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There are people who tune cars. And then there are people like John Giardina who really tune cars.
Giardina, an acoustical engineer, is responsible for maximizing the sound quality of the Lincoln MKS's THX II Premium Certified Audio System with 5.1 surround sound.
While much of the audio system work is done with extensive computer design and analysis, Giardina's ears have the final say. With his trained ears, he can sit in the car and detect minute subtleties that affect the overall sound quality and tweak the sound accordingly.
"There's a lot of science involved in developing these systems," says Giardina. "But there's a certain amount of art that goes into tuning them."
Once a vehicle is brought into the lab, it's prepped for equalization (EQ). The system's 12-channel, 600-watt, "Smart Amp" and 16 speakers, including the 10-inch dual voice coil subwoofer, are removed and replaced with, what Giardina calls, "Golden Samples," components that are known to have nominal performance.
Using special equipment, an initial measurement is taken to gauge the acoustic effects of the cabin and speaker packaging. Giardina evaluates the measurement data and determines the specific parameters for the Digital Signal Processing (DSP) filter elements and determines individual channel gains and time delays.
Once Giardina is satisfied with the scientific measurements, he climbs into the car and listens. The system is loaded with CDs that come from the manufacturer with specific tracks that have been selected to help determine how the system sounds over a wide range of material, including spoken word.
"We listen for certain things, like a missing instrument or an unbalanced sound and tune accordingly," said Giardina.
The process is repeated for each different EQ mode: driver seat; all seats; rear seats; surround sound and stereo.
Giardina doesn't consider himself to be an audiophile. He started his career 13 years ago as a contract engineer and gravitated toward the acoustic laboratory. Ford's sound laboratory was brought in-house about three years ago. Giardina has been a full-time "tuner" for a year now.
His highly trained ear has given him a new appreciation for all recorded music. Although his musical taste varies, Giardina confesses that he still listens to the music that he grew up on, rock and roll from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Only now he hears it with new ears.
"I hear subtle things in the mix, little nuances in the sounds of the instruments," says Giardina. "I may have listened to a song thousands of times before but never really heard the way the drummer was playing that cymbal."
Thanks to Giardina and the THX II Premium Audio System, customers also will hear music like never before.
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 244,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Mazda, and until completion of their sale, Jaguar and Land Rover. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.