# The Magic Bus Will be Exhibiting at T.H.E. Show Newport, June 1, 2, & 3 !



## jon w. (Nov 14, 2008)

I’m pleased to announce that the world-famous “Magic Bus” will be available for you to see and hear at The Home Entertainment Show Newport Beach, or "T.H.E. Show Newport" for short, at the Hilton Hotel in Irvine, CA, on June 1, 2, and 3, 2012, inclusive (www.theshownewport.com). The Magic Bus will exhibited out-of-doors near the swimming pool and the classic car exhibit. There will be plenty of signs and personnel available to direct you to the Magic Bus! I cordially invite you to experience the ONLY mobile audio system in the world to appear on the cover of _*the abso!ute sound®*_ magazine as “*The World’s Best Car Stereo*”.

For those unfamiliar with my work, the Magic Bus is my lifetime masterpiece, and considered by many to be a mobile audio system without rival (please refer to the publications and endorsements at www.whitledgedesigns.com). The Magic Bus' audio system, installed in an unconventional, but acoustically favorable, Mercedes Sprinter van, was designed purely for sound quality and comprises of nine *Dynaudio* loudspeaker transducers, powered by six *Genesis* amplifiers capable of producing 4,620 Watts! Each of the six loudspeaker transducers (two Esotar tweeters, two MW150 midranges, and two MW180 woofers) in the two-channel, three-way, stereo front sound stage are powered by a dedicated monoblock amplifier and actively controlled by a dedicated channel of the 96 kHz - 24 bit digital signal processor (*Alpine*’s F#1 Status PXI-H990). The mono subwoofer, comprises of three large Dynaudio Esotar subwoofer transducers powered by three Genesis amplifiers capable of producing 3,300 Watts! The 300-pound subwoofer enclosure was laminated from multiple layers of Baltic birch, and resides on properly tuned military-grade generator mounts. A seventh channel of the digital signal processor actively controls the subwoofer system, which has full, proportional output down to 10 Hz!

As most audiophiles know, audio systems are only as good as the room in which they are installed. The scientifically designed, and computer-optimized, acoustics inside the Magic Bus takes mobile audio listening to a new height with an unprecedented balance of studio quality reverberation times. This remarkable achievement was made possible by an industry-first use of 54 acoustically functional panels, consisting of *34 Helmholtz absorbers* and *20 binary amplitude diffusers*, resulting in what surely must be the highest performance mobile listening room ever built. To combine functionality with aesthetics, a prominent interior designer coordinated the colors and fabrics for the Magic Bus’ interior, which includes suede-covered headliners, custom carpeting, and acoustically functional draperies and window valances. The entire audio system, its supporting infrastructure, and the acoustical treatments weigh over 3,000 pounds! Although the interior of the Magic Bus, and its audio system, were meticulously tuned using state-of-the-art computer-based measurement systems, *Steve McCormack* (www.smcaudio.com), legendary audio component designer, performed the final system voicing by ear. The audio system took more than 9,800 hours to build and tune over the course of 6-1/2 years. 

*Robert Harley*, Editor-in-Chief of _*the abso!ute sound®*_ magazine, heard the newly completed Magic Bus at T.H.E. Show Newport Beach (June 2011) and wrote in his show highlights,

_Jon Whitledge showed the latest incarnation of his ‘"Magic Bus", a van that houses what I called "The world’s best car stereo" when I heard it five years ago. Since then, Whitledge has taken the system to an entirely new level of performance. The design, construction, passion, and dedication that went into the Magic Bus are unprecedented, and it showed in the sound quality. The system had effortless dynamics, very high resolution of low-level detail, and tremendous timbral fidelity, throwing a soundstage that rivaled that of a well-set-up home system._

Other prominent audio industry veterans have also heard the Magic Bus and commented on its performance ...

_The Magic Bus by Jon Whitledge defines a new standard for mobile audio. I had the pleasure, via my company Straight Wire, of being involved with many of the top sound quality competition and demonstration vehicles since the mid 90’s. The Magic Bus is a testament to Jon Whitledge’s vision and great efforts to produce a moveable high end aural experience that will captivate all who have the pleasure to listen._
*-- Steven Hill / President / Straight Wire*

_Sound like none other - "music from the inside" - the goal of those with ears and hearts that care for what is left on earth as truth and beauty!_
*-- Jim Merod / Writer & Reviewer / Positive Feedback & Enjoy The Music*

_Absolutely phenomenal - both in terms of the result, and also the fantastic amount of work he has put into it. His ‘Magic Bus’ audio van is far and away the highest-performance audio system I have ever heard on wheels, but more importantly, it rivals the best home systems in many ways. _
*-- Steve McCormack / Designer / SMc Audio* 

_Audio References for me are based on tonal quality, stage height, width and depth and install quality. And until recently, there was not one vehicle that encompassed all of these characteristics. So I guess you could say I had many references. Jon’s van encompasses all of these, and even raises the stakes by smacking around many of the high-end home systems I’ve heard. Jon has worked, and will continue to work, very hard to achieve unparalleled excellence in his designs. This vehicle has been regarded as the best sounding vehicle many of the home and pro audio guys have ever heard, and they are a hard bunch to convince._
*-- Paul Messett / Sales and Marketing Manager / Cascade Audio Engineering*

_It is always a pleasure when you discover someone focused on following his or her passion. As a musician & producer, I have learned to gravitate towards people like this, for there is where you find the single-mindedness necessary to create the very special things in life ... Jon Whitledge loves musical performance. He has devoted himself to creating the ultimate automobile audio system. Armed with his extensive knowledge, ingenuity and attention to detail, along with the dedication of countless hours, he has produced a mobile listening environment that rivals the experience of being present when the music was created ... In these days of minimization, compression and dithering, it is a pleasure to come across someone interested in bringing out all the fullness and nuances of musical performance. On his system, my own recordings sounded as I remembered them in the studio._
*-- Chuck Perrin / Musician / Producer*

And check out these video testimonials ...

Earl Zausmer Listens to the Magic Bus
*-- Earl Zausmer / Legendary mobile audio competitor / Industry consultant *

ANT Listens to the Magic Bus
*-- Anthony Collova / Owner / DIYMA Car Audio Forum *

Dan Brooks and Alan Clark Listen to the Magic Bus
*-- Mobile audio industry veterans*

Notably, the Magic Bus is the only audio system in the world (to my knowledge) that is extensively autographed by Grammy award-winning, and otherwise famous and talented musicians. To date, I've acquired over 200 musicians' autographs, and continue to acquire more. I consider the Magic Bus a “rolling shrine” and a tribute to the musicians who light up our lives with harmony and sound. 

Because most of you will have traveled from all over the nation to see and hear the Magic Bus, I feel you deserve the best listening experience possible. Therefore, I'll be conducting one-on-one listening sessions at approximately 8-10 minute intervals. That means only about 40-50 lucky people per day will get to experience the Magic Bus. Feel free to bring your favorite audiophile recordings on CD (44.1 kHz - 16 bit) or DVD-Audio (96 kHz - 24 bit). As a special treat, I'll be playing selected, recently recorded, ultra high-resolution BluePort Jazz (BluePort Jazz | Hosted by Jim Merod), and Ikezi Music Foundation (JazzSanDiego_Home), recordings. The realism of these recordings is simply jaw dropping! Once you hear these, you won't want to listen to CDs anymore!

At the 2012 T.H.E. Show Las Vegas, *GRAMMY award-winning* producer, and guitar virtuoso, *Larry Mitchell* (Larry Mitchell | Guitar Textures | Grammy Award-Winning Music Producer), for the first time in mobile audio history, delivered jaw-dropping live guitar fed simultaneously into an outdoor high-end home audio system and through the Magic Bus' audio system (Larry Mitchell Rocks the Magic Bus at CES, Larry Mitchell and the Magic Bus Make Mobile Audio History at CES). Continuing with this revolutionary idea, and only for the second time in mobile audio history, I'm thrilled and honored to announce that two extraordinary musicians, Allan Phillips, and Russel Blake, will be performing at my exhibit. 

*Allan Phillips* (Allan Phillip Music - home) is an *Emmy®* *award-winning* and *GRAMMY-nominated* composer, producer, and multi-instrumental virtuoso. Allan, on keys, will be performing a gusty, ethnic, and energetic 60-minute set on Saturday, June 2, 2012, at 11 a.m. 

*Russel Blake* (Russel Blake) is a music producer, composer, educator, solo electric bass virtuoso, and recipient of the Kellogg Foundation's _*Artist in Residency*_ award. Russel will be performing _*A Salute to the Composers through the Magic Bus*_ on Saturday, June 2, 2012, at 2 p.m., and again on Sunday, June 3, at 11 a.m., featuring arrangements from Mozart to Miles, Elton John to Stevie Wonder, Jobim to Coltrane, Hendrix to Beethoven, and everything in between!

Seeing and hearing the revelatory audio system inside the Magic Bus is just one of the many reasons you'll want to attend this spectacular event. With the best in high-end audio, live jazz, classic and exotic cars, wineries, and fine cigars, I can't imagine a better place to be. Allan, Russel, and I, cordially invite you to join us at T.H.E. Show Newport to share all of these great experiences!

Warmest Regards,
Jon R. Whitledge


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## rawdawg (Apr 27, 2007)

I went to the T.H.E. Show last year and it was serious Awesome Sauce. You can walk into any room, hand over a CD and listen to Sir Mix-a-lot on a $100,000 dollar system. "My Posse's on Broadway" is an entirely different experience when the 808 kick drum that makes the girlies get dumb has an ethereal, otherworldly touch to it. It is almost as if you could reach into the soundstage and caress the face of God.

As a added bonus, it's funny to see snobby home audio guys turn into believers when they exit the Bus.

Socal boys, what say we have a field trip to the South County?


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## jpswanberg (Jan 14, 2009)

I was at there last year as well. Great show and I will be there again this year. I agree with rawdawg completely (Swedish jazz instead of Sir-Mix-A -Lot for me though )


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## brett (Apr 27, 2005)

i might be down to go on a friday maybe. is there a cost to it? i went to the sight and didn't find any info on entrance fees, etc.


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## jon w. (Nov 14, 2008)

hi brett,

i too, found it difficult to locate the entrance fees. here's a link:

Buy Passes
basically it's $15 for one day or $35 for the entire show. 

as always, listening to the Magic Bus is FREE! Come on down!

Jon


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## BigRed (Aug 12, 2007)

Jimmy, I'll be there. Let's roll . I'll be debuting the new E40 track in the bus at 192 . Lol


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## cvjoint (Mar 10, 2006)

James, this is it huh? I'm down


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## jon w. (Nov 14, 2008)

I sincerely hope all of my southern California friends and regular attendees at JT's Audio Accessories will come to the T.H.E. Show Newport - Robert Harley said last year's show was the best he had ever attended! I agree - it's a fabulous show, and all the audio legends will be there. For those who missed Larry Mitchell playing at and thru the Magic Bus at 2012 CES, here's another chance to experience something you've never heard before! Wait 'til you see and hear Allan Phillips and Russel Blake play - they will blow you away. 

Speaking of something you've never heard before ... How about listening to the new, hi-res, digitally re-mastered _Wish You Were Here_ album by Pink Floyd? I have a rare, commercially unobtainable, two-channel stereo re-digitization that was made for me by a friend at 176 kHz - 24 bit resolution. 

*Imagine experiencing Welcome to the Machine at 115.5 dB inside the Bus !!!*


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## jtaudioacc (Apr 6, 2010)

If I have time I'm in as well! Should be able to make it, just let me know what day you guys are planning to go.


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## rawdawg (Apr 27, 2007)

Tell me when to go, tell when to go, tell me when to go...

E-40 - Tell Me When To Go (Main Version w/ Intro) - YouTube


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## cvjoint (Mar 10, 2006)

yeah what day? Should we do Sunday so that we can attend no matter what?


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## rawdawg (Apr 27, 2007)

I'm going Sat and Sun. One day to kinda' listen to stuff and one day to really listen to stuff. Bring cash because there will be vendors selling nose bleed high resolution CD's and heavy @ss Vinyls of all sorts of music. 20-30 a pop but they'll swing a deal late on Sunday. Also, a pretty good lunch can be had there too.


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## BuickGN (May 29, 2009)

I'm going to my company picnic at Disneyland that weekend but I'll be there either Friday or Sunday. Looking forward to meeting you and hearing the Magic Bus again, Jon.


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## TOOSTUBBORN2FAIL (Jan 31, 2011)

Damn, I'll have to plan ahead next year, have a commitment I cant get out of.


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## cvjoint (Mar 10, 2006)

rawdawg said:


> I'm going Sat and Sun. One day to kinda' listen to stuff and one day to really listen to stuff. Bring cash because there will be vendors selling nose bleed high resolution CD's and heavy @ss Vinyls of all sorts of music. 20-30 a pop but they'll swing a deal late on Sunday. Also, a pretty good lunch can be had there too.


Got my ticket for Sunday! I hope the designers are there, I'd like to pick their brains.


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## BuickGN (May 29, 2009)

rawdawg said:


> I'm going Sat and Sun. One day to kinda' listen to stuff and one day to really listen to stuff. Bring cash because there will be vendors selling nose bleed high resolution CD's and heavy @ss Vinyls of all sorts of music. 20-30 a pop but they'll swing a deal late on Sunday. Also, a pretty good lunch can be had there too.


Oh wow, can't wait to buy some of those CDs.


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## jon w. (Nov 14, 2008)

i'm delighted to know that my southern california friends will be coming to the show! thanks for supporting my exhibit and the show in general. you guys will have a blast! 

cvjoint: you'll be able to meet famous loudspeaker designer legends like Andrew Jones (TAD), Kevin Voeks (Revel), and Richard Vandersteen (Vandersteen). 

i suggest that you guys visit other incredible exhibitors such as:

1) room 323 (Atrium Hotel) where Steve McCormack will be exhibiting with the Lotus Group.
2) room 335 (Hilton Hotel) where Dynaudio will be exhibiting with my friend Sunil of Sunny's.
3) Crystal Ballroom B1 at the Hilton to see Kimber Kable products.
4) Penthouse suite 1005 at the Hilton to see my friends Joe Kubala (Kubala-Sosna) and Dick Diamond (YG Acoustics)
5) room 225 (Atrium Hotel) where my friend Gary Koh of Genesis Loudspeakers will be exhibiting with Burmester

there's too much to see, really! it's THAT BIG! but whatever you do, please don't miss the musicians performing at and thru my Bus


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## jon w. (Nov 14, 2008)

Dear DIYMA friends,

NEWSFLASH !! Jennifer Warnes will be at T.H.E. Show Newport on Saturday, June 2. So will Mike Garson, one of my favorite pianists, who played with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, No Doubt, and Seal. Mike has listened to the Magic Bus several times and swears he would buy it from me if he won the lottery!

I hope to see you at the show! Please stop by the Magic Bus to see and hear my featured musicians - they'll blow you away! It looks like Saturday will be the biggest day for live music!

Warmest regards,
Jon


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## damonryoung (Mar 23, 2012)

It was a great pleasure to meet you and your wife, John. You are just as gracious as I have read and the Bus is a phenomenal creation. We feel honored to have been the first one's to demo the Bus with live music! Hope to hear it again in the future!


Sent from my iPhone.... Beware of AutoCorrect.


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## TOOSTUBBORN2FAIL (Jan 31, 2011)

BigRed said:


> Jimmy, I'll be there. Let's roll . I'll be debuting the new E40 track in the bus at 192 . Lol


I dont know how I missed this one. Jim, you gonna bring that track to the meet at JT's?


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## BigRed (Aug 12, 2007)

^^. Yessir


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## jtaudioacc (Apr 6, 2010)

listening to some E40 in one of the rooms.


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## cvjoint (Mar 10, 2006)

Ill be rolling with Grant tomorrow. Ill see you all there. Jimmy J. I dont have your no. Pm me .


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## jtaudioacc (Apr 6, 2010)

DRTHJTA said:


> It was a great pleasure to meet you and your wife, John. You are just as gracious as I have read and the Bus is a phenomenal creation. We feel honored to have been the first one's to demo the Bus with live music! Hope to hear it again in the future!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone.... Beware of AutoCorrect.


come hear it with music at the meet this coming sat.


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## damonryoung (Mar 23, 2012)

jtaudioacc said:


> come hear it with music at the meet this coming sat.


I had the pleasure of listening to a couple of tracks while Jon was setting up for his bass player... "Welcome to the Machine" was ridiculous!! 

I had every intention of coming down this weekend, but then my wife decided to plan a vacation for this weekend... Guess I can't be too upset about that...  I really would like to get together with you guys next time there is an opportunity...


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## rawdawg (Apr 27, 2007)

cvjoint went around and hammered all the Marketing people and badgered all the engineers. Especially the guys with $60,000.00 2-way Revelator rigs.

The Magicos were good but certainly not all that. The Omnidirectional set-up with the 10' x 25' stage was my favorite but cvjoint fell in love with a Scaena rig consisting of 6 18" Bazooka Tubes. Grant went for a crazy horn system that was ran by either the coolest, super eccentric, most mysterious German fellow I've ever met or a former SS Buchenwald Jailer who happens to love circa 1940's opera. In either case, the gun shots coming off those flower pots were peeling the epidermis off my ear lobes.

There was a Japanese fellow who made a set of speakers that included a transmission line and he played some dub step for us. That thing was something else. It looked like an ordinary pair of High end speakers but it played like a beast. An Estonian had a set of what looked like a half finished wood chiseling project but it had a super deep stage. You couldn't tell the speakers were on. It ran Accuton drivers so the top end was fairly benign.

There were some very, very good coaxial set-up's, especially that one from Kef. And a set of cabinets called THE EMPEROR look awfully badass but they were packing up when we walked in.

Oh, and Grado's rocked my boat. But the Senn's were more comfortable.

I didn't pick up any Hi-Res CD's this time around. They had less popular music available and one can only listen to Cello's for so long.

I went Saturday and Sunday and maybe had time for 30% of the show.


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## cvjoint (Mar 10, 2006)

Yeah, well if you take a Scan sourced driver to rip it apart for some modification only to sell it for 60k I would like to know how well the surgery went. BTW we are talking about YG I believe, Denver based company... among others  Truth is, I don't care how you process the aluminum, whether you have a hobbit controlled room building things by hand or using really expensive machinery, the one coming out of Scan's foundry is insanely well made. Show me why it's better, show me the money!


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## rawdawg (Apr 27, 2007)

Hobbit's gotta' feed their children's too...


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## cvjoint (Mar 10, 2006)

rawdawg said:


> Hobbit's gotta' feed their children's too...


See luddite fallacy:

Technological unemployment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## stennarangam (Jun 4, 2008)

Ever since I heard about this van, I have been dreaming of listening to it. I missed it last year at THE Show. I was not going to let it slip by this year!

First of all, more than the awesome system, Jon is a true gentleman. He is very kind, patient, and loves music. He explained the whole history of the system, introduced me to some great people and finally let me listen as long as I wanted.

The system truly comes close to high end home systems and exceeds a lot of them. I was deeply impressed by the timbral accuracy and dynamics. The music was never bloated with excellent attack and decay. The soundstage was one of the best I have heard in an automotive.

I closed my eyes and was transported to music heaven when listening to numerous tracks. My favorite one was a track by Gordon Goodwin (Phat Band ?).

To summarize, the system was better than I expected and truly honored to have met Jon. I look forward to visiting any opportunity I get.


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