In late 1988, as George Michael's "Faith" topped the year-end Billboard charts, Ernie Uy purchased an '89 Acura Integra with the hopes of building a badass audio system. Being a teenager with limited funds, however, Uy couldn't afford to load the car with high-end parts and had to settle for more meager modifications. After finishing college and locking down a 9 to 5, he was finally able to build his ideal audio system.
Instead of tricking out his old-school vehicle with new gadgets and gear, Uy decided to stay true to his original vision. "I built this car with the components inside because at the time, circa 1990, they were some of the best components available," Uy explains. Once he picked out the parts, he brought the car to Crazy Stereo of Harbor City, Calif., for the install and had Traffic Jamz of Encino, Calif., install the custom-mounted head unit and custom amprack.
Head Unit
Considering his goal, it's no surprise that Uy opted for the legendary Alpine 7909 head unit. Once a staple of IASCA competitions, the 7909 has appeared in other forms, such as the 7909J (its Japanese counterpart), the limited 30th anniversary edition released in 1997, and the more recent Alpine 7990, which pays homage to its predecessor. Uy went with the real deal, with its pullout feature and removable face, centering it in the stock location. Uy says this required only a minor modification. "The stock location was not centered in the dash. So [it] was cut out and the head unit centered with a custom bezel made to fit," he says.
Front Stage
For the front stage, Uy went with Nakamichi SP-10s in the upper door panels for the highs, while Nakamichi SP-50s cover the lows. The tweeters were custom-mounted by Uy with the aid of longtime friend, Darwin Tanabe, who helped him install the original door speakers back in 1990. Showing no love for the back seat passengers, Uy decided not to add rear fill. "I don't sit back there," he says with a smile.
Equalizer
When it came to choosing a processor, Uy opted for an Audio Control EQX. The part was ideal because it combines the efficiency of an active crossover with a built-in equalizer. "In order to meet my goals of keeping the system as simple and clean as possible, I was able to kill two birds with one stone with this processor," he says. As a bonus, the compact unit "was small enough to fit next to the box and slim enough not to raise the false floor too high to where it would be awkward," Uy reveals.
Subwoofers
Seeking a tight bass sound, Uy selected a sealed enclosure for a pair of vintage Soundstream SS10Rs. The 1.5-cubic-feet enclosure is fashioned out of MDF and features a fiberglass bottom. The classic woofers provide solid bottom end sound well suited to Uy's musical selections, which range from Pink Floyd to Prince and Sade. "The enclosure sounds incredible," Uy boasts, "not too bad for 20-year-old speakers."
Amplifiers
Soundstream won out again as Uy chose four vintage Soundstream D200 amps, each bridged mono. Each front component set and sub is powered by its own dedicated amp, ensuring sufficient and consistent response. The setup produced a total system power of 800 watts at4 ohms.
Conclusion
The result of Uy's tireless search for the perfect vintage parts is a true old-school system that doesn't put on any airs. "My main goal of the entire installation was to be as clean and as simple as it could be, just the way it was done back in the day," he explains. "No video, no Playstation, no neon-just clean audio."
Making this vision come to life was no picnic; Uy had to convince Frank at Traffic Jamz to leave the majority of the components unexposed. For Uy, it's the classic quality of the gear that makes the biggest impact. "When you lift the rear gate all I wanted to see was the four D200s and the two SS10Rs sitting there ready to go," Uy divulges. "I think those components have a reputation that speaks for themselves; no need to show off the other stuff."