Brainerd man wins trophies for car stereo
With ear-piercing high sounds and booming bass, Bill Pallow of Brainerd won two trophies in November at the U.S. Auto Sound Competition World Finals in Kansas City, Mo.
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Pallow brought home a second-place trophy for sound pressure level-bass competition and a fifth-place trophy for sound quality.
Pallow qualified for the world finals car stereo contest after competing in several events around Minnesota and surrounding states.
The two events judged in the USAC are sound quality and sound pressure level-bass competition. Sound quality revolves around the sound quality the car produces. It is the most technical of the two events.
Bill Pallow's car stereo has hit 147 decibels in the sound pressure level competition, an event he placed second in at the U.S. Auto Sound Competition World Finals in Kansas City, Mo.
There can be up to three judges who judge the car, ranging from installation to creativity to the actual sound the car can submit.
Installation is one of the key items judged. Pictures must be shown of the installation involving the wiring and creativity of the installation. The sound quality is judged by the crisp highs and soft midrange bass that is submitted by the car's front speakers. The judges look mainly for "center staging," a term that describes where the vocal point needs to come from in the car. It needs to be lively and come from the center of the car, a little higher than ear level when sitting in the car.
Sound pressure level is based upon the number of decibels the stereo can submit. The loudest is the one that wins in each power class.
Pallow competed the last few years for fun, joining the USAC this year. He has put more than 1,500 man hours of work into his car. He placed first in both the sound quality and sound pressure level events in his power class throughout the season before the finals.
Pallow was rated in the top 10 in the United States in his power class for both sound quality and sound pressure level events before the finals.
Pallow received help with his stereo from Radio Shack in Baxter and a friend, Charlie Brandt, who competes in the International Auto Sound Competition Association.
Pallow was sponsored by Radio Shack, Lakes Area Wellness Center and Hy-Tec Construction.