LESCO Distributing Now Stocking PowerBass In Orange City and Miami Florida Locations

Posted on October 3, 2023 by 12VoltNews in Industry News.

ORANGE CITY FL (10.04.23) LESCO Distributing, now in addition to South Bend IN and Carrollton TX locations, is stocking PowerBass in Orange City (Orlando) and Miaimi facilities to further support the PowerBass Line.

“The Orange City team has met with Jeff Falk, National Sales Manager and area rep Neilson Pierantoni to familiarize ourselves with the strengths and depth of the Powerbass Autosound and Extreme Lines. Lots of opportunities are anticipated with the broad selection of OEM upgrade speakers, SoundBars, Loaded Enclosures, Powersports amps and speakers as well as the great price points and opportunities throughout the line” Neil Brookmyer, LESCO Distributing Merchandise Manager, stated.

Pictured below outside the Orange City location with a PowerBass SoundBar are (LtoR) Nelson Pierantoni-Tristar Marketing, Jeff Falk-PowerBass National Sales Manager, Marvin Wells-Lesco Sales, Scott Austin-Lesco Orange City Sales Manager, Rad Bolt-Lesco Sales, Neil Brookmyer-Lesco Merchandise Manager and Carlos Gonzalez-Lesco Sales.

For more see Lescodistributing.com and powerbassusa.com

Tint World Introduces Dynamic New Ownership Team at Charlotte Location

Posted on October 3, 2023 by 12VoltNews in Industry News.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Oct. 4, 2023 —Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™, a leading auto accessory and window tinting franchise, introduces a new ownership team at the National Automotive Styling Centers™ franchise location in Charlotte.

With new owners Zach Cohen and Zach Nussbaum, Tint World Charlotte continues delivering premium automotive products and services, including window tint, automotive paint protection film, audio and video, electronics, and safety and security solutions, throughout the state’s largest metropolitan area.

“With Tint World’s world-class franchise systems, we’re continuing to grow this location and enhancing the Tint World brand in the region,” Cohen said. “The company has enjoyed spectacular success in North Carolina by offering a complete range of services for a wide variety of drivers. We’re committed to maintaining Tint World’s position as the go-to automotive service provider in the Charlotte area and building the brand across the state.”

Tint World Charlotte, located at 6331 South Boulevard, Charlotte, North Carolina 28217, serves the Charlotte, Concord, Rock Hill, Gastonia, Cornelius, Huntersville, Kannapolis, Matthews, Hickory, Monroe and Salisbury areas as well as High Point and Burlington. To book an appointment, request a quote, or find out more about the store and its products and services, call (704) 603-6121 or visit https://www.tintworld.com/locations/nc/charlotte-032/.

“Zach Cohen and Zach Nussbaum are an experienced team that has led a very successful transition at Tint World Charlotte,” said Charles J. Bonfiglio, president and CEO of Tint World. “They’ve implemented our proven franchise processes to ensure Tint World remains the trusted automotive aftermarket provider in the area, and that’s opened exciting new opportunities to grow and offer value for more drivers and enthusiasts.”

Tint World Automotive Styling Centers offer sales and installation of auto accessories, mobile electronics, audio video equipment, security systems, custom wheels and tire packages, window tinting, vehicle wraps, paint protection films, detailing services, nano ceramic coatings, maintenance and repair services, and more. Tint World is also the leading provider of residential, commercial and marine computerized window tinting and security film services with locations throughout the U.S. and abroad, with franchise opportunities available worldwide.

Paragon Sales & Marketing Hosted A Sunday Advanced Audio Training Class

Posted on October 2, 2023 by 12VoltNews in Featured.

ONTARIO CA (10.03.23) Paragon Sales & Marketing hosted an advanced audio training class on Sunday, October 1st, in the company’s Ontario location.

Under than name of SoundFix, Wayne Smedile-Paragon Sales & Marketing, Joseph Norton-Musway Tech Support & training along with Justin Zazzi-Harman Audio Engineer conducted the event.

Attendees engaged on their laptops making Q adjustment in the Paragon facility in Ontario CA.

“We wanted to offer an opportunity for industry members to take a deep dive into aspects of audio fundamentals. Sunday’s class was a hands on interactive application of using EQ filters. Attendees were required to bring their own laptop to perform the applications. This 3-hour class was narrow in focus, but provided the dozen people who attended with an experience they can apply every time they are making Equalizer adjustments” Smedile related.

Wayne Smedile (L), Principal Paragon Sales, with Cliff Johnson from Reus Systems who has been designing and installing high quality systems for many years.

Norton offered “The session dove into how to apply different filters using less bands of EQ. Everyone has heard of Q but not so many fully understand how to properly implement it. I admit that I used to just throw in Q adjustments to see if it would help but didn’t really know what the result would be until after applying it. This workshop showed attendees what the result would be before it was actually applied to the DSP.”

Joseph Norton, Musway, found the magic EQ curve.

“Cliff Johnson, with Reus Systems in Orange CA, is definitely an industry veteran and it was terrific to see him at the training. When it comes to appreciating great sound it never gets to old” Smedile added.

Justin Zazzi spent time around the room observing attendees as they were applying various adjustments.

A large monitor displayed actual Q adjustments being made.

“This was a trial event to gauge the interest in the community on learning the foundations of tuning broken down into smaller segments. Based on the results we believe we will be doing more of these sessions in the near future” Smedile concluded.

Look for future SoundFix classes on the Facebook group (coming soon.) These are live, in person events open to the public, sound competitors, and audio industry professionals.

For more visit paragonsalesreps.com

Tint World® Named to Franchise Times Top 400

Posted on October 2, 2023 by 12VoltNews in Industry News.

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Oct. 3, 2023 – Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™, a leading auto accessory and window tinting franchise, has been named to the exclusive annual Franchise Times Top 400.

The Franchise Times Top 400 ranks the largest U.S.-based franchise systems by global systemwide sales. The project is the result of a five-month research and reporting effort that leads to the most credible and objective franchise ranking available. This is Tint World’s seventh consecutive appearance on the list and 11^th ranking overall.

Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™, a leading auto accessory and window tinting franchise, has been named to the exclusive annual Franchise Times Top 400 for the seventh consecutive year.

“The Tint World corporate staff and our franchisees around the world have gone above and beyond to achieve this ranking year in and year out,” said Charles J. Bonfiglio, president and CEO of Tint World. “Our quality products and world-class service set Tint World apart, and our proven franchise systems empower franchisees to become the go-to provider in their territories. That’s what drives the exceptional growth we enjoy and helps us continue to lead the market.”

Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™ offer sales and installation of auto accessories, mobile electronics, audio video equipment, security systems, custom wheels and tire packages, window tinting, vehicle wraps, paint protection films, detailing services, nano ceramic coatings, maintenance and repair services, and more. Tint World® is also the leading provider of residential, commercial and marine computerized window tinting and security film services with locations throughout the U.S. and abroad, with franchise opportunities available worldwide.

2014-2021 Lexus GX460

Posted on October 2, 2023 by 12VoltNews in Industry News.

Designed for the Lexus GX460 with factory navigation, the new ITZ-GX-A is compatible with models from 2014 through 2021, equipped with factory navigation.

In the new GX kit, the customer can use the factory mic and Bluetooth (for phone calls) while retaining the factory audio quality. Additionally, it supports Siri and Google Assistant, for voice commands, and it has a front and rear camera input, USB playback, and mirroring capability. The ITZ-GX-A gives ZZ2 a solution for most Lexus models between 2014 and 2021.

ITZ-GX-A retails for $850 and is currently available. A three-year warranty is included with it as part of our standard ZZ2 warranty.

CLICK HERE to watch the ITZ-GX-A demo video. You can find more details about it on our website.

If you would like more information about ZZ2 solutions or would like to become an authorized dealer, please contact our sales team at 929-220-1212 or by email at sales@zz-2.com.

WEBSITE:

www.zz-2.com

EMAIL:

sales@zz-2.com

Phone:

929-220-1212 ext. 1 for sales

SINGLE-DAY SEMA FEST TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE

Posted on October 1, 2023 by 12VoltNews in Featured.

DIAMOND BAR, Calif. (Oct. 2, 2023) – Single-day tickets for SEMA Fest, a full-throttle festival that fuses motorsports, music, and car culture, are now available at www.semafest.com. Taking place November 3-4 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, SEMA Fest is hosted by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), producers of the SEMA Show, the world’s leading automotive trade show held annually in Las Vegas.

SEMA Fest brings together some of the biggest names in music across the gamut of rock, hip-hop, and pop and the hottest automotive brands and their enthusiasts in a large-scale festival format. In addition to the world-class music programming, the event will feature a full slate of immersive automotive lifestyle events, a consumer marketplace, world-class drifting, motorsports competitions, freestyle motocross, BMX demos, and more.

Single-day tickets for SEMA Fest, a full-throttle festival that fuses motorsports, music, and car culture, are now available at www.semafest.com.

“The SEMA Show and SEMA Fest are two separate events that help maintain the integrity of the SEMA Show that makes it a must-attend event for automotive professionals,” said SEMA President & CEO Mike Spagnola. “SEMA Fest enables automotive enthusiasts and music fans to be a part of the SEMA Show experience through a one-of-a-kind festival that promotes the automotive lifestyle.”

The daily SEMA Fest musical lineup:

Friday, November 3 • Incubus• Wiz Khalifa• Third Eye Blind• Bush• Ludacris• Chase Matthew• Rome & Duddy• Ayron Jones• Bones UK• Starcrawler• Paper Idol

Saturday, November 4• Imagine Dragons• AJR• Walk The Moon• The Struts• Badflower• Meg Meyers• Dead Sara• renforshort• Brooke Alex• Hot Crazy• Good Boy Daisy• The Foxies

SEMA Fest is open to the public and is part of SEMA Week, which kicks off with the 2023 SEMA Show on October 31-November 3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information, visit www.semafest.com or www.semashow.com.

Joseph Norton and Musway Win Big At The California State Finals

Posted on October 1, 2023 by 12VoltNews in Industry News.

VACAVILLE CA (10.02.23) It was a very good weekend for Musway the weekend of September 23rd and 24th at the California State Finals in Vacaville.

The event was held at the ADi HQ and presented by Papasin Sound for WCA (West Coast Audiophiles), EMMA and IASCA competition formats. Twenty-six unique competitors from Arizona, California and Nevada participated in the judging lanes for the three organizations. 12volt manufacturers ARC Audio, Morel America, TRU Technology and U.S. Acoustics each brought to the event unique and meaningful contributions for the car audio community.

Joseph Norton was all smiles as the Musway Ride was being judged and accepting the 1st Place EMMA Trophy from Linda Kobayashi and 1st Place IASCA Trophy from Richard Papasin.

Joseph Norton, with Global Audio Marketing in the Musway ride, took home 1st Place wins in all 3 formats…WCA, EMMA and IASCA. Norton’s ride even placed 10th in the Top Sounding Vehicles of the show competition.

During the awards presentation in the ADi showroom Joseph Norton is pictured with Richard Papasin receiving the WCA 1st Place Trophy.

“I’m grateful for Linda and Richard plus all the judges and sponsors that not only make these events happen but make them so welcoming with so much fun for newcomers. Every event is so open and enjoyable that all hang out with staff, sponsors and competitors” Norton related.

Judges for the 2023 West Coast Finale event (LtoR) Nick Adams-WCA, Cassie Hall-WCA, Mike Myers-WCA, Fred Lynch-WCA, Richard Papasin-IASCA and Linda Kobayashi-EMMA USA.

In their inaugural year Papasin Sound set out to provide the car audio community with high caliber experienced at car audio events. Papasin Sound’s mission statement states their primary focus is putting first to bring car audio enthusiasts together and providing what the car audio community needs to thrive and grow. Their approach is to work closely with competition organizations, audio manufacturers, retail shops, teams and individuals while emphasizing that each plays a vital role for a thriving car audio community and 12volt industry.

The 12volt Central Studios welcomes and thanks Papasin Sound for their contributions to the 12volt industry.

For more email mrpapasin@gmail.com

Tint World® adds fifth New York location with New Hyde Park

Posted on October 1, 2023 by 12VoltNews in Industry News.

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y. — Oct. 2, 2023 — Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™, a leading auto accessory and window tinting franchise, continues their expansion in New York with a new Long Island store located in New Hyde Park.

Owned by Ed and Yasmine Rosovich, Tint World New Hyde Park extends the national franchise’s lineup of premium aftermarket solutions and services to even more drivers in the area, offering paint protection films, the latest in security enhancements, industry-leading window tinting, marine products, custom audio and video upgrades, detailing services and more.

“After spending almost 20 years in law enforcement and security, I wanted to diversify and add a fun, lucrative business to my portfolio,” Rosovich said. “Tint World immediately stood out to me as the only choice for someone passionate about vehicles. They have a proven business model and world-class product catalog, and I knew right away the brand would be recognizable. Drivers throughout New Hyde Park, Queens, Garden City and other local communities can depend on us to provide the right solution for their needs and deliver professional service and installation during every visit.”

Rosovich came to Tint World seeking a franchise opportunity that merged his passion for automobiles with a clearly demonstrated pattern of success. Prior to opening Tint World New Hyde Park, he founded and built his own security company after serving nearly 15 years for the New York City Police Department.

“As someone who grew up in New York, it’s always special to me when we add another location to the city,” said Charles J. Bonfiglio, president and CEO of Tint World. “Ed is a perfect culture fit for Tint World, and we have no doubt that having a former member of New York’s finest at the helm will serve his team well. Our franchise system is built to reward those who trust and lean into our proven, repeatable processes and marketing engine. With Ed’s strong work ethic, determination to succeed and business savvy as a security entrepreneur, Tint World New Hyde Park is already on the path to become another standout location in our rapidly growing company.”

Tint World New Hyde Park, located at 420 Hillside Ave, New Hyde Park, NY 11040, serves the New Hyde Park, Queens, Elmont, Roslyn, Garden City, Mineola and Floral Park areas. To book an appointment, request a quote, or find out more about the store and its products and services, call (516) 402-3031 or visit https://www.tintworld.com/locations/ny/new-hyde-park-165/.

Builds_By_Paul Wins Maximum Power Prize on The 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel 239

Posted on September 30, 2023 by 12VoltNews in Featured.

SHREVEPORT LA (09.30.23) WTF…Win This Friday. Builds_By_Paul won the Maximum Power prize on the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel 239 on Friday morning, September 29th.

The 12volt Spin-to-Win Wheel was created to bring an element of fun to the 12volt industry. The weekly 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel is now spinning in Year 5.

The 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel rolled for 239th time on Friday morning September 29th. The Wheel landed on the Maximum Power space and the Builds_By_Paul slip was drawn from the jar. An Instagram post of the winning slip was posted. A video of the wheel spin was also posted.

We reached out to the lucky winning retailer in Litchfield AZ to let them know a Maximum Power 4 AWG Amp Kit prize will be headed their way. We sent an Instagram message to Paul Cabinatan with the super news.

Spinning out a winner each Friday, a lucky 12volt retailer can win a cool prize and top brands receive visibility across the marketplace.

12volt brands with a space on the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel include Kicker, NavAtlas, SiriusXM, PowerBass, CRUX, JBL, AlloyGator, Kenwood, JVC, SD Lighting, Nakamichi, Alphasonik, Race Sport Lighting and Maximum Power. 12volt News $100. cash awards have spaces on the 12volt Spin-To-Wheel for the winning 12volt retailer.

Past winners of the 12volt Spin-To-Win include…Stereo & Video Center-Tyler TX, The Outlaw Garage-Franklin TN, Exotic Sounds-West Palm Beach FL, Endless Possibilities-Aurora IL., Go Auto Sound in Union City NJ, Al&Ed’s South Bay CA, No Limitz Car Audio in Upland CA, Neil’s Specialty-Eureka CA, Sturgess Customs-Lexington SC, Audio By Art-San Antonio TX, SMS Car Audio in Marreo LA and Sweet Wheelz in Mississauga Ontario Canada, Cartronics in Biscayne FL, The CarAudio Shop in St Louis MO, Exotic Sounds in West Palm Beach FL, High North Customs in Grand Prairie Alberta Canada and AMS Audio in Bakersfield CA, Team QRT in Abbeyville LA and California Sound in Fontana CA and Jackie Cooper Electronics, Oklahoma City OK, MARS Audio-Orlando FL, All American Audio in Nutley NJ, Proline Car Stereo in Brooklyn NY, Custom Shop Miami, Tunes and Tint in Lakeland FL, Mobile Concepts Inc in Mokena IL, Seismic Auto Sound in Concord CA, Brooklyn Car Audio in Brooklyn NY, Audio Solutions in Florence MS, Enhanced Customs in Largo FL, Rayco Auto Clinic, Audio Design in San Jose CA, Go Bass Mode in Florida, Avenue Sound in Freeport NY, Audio Plus in Riverview FL, Stereo Zone in Whittier CA, In-Phase Car Audio in Omaha NE, AutoLife Group, N&H Electronics, SK Customs, Land & Sea, The Audio One, NC Custom Shop,Tint World Orlando, Ricky Smith’s Audio, VIP Custom Woks, Mobile Audio Concepts, Audio Lad, Sound Sensations, Dave’s Stereo, Stereo Design, Badlands Customs, Custom Audio-Erie PA, Voltz Autosports-Bridgeport CT, Infinity Sound and Security-Kissimmee, Autosport Plus-Canton OH, Stereo City Pros in Carmichael CA, Devine Concepts in Naples FL, The Sound Shop in Indian Trail NC, Extreme Performance Audio in Fresno CA, Audio Depot in Arlington TX, Audio Security in Houston TX, Earmark Car Audio and Marine in Lewisville TX, Audio Jam in Bear DE, Stereo City Ontario, Ontario CA, Audio By Art, San Antonio TX, Code Zero Customs in Tulsa OK, Ken’s Car Tunes in Mobile AL, Soundz Plus in Naperville IL, Markland Designs in Lithonia GA, Electronics Plus in Salinas CA, Xtreme Autosports in Santa Clarita CA, Superior Audio Sounds in San Angelo TX, Model Electronics in Ramsey NJ, Texas Dreamz Customs in Spring TX, Wired Electronics in Linden NJ and Intense Car Audio in OKC, OK, Underground Auto in Sarasota FL, Car Toys Tulsa in Tulsa OK, Real Audio in Erie PA, Go Autosound in Union NJ, DFM Stereo in Ukiah CA, Impact Tint and Audio in Tyler TX, Mobile Sound Systems in Arlington TX, Redline Audio and Performance In Spindale NC, Car Audio Land in San Diego CA, Audio X Custom Car Audio in Florence AL, River Oaks Car Stereo in Houston TX, American Radio Orlando in Sanford FL, Illustrious Customs in Woodbridge VA, Remote Start Pros in Lawrence MA, HiPro Audio in Victoria TX, AudioPlanetNY in Huntington Station NY, Endless Possibilities in Aurora IL, Audio Finesse in Santa Monica, Drive Customs in San Luis Obispo CA, Custom Works, Noblesville IN, AtoZ Detail in West Haven CT, Cars 843 in Charleston SC, CarTunes Atlanta in Atlanta GA, Mobile Concepts in Garwood NJ, Duke’s Car Stereo in Flint MI, Infinity Auto Sound, King Car Audio in Norwalk CT, PopTronics in Baltimore MD, Sanford Sound in Sanford ME, Angelvip2474 in Draper UT, Dynamic Car Audio in Baltimore MD, Hi-Pro Audio in Victoria TX, Car Stereo Max in Houston, Pro Audio Center in Richland MS, Rhodes Off-Roads in Farmington MO, Model Electronics in Ramsey NJ, Class A Sounds in Athens OH. Just Audio Video in North Providence RI, CT_Custom in Philadelphia, Audio Solutions in Florence MS and The Audio Shop RC in Rapid City SD, DG Motorsportz in High Point NC, ST Mobile in Texarkana TX, AR Custom OC in Orange CA, Temecula Mobile Sound in Temecula CA, Unique Auto Sound in Lindenhurst NY, D’s Garage in Corona CA and DS2 Mobile Solutionz in Tomball TX, C G Car Audio in Kissimmee FL, California Audio in West Valley City UT and The Action Audio Store in Wethersfield CT, Eclipse Car Audio in Vancouver WA, Electronics Depot Car Audio in Altamonte Springs FL. Car Audio Garage in Pearland TX, Pinnacle Autosound in Lake City FL, J H Audio in Bowling Green VA, The Car Audio Shop StL in High Ridge MO, Anthonys Car Stereo in North Highlands CA, Flynn Audio in Middleton WI, Living Loud Car Audio in Pelham AL, Trail Star Audio in Minnesota, On The Spot Audio in Pennsauken NJ, Animated Car Audio in Essex MD, West Coast Car Audio in Citrus Heights CA, Modified Auto Sound in East Alton IL, Star Car Audio in Hermiston OR, VapeNAudio in Clovis CA, SoundWorks in Millersville MD Eclipse Car Audio in Vancouver WA, J A Custom Audio in Houston TX Jose Electronics in North Hills CA, Sound Proof Car Stereo in Douglasville GA, Auto Additions in Springfield IL, Elite Car Audio in Hollywood CA, Masters Car Stereo in Greenville SC, Audio Plus in Eden NC, Seismic AutoSound in Novato CA, Car Audio Addicts in Pittsburgh PA and AudioKing Tinting in Yakima WA, Arias Tint and Alarms in Duncanville TX, Odeh Car Audio in Gadsden AL, 12volt Specialist in Newark DE, Cutting Edge Audio in San Diego CA, Southern Auto Fab in Lafayette LA, California Sound in Fontana CA, Big Boyz Toyz in Florence SC, 740 Audio in Athens OH and 12volt Outfitters in Hollywood FL., High Quality Auto Sound, Lawrence MA, Custom Car Stereo SC in Spartanburg SC, Zier Box in Dallas TX, Maximum in Manville NJ, Audio Car Stereo in Miami FL, Mach 1 Audio in Washington MO, Doren Car Stereo in Queens Village NY, Side-x-Side Audio in South Charleston WV, Sound Concept in Nanuet NY, Pda Road Gear in Littleton CO and A-Plus Audio and Tinting Newington CT, Audio Electronics in Indianapolis IN, Tint and Sound in Frederick MD, Tint World Wilmington DE, VIP Autoworks in Mentor OH, All Out Audio in Killeen TX, Yong’s Audio in Indianapolis IN, Custom Audio Concepts in Lima OH, Clear Vibrations in Quakertown PA, The Outlaw Garage in Columbia TN, Xpert Car Audio in Layton UT, No Doubt Window Tint in Ardmore OK, San Diego Car Stereo in San Diego CA, Smart Audio in Lawrence MA, Car Audio One in Chula Vista CA, Audio Excellence in Orlando FL, Ultimate Sounds 1 in Wilmington NC, King Kong Custom Audio in Albuquerque NM. Manny’s Customs in Stockton CA, OD Car Audio in Pasco WA, Car Tunes on Line in Largo FL, INOV8 Audio in Houston TX, Kartel Mobile Electronics in Waterbury CT, Pro Auto Sound in Hialeah FL Mobile AVC in Brunswick ME, Fabulous Auto Alarms in Passaic NJ, Jimmy_Sound_System in Lawrence MA, American Audio Concepts in Houston TX, Arias Tint and Alarm in Duncanville TX, Big Papas Car Audio in Cincinnati OH, Houston Audio Lab in Houston TX, 901 Sound in Memphis TN, Kurtz Car Stereo in Traverse City MI, Sound By Stephen, Music In Motion in Alsip IL, Current Automotive Design in Sparta NJ, Prestige Sounds in Pompano Beach FL, Mobile AVC in Brunswick ME, Telza Audio in Columbia SC, Limelight Automotive in Webster NY, Victory Lap Auto Restyling East Moline IL and Unique Audio VA in Lorton VA.

Congratulations to all.

WTF… Where’s The Fun……On the next spin of the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel… on Friday, October 6th.

2023 West Coast Finale

Posted on September 28, 2023 by 12VoltNews in Featured.

VACAVILLE, CA (09.29.23) – The 2023 West Coast Finale event, titled “2023 WCA Finals, EMMA California State Finals, IASCA CA/NV Last Chance Points” was held on Saturday, September 23 – Sunday, September 24 at ADi – Aegis Distribution Inc. in Vacaville, California. 26 unique competitors from Arizona, California and Nevada participated in the three organizations to compete for the “Best Sounding Vehicle” or BSV title exclusive to Sound Quality events officiated by Papasin Sound. With a three organization weighted average, competitors could see how their vehicle ranked among the other competitors. Mark Bruno was crowned the first West Coast Finale Regional BSV winner. Acrylic laser cut awards such as the BSV trophy sponsored and created by ADi, the host of the event.

*Best Sounding Vehicle Champion, Mark Bruno*

In their inaugural year, Papasin Sound set out to provide the car audio community with high caliber experiences at car audio events. Papasin Sound’s mission statement states their primary focus is putting community first to bring car audio enthusiasts together and providing what the car audio community needs to thrive and grow. Their approach is to work closely with competition orgs, audio manufacturers, retail shops, teams, and individuals while emphasizing that each plays a vital role for a thriving car audio community and industry. The 2023 West Coast Finale event included three orgs: West Coast Audiophiles (WCA), EMMA USA, and IASCA as well as support and sponsorship by 12 volt manufacturers: ARC Audio, Morel America, TRU Technology, and U.S. Acoustics. Each manufacturer brought to the event unique contributions that are meaningful and inspirational to the car audio community.

*Group picture of the sound quality competitors after awards*

ARC Audio is WCA’s sponsor for the John Fisher Champion’s Cup, a perpetual cup that is awarded to the highest scoring vehicle at WCA’s annual finale event. The cup is a tribute to John Fisher who passed away in 2017. He was one of the original members of WCA (when it was a team) and was also on Team ARC Audio. John won multiple World Championships across multiple orgs. ARC Audio’s sound quality team captain Brian Mitchell (who traveled with John to several of the World Championship runs) has been a staple presence in the Sound Quality community. What better way is there than for ARC Audio to be the sponsor for this special WCA perpetual champion’s cup John’s honor.

*The John Fisher West Coast Audiophiles Champion’s Cup sponsored by ARC Audio*

Morel America has been a tremendous supporter of Papasin Sound for the entire 2023 sound quality competition season. For the 2023 West Coast Finale event, they sponsored three Morel Hogtalare (MSRP ~$549 each) speakers for the Top 10 for the Best Sounding Vehicle. The intent was for two to be bundled together so that the prize winner can run them in stereo. So one competitor in the top 10 took a pair home and another took one. https://www.morelhifi.com/product/hogtalare

In addition Casey and Natasha Thorson of Morel America has helped Papasin Sound throughout this season by sponsoring the East Coast Audiophiles (ECA) launch event back in June 2023. Morel America will be the ECA sponsor for the Michael Silverman Champion’s Cup, a perpetual cup that will be awarded to the highest scoring vehicle at ECA’s annual finale event. The cup is a tribute to Michael Silverman who passed away in 2020.

For the majority of the 2023 season, TRU Technology has sponsored most of the WCA events by providing cash prize for the BSV (Best Sounding Vehicle). Whether they were large multi-org events, or smaller ones, TRU did so to help encourage competitors to join all the formats irrespective of organization. John Yi of TRU helped cement relationships and contributed to the SQ community. For 2023 West Coast Finale event, a TRU Technology L8-S line conditioner (https://www.trutechnology.com/line-8-v2) and $500 were among the top 10 prizes offered by TRU.

Mike and Lanna Nicholls of U.S. Acoustics have supported the California car audio community for years. For the 2023 season, U.S. Acoustics commitment to the SQ community was no different as they provided cash prize to the most improved competitor at several WCA shows including the 2023 West Coast Finale event as a way to encourage competitors to continually strive for excellence. Also provided by U.S. Acoustics was a U.S. Acoustics Barbara Ann amplifer as one of the top 10 prizes. https://usacousticsca.com/barbara-ann-4-channel-amplifier

*U.S. Acoustics Barbara Ann 4 channel amplifier*

WCA, a Papasin Sound SQ competition format, was judged by two West Coast and two East Coast judges. Nick Adams and Fred Lynch were the West Coast judges. Cassie Hall and Mike Myers were the East Coast judges. This offered competitors feedback from a wider variety of judges from different regions and a competition scoring using a four judge average. The WCA SQ competition format was designed to be complementary to other premier internationally recognized Sound Quality organizations such as EMMA and IASCA. By partnering with these organizations, this helps competitors to get points to qualify for the various orgs while also helping to provide additional feedback to prepare the competitors for competition in all orgs. The EMMA USA format was judged by Linda Kobayashi and IASCA format was judged by Richard Papasin. For the 2024 season, Papasin Sound is planning to expand to include Mobile Audio Sound Quality (MASQ) as part of their sound quality competition offerings.

*Judges for the 2023 West Coast Finale Event. From left to right: Nick Adams (WCA), Cassie Hall (WCA), Mike Myers (WCA), Fred Lynch (WCA), Richard Papasin (IASCA), Linda Kobayashi (EMMA USA)*

The two day event was the first of its kind to offer West Coast sound quality competitors a larger scale event that offered multi-org formats and top to bottom down ranking determined by 6 judges’ scoring and feedback. Papasin Sound is working to provide the same kind of high caliber experience to the East Coast with East Coast Audiophiles (ECA). In the 2024 season, both WCA and ECA will be running simultaneously with a culmination to respective regional and season finale events similar to the 2023 West Coast Finale event.