# What happened to Elite Car Audio?



## ghart999 (Feb 8, 2006)

did they go under? Website has been down for a few days now.


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## bumpnzx3 (Apr 6, 2007)

at first the home page wouldn't even come up. now, i can get the home page up- but nothing else.


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## f#1man (Aug 29, 2007)

Server probably crashed. It's happened before. Should be up and running in a few more days. They're using a really old forum template. Backup might be taking longer than expected.


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## Vestax (Aug 16, 2005)

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one here still checking out ECA. :blush:


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Vestax said:


> Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one here still checking out ECA. :blush:


I search there quite frequently


FWIW this guy would pwnt the guy in your avatar:


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## Vestax (Aug 16, 2005)

bikinpunk said:


> I search there quite frequently
> 
> 
> FWIW this guy would pwnt the guy in your avatar:


Yes he would.... in a ****-erotic mud-wrestling match. Otherwise, I have yet to find somebody on this forum to beat me on SF2 Hyper with Balrog. skylar, dingaling, alphakenny1 all have failed miserably.


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## ///Audience (Jan 31, 2007)

Vestax said:


> Yes he would.... in a ****-erotic mud-wrestling match. Otherwise, I have yet to find somebody on this forum to beat me on SF2 Hyper with Balrog. skylar, dingaling, alphakenny1 all have failed miserably.


its easy to throw up that challenge while your safely up in CA


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

BassBaller5 said:


> its easy to throw up that challenge while your safely up in CA


truth. I'll take Bison and pwnt you anyday of the week!


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## Vestax (Aug 16, 2005)

BassBaller5 said:


> its easy to throw up that challenge while your safely up in CA


Please. I hereby change my name to Richard Vestax Clark II and challenge anybody to a $10,000 SF2 challenge. I'll be removing all buttons from the controller and will beat you with just the joystick.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Vestax said:


> Please. I hereby change my name to Richard Vestax Clark II and challenge anybody to a $10,000 SF2 challenge. I'll be removing all buttons from the controller and will beat you with *just the joystick.*


That's cheating. Quit trying to trick us!


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## Griffith (Jul 10, 2008)

Sagat and my barrage of precisely timed upper and lower "tigers" will leave you all helpless.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

I'll give you more scars & you'll wear (2) eye patches.


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## Horsemanwill (Jun 1, 2008)

wow talk about jacking a thread


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## Rudeboy (Oct 16, 2005)

Horsemanwill said:


> wow talk about jacking a thread


Yup - jacking it right off


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

Vestax said:


> Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one here still checking out ECA. :blush:


I still search for threads and bring back some


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## Macklessdaddy (May 11, 2008)

I will mash all of you guys with Zangief


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## ghart999 (Feb 8, 2006)

The gheyness in this thread is overwhelming.


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## bumpnzx3 (Apr 6, 2007)

i like ECA just as much as this place. both have very knowledgable people- but also very different people (for the most part)


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## GlasSman (Nov 14, 2006)

bumpnzx3 said:


> i like ECA just as much as this place. both have very knowledgable people- but also very different people (for the most part)


Well that very well might be true.....

....but only if you use the _*search feature*_.

Which is *aweful* at best.


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## ghart999 (Feb 8, 2006)

I do like ECA as well, but they have their quirks too.

Audionutz over there made a bunch of ultra HQ audio discs for people last year, broken out by genre. Great stuff. It is my reference material fo sho.


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## bumpnzx3 (Apr 6, 2007)

yep- i have about 30 or so of steve's discs.


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## BobG (Dec 8, 2006)

f#1man said:


> Server probably crashed. It's happened before. Should be up and running in a few more days. They're using a really old forum template. Backup might be taking longer than expected.


Actually, I'd be willing to bet that the site owner, Brian, doesn't even know about it. It was down for 11 days last time until I was able to track down his brother. I'm done trying to contact the guy. That was probably the last you'll see of ECA unless he gets a wild hair up his ass and decides to check the forum a month from now.


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## mvw2 (Oct 2, 2005)

Vestax said:


> Yes he would.... in a ****-erotic mud-wrestling match. Otherwise, I have yet to find somebody on this forum to beat me on SF2 Hyper with Balrog. skylar, dingaling, alphakenny1 all have failed miserably.


I would.


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## wonderbug1 (Jul 28, 2007)

still down......anyone know what's up?


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## tristan20 (Nov 28, 2005)

http://www.dynamicautoacoustics.com/forum


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## dvflyer (May 11, 2007)

More specifically:

http://www.dynamicautoacoustics.com/forum/index.php?topic=32.0


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## ChrisB (Jul 3, 2008)

Even though they nerfed Guile in SF2, I had one of my friends who could beat just about anyone with Guile. Then again, he was a dork and could beat anyone with just about any character, but Guile was his favorite.....


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

I finally deleted the site out of my bookmarks yesterday. It was sad.


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## niceguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Wow....I got my first over-my-head explanation of reflections from Werewolf over there a number of years back but hadn't been back for a few years....

So all of that information/posts is gone, huh.....?


Jeremy


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## TXwrxWagon (Sep 26, 2008)

Several people with access have attempted to salvage various threads, stickies, etc... with limited success. 

I think unless the OP of the topic saved a copy in Word or something... most is lost in the DB/Server crash.

Perfect example of why no 1 person should have sole control over a huge board like that. Always need a backup plan, or at LEAST an authorized backup admin.

Rob


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## Mack (Jul 27, 2007)

It's a shame. There was a ton of info on that site, even if it was SPL oriented. Peoples successes with box sizes/port sizes etc.


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## Jimi77 (Jul 4, 2005)

Too bad about ECA, I liked that site. Steve Heads tutorials were great.


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## chadillac3 (Feb 3, 2006)

Mack said:


> It's a shame. There was a ton of info on that site, even if it was SPL oriented. Peoples successes with box sizes/port sizes etc.


Uhhh, ECA was not SPL oriented...it was all about sound quality. It was the precursor to this site.


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## Aaron Clinton (Oct 17, 2006)

*This is the reason I backup SSA constantly.

Sad to see ECA go.  *


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## starboy869 (Dec 16, 2006)

I thought it wouldve been backed up from time to time. Were is the admin to eca? Someone should call him to see what can be done in getting at least the backups.


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## TXwrxWagon (Sep 26, 2008)

Starboy, THAT was the problem!... the owners/admin were a non-involved group, as I understand it... I had heard it had crashed a couple times & the time before the last/final it took 2 weeks to get hold of them to resolve it...

Classic example of how when the originators/owner's are bored/done/move on to other things... helps to have back up admin/security holders.

Rob


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## vellocet (Nov 14, 2008)

For some reason my phone's ip is banned from eca and I do most of my browseing during work.


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## starboy869 (Dec 16, 2006)

What about google cache? I'm on my bb so I can't check?


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## Chuck (Jan 15, 2009)

I tried to get into Elite and got nothing but a white screen. I found this forum doing a search for my old audio pals at ECA. Nice of you guys to post up a thread I could find with Google. Better than breadcrumbs! 
I posted under the name "Talon" on the old forum, and I sold a lot of old school audio back in the day. Canton, RF, Proton, KEF, Concord, etc. 


Nice place you guys have here... wait till I get some posting privileges - the oldsters here might like some of the gear I'm going to post up FS.


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## wdemetrius1 (Aug 16, 2007)

Does anyone have access to Audionutz email or contact info. I would like to get some of his cds.


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## CAMSHAFT (Apr 7, 2006)

Steve at teamaudionutz dot com


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## wdemetrius1 (Aug 16, 2007)

Thanks.


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## brett (Apr 27, 2005)

out of curiosity, how many surviving members of eca do we have left here?


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## USS Enterprise (May 26, 2007)

There's a few. Some have changed usernames so I'm not sure exactly who is here. But I have recognized a few.


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## Jprice2708 (Feb 12, 2011)

I was a regular over there about 5 years ago (Aetherion). It was sad when I came back to car audio and found it was gone, there were some awesome tutorials.


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## SQ Audi (Dec 21, 2010)

I was known as OnYrMrk...ahhh those were the days...


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## tRidiot (Jun 29, 2006)

I was on there for years until I got into it with one of the mods who was an *******...

Funny... He later turned out to be a massive scammer. I laughed.


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## Mic10is (Aug 20, 2007)

Im here, Winslow, Matt Borgardt and Eric Stevens formerly of ID, Werewolf/Lycan, Audionutz
there are quite a few from ECA that are here now


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## audionublet (Jun 9, 2009)

Mic10is said:


> Im here, Winslow, Matt Borgardt and Eric Stevens formerly of ID, Werewolf/Lycan, Audionutz
> there are quite a few from ECA that are here now


Audionutz? hah, I just sent you an e-mail at your @ audionutz.com e-mail addy.


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## brett (Apr 27, 2005)

glad to hear that there are a handful left. i miss that site; it really opened up my eyes to a whole new level of audio. plus, it felt much smaller and more community oriented. i knew that if i posted a thread, that at least 5 regulars would be good to post replies within the day giving me the information i needed. this site is great, but with over 40k members, sometimes asking for advice is like screaming for help at the bottom of the ocean! plus, i always wanted to go to marv's bbq's; does he still have em?


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## St. Dark (Mar 19, 2008)

I posted there from time to time.


tRidiot - your sig "bumper sticker" kills me! *L*


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## Patrick Bateman (Sep 11, 2006)

Vestax said:


> Yes he would.... in a ****-erotic mud-wrestling match. Otherwise, I have yet to find somebody on this forum to beat me on SF2 Hyper with Balrog. skylar, dingaling, alphakenny1 all have failed miserably.


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## SouthSyde (Dec 25, 2006)

i just feel its such a waste to lose all of those gooood write ups that was on the site... even tests..


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## tristan20 (Nov 28, 2005)

I still troll the forums from time to time

Elite was excellent with alot of info, had great mods


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## The Dude (Mar 24, 2007)

I lurked on ECA back in the day...


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## jbreddawg (Dec 28, 2009)

I was an active member back then and even won the contest Steve Mantz had going to name his new amps the Kronos and Leviathan lol
I named the Kronos : ) My small claim to fame lol
I was shocked when I got back into car audio to see ECA belly up .


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## evo9 (Jul 6, 2005)

ECA! Thats where the active bug started for me. Lots of good stuff was there...






.


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## bobduch (Jul 22, 2005)

Here is the cmusic tuning tutorial I saved from ECA (wish I had saved so many other posts):

Car Audio Forum > General Discussion > Tuning tutorial-cmusic, winslow, slick? 

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< Last Thread Next Thread > 
Author Thread This thread is 4 pages long: 1 2 3 ... Last Page >> Post New Topic | Post A Reply 

Mr Marv
Ultimate Member


Registered: Jun 1999
Posts: 2328 
I have read numerous posts regarding tuning (on several forums) by these guys as well as mic, matt, Jason(s), scottB and others with their kind of knowledge. Usally it is an answer to someones question on a certain area of tuning. I have tried with great success some of the tips they and others have posted however I still need more Anyone else think it would be nice if they put together a tutorial on the fine tuning aspects of this hobby 

BTW, one thing I most need help with is left-right eq-ing. I followed a tip from a cmusic post and it greatly improved my imaging/stage however it made my tonality a little suspect .
__________________
Marvs Place-Custom Built Sub Enclosures, Speaker Baffles/Spacers, Amp Racks etc.....1-831-383-0308.. 

quote: 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not elitest, just realist who have been there, done that, and know better. 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

winslow 


08-13-2004 12:43 PM Profile | Email | WWW | Edit | Quote IP: Logged 

cmusic
Ultimate Member


Registered: Aug 1999
Posts: 1154 
This is something I already had written for a post on SD and saved on my computer. It is about tuning by starting with polarity and going all the way through to the eq. I probably could expand on any area more if someone needs me to. 

-------------------------------------

There are several different methods used to tune eqs. This is the one I use. An RTA is not needed if the steps are done correctly. This method uses crossovers and gain settings as the most important factor in tuning. I think the eq should be last in line when tuning. Remember after each step to write down your settings. If the sound gets worse, then you can go back to the previous step’s settings and start over. 


1. Set all bands flat, as well as the head unit bass and treble. 

2. Turn off the subs. Using music with a good bass line, run the highpass crossover up and down until the midbasses can play as low as possible without any distortion or excessive door panel vibrations. 

3. Unhook the mids and tweeters, allowing only the midbasses to play. Listen to mono pink noise or a well-recorded song with a centered vocalist. Test CDs such as the IASCA test CD or Autosound 2000 Test CD 102 or 103 will work great. Listen to where the centered sounds are coming from. Then reverse the polarity of one midbass (Reverse the speaker wires coming from the passive crossover and going to the speaker, just flip the positive and negative wires. I usually flip the driver’s side speaker.) and re-listen to the test CD. If the sounds are more centered then keep it as is. If the centered sounds are more diffuse and un-locatable, then flip the polarity back to where it was originally. 

4. Then unhook the midbasses and play the mids only and follow the same polarity and listening tests as before. Mark your best settings. 

5. Do the same procedure for the tweeters. 

6. When you have tested for the proper polarity from all three ranges of speakers, hook all of them back up with respect to each set of speaker’s best polarity. You can have any combination of polarity, such as all the midbass and tweeters straight and one midrange reversed. 

7. Now you should have the correct “acoustic” polarity set within each set of speakers. Next is to set the acoustic polarity between the sets of speakers. 

8. Listen to some very familiar music with a good range of sounds. Then flip both midbass’ polarity and listen again. Before you only flipped one midbass, now you are doing both at the same time. For example if the left midbass was reversed and the right was not before, now the left will be not reversed and the right will be. Listen to the music again. If the midbass is more powerful and full then leave the wiring as is. If the midbass sounds weaker and wrong then restore the wiring as before.

9. Perform the same listening tests while flipping the mids and tweeters, and use the wiring configuration that sounds the best. 

10. If you have went though all these steps adjusting the polarity of the speakers then the system should sound really good without any eq adjustments. You might want to play with the gain adjustments on the crossover and/or amp to better blend all the speakers together. 

11. Now onto the eq! The first eq step is to adjust the tonality. While listening to familiar music, adjust each individual band up and down slowly. When the music sounds better then move to the next band. Adjust the left and right bands equally. (We’ll get to the separate left and right adjustments soon.) It really does not matter if the bands are boosted or cut, just that it makes the sound better. Not every band needs to be adjusted. In fact if you did steps 1 thru 10 correctly you should not have to adjust over half the bands. Having a 1/3 octave eq does not mean you have to adjust every band. It means you have the ability to adjust each band if needed. Watch out for big jumps from band to band, like one band set to +4 and the next band set to –6. 

12. Continue through all the bands, take a break, and do the same procedure over again. But this time the adjustments will be smaller as you get the tonality dialed in. This step might take several days, weeks, or longer. 

13. In tuning you will find some eq bands will raise, lower, move the sound closer, or farther away if adjusted in certain manners. For example, lowering 5 KHz will generally move the soundstage farther away and raising 2 KHz will make the soundstage rise. Each vehicle and system will have different settings that will be the best. The best way to achieve awesome sound is to constantly adjust. 

14. When you are satisfied with the tonality of the system, it is time to start adjusting the left and right channels separately. These adjustments should not affect the tonality, but improve on the imaging and soundstaging. Using the Autosound 2000 Test CD 102 or 103 “My Disk” listen to the individual frequency pink noise tracks. (Test CD103 has the tracks arranged in an easier configuration.) Each frequency band should sound like it is coming from the center of the soundstage. If one band is off to one side, then use each band’s left and right eq controls as a balance control. This is very similar to the head unit’s balance control, only now you are balancing each frequency band by itself. For example if 200 Hz seems to be shifted to the left of center, lower the left 200 Hz band and raise the right 200 Hz band one dB at a time until the band is centered. If a frequency is shifted to the right, lower the band’s right channel and raise the left channel in small amounts. 

15. When you have when through all the bands take a break. Then later go back through each band one by one and make any further needed adjustments until all the frequencies are lined up in the center of the soundstage. 

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08-13-2004 01:00 PM Profile | Email | WWW | Edit | Quote IP: Logged 

stripminer
Ultimate Member


Registered: Aug 2002
Posts: 3365 
Thank you Marv and Chuck!!
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"There's something sexy about the rain...she's still the why!!"



08-13-2004 01:57 PM Profile | Email | Edit | Quote IP: Logged 

BBOYSTEVIE
Ultimate Member


Registered: Aug 1999
Posts: 2960 
AWESOME gotta put this in the tutorial section!
__________________
WTB: ESX 75.2,60.4 AIM: BBOYSTEVIE
System in: Now with bass AND treble. 


08-13-2004 03:34 PM Profile | Email | WWW | Edit | Quote IP: Logged 

pyropoptrt
Senior Member


Registered: Sep 2003
Posts: 345 
this is some great info. I printed it out and can't wait to re-wire my system so I can try this out.


08-14-2004 08:21 AM Profile | Email | WWW | Edit | Quote IP: Logged 

Mr Marv
Ultimate Member


Registered: Jun 1999
Posts: 2328 
Thanks for the very informative post cmusic! I remembered most of it however I was doing the left/right eqing before eqing for tonality. BTW, it is definately worth the time to try these tuning procedures even without the 30 band eqing. My system sounds pretty darn good IMO after just adjusting gains, crossovers and polarity. 
__________________
Marvs Place-Custom Built Sub Enclosures, Speaker Baffles/Spacers, Amp Racks etc.....1-831-383-0308.. 

quote: 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not elitest, just realist who have been there, done that, and know better. 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

winslow 


08-15-2004 10:14 PM Profile | Email | WWW | Edit | Quote IP: Logged 

Slick
Ultimate Member


Registered: Apr 2000
Posts: 1448 
Chuck's writup is very good, not much add really 
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Audio Originals


08-16-2004 07:23 AM Profile | Email | WWW | Edit | Quote IP: Logged 

MIAaron
Ultimate Member


Registered: Jun 2003
Posts: 1674 
Step #11: Tonality

Is this were I should get an RTA and set it to flat? It seems that it would be better to set it to flat, then adjust for your personal taste. Is this correct?


08-16-2004 08:25 AM Profile | Email | Edit | Quote IP: Logged 

thoraudio1
Ultimate Member


Registered: Oct 2001
Posts: 2671 

quote: 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by MIAaron 
Step #11: Tonality

Is this were I should get an RTA and set it to flat? It seems that it would be better to set it to flat, then adjust for your personal taste. Is this correct? 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


flat doesn't sound good. Set it to your personal tastes. If you are competing, you may want to de-emphasize any egregious peaks, but don't set it to flat. Back when RTA was a major portion of competition, most people had two curves, one for RTA, and one for good sound.
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F.B.I.-Facts Before Imagination 


08-16-2004 08:52 AM Profile | Email | WWW | Edit | Quote IP: Logged 

cantman
Member


Registered: Jan 2003
Posts: 94 
I'd like to know where ECA'ers set their EQ's for the best sound. You don't have to go crazy here, just a general overview of how you like it (eq) set.
Also, tell us what kind of car the system is in. 


08-16-2004 09:45 AM Profile | Email | Edit | Quote IP: Logged 

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## brett (Apr 27, 2005)

nice! i'd love to see anything else. it's got me all nostalgic and what not


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## Slammed (Jan 27, 2006)

evo9 said:


> ECA! Thats where the active bug started for me. Lots of good stuff was there...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


same here


I miss that place


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## slumpsvillemcgee (Jun 3, 2011)

eca refugee here!


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## raamaudio (May 4, 2005)

I organized and sponsored the first ECA meets in SoCal

I had the first ECA decals made, first shirts as well I believe, profits from sales went to ECA. 

When ECA started going down hill, infighting, interbreeding, etc.....I left, sadly, to join DIYMA, which is not the same DIYMA it was back then but not as bad as what happened to ECA. 

I left DIYMA when a competitor bought the site, did not feel right to be here. I came back last year and have enjoyed it mostly, learned a few things, saw a few things I missed, etc....we are still all fellow enthusiasts, passionate about what we do, not always in agreement, etc.....

After a few million emails, really, I am a bit burned out on some of this stuff we love but I still have 4 vehicles with systems, killer house system, etc but have grown more into racing, less into audio though I have a really sweet long term project in the works. 2002 Z06 chassis, my ex race car, 53 Studebaker body, 10 or 12" mids buried deep in the modified foot wells, horns, dual 21" neo IB subs, caged car, etc.....my once in a lifetime build, gathering parts now. 

I have the body, running gear, chassis, etc.....and this is a street car that will be tracked, open road events, Bonneville(wife and I both want to break 200 MPH in it) and it will tow a 1942 aluminum teardrop trailer to events

Not bad for a guy that hit 59 a month ago, where to those years go!!!

Later
Rick


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## gleepoy (Aug 19, 2005)

slumpsvillemcgee said:


> eca refugee here!


Same here...makes me sad.


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## hybridamp (Oct 10, 2006)

Doesn't mean it goes completely away, there is always the archives: Internet Archive Wayback Machine


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## SQ Audi (Dec 21, 2010)

Holy Thread-Bump Batman! It's Alive!!!


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## starboy869 (Dec 16, 2006)

OMG!!!! 

It's alive ish


http://web.archive.org/web/20050205110027/http://forum.elitecaraudio.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=2

2005 baby


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## SouthSyde (Dec 25, 2006)

Wow, talk about a blast from the past... Memory lane...


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## matdotcom2000 (Aug 16, 2005)

Holyshit


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## hybridamp (Oct 10, 2006)

Looking at all my old classifieds there makes me wish I had just hoarded all that old school gear.


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## Audioholik (Jul 6, 2006)

Sorry for the bump, but I miss this place. Except for all the sq amp voodoo. I was Infinityboy there.


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## Audioholik (Jul 6, 2006)

I especially miss winslow, is he around here? Oh & nukegoat, funniest dude alive. Oh and that big jacked bipolar alcoholic w/the jeep. What was his name? Miss trolling the hell out of boominjeep.


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## Mic10is (Aug 20, 2007)

Audioholik said:


> I especially miss winslow, is he around here? Oh & nukegoat, funniest dude alive. Oh and that big jacked bipolar alcoholic w/the jeep. What was his name? Miss trolling the hell out of boominjeep.


winslow is thathatedguy on here and in real life..LOl jk:laugh:


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## sepp (Mar 25, 2007)

Vestax said:


> Yes he would.... in a ****-erotic mud-wrestling match. Otherwise, I have yet to find somebody on this forum to beat me on SF2 Hyper with Balrog. skylar, dingaling, alphakenny1 all have failed miserably.


Oh I'll take that challenge. I'll bet my Audiomobile MASS for your MTX Black Golds  I use Blanka and do electric shock all day.. dunno how you can even come close since Balrog doesn't even have foot moves


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## gfbl (Nov 26, 2008)

did anyone ever have luck saving more of eca?


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

Not really...wish someone had imaged the site before though.


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## lucas569 (Apr 17, 2007)

try waybackmachine


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

Even that is spotty. You may get to pay 5 of a thread and rest not be there.


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