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Escalade Escalates Standard

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If you are looking for a way to provide total entertainment to your flock as you guide your SUV through the never-ending traffic of I-95, I-70, or I-405, you need to copy the audio-video system designed and constructed for this 2004 Escalade EXT. There is plenty of video -- a total of seven TV monitors strategically located throughout the vehicle -- and an abundance of audio -- a six disc CD changer, the ability to plug in an Apple iPod, four amplifiers and four outboard processors to assure that the sound of the music is beyond perfection, and three Kicker 15-inch subwoofers that affirm that the bass is kicking. And the entire package has been designed to be cosmetically up to the standards expected by a driver of a Cadillac Escalade.

Ivan Garcia, owner of Colorado Customs, a car audio-video specialty retail store in   Colorado, designed and constructed the system. Garcia has been an installer for nine years and his shop offers such services as full car customization, audio-video products and installation, full body work, wheels, car upholstery, performance products, hydraulics, and air bags.



The Ultimate System for the Drive or Competition

The owner of this vehicle actually competes it at dB Drag Racing sound off events in both sound quality and SPL. So its appearance is as important as the way its system performs.

Some modest exterior modifications were done. For example, aftermarket fog lights and body molding replaces their factory counterparts. In addition, neon has been mounted to the back of the grille to give it a showcar excitement.

As stated, there are TV monitors all over. A 6.5-inch Alpine TME-M770 monitor appears in each visor, the back of the front seat headrests, and in the center of the dash. This monitor includes a Visual EQ to fine tune the video, two audio-video inputs, one audio-video output, an input for the Alpine navigation system, and built-in speaker and amplifier. In order to fit the monitor in the center of the dash, Garcia had to remove the stock radio and re-place it where the factory CD changer used to be. He mounted the screen behind the hole that was left and trimmed it with shiny black acrylic.

Moreover, there is an Alpine 18-inch monitor attached to the back of the subwoofer enclosure in the rear of the vehicle visible when the back door is open and a 7-inch fully motorized monitor appears on the Alpine IVA-D300 head unit that commands the entire audio-video system. This unit is mounted to the center console. It can play CDs, DVDs, MP3 and WMA and includes a built in four channel amplifier that delivers 50 watts of maximum power per channel, subwoofer level control, phase selector, and bass center frequency control; treble control and treble center frequency control; bass width control; a two-way selectable crossover with three position highpass or lowpass crossover control; four channel adjustable digital time correction; four band parametric equalizer; factory preset EQ; bass focus and bass type selection. It also has three pre-outs, one audio-video input, and one independent audio-video output. It is Satellite Radio ready and also has an input for the plug in of an Apple iPod which permits music stored in the iPod to be played on the in-car audio system.. The unit allows the user to fully control the iPod.

Also providing video is a Playstation video game mounted in the back seat armrest and supplying additional audio is an Alpine CHA-S634 six disc CD changer which is mounted in the side wall of the center console on the passenger side.

There are plenty of AudioControl processors (the Epicenter Bass Maximizer, the EQX equalizer, the 24SX electronic crossover, and a Matrix line driver) mounted under the back seat on the driver’s side to assure that the sound is the best it can be. The Epicenter is designed to amplify the bass notes from about 120 Hz. and below, explained Garcia. It comes with a dash-mounted remote control.

The EQX is a 13 band dual bandwidth equalizer and programmable electronic crossover with a 24 dB per octave slope. There is a six band half octave bass EQ and a seven band octave EQ. The unit also includes a programmable frequency Match subsonic filter to protect the speakers, line and speaker level inputs, and input and output level matching controls.

The 24XS is a two-way electronic crossover with a 24 dB per octave slope. The unit controls lowpass and highpass and includes balanced inputs, speaker wave alignment technology (SWAT) for speaker phase control, output level controls, and a programmable frequency match subsonic filter for subwoofer control and protection.

The Matrix is a six channel line driver that boosts the signal before it is passed on to the amplifiers. Garcia decided that this unit was necessary because the system has four amplifiers and he had to be certain that the signal was of enough strength to be able to supply the amps. The Matrix boosts the signal 24 dB or to 13 volts peak output. It includes a Programmable Frequency Match subsonic filter and output level controls.

There are four Kicker amplifiers -- one KX850.4 four channel amplifier and three KX 1200.1 mono one channel amplifiers.

The KX850.4 four channel amplifier delivers 215 watts of power per channel into 2 ohms. It can run bridged to configure it into a two channel amplifier and deliver 425 watts per channel into 4 ohms in this mode. It includes a built-in active variable crossover with a 12 dB per octave slope that can be adjusted between 50 Hz. and 200 Hz. The highpass, lowpass, or allpass functions are selectable. There is also a KICKBASS boost that is variable to +18 dB and centered at 40 Hz.

The amplifiers are incorporated into the subwoofer box located in the rear of the vehicle.

A Kicker 6-1/2-inch midrange speaker and tweeter component set have been placed in the factory openings in each of the four doors.

Three Kicker L7 15-inch subwoofers are housed in a ported enclosure in the rear of the vehicle. The box features a plexiglass top that has been etched with the Escalade logo and the Cadillac emblem. The walls of the interior of the box have been lined with mirrors so it appears that there are more subwoofers than there actually are. The mirrors are secured in place with construction strength adhesive. The rest of the enclosure is made of 1-inch medium density fiberboard. The port of the enclosure is tuned to 35 Hz. Garcia noted that the owner of the vehicle wanted the system to be used during every day driving as well as for sound quality and SPL contests. It was discovered that tuning the port at 35 Hz offers the best performance for every day driving use. Moreover, it was found that playing a 70 Hz. note when the vehicle is being judged for SPL will burp the system to supply the highest SPL. Garcia said that the system has hit 148.3 dB as its best score in SPL.

There are red and blue neon and white strobe lights inside the enclosure. The owner can select what color neon is shining by simply flicking a switch which is next to the steering column. He can select just blue, red, or white light or turn on all three.

Six Optima Yellow Top batteries power the system and a new Power Master 360 amp alternator under the hood assures that the batteries are charged. These batteries are located under the amplifiers in the subwoofer enclosure. Two distribution blocks custom built out of 1-inch steel are mounted next to the batteries. 0 gauge cable runs from the alternator and front battery to the distribution block and 4 gauge cable runs from the block to the amplifiers. The short run of the power cables from block to amplifiers assures a cleaner sounding system.

Garcia upgraded all the stock wiring of the factory electrical system as well as the grounds. He actually made three grounds -- a block ground, a chassis ground, and a body ground. He explained that this set up eliminates any ground loop problems which could cause engine noise in the audio system. “The chassis mounts to everything. If I just grounded at the chassis, there could be a ground loop. That’s why the other grounds were included,” said Garcia.