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Forget hype cycles and spec-sheet wars—this conversation is about how music actually feels in a car, and what it takes to get there. We sit down with 20-year-old tuner and fabricator Brayden Cooper, whose journey runs from chaotic basement speaker walls to precision car, bike, and even boat installs. He’s the mind behind a Toyota Camry that pairs five Boston GT amps and a Helix DSP Ultra with baffle-mounted Boston SPG 555 racetrack subs, delivering stage depth, smooth tonality, and the kind of low-end party trick that makes bumpers flex.

Brayden pulls back the curtain on why most listeners aren’t really hearing a subwoofer—they’re hearing the vehicle, the enclosure, and the integration. He breaks down hard dome vs soft dome tweeters, why “install and tuning” beat shiny gear nine times out of ten, and how an ear for phase and balance can fix what REW graphs miss. We unpack the recent Klippel subwoofer testing drama with a level head: how to read the weighting, why scoring isn’t one-size-fits-all, and how to translate distortion and Xmax into smart choices for IB, front subs, or sealed alignments.

Then it’s on to Project RAUDI Brayden’s B8 Audi built around the Accuton Automotive three-way: C30 AM tweeters, C100 AM dash mids, and C165 AM midbass breathing into the subframe. He’s weighing dual Purifi front subs through the firewall versus a compact sealed solution like the Resonix GUS 12, all powered by Symphony Prestigio/Prodigio and potentially Micro-Precision amplification. Expect CAD modeling, 3D scans, a rear-mounted lithium main and an LTO bank for long, stable demo sessions—because consistency matters as much as peak numbers.

If you care about soundstage, imaging, and low distortion more than brand decals, this one’s for you. Brayden also shares details on his mobile tuning service—Helix, ARC, Mosconi, MiniDSP, and more—focused on turning parts into music with careful phase work, clean crossovers, and realistic targets.

Subscribe, share with a friend who’s chasing better car audio, and leave a review with your take: are you team data, team ears, or both?

To follow Brayden’s work in the high-end car audio world — including his tuning, installs, and behind-the-scenes projects — take a look at the links below:

Facebook: CoopersCustomsNH
Instagram: @CoopersCustomsNH
TikTok: @CoopersCustomsNH
YouTube: CoopersCustomsNH

Email: cooperscustomsnh@gmail.com

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Imagine opening a spec sheet and realizing half the numbers don’t survive a real test. That’s the energy today as we sit down with ResoNix founder Nick Apicella to unpack why he spent over $20,000 on independent Klippel testing for nearly forty subwoofers—and what the results say about truth, hype, and how great bass is actually built.

We start with the problem most enthusiasts face: space is tight, power is cheap, yet small sealed performance still lags because many drivers compress, distort, or were never designed to stay linear at real excursion. Nick explains why Xmax claims often fail, how BL, suspension, and inductance symmetry drive audible clarity, and why linearity is the single most important metric for deep extension that still feels present. The data is blunt: a few subs shine, many miss their own marks, and published marketing specs rarely predict how they behave in your car.

Then we reframe one of car audio’s most entrenched debates—sealed versus infinite baffle. The surprising answer: IB isn’t magic. What you’re hearing is excellent drivers doing linear work in an alignment that fits them. Match system Qtc, apply adequate power, and a small sealed design with a truly linear motor can deliver the same pressurized low end people rave about. That thinking fuels the Resinix Gus line: shallow, compact, high-excursion subs built for tiny enclosures and verified by full third-party measurements. Nick shares prototype results, revision tweaks, and a release window, plus why Resinix will publish raw Klippel LSI and TRF data, graphs and all.

If you care about sound quality, this is your roadmap to choosing subs by merit, not marketing. Learn how to read the curves, what distortion looks like at meaningful stroke, and which tradeoffs matter for real-world installs. When the data hub goes live on the ResoNix site, dive in, compare your favorites, and decide with confidence.

Enjoyed this deep dive? Follow, share with a friend who loves car audio, and drop a review with the one claim you most want to see tested next. Your questions shape future episodes.

Link to the Independent Subwoofer Testing Data https://tinyurl.com/3fzr7fr9

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Miss the rush of a great car audio demo that changes your mind on the spot? This season one recap brings you there, starting with Ryan’s beta test of Xcelsus wide band speakers that made a strong case for a clean, coherent two-way system. We unpack why wide bands can unlock simpler installs, tighter imaging, and less crossover complexity, while still being honest about the trade-offs and timing before retail release.

We also track the builds that kept our community buzzing. Mike’s Volvo inches toward a debut for that long-anticipated up mixer, proof that the last 10 percent often decides greatness. Dan—a 90s IASCA champion—returns to the scene and calls today’s cars “very digital,” sparking a rich contrast between analog warmth and modern precision. Luke shocks us by tearing down an already excellent truck to chase surgical like precision, while Chris revives the bold spirit of 90s show installs with a DIY Charger that already sounds promising. The industry’s human side shows too, as Miguel closes his traveling tuning business, a reminder of how hard it is to scale passion across miles and months.

Looking ahead, we share our own next move: exploring infinite baffle after hearing IB done right, with Acoustic Elegance on the shortlist. And we outline a new segment designed to be deeply practical: DSP strategies, MiniDSP and Dirac workflows, DAPS, OEM integration, speaker choices, and placement that actually works in real cars. Expect clear steps, fewer myths, and more music-first results. If you care about sound quality, staging, phase, and low noise floors, you’ll feel right at home as we turn community lessons into a reliable playbook.

If this recap resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who chases better sound, and leave a quick review with the one topic you want us to tackle first in season two. Your ideas shape the lineup.

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