[SSSnake]

Does anyone else think that $63.17 to join IASCA is absolute BS? I just paid the money but...

You know I keep hearing about how the sport is dying. I can understand why young and/or new people would be very skeptical about forking out in excess of $50 just for membership.

My approach would be, get 'em hooked cheap and then nickle and dime them to death

 

[michaelsil1]

I guess it all depends on why you're competing. I had no desire to compete until the IASCA promoter talked me into it. He basically said you'll get a score in writing on your weakness's and see if you can improve with the next meet. I'm all for constructive criticism and it has helped me improve my SQ. So I would have to say that the fee is worth it.

 

[AceX]

I would think of it as cheap consulting from trained pros.

 

[markland556]

I could see myself forking over that much. But I have yet to actually go to a competition. I think that with more public knowledge that there would be alot more interest. Just needs to start to come out. Have local shops hand out flyers and promote local meets. I think everyone would win. People want better speakers and systems so local shops sell more... Just needs to be put into action.

 

[tspence73]

IASCA is about helping merchants sell more gear, not about true competition.


"Founded in 1987, IASCA’s mission was to create a marketing program to proliferate the sale of mobile electronics in North America and help the industry grow. Conceived by executives from numerous different manufacturers in the electronics industry, the main marketing tool that was created by IASCA was the “Soundoff”, or car audio competition. Soundoffs were the perfect vehicle to show off manufacturers’ products in a fun, competitive environment and the program met with great success in its early years. A set of rules for competition was created and the format quickly became the benchmark for car audio systems and installations around the world. Many different programs were spawn from the Soundoff, like Autosound Clinics, Championship events and dealer sales programs. Most notably, the IASCA World Finals brought a sense of global standards to the industry and manufacturers began using the organization to create standards for their product; "

That very written statement implies preferential treatment on scores for obvious reasons and interests.

 

[MuTT]

That very written statement implies preferential treatment on scores for obvious reasons and interests.

Myself being an IASCA judge, can you please enlighten me as to how this affects my judging of a car and my giving of preferential treatment to a particular brand?....this outta be good.

 

[SSSnake]

I am all for competitions and objective judging. My thinking is that 63 for membership is very high. What does membership buy you a CD and stickers. Why not decrease membership fees and increase show fees?

 

[tspence73]

Myself being an IASCA judge, can you please enlighten me as to how this affects my judging of a car and my giving of preferential treatment to a particular brand?....this outta be good.

Unless I'm sponsored I wouldn't really feel comfortable competing with a mission statement like that. It implies a general goal of trying to back sales and product promotion, not fairness.

 

[guitarsail]

Edited so Tspence won't whine so much....

 

[MuTT]

Unless I'm sponsored I wouldn't really feel comfortable competing with a mission statement like that. It implies a general goal of trying to back sales and product promotion, not fairness.

your interpretation of it is skewed.
The judging and outcome is not based on product promotion of any kind.
generally local shows are at audio stores, they are responsible for putting on the show and drawing a crowd to their store front, offering promotional items...yadda yadda.....

the competition itself has nothing to do with the products the store carries.
but say the store is an alpine distributor, they call up alpine and say "hey, were having an IASCA show next month!" Alpine rep says "hey cool, we'll send over a demo car"....the demo car is there, it draws attention from the crowd there to see the car show/comp...the 17 year old who pops in, goes "hey wicked sick car yo!"....I need to get me some of that alpine gear, it's obviously the ish, its the sickest car here" he then walks past the iasca competition and drops 3k on some alpine gear that he normally might not have thought to do.
months later he then wishes he had got the infinity reference that tspence suggested.....but that's a different topic.

Having the show draws a crowd, that's the marketing scam in a nutshell.

 

[Andy Jones]

I'd look at the number of shows in your area for the last few years and then decide if that money is justified to you or not.

 

[michaelsil1]

Myself being an IASCA judge, can you please enlighten me as to how this affects my judging of a car and my giving of preferential treatment to a particular brand?....this outta be good.

Especially when the judge doesn't know what you're running.

 

[tspence73]

More post deletions? Classy.

 

[chad]

More post deletions? Classy.

Because your speakers have NOTHING to do with IASCA membership costs... NOTHING.

 

[tspence73]

Because your speakers have NOTHING to do with IASCA membership costs... NOTHING.

Alright you got me there, but then start telling the baiters to quit making comments about my speakers in non-related threads. You might want to start by deleting the following post:

"guitarsail Re: IASCA Membership Costs

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well in all fairness you are running Infinity Refs ;D "

 

[tspence73]

Especially when the judge doesn't know what you're running.

Forgive my ignorance, as I've never competed in one of these things, but I've read that the judges check your install and I've read nothing about a judge being blindfolded while sitting in a car during testing.

Considering that when doing measurements with a mic, a change in position of mere inches or pointing a mic in different direction can dramatically change the readings on an RTA. Do I trust that the judge will not be pulling shinanigans to give favor to one system over another?

 

[michaelsil1]

Forgive my ignorance, as I've never competed in one of these things, but I've read that the judges check your install and I've read nothing about a judge being blindfolded while sitting in a car during testing.

Considering that when doing measurements with a mic, a change in position of mere inches or pointing a mic in different direction can dramatically change the readings on an RTA. Do I trust that the judge will not be pulling shinanigans to give favor to one system over another?

If you're competing in SQC it's about Sound Quality only. When judged for your install there not looking at what kind of Drivers you have.

 

[tspence73]

If you're competing in SQC it's about Sound Quality only. When judged for your install there not looking at what kind of Drivers you have.

Well, considering the mission statement of the IASCA, can I trust there won't be any such discrimination? I don't think anyone can seriously say there won't ever be any. Especially since a certified judge clowned on my speakers on an open forum. Anyone with knowledge of installs know that the speaker brand you own isn't a guarantee of quality sound or perfect measurements and that your processing is FAR more critical to SQ comps. So, should I trust a competition that uses openly biased judges who serve an openly biased IASCA by admission of their very own mission statement?

 

[benny]

 

[Neil]

Paying $60 for subjective opinions is pretty dumb, I think, especially considering the wide number of resources available.