! By displaying the Frequency Response and SPL (Sound Pressure Level) for each design, you can see how the same system performs in different vehicle types. You can also compare a PRIME, PUNCH and POWER system against each other or calculate the SPL difference between a Sealed, Vented and High-Output enclosure.

Just look up your vehicle type (Truck, SUV, Sedan/Coupe, or Hatchback), then pick a subwoofer and watch how Rockford Fosgate premium audio products can add to your listening experience! WHAT SETS IT APARTRATS uses real in vehicle SPL andFrequency Response.

TIMELINEWith a program such as RATS, it is always evolving and we are dedicated as a company to continue to put the resources behind great tools such as RATS to bring a better understanding of the benefits of the products we produce to our consumers.


2822 Wall Ave.Ogden, UT 84401

801-621-0086

1680 North StateOrem, UT 84057801-226-6090

2763 South State StreetSalt Lake City, UT 84115

801-485-0070

soundwarehouseutah.comfacebook.com/soundwarehouse

youtube.com/SoundWarehouseUtah

Think how long your average car audio retailer has been in business. Five years usually means they know what they’re doing. Go back ten years and they’ve seen a recession or two. Fifteen years in business ranks them up around Jedi status. While twenty years gives them the unequivocal right to make all around bow down in their presence. But let’s just ponder for a second what it would be like to go beyond that, well beyond. This year Sound Warehouse in Utah is celebrating its 33rd year in business; and the mighty skipper steering the boat is no other than Dean Magnesen.

:Strike up a conversation with Dean and you’ll soon understand why his customer base is so loyal. At 63 years old, he has every right to be jaded about what he’s seen in this industry over the last four decades, but he’s not. I’m talking since way back when four track players were first installed in cars. (That’s right, I said four track…eight track came later on!). Dean is as young and as enthusiastic as ever, surrounding himself with a dedicated sales staff that is knowledgeable on everything under the roof, and much more! There’s no room in his stores for absent-minded part timers, staring at the clock, counting the minutes till their shift ends. Most of his employees have been with Sound Warehouse for a good while.

“I think the ‘new guy’ has been here for two years” Dean remarks. “Exceptional customer service…professional and knowledgeable staff…high quality installations…this is what has kept us around so long, even with competition from other local stores or the internet.”

Stepping back, it’s easy to see why Sound Warehouse has been successful at the car audio game, it’s really all Dean knows. Coming out of high school, Dean’s first job was a salesman for an audio equipment company that made components for home and car. We all know which is ‘cooler’, so car audio became Dean’s focus and after a good stretch of ten or so years, it was time for him to take the leap of faith opening a business of his own. The first store sold home stereos as well as car audio, and would you believe waterbeds too?! Well in all fairness, it was the ‘70s! Dean swears that’s how he landed his beautiful and supporting wife, Jennifer, but the waterbeds along with home audio eventually cleared their way out of the store. (probably Jennifer’s idea). Since then Sound Warehouse has spawned off two additional locations as Dean witnessed the rise and fall of big box stores and

25 VOLUME 4.0

FOUNDED IN 1979

AWARDS:Top 100 Retailer 2008, 2009, 2010City Weekly Best Way To Be “Fast & Furious”Daily Herald “Best of Utah County” 2011 and others.

regional competitors as well.

: Recently Sound Warehouse and Rockford partnered up with children’s charity organization W.A.C.K.Y. (Warriors Against Cancer in Kids & Young adults).. RF drove one of their SoundLabs up to Utah and parked it in left field at the Angels minor league baseball team stadium during the fundraiser. Any fly balls that hit the SoundLab would earn WACKY a ten thousand dollar donation from Sound Warehouse. “These kind of events say a lot to the surrounding community and differentiate us from any competitors,” Dean explains. A pretty solid

effort, especially from a closet Yankee fan! Everybody comes out a winner; and speaking of winners, Dean offers up a motivating employee sales incentive plan where the latest winners get to head down to tour the Rockford Fosgate headquarters and watch some Spring

training baseball. Informative, educational AND they get to recharge their batteries in the surrounding nightlife! You gotta love —“WINNING!”

:When asked how he merchandises his store, Dean explains “I put as much inventory on the floor as I can. It can’t look messy, but people want to be able to walk into a store and see for themselves exactly all you have to offer them. Then I make sure to have a connected unit, of everything, ready to play for them because the next thing they’re going to want is to hear how it sounds. I also take advantage of everything Rockford has available to me. Banners, floor mats, neon signs, posterboards…the more imagery the better. The clothing sends the message home too. People tend to think we are a Rockford store, but it all helps sell the product. We even have a couple of great pop-up tents for our events we go out to. Those, plus using the RF SoundLab sprinter van at events, gets people going.”

:Dean seems to be going strong with no sign of slowing down. This model retailer exemplifies the same car audio passion we have at Rockford Fosgate. Since both have been involved in audio components since the ‘70s, Dean and RF can stand together as true authentic originals. As Dean likes to say, “Doin’ it right, since ’79!”

“I think our involvement in the community and being out at events let us connect with our customers better than anyone else.” Dean states.

Model close-outs, discontinued iteMs and soMe specials are liMited to stock on hand and May include deMos. prices Guaranteed thru 9/22/10

car audio • mobile video • automotive security / safety / remote start • navigation & more

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the rockford fosgate: sound lab / pressure chamberover 10,000 watts of body pounding power and speakers

enter to win $500.00 in rockford fosgate productsorem location friday may 21st, 10:00am - 2:00 pmsalt lake location friday may 21st, 3:00pm - 7:00pmogden location saturday may 22nd, 4:00pm - 7:00pmbar-b-queenter 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. ogden

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slc 2763 s. state: 485-0070 se hablaespañol • ogden 2822 Wall ave: 621-0086 • orem 1680 n. state: 226-6090

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check out page three for more current specialswww.soundWarehouseutah.com


HOWTOBUILD A SUBWOOFERENCLOSURE TRIM PANEL

TIP: This same easy to build enclosure trim panel can also be applied to any RF pre-loaded enclosure or pre-fab box.

We have been putting the DIY enclosure, from our last issue of VOLUME, to good use. We even finished it by wrapping it with charcoal grey carpet to match the trunk’s existing interior and integrated acrylic diamond ‘R’. For this article we decided to bring back this project and take the already custom sized enclosure, but really give it custom looking fit.

3

6

4

7

5

8

1 2

NOTE: If being performed on an existing install the subwoofers will need to be removed from the enclosure before you begin.

With the enclosure in place, start by transferring the vehicles contours to your chipboard making a template. Repeat for opposite side. NOTE: Some vehicles may require additional templates.

Cut out your templates and return them to the vehicle. With your templates in place measure the distance across. Now a piece can be made to fill the distance between.

Fit your trim panel back in the vehicle and make any modifications by sanding or cutting the edges to achieve a snug fit.

Take your template to the sheet of 1/4” MDF and trace it onto the wood.

Make the opening for the subs by first cutting small openings in the trim panel that align with the enclosure openings and trace from the inside. NOTE: Traced openings need to increase to include subwoofer mounting flange/trim ring diameters.

Cut out your trim panel, cutting just outside of your traced line. NOTE: This will leave room for fine adjustments.

Multiple opening shapes can now be cut out (Flush, Pill, Offset…be creative). Finish by covering in any desired material.

Position enclosure and secure in place. NOTE: It may be necessary to space the enclosure up to center in the trunk opening.

Supplies:1/4” Sheet of MDF, chip board or cardboard, coarse thread countersunk head screws, pencil and tape

Tools: drill, 1/8” drill bit, countersink bit,and a jigsaw

Why has Rockford Fosgate maintained the highest reputation for quality, even after all these years? Because

of the dedication, hard work and constant product testing with user feedback. What better way to get feedback than use our own employees as lab rats! We’ve been running a program here at RF continually testing new and prototype products before they go to market. I’m talking testing in conditions that the average user will never have to deal with. Hot and cold temperatures, heavy and over-usage, and crazy output levels! Believe it or not, we actually hook our amps and speakers up incorrectly on purpose, just to see how they will perform. All

this testing, along with continuous engineering, allow us to continue to develop products that work right, and work for you.

One of the latest lab rats was one of our in-house engineers. Typical of many consumers, he drives a car with a centralized media/data center. These ‘brains’ of many vehicles nowadays come equipped with Bluetooth integration, GPS and much more. We tapped into his BMW’s MOST system with a recently introduced mObridge DA2 that feeds signal to our 3sixty.3 interactive signal processor. This top dropin’ hotrod didn’t come equipped with ample space for subwoofers,

RF Team Member - Engineering

3Sixty GUI - Interactive Tuning Software

mObridge MOST system interface

Why has Rockford Fosgate maintained the highest this testing, along with continuous engineering, allow us to

RF Team Member - Engineering

c o n t i n u e d > >

so our magician installers chose P3 shallow subwoofers to work in such tight quarters. Mounting amplifiers presented a similar issue, but the compact Punch Boosted Rail amplifiers easily hid in a side compartment along with the 3Sixty.3. With the installation now complete, time to unleash the unsurpassed tuning power of the 3Sixty. To really dial in the sound, a six-microphone array along with the Rockford Technical Testing Institute tuning system was put to use…Yes! Being one of the RF gurus has its perks! The BMW’s improved output levels were measured, then recorded for comparison information and future use on the RATS site.

Speaking of rats and comparison, Rockford has put together something completely new, RATS… or Rockford Amplified Tuned Systems. This section of our website gives you super detailed comparison information on RF bass systems. You can compare Prime vs. Punch items, 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…for FREE! It’s almost too easy. Why do we go through all this trouble to bring you this kind of information? Because ‘Easy St.’ has never once showed up on our map, and besides we have a reputation and name to stand behind…it’s called ROCKFORD FOSGATE!

RF Team Member - Sales2010 Honda Civic

rats.rockfordfosgate.com

RF Team Member - Engineering2010 Toyota Camry

RF Team Member - Marketing/New Products2010 Honda CRV

RF Team Member - Test Development2001 Nissan Maxima

Test Connection Console

About a 20 minute drive from my lab, over on Rockford Drive

in Tempe, Arizona, is the world headquarters of Rockford

Fosgate. These folks live, breathe and sleep car audio. If

you have ever read any of Rockford Fosgate’s marketing

materials, they talk a lot about passion for the car audio

lifestyle, and it’s true. Their engineers have systems in

their daily drivers, and through daily use by these fanatics,

new products are conceived, prototyped, developed, and

as often as not, become production products that you

and I can buy for our own rides. Just such a product is

the Power series of amplifiers, and in this review we’re

going to take a look at the biggest dog on the block, the

T1000-4ad.

FEATURESThe Rockford Fosgate T1000-4ad is a four channel Class

D full range amplifier that was developed by Rockford’s

in-house enthusiasts to be their concept of the best-

performing full-range Class D amplifier possible. The

patent pending “ad” topology uses something Rockford

calls “Dynamic Frequency Switching” to provide the

best possible performance. Additional feedback is used

after the output inductors to further reduce unwanted

switching noise, and provide a clean musical output

signal. The amp is rated at 250 watts x 4 into 4 or 2

ohms, or 500 watts x 2 when bridged into 4 or 2 ohms.

In addition, the T1000-4ad employs some old school

circuitry too, the famed Punch EQ circuit is on board

for all four channels, and brings the same sort of

acoustic corrections to your car in 2011 that made

them famous in 1985. For those who like to tweak as

they drive, a remote mounted Punch EQ module is

available separately. Front and rear high and low pass

crossovers are adjustable from 50 to 500Hz, and the

slopes are -24dB per octave.

This is the biggest four channel model in the Power series

line, but it’s still quite manageable from a size perspective

at 14.9” x 8.1” x 2.4”. All of the connections and controls

are conveniently located on the long front side of

the amp, to simplify

installation and setup. It’s a hefty

piece too, weighing in at just over

12 pounds.

Inside the T1000-4ad, you’ll find

typical Rockford Fosgate build quality

and high performance components.

The amplifier uses 0% tolerance surface

mount parts throughout, and clever construction

details like vertically-placed daughter boards not only

add circuit real estate space to the relatively compact

amplifier, they also provide critical shielding to the

sensitive audio input section. High current TO-220

MOSFET devices are used in both the power supply

and the output stage. The inside of the amplifier is

jammed with high tech, precision components, and a

very intelligent layout, but I was somewhat appalled

at the slipshod way great gobs of silicone was used

to help secure the heavier components. The use of

silicone adhesive is a great idea, but I’d think it could

be applied in a much neater fashion. On the other hand,

there is no negative effect other than the cosmetic

appearance of the inside of the amp, and since most

people will never look inside one of these amplifiers, it

may not matter.

LISTENING

In my reference system I wired the T1000-4ad so it drove

my components with the front channels and a pair of

4 ohm 12” woofers was bridged to the rear channels.

After setting the crossovers and gain controls, I sat

down to see if the Rockford engineering team still had

their chops. Almost immediately I realized there was

no question, the T1000-4ad sounded great on the first

track. For this session I began with some classic rock

from Aerosmith, Deep Purple and Rush, and when I

realized the amplifier had way more power than my

speakers (or ears) would safely handle, I changed

things up to some classical tracks and concentrated

on the “feel” of the music. The T1000-4ad is a

very transparent sounding amp, adding almost no

character of its own to the music. Quiet details like

a singer’s breathing, or the sense of motion on the

Text and Measurements by Garry Springgay; published by PAS Magazine

33 VOLUME 4.0

soundstage

were reproduced with

surprising realism. Musical timbre, or

how well the amp allows you to hear the difference

between a Taylor and a Takamine was also surprisingly

good. Bass was incredibly tight, articulate, and seemed

effortless even at high volume. But let’s face it – this

amp is really about power, and lots of it. I ran the amp as

hard as I dared and it never showed any sign of strain.

My woofers would have tapped out before this amp

ever got close.

MEASUREMENTSOn the test bench, the amplifier easily exceeded all

the specifications published in the owner’s manual,

the amp actually made 286 watts per channel into 4

ohms. I noticed that when the amplifier is switched

into low pass mode, there is about 3.5dB of additional

gain added, but as long as you set your gains after

making the crossover adjustments, it shouldn’t be

an issue. That one minor glitch aside, the actual

audio performance of the T1000-4ad was brilliant.

It did get quite warm during testing, so if you are

going to run one of these brutes hard, make sure it’s

installed in a way to optimize the cooling. The amp

is very efficient however, so at least the majority of

the power consumed isn’t simply wasted as heat.

CONCLUSIONIf you need a powerful four channel amplifier and

nothing you’ve seen seems like it’s quite enough,

you need to check out a T1000-4ad. Designed

by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, and built like

the proverbial brick outhouse, once again the

Rockford Fosgate team has developed an

amplifier capable of satisfying even the most

demanding user. The company tagline used to

be: “For those who think too much is just right.”

Yes indeed.

TECHNICAL DATAThe following power measurements

were obtained using industry standard

methods. (1kHZ @ 1.0% THD+N - Battery

voltages shown +/- 0.2V)

MEASURED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS

Actual Measured Power

@ 1.0% THD+N @ 12.6V BatteryActual Measured Power

@ 1.0% THD+N @ 14.4V Battery

232 x 4 @ 4 Ω286 x 4 @ 4 Ω

308 x 4 @ 2 Ω328 x 4 @ 2 Ω

316 x 4 @ 1 Ω343 x 4 @ 1 Ω

624 x 2 @ 4 Ω642 x 2 @ 4 Ω

635 x 2 @ 2 Ω657 x 2 @ 2 Ω

Manufacturers Rated Power

250 x 4 @ 4 Ω

250 x 4 @ 2 Ω

250 x 4 @ 1 Ω

500 x 2 @ 4 Ω

500 x 2 @ 2 Ω


Erik “Fido” Westgaard is from a small village of Tynset, Norway, a mere 130 kilometers (2

hours) south of Trondheim. He has been into car audio for several years and has designed systems for his fellow fanatics.

Erik’s baby is a “1996 Seat Ibiza” painted Volvo R-red with red pearl and trimmed with black paint and red pearl. The system has undergone continual improvement since he purchased the car new – with the current version starting the summer of 2010 – and accumulated a whopping 3,000+ hours to construct the masterpiece.

The Ibiza is equipped with a 1.8L Audi A3 engine featuring Seat/Audi wiring. A larger intercooler and custom intercooler-pipes provide a whopping 180HP. Exhaust is made from 2.5” diameter stainless steel connected to a Focuz muffler. EBC Brakes were acquired from a VW Golf VR6 with modified styling from Seidl.

The body kit was adapted to fit the 19” wheels, with custom side skirts and front/rear bumpers. The front of the hood was welded to fit the new custom fenders, clear glass headlights and direction lights pulled from an original VW Polo 4. Side mirrors originate from an F1 formula car. The rear was also upgraded with Race Sport Lexus-style lights, a custom rear hatch, and shaved rear door handles. The only original pieces are the side directional lights and window clean jets. The interior is all hand-made and the trunk is detailed with paint, leather, glass and red neon.

35 VOLUME 4.0

A different source unit and preamp deliver tunes to a welded amp rack containing two Power T600-4 Widow Maker amps driving the front/rear stage. Two additional Power T1500-1bdCP Candy amps drive a T1D212 subwoofer delivering tremendous bass that judges all over Europe love! All cables, connectors and power distribution are Rockford Fosgate.

The car is a 5x Norwegian champion (3x runner up) and has represented Norway at the European finals. With a total of 96 trophies – including several from Sweden and Denmark - Erik owns one of the most winning cars in Europe! Special thanks to Trond & Stig from “AutoHiFi“, the Authorized Rockford Fosgate Distributor in Norway.

37 VOLUME 4.0

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volume 4.0

Documents

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rockford fosgate experience

ad test review

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trim panel test review

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tempe arizona

solutionbased amplifiers