Photography by Brian Brennanince its inception, hot rodding has been about performance. We modify our cars for various reasons, installing components to make them go faster, stop quicker, or corner more confidently—all to make driving more enjoyable. Of course, another way to achieve that goal is by listening to your favorite tunes on the road. That’s why hot rodders from across the country turn to Alan Hickman at the Audio Shoppe for a custom sound system.
Like any professional engine or chassis builder, Hickman selects the best components for the application when installing stereo components. In the newly built 1932 Ford roadster shown here, the speakers and amplifier are from ARC Audio.
Up front, Hickman installed a pair of ARC Audio coaxial speakers in the highboy’s kick panels. The term coaxial is common in audio terminology for what is essentially two speakers in one unit. This design features a woofer cone with a separate tweeter, providing full-range sound quality and better frequency coverage than single-cone speakers.
For the kind of sound that satisfies any audiophile, Hickman installed a pair of ARC Audio 8-inch subwoofers in an enclosure behind the driver seat. Subwoofers respond to frequencies below the range of traditional speakers, which produces that deep, bass sound. Placing subwoofers in an enclosure increases the air pressure the subwoofer creates, which we perceive as sound. Without an enclosure, the sound waves from the back of the subwoofer cancel out those from the front, killing the bass.
A term often heard in relation to speakers is impedance, which is the speaker’s resistance to current measured in ohms. In simple terms, speakers with lower impedance can draw more current, resulting in louder sound. For example, an 8-ohm speaker will need more power to produce the same sound level as a 4-ohm speaker. The key is to match components, meaning the amplifier and the speakers should be compatible. A unique feature of the ARC Audio X2 600.4 amplifier is its adjustability. Each pair of channels includes a load control switch that can be set to accommodate speakers with a total combined impedance between 2 and 4 ohms (not lower than 2 ohms), with a second setting for combined impedance over 4 ohms.
At the center of the system shown here is an ARC Audio amplifier. It acts like a supercharger for stereo systems, boosting the signal from the source to power speakers and subwoofers—power that most car stereos can’t deliver. Additionally, amplifiers improve sound quality and reduce noise and distortion thanks to advanced electronics.
Something that seems to be missing from this system is an obvious source of music. There’s no radio, tape deck, or CD player simply because none of them are needed. Hidden away under the seat is a small Bluetooth module. It receives a signal from any compatible device, like a cell phone, that has recorded audio. The module connects to the amplifier, which in turn feeds the speakers, creating a clean, unobtrusive sound system.
For gearheads, there’s nothing more enjoyable than cruising in a hot rod. The only thing that could make it better is being able to hear your favorite tunes while doing it, and as we’ve shown here, it’s simple to “tune” up your hot rod with some sound engineering.
