MECA Freezefest 2-26-12 Lebanon TN roll call and questions

[dietDrThunder]

Hi all!

I'm pretty new around here, and am just finishing up the budget system in my car. I thought it might be fun to see if there are any Nashville area meet-ups, and I discovered MECA. I've never competed before, and I'm old (44...will they still let me in? ), but it seems like a good time to me. Hell, I might even compete...I'd get slaughtered, but it would probably still be fun to try it.

Any of you folks around here gonna make it?

Also, I'd love to know what to expect. Do people bring EZ-ups, and have a sort of 'pit' area to hang out in, or is it just a parking lot with cars in it and people milling around, or...? If someone could talk a little about what these events are like, that would be great!

Post up your real name (if you want), and how you can be spotted at the event (unless there is some other protocol you guys already have for meeting up.

me: Dave Arkle, 44, white and nerdy
car: 08 Kia Spectra 5, black, tint, aftermarket wheels, lowered a little

I'll be there...how about you?

Mod Edit, adding list here:

Updated. Fill in the blanks fellas.

1.) pionkej -- John -- 06' Silver Nissan Murano -- MODEX

2.) bikinpunk -- Erin -- 06 Black Civic Sedan -- MODEX

3.) rockytophigh -- Johnny -- ?? -- Not Competing

4.) Tintbox -- Mike -- Scion XB -- MODEX, Not competing (I think)

5.) Stereo_Luver -- Chuck -- '05 Black Dodge Ram -- Modified Street

6.) DarkKnight826 -- Doug -- '05 Blue Dodge Ram -- Stock

7.) dietDrThunder -- Dave -- '08 Kia Spectra5 (Cerato5) -- Street

8.) Mic10is -- Mic -- Mitsu Lancer (cause it's the best sounding) -- Not competing

9.) MacLeod -- ?? -- ?? -- ??

10.) millerlyte -- Ally -- '05 Monte Carlo -- MODEX

11.) bmiller1 -- Brad -- '04 Impala SS -- ??

12.) 6Appeal -- John -- '05 Silverado -- Modified

13.) AccordUno -- ?? -- ?? -- ??

14.) AcuraTLSQ -- Kirk -- Acura TL -- MODEX/Master (may not be competing)

15.) alpinem -- ?? -- ?? -- ??

16.) sqhhr -- Gabriel -- Silver HHR -- Street

17.) pimpndahoz -- Gil -- '08 Black Civic -- Modified

18.) Alexmcginnis -- Alex -- 09' Focus -- Not competing

19.) MacLeod -- Aaron -- '10 Ford Edge -- Modified

20.) Schmiddr2 -- Josh -- '99 Accord -- Not competing

21.) strakele -- Grayson -- '04 Lancer -- Modified

22.) dat -- Dave -- '03 Montero Sport -- Modifed

23.) postman18ny -- Shawn -- '10 Chrysler 300 -- ??

24.) Blake Potts -- ?? -- 04 Scion xb -- ??

25.) Flipx99 -- Josh -- ?? -- Not competing

[MacLeod]

I'm planning on being there. Freezefest runs the gambit. Some years its standing room only and some years hardly anybody shows. Its still a great show in my favorite venue so its definitely worth coming out for cause all the SQ cars will be off to themselves under the pavilion so you can check them out and hang out.

I'm 40 so I'm old too and I never win either but always have a good time. Its worth it and definitely a lot of fun and downright addictive.

[dietDrThunder]

By 'sq' cars do you mean the real heavy hitter pro sq types (if there is such a thing) or do you mean 'the spl guys and the sq guys tend to segregate themselves?' I'm asking because I'm an sq guy...or at least that's what I'm after...don't care to break any windows. But, my system is modest by any car audio enthusiast standard. Would I be visiting the 'real' sq guys at the pavilion, or would I be one of the guys under it?

Just trying to get a feel for how the events work is all...thanks for the reply!

[MacLeod]

There are only a handful of top notch "elite" guys left. The manufacturers have almost all been bought out by bigger companies like DEI and couldn't care less about the high end car audio market so there isn't a lot of sponsored guys out there and definitely no pro competitors except for guys like Steve Cook who owns his own shop and competes at an elite level. Guys like Robert Petty, Kirk Proffitt and Matt Roberts are also elite but are dudes with day jobs and do this as a hobby.

The vast majority of guys there will be average dudes that do this as a hobby they love and enjoy sitting around with like minded audio nerds and talk audio because our wives are tired of hearing about it.

SPL and SQ cars are always segregated because we need quiet conditions to be judged properly and that not easy with guys pounding out 155 db so we try to get as far away as possible.

[bikinpunk]

I'll be there competing (hopefully).

You're more than welcome to demo my car anytime if you'd like.

- Erin

[dietDrThunder]

Thanks for the responses guys, I appreciate it. I'll be there for sure...sounds like a pretty fun time to me.

I have become very enthusiastic over many (many) hobbies over my life...for example, here are a few hobbies for which I flew somewhere to participate: racing r/c cars, bowling, paintball, motorcycle racing, and darts. God, I'm such a hobby nerd. Anyway, the one thing that all of those had in common was that really the most fun part of it was going to events, meeting people, and hanging out with like-minded hobby folks. I don't see this being any different.

EDIT: oh, and I will be bothering all of you for tips and pointers, input, etc. on ways my system needs improvement too, so keep the cringing to a minimum when you hear it...it's a work in progress!

[schmiddr2]

I'll be there to look and listen, but not compete. I'll come check out your car Dr.. May find someone with good tuning skills willing to help you get it setup before the judging. Not me, cause I'd just make it worse.

[6APPEAL]

I'm planning on being there, if work doesn't get in the way.

[stereo_luver]

I'll be looking at making this show.

Chuck

[bikinpunk]

Originally Posted by stereo_luver

I'll be looking at making this show.

Chuck

Kickass!

Now all we need to do is talk Howard in to coming out.

Wouldn't you know that I'll be going to New Mexico for work the very next day.

[JJDu4]

Glad I found this post as I was wondering what events were coming around my area. I would love to attend this event and meet everyone and see all the nice systems. I'm definitely not ready to compete but I would love to get back into it. Can someone give some specifics on the location and times.

Anyway my real name is John Dufour and I'm from Meridian, MS and I'm an addict! Haha I'm also getting and feeling old @ 38. Anyway I look forward to attending as many of this years events as u can. Hope to meet everyone.

Thanks

John Dufour
Dufour Battery


l

[AcuraTLSQ]

I doubt I'll be ready but if the weather isn't too bad I might ride up with Cook, if I can drag him off the couch.

I'm 29.

[bikinpunk]

Didn't catch the name/age thing.

I'm Erin/29. Kirk's twin. I'm the better looking one, though, so it's easy to tell us apart.

[AcuraTLSQ]

He's a foot shorter and doesn't answer texts.

[bikinpunk]

I am.

Yes, I do!!!! I answered yours! You didn't answer mine. Tease!

[dietDrThunder]

Originally Posted by JJDu4

Glad I found this post as I was wondering what events were coming around my area. I would love to attend this event and meet everyone and see all the nice systems. I'm definitely not ready to compete but I would love to get back into it. Can someone give some specifics on the location and times.

Anyway my real name is John Dufour and I'm from Meridian, MS and I'm an addict! Haha I'm also getting and feeling old @ 38. Anyway I look forward to attending as many of this years events as u can. Hope to meet everyone.

Thanks

John Dufour
Dufour Battery


l

Hi there!

Go HERE and check out the 'events' page. It has the info you need.

I'm really stoked that people are responding, and that there will be at least a few new friends to meet there. I can't wait to check out the systems you guys have, and check out the contest etc.

[MacLeod]

Originally Posted by AcuraTLSQ

I'm 29.

Man you sure look like crap for your age. But then not everybody can be sexy at 40 like me.

[stereo_luver]

Originally Posted by MacLeod

Man you sure look like crap for your age. But then not everybody can be sexy at 40 like me.

That Avatar is actually Aaron's pic.

Chuck

[dietDrThunder]

Jesus H...51??? Do they still let you drive in GA?

[pionkej]

I'll be there. It will be the first event that I'll be a competitor and not a spectator. You, and anybody else that wants one, are welcome to a demo. I'll be in a silver Nissan Murano.

[dietDrThunder]

Wow super cool...I want one for sure.

Hey, does everyone here do all of their own work? I do anything that doesn't require high quality carpentry, but I admit that I am having a shop build my box and amp mounting stuff. Am I an instant pariah as a result? I have built my own, but I wanted this one to be...well...nice lol.

[schmiddr2]

Half the people who compete have had help at some point or had someone build certain things, so I wouldn't worry about the stigma of buying labor for the part you have not become good at building yet.

[bikinpunk]

^ yep. I had someone do my kicks. I've had a lot of help in the beginning. I've since rebuilt my car about 30 million times, though, and have done more and more of the work myself. It's always a work in progress and may very well be at the freezefest show.

[dietDrThunder]

Originally Posted by schmiddr2

Half the people who compete have had help at some point or had someone build certain things, so I wouldn't worry about the stigma of buying labor for the part you have not become good at building yet.

Thanks for that. I doubt this would be a meaningful distinction to most folks, but even when I pay someone to do something like I'm doing in this car, I do all of the design etc.

I'm glad I discovered this event...it gave me the excuse I needed to buy another pair of HAT's for the rear See you all there!

Oh, I wanted to ask...I am 100% certain that my system will be laughed out of the place if I were to compete, and that's totally cool. My question is, is it a good learning experience and/or fun to do it anyway, or should I just watch from the cheap seats and try to learn that way?

[stereo_luver]

Originally Posted by dietDrThunder

Jesus H...51??? Do they still let you drive in GA?

Yep so keep your eyes open for us. We don't give shit about who we run off the road because AARP gives us a discount on insurance so we can afford to do so.

Chuck