The MASQ scoresheet has two primary sections, installation and sound. We include installation because we feel that basic install judging should be geared towards system knowledge and system safety.
On to the sound section. All sound quality competitors know that judging sound is a subjective task. As a general rule of thumb however, we try to put as much detail into what makes a given score in a given category so that we can help eliminate as much ambiguity as possible from that score.
Let us look at tonality first. At first glance it would appear there is far too few points for tonality, but we disagree. The philosophy behind our tonality section is to divide up tonality into smaller sections, much like imaging and staging are, so that they can be scored independently of each other, giving the judge more area of the scoresheet to convey what they are hearing. While it may seem that we have less points than other formats, we feel this is misleading. The reasoning is that we have more effect points. By this take a tonality category like mids. Another format may offer 10 or 20 points, but their effective points is more like less than half that.
On these scoresheets it is extremely rare to score less than half the points, and somewhat rare to score the top two points, so the effect points is really 6-7. In that 6-7 a judge has to score balance, detail, transparency, dynamics, and sometimes attack, decay and realism. That is a lot to cram into a 6-7 effective point range. By breaking these up into smaller sections the judge has more room to judge the finer points of the vehicle’s sound and also give the competitor a more detailed breakdown.
Imaging and Staging. Why are there so many points here? The answer is quite simple really, because this is an area where great cars can separate themselves from really good cars and is also really easy to screw up. Modern vehicle sound systems have been able to achieve great strides in the technical aspects of sound reproduction that could only be dreamed up a decade or more ago. However, most scoring systems can’t account for these achievements, or outright leave out things that lead to a less than stellar playback experience because there is no reason to push the boundaries as there is no place to score them.
There is also a very good argument to be made that imaging plays a role in good tonality. If your images are smeared, wander around and so forth, then the overall tonality is likely going to suffer as well. On the flip side it is relatively easy to get really good imaging and in doing so completely screw up your tonality. A good example of this is over equalizing which can cause phase issues that make your tonality just mediocre.
With that in mind, we feel we have created a scoresheet that encompasses all the capabilities a modern system can achieve and thus give more room to separate vehicles on the scoresheet. Along with that, it provides the competitor with more details about where their system can be improved by providing more categories to gain points in.
Many of the sections are broken down into 5 points. Where appropriate, a score of 3 is seen as the average vehicle that competes today. Most of the staging sections are good examples of this, where the half point mark is where the average vehicle fits in. While that leaves 2 points to excel, one must remember that adding up all the two point sections leaves quite a few points available for the truly exceptional vehicles to shine.
Power and ground wire of sufficient size for amp power. No bare wires visible at wire termination points. Secured enough so it shouldn’t move during vehicle operation
When presented (doors/trunk open, etc.) does it look ‘finished’? i.e. are panels covered, is the equipment mounted to bare surfaces, etc. Does not have to be fancy in any way. Aesthetics are not being judged here, only that it appears to not still be in the fabrication stage.
Is the competitor aware of how the system was put together? Does the competitor know the ins and outs of the system?
How easy is it to operate the system?
System evaluation begins with using pink noise to set the system loudness to a sustained 85-87db.
These sections are scored with a sweeping pink noise track. This may be controversial, but the reasoning behind this as opposed to using music is unless you were the recording engineer you don’t know how the track was mixed and the levels at which the entire frequency range were recorded. Pink noise, being of equal volume at all levels, eliminates this discrepancy and can more easily highlight areas of imbalance.
The balance in these sections should be scored initially by determining the balance in the frequency section. Below each section has some guidelines on what to listen for, but in general the scores are as such:
Once the baseline for the region is determined, then listen for side to side balance. If there is a slight side bias, that is a single point deduction. Anything beyond a slight bias is a 2 point deduction. The minimum score a region is 1 point. So a complete train wreck and all on a single side is still just 1 point.
High 2500-20k. Strong sibilance. Non-existent highs or overly bright.
Mid 250-2500. Shrill vocals. Harshness.
Low 80-250. Bloated or nulls.
Sub 0-80. Non-existent lower end. Bloated or overpowering.
Overall Balance. This is not an average of the previous 4 sections. The way this is scored is start with a 5. For each section that is not balanced with the next, lose a point. For example, if the sub to mids, as a whole, are balanced to each other, but the highs are too loud, that loses a point. If the sub and low are good, but the mids are too low and the highs are too loud relative to the sub and low, that loses 2 points.
Presentation will be judged using musical tracks that are selected and made known before the event. Certain tracks will be used for different sections.
The snap of a drum. The instant hit of a cymbal. Does that trumpet make you jump?
Can you hear all the little subtle details in the recording that would normally be missed?
Do the speakers just disappear? Does the car just disappear? That’s transparency.
Note that dynamics does NOT mean it gets loud. That is a misconception. Dynamics means the the system can reproduce the softest portions of the recording equally as well as the loudest portions of the recording.
Measures how the system performs as the volume rises. Does it start distorting? Can it actually get loud cleanly? The judging of this is used with a meter and while watching the meter the peaks are noted while listening for distortion. The moment distortion is detected the judging of this is stopped.
Placement is determined as equal distant from one point to the next, such as left center and center. For LC and RC, if the placement is barely discernible from the edge, that would score a 1. If the placement is half way to where it should be, that would be a 2. For center placement, a score of 1 means the center is where the LC or RC should be.
If a given location is quite out of focus (such as a center than wanders around), the most correct position is used to determine the score.
Why is Left and Right placement not scored? Because they are what they are. There is no “correct” placement for these, short of being swapped completely. Their location is used to determine width however.
4 Points each
Each placement focus is divided into 3 frequency ranges. Left and Right each score a max of 3 points. Center, Left Center and Right Center score a max of 5 points in each range. This reflects the difficultly of making these various placements focus correctly in relation to the others. Values of the points is determined much like placement is. Take the scoring of Left as en example. If a given frequency range of the left bleeds or moves to where the Left Center, that scores a 1.
Focus here is determined horizontally as well as vertically. While horizontal shifting is common, at the left and right extremes it is also common for the focus to be off vertically.
Width is referenced from the cabin width. What this means is that the cabin width (side glass to side glass) is the standard for which the vehicle should be able to obtain. Those that do score a 3, which is average. However, this does not mean that the stage’s left and right need to be exactly the sides of the cabin. For example, if the stage is shifted to the left so that it is a few inches outside the left glass AND a few inches INSIDE the right glass, that is still the width of the cabin and scores a 3.
Width is referenced from the cabin width. What this means is that the cabin width (side glass to side glass) is the standard for which the vehicle should be able to obtain. Those that do score a 3, which is average. However, this does not mean that the stage’s left and right need to be exactly the sides of the cabin. For example, if the stage is shifted to the left so that it is a few inches outside the left glass AND a few inches INSIDE the right glass, that is still the width of the cabin and scores a 3.
The top of the stage should be at the horizon (actual, not where your head is) when sitting in a normal driving position. In other words, if the seats are reclined, the horizon doesn’t change because your head is lower than normal. This also means it doesn’t change depending on different judge’s heights as they sit in the car. Ambience may extend the top to above the horizon and this is ok as long as the actual top is at the horizon.
Stage height is a measure of how large the stage is from the bottom to the top. The average car will score a 3 here as most vehicles have a stage height that goes from the dash top to the horizon. Very good cars can achieve a height that extends below the dash and the very best vehicles give a stage height that is almost the height of the interior of the vehicle.
Dash top here references the bottom of the windshield.
Defines the distance from the front of the stage to the rear of it. The definitions below are based on the typical vehicle’s ability to have the front of the stage at the base of the windshield. If the vehicle being scored has the front of the stage inboard or outboard of that location, then adjust the scoring appropriately. For example, if a vehicle’s front of stage is 1/4 of the way out on the hood, then a score of 4 would mean the depth got to at least half of the hood. On the flip side, if a vehicle’s front of stage is middle of the dash, in a typical modern vehcile with deep dashes, then a score of 4 would be less than 1/4 of the hood.
Image sizing is included in the staging section because it is relative to the size of the stage. The bigger the stage, the larger the images should be proportionally.
Defines the relationship between the imaging and the soundstage. Are the images properly placed within that stage? Does the ambiance from the recording come through?
What is the perceived shape of the stage? Is it even? square? Or does it horseshoe or look like a trapezoid.
Perceived physical location of the front of the stage. This is determined in relation to the windshield and the closet distinct image (not any ambience). Because some vehicles will have a sub that pulls the rear, if this happens start with the determining the front without that taken into account. Once that is established, deduct a point.
What does this mean? These points are designed to give a judge the ability to award a car that just does something special for which there is no place on the scoresheet to otherwise mark it. Maybe it is the car you want to drive off with. Maybe it gives you goose bumps, makes you want to cry (in a good way) or whatever the case may be. We realize this is highly subjective, but the criteria should be really high as in very hard to get these points. The vehicle has to be extraordinary in some aspect and the judge should fully qualify why the points were given, in writing.