Six years was all it took for the Honda Accord in JDM trim to realise its aesthetic appeal even when pitched against the ranks of German counterparts. After all, the eighth generation JDM Accord, in our eyes, seems to draw inspirations from European rivals, with sharp shoulder lines and sporty air vents helping to increase its on-road image.

This Accord might have the commanding presence, but interestingly, our guest in this feature opts to explore deeper into the In-Car Entertainment (ICE) route instead. This ride belongs to Mr Michael Chong, a Sales & Marketing Manager of Toshiba. As a leader in an entertainment fim, it comes as little surprise that Michael puts emphasis in a good sounding system. His passion is now reflcted in the modifiations done to his Accord. As a driver who is always on the road, Michael sees need for an exemplary audio system to ensure that every drive is a pleasant affair. He admits that high quality sound sets the mood and tone for every journey – not a bad way to take your mind away the harshness of working life!

Michael set apart SGD$8000 to King’s Way Sound Garage for his project, and the result in return was a Champion title gathered from Heat 1 of the EMMA Singapore Championship 2014 that concluded just a couple of months back. REV was eager to have a listen and fid out more about the inner workings behind the winning ride, and of course enquire the magic behind his way of working round a relatively tight budget from a high quality audio system point of view.

A peep into the cabin reveals modifiations that are not overly ostentatious. In fact, you would be likely to think that only a couple of tweaks were made. For start, the OEM source is replaced by Pioneer’s AVH-P8550BT 2-din 7-inch touchscreen DVD multimedia receiver. Their newest model in the range has been proven throughout to deliver stunning audio performance. Integrated with Pioneer’s proprietary systems such as “Mixtrax” among others, it promises to extract the best potential from the speakers. Pioneer also understands the importance of mobile connectivity, and that is why this source unit works seamlessly with iOS and Android and lets you connect up to two USB-enabled devices at any given time.

Taking the signal from it is the Mosconi DSP “6 to 8”, which has already become one of the most highly sought-after processor in the audio market due to its great sound quality and retention of high
quality signal. Made and developed in Italy, these could very well transform Michael’s ride from a casual hauler to a mobile media machine. Mosconi amplifirs are used to power the system. Namely, the AS series of 100.4 powers the Hi and Mid frequency, while the low is powered by the 100.2. The Sub frequency is powered by the powerful 200.2 with a bridged mono rating of 600 Watts in 2 ohms rating. These amplifirs are certainly a force to be reckoned with – as they are usually the default choice for audiophiles. The Mosconi AS amplifir is one of the best products available in the market today, and it comes packed with an extremely affordable pricing without compromising on typical superior Italian craftsmanship.

The drivers featured in Michael’s Accord are also renowned speakers from Micro Precision. Interestingly, the owner of Micro Precision was in town a couple of months back and from there we understood that the speakers were released to the market only when they meet his stringent expectations. The “Series 7” tweeter and “Series 5” midrange was customised into the A-pillar and dashboard of Michael’s ride, and the “Series 7” midbass was fited neatly into the door panel, fenced by customised speaker grilles.

To provide the much-needed low-end punch, the SQX 10 Sub-woofer from Gladen Audio was selected and it sits in the trunk hidden behind the amplifirs in a sealed enclosure. This single-voice coil driver is responsible for frequency from 20 to 100Hz and throws unrivalled quality that sends the beats reverberating throughout the cabin without distortion. The dedicated tuning by King’s Way
Sound Garage has brought a nice stage of imaging from both A-pillars, and the resulting tunes certainly brought smooth tonal accuracy to the playlists.

Tunes played via the MP3 format sounded exceptionally clear too. The Champion in the Master 8000 Digital category looks set to reignite the EMMA Singapore stage in future competitions. Watch this space for more of Michael’s prized possession in the EMMA Singapore Grand Final!