LOS ANGELES — The Sony sponsored Hi-Res Magic Bus has become a fixture at audio shows over the last few years, demonstrating that excellent sound can be achieved in an automotive environment — if the equipment is state-of-the-art and the acoustics are accounted for and the installer is a dedicated genius.
And Jon Whitledge, guru and taskmaster at Whitledge Designs, is that genius. As the frontiers of the possible move, Jon is updating the system aboard the bus. The LA Audio Show will host the first public display of Jon’s latest changes. For the duration of the Show, the latest incarnation of the Magic Bus will be parked outside the main entrance of the Show’s venue, the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, at LAX.
The Magic Bus will be the site for the world debut of Fiona Joy’s new recording “Into the Mist.” And Fiona will be on hand for the premiere on Saturday, June 3, from 3 – 5 PM.
The heart of Jon’s creation is Sony’s RSX-GS9 Hi-Res Audio Media Receiver. “What makes the Sony unit special, in my view,” Mr. Whitledge says, “is its quality — both in build and performance — its versatility, and its convenience. It will play virtually any format. Just press-and-play.”
The Magic Bus features a 4,620 watt audio with nine loudspeakers, nine monoblock amplifiers, cutting edge — 96 kHz/24 bit digital signal processing, pure silver audio signal cables and connections, and a large bank of batteries to power it all. The scientifically designed and computer-optimized acoustics inside the Magic Bus are studio quality.
To extract maximum performance from the Sony GS9 media receiver, leading edge products by Kimber Kable, WBT, Heatshrink.com, Dynaudio, Genesis Car Audio, Audiotech, Fischer, Cascade, Audio Engineering, Neutrik, XS Power and many more companies were used. SMc Audio and the Amp Doctor provided system voicing services and amplifier modifications, respectively.
Additionally, those who have experienced the bus, either at Newport Beach last year or at La Jolla earlier this year, will note that the system has been updated and will be debuted at LAAS. A significant change is the substitution of the Helix DSP Pro MKII, as modified by Gordon Taylor of the Amp Doctor, for the earlier Helix DSP Pro.
The 3,300-pound audio system in the Magic Bus is the culmination of about 10 years Jon Whitledge’s ongoing efforts to build the world’s finest mobile music system. The decade-long project has been both a labor of love and provided an ongoing rolling laboratory for the expansion of the art of sound.
Registration and attendance is free for qualified press, see http://www.laaudioshow.com/press-registration.
For a complete list of exhibitors and special events, see http://www.laaudioshow.com