A repeat client from Chesterfield, Missouri, came to JML Audio looking for some major 2010 Chevy Camaro SS upgrades. This beautiful red example was just #58 built of this new generation, so it was something special. Our team scheduled a consultation appointment with the client to go over the vehicle with him and explore options for the build. As this was not our first time doing business with this client, there was already a good working relationship.
When the vehicle arrived, we spent significant time on looking over it together, talking about things we liked and things we disliked on the car. When we are in this part of the consultation, most of our time is spent listening as the client goes over goals for the build. We will interject ideas and ask questions to offer some guidance to the client. When the consult is over, our team comes back to the client with an option list of ideas that we think would work well on the vehicle, along with a proposal for those ideas. He loved what we showed him, so we set an installation appointment.
Custom K40 Radar/Laser Package Promotes Vehicle Safety
We knew from the beginning that the client was going to drive the vehicle the way it was meant to be driven, so a custom-installed laser and radar detector was at the top of our list. For this project, we chose the K40 RL360 package, which includes both front and rear radar receivers. As you can see in the pictures, we remove the bumpers when installing radar receivers. It is the opinion of JML Audio that, if you want maximum performance, the sensors have to be securely mounted. In this vehicle, we mounted the radar receivers to the metal structure behind the bumpers. We loomed all of the wiring and routed it throughout the whole vehicle with factory-style loom to look like Chevrolet installed this system.
In the front, we also installed laser defusers, which go way beyond laser sensors. A laser sensor is a waste of time in a vehicle, since all it does for you is confirm you are getting a ticket. You see, laser (or LIDAR) is shot at a particular vehicle as a beam of light, and the pattern is only about 3 feet wide at a few hundred yards. What that means to you is your laser detector won’t pick up the signal unless it is aimed at you, and then it’s too late.
Laser defusers take protection to the next level. When the laser sensor inside the defuser senses laser being shot at it, it immediately fires back beams of light, preventing the laser operator from getting a reading on your vehicle. This gives you time to slow down and avoid a ticket. As you can imagine, the mounting position of a laser defuser is critical. It has to be parallel to the road and have an unobstructed view of the laser gun being aimed at it. At the same time, it has to be integrated into the vehicle in a way that looks good cosmetically. Many shops will mount the laser defuser to plastic and use double-sided tape or screws, and this won’t fly at JML Audio. The sensor has to be securely mounted to metal, or it will vibrate when you are driving down the road, impeding the performance. We made custom aluminum brackets to hold the defusers in this Camaro and placed them in the optimum location.
Inside the vehicle, we placed the front and rear indicator lights for the K40 system right near the instrument cluster in an easy-to-see but non-intrusive location. The system also uses a speaker for audible alerts, and we modified the center-channel speaker location to hold the K40 speaker. It was completely hidden from view of the driver by the factory grille, and was plenty loud. We integrated quick disconnects into the speaker, so in the event the vehicle has to be serviced, the speaker could be easily removed.
Paint Protection And Window Film Treatments
The car was treated with not only our paint protection package, but also our heat-rejecting window film treatment.
While we were working on the exterior of the car, our team installed our full paint protection package to protect that beautiful red paint from damage that can occur from just driving up the road. We installed our top-of-the-line heat-reflective window film on the side and rear windows, and our clear hear reflective film on the windshield. This film dramatically lowers interior temperatures while protecting the interior and the occupants from the sun’s damaging UV rays.
Full Sound-Proofing Enhances Audio Performance
Now it was time to turn our attention to the audio system. The first thing we did was completely strip the interior and apply our full sound treatment. We did this for two reasons: First, it will dramatically reduce road noise while the customer is driving, making the car a lot more enjoyable. Second, it eliminates the possibility of buzzing and rattling that otherwise may occur from the installation of a high-performance audio system.
Audison BitOne Processor Offers Incredible Control
The Audison BitOne processor is the brain of the entire system. It offers incredible tuning power.
When speaking with the client, it was decided that the factory stereo system in the dash would be left alone, since it looked great and gave the client the feature set he desired. We took the audio signal coming out of the factory radio and ran it into an Audison BitOne processor. We like the BitOne for several reasons. First, it strips the music of the added equalization that Chevy adds to the music. Many vehicle manufacturers add equalization in an attempt to make inexpensive speakers sound better. Unfortunately, when you decide to use better equipment, those detract from the sound quality. By stripping out this EQ, we were now back to the original music, the way the artist intended it to sound.
Second, the BitOne gives us incredible control over each and every speaker in the Camaro, since we have dedicated amplifier channels for each speaker. We can adjust output level, digital time delay, 31 bands of equalization and crossover settings for each speaker we will install. In the hands of someone with expert tuning capabilities like the staff at JML Audio, the results are extraordinary.
Front Speakers Upgraded With Hertz Mille Component Set
We knew this client wanted the sound quality to be incredible, so we chose Hertz Mille speakers for the front. They came with a 6.5” woofer and 1.1” tweeter that we installed in the factory locations in the doors. We machined custom mounting brackets for all the speakers to ensure they were mounted securely.
High-Performance Battery Supports These Camaro SS Upgrades
The left side of the trunk houses 2 of the 4 upgraded batteries that run the car and audio system.
Now we turned our attention to the rear of the vehicle. We removed the one large Chevy battery and installed four Stinger high-performance batteries in its place. As you can imagine, we couldn’t get four batteries where one used to go, so our team made a custom metal battery rack to hold them securely in place.
Incredible Amount Of Power From 4 Premium Amplifiers
We chose four of our best amplifiers and designed the system so each front speaker would receive 300 watts per channel and each subwoofer would receive 1,600 watts of power. While it is true that going with this much power will allow the stereo to truly jam, our rationale goes much deeper than that. We did it for sound quality. When you have this much power in reserve, it brings out detail in the music and plays it effortlessly, because you are never straining the system during the dynamic parts of the music.
And just like with the batteries, we made a custom metal rack for the amps that was securely bolted into the vehicle.
Hertz Subwoofer And An Amazing Trunk Build
JML went back to Hertz for subwoofers, choosing two of their Mille 10” subwoofers. We installed each one in its own custom-ported enclosure for maximum clarity and output.
Once all of the equipment was installed in the trunk, our install team was tasked with making it look beautiful. As you can see in the pictures, we kept the flowing lines of the body intact when making the custom panels in the trunk. We installed blue accent was lighting around the amplifiers and fabricated a plexiglass cover plate with unique shapes cut into it for a finishing touch.
Lean Or Mean With Diverter Kit
While the car was here, we also installed a No Weeds exhaust diverter kit for the client. Now, just by flipping a switch, he can go from a quiet, composed exhaust to one that is loud and menacing.
As is the case with any build done by JML Audio, no vehicle leaves our facility without a complete tuning and final check of each and every component we install. This includes testing the radar and laser performance with our in-house equipment, and final tuning on the audio system, where we are looking for that last little bit of clarity and depth to the music.
Another Smiling Client!
Another smiling JML Audio client
When the client came to pick up his vehicle, he thought we outdid ourselves. He was completely thrilled, and marveled at the fit and finish on the installation. When we turned on the stereo for the first time, he was blown away by the realism in his music. It was as though he finally heard the music the way the artist intended, noticing every little nuance. Seeing his smile made all of our hard work worth it.
When you are ready to upgrade the audio system in your vehicle, or get a custom-installed laser and radar defense system, we invite you to contact us here at JML Audio. We would love to set you up a consultation appointment and go over your vehicle with you, exploring the possible upgrades.
You can also contact us here for more information about any of our products and services.
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