News

January 2010: Hybrid Audio Sponsors World Extreme Cagefighting 46 and Fighter Will Campuzano

WEC 46: Varner vs. Henderson was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting on January 10, 2010. It took place at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California.

Will Campuzano fought on the undercard, and after three, 5-minute rounds, Campuzano defeated his opponent Coty Wheeler by unanimous decision.

January 2010: Bad Economic Times are a Good Time for Hybrid Audio Technologies

Since its inception in July 2005, Hybrid Audio Technologies has quickly become known as one of the most formidable car audio speaker system manufacturers in the world. Beyond producing the finest car audio speaker systems available today, the Company is known for its innovative dealer programs, guaranteed lifetime product value, and winning more sound quality championships in North America for the past five straight years than any other manufacturer.

Despite the gloomy economic climate, Hybrid Audio Technologies Inc., a State of Georgia Corporation, continues to show strong growth in the mid- to high-end car audio speaker system category. Today, Hybrid Audio Technologies is pleased to announce a Fiscal Year 2009 growth rate of 43.7% over Fiscal Year 2008 revenue. The growth was predominantly noted in the domestic USA dealer base, with several exceptional dealers signing on, and opting to replace other brands in favor of Hybrid Audio Technologies products in their retail stores. Dealers noted the exceptional performance of Hybrid Audio Technologies products at their respective price points, ease of installation, dealer technical support and client referrals, as well as the enthusiastic response by clientele to the lifetime guaranteed value and trade-up programs offered by the Company. In addition to the strong domestic USA growth, international trade was up significantly as well, with new Hybrid Audio Technologies distribution portals established in the European Union, Mexico, Brazil, Philippines, and Malaysia.

Scott E. Buwalda, CEO of Hybrid Audio Technologies noted “naturally, we are elated with the growth in 2009. Dealers are beginning to see the value in a truly protected brand that is innovative, looks and sounds great, is easy to sell, and that is not sold on the internet at prices just above dealer cost. It sends a message that Dealers are sick and tired of the race to zero, and furthermore, that retail clients want something more than status quo products.”

Hybrid Audio Technologies is an Atlanta, GA-based mid- to high-end speaker manufacturer. Hybrid Audio Technologies manufactures four product lines, from our budget-friendly Imagine line which retails below $250.00/two-way set, to our Clarus, Legatia, and Legatia Pro lines. To inquire about becoming a dealer of Hybrid Audio Technologies products, or purchasing Hybrid Audio Technologies products, please contact us at info@hybrid-audio.com or by calling 1.770.888.8200. Furthermore, come visit us at the Daytona Spring Break Nationals on 12-14 March 2010, and see several new products on display as well as the debut of our most-recent project, a world-class show and demonstration vehicle.

October 2009: More Domination in the Island Nation of Trinidad; IASCA World Record Event

At the recent IASCA 18 "World Record Event", hosted at the Samars Entertainment Center in Penal, Trinidad, Team Hybrids Trinidad members once again stole the show with key wins. Congratulations to Andrew Dopson for winning first place in the "sound only" SQC class, as well as first place in the Amateur division, as well as Team Hybrids captain Dinelle Mangalsingh winning IASCA's toughest class, Ultimate.

October 2009: United States Auto Sound Competition International (USACi) World Finals is the Latest Platform for Hybrid Audio Technologies Domination

Atlanta, GA – On the heels of Hybrid Audio Technologies’ domination of key classes at the 2009 Mobile Electronics Competition Association (MECA) Championships, more wins and key placements are attained at the annual USACi World Finals in Tulsa Oklahoma.

Competitors from around the country and Mexico made the voyage to the Tulsa Convention Center, where USACi and the dB Drag Racing Association joined forces to produce one large event the weekend of October 3-4, 2009. While the main exhibit hall of the Tulsa Convention center was dedicated to vendor booths and sound pressure level vehicles, the mezzanine was dedicated for use by sound quality competitors, where Hybrid Audio Technologies had a total of eight Team Hybrids members present to compete in the sound quality portion of the show.

Of the nine possible sound quality classes offered by USACi, Team Hybrids members competed in five (Intro Consumer, Intermediate Consumer, Intermediate Pro, Advanced Pro, and Pro-Q). World Championships honours were achieved in two of the classes competed in, and in two others, Team Hybrids members scored a very respectable second-place finish.

In Intro Consumer, Brain Souter won the World Championship honours in his class with an outstanding final score; Brian uses the Hybrid Audio Technologies Legatia L641-3 three-way component system in his Ford F250 truck. In Intermediate Consumer, 2008 Mexican USACi Champion and Best of Show winner Jorge Juaristi placed second in his Mazda CX-7, equipped with a Legatia L831-3 three-way component system. In Intermediate Pro, John Roberts took home the World Championship honours in his Ford F250 truck, using a combination of two Legatia L61-2 Pro two-way kits, a pair of Legatia L1V2 tweeters, and a Clarus C51-2 two-way kit for rear fill. In Advanced Pro, marking his first year as a professional competitor, 2008 Consumer Advanced World Champion John Sketoe placed second in his class, with the highest sound quality score of the Professional Division. Sketoe uses a Legatia L61-2 two-way kit in his Buick Grand National. Other placements included Gina Torres (Intro Consumer, 5^th place), Andy Faris (Intermediate Consumer (5^th place), David Seal (Pro-Q, 6^th place), and Monty Jones (Pro-Q, 7^th place).

Of the various story-lines throughout the weekend, one stood out from the rest, and that was John Roberts’ win in Intermediate Pro. Roberts’ pilgrimage to Tulsa to compete was plagued with several unforeseen issues, and yet, Roberts was able to pull out a win in this heavily-contested class. See Hybrid Audio Technologies press from October 7, 2009.

When speaking about do-it-yourself built competition cars in the Consumer classes that use Hybrid Audio Technologies products, Bill Pleasant of Team Hybrids commented “the playing field is very level in the Consumer classes, and it’s good to see that folks who use the Hybrid Audio Technologies products are winning on the merit of their sound quality, without fancy or advanced installation techniques afforded by professional-built or shop installations. That says a lot about the quality of the product.” Pleasant continued “In our top four placements, the Hybrid Audio Technologies vehicle had the highest sound quality score in their respective class.”

In attendance at the event was Hybrid Audio Technologies CEO Scott E. Buwalda. “I am very proud of all of our competitors – and everyone that uses the Hybrid Audio Technologies products in the competition lanes. With this being the season-ending show until March 2010, I look forward in great expectation to what comes next as the company continues to grow at double-digit pace, new products are introduced in December and January, and of course the continued dominance of our Team Hybrids program.”

Hybrid Audio Technologies is an Atlanta, GA-based high-end speaker manufacturer. In the previous four years, Hybrid Audio Technologies-equipped cars have won more championships in the three sound quality organizations in the USA than any other speaker brand. The results speak for themselves. For more information, or to inquire about becoming an exclusive dealer of Hybrid Audio Technologies products, or to purchase Hybrid Audio Technologies products, please contact us at info@hybrid-audio.com or by calling 1.770.888.8200.

October 2009: Hybrid Audio Technologies-Equipped Cars Make Yet Another Championship Statement – This Time at the Mobile Electronics Competition Association Finals

Atlanta, GA – Hybrid Audio Technologies-equipped cars once again grab top honors in key divisions at the 2009 Mobile Electronics Competition Association (MECA) Finals, including winning the event’s highest level sound quality class, MECA’s Master Class.

As the car audio competition season drew to a close, members of the MECA organization met in Nashville, Tennessee to decide who the best of the best was in their respective sound quality and installation quality classes. Boasting an impressive turn-out of sound quality competitors, the MECA finals has steadily increased in size over the past few years, and is now a must-attend event for the serious sound quality competitor. At the event were seven Hybrid Audio Technologies Team Hybrids members, to compete in only a small assortment of the many classes offered by MECA at its Finals.

When the dust settled, competitor Andrew Mitchell brought home the title in the Amateur division, backing up key victories by other Amateurs this year in both the IASCA and USACi organizations, and reinforcing past championships won by Hybrid Audio Technologies users in non-professional classes. Mitchell also went on to win the “Rookie of the Year” award, given to the first-year competitor that exemplifies the spirit of car audio competition. Mitchell also won the MECA National Points Championships for the highest points obtained during the 2009 season – points are awarded for top wins and placements, with Mitchell being recognized as having obtained the highest amount of season points.

The weekend’s key victory went to Dave Edwards in his win of the Master Class, MECA’s highest-level sound quality class. Edwards posted an extremely high final “sound only” score using a Legatia L631-3 three-way component system in his 2006 Toyota Camry. What makes the win astonishing is that the entire front stage is located in factory locations (Edwards decided to compete in the highest class, even despite the apparent handicap of using OEM locations). This win marks the second year in a row that Edwards has posted a perfect season; Edwards has never lost in organized sound quality competition while using Hybrid Audio Technologies products.

Other Team Hybrids members achieved high placements, such as Cory Bradley, taking second place in Stock, and fifth place in Street Install, Chris LaCombe placing third in Modex, Jack Everett placing fourth in Modex and fifth in SQ2, and John Marsh placing fourth in SQ2. For his efforts, Team Hybrids honours Raymond Moyer, a competitor that, considering the sound quality of his system, could have won his class with his Legatia-equipped Nissan Altima, who had unexpected electronics equipment failure, and as a result did not place.

Dave Brooks, the Team Hybrids MECA coordinated commented” I am very proud of the team and their efforts, as well as the placements of competitors that aren’t on Team Hybrids, but who use the Hybrid Audio Technologies products in their competition cars. It’s a huge statement for Hybrid Audio Technologies as we continue to establish ourselves as the speaker brand of choice for not only car audio competitors, but anyone that loves great sound quality in their car. Hybrid Audio Technologies is the high-end speaker brand of choice.”

Hybrid Audio Technologies is an Atlanta, GA-based high-end speaker manufacturer owned by multiple world champion Scott E. Buwalda. In the previous four years, Hybrid Audio Technologies-equipped cars have won more championships in the three sound quality organizations in the USA than any other speaker brand. For more information, or to inquire about becoming an exclusive dealer of Hybrid Audio Technologies products, or to purchase Hybrid Audio Technologies products, please contact us at info@hybrid-audio.com or by calling 1.770.888.8200.

Atlanta, GA – Hybrid Audio Technologies competitor John Roberts fought through multiple issues to not only make an improbable showing at the 2009 United States Autosound Competition International (USACi) world finals, but also to secure a win in the highly-contested Intermediate Pro division.

Ask any car audio competitor and they’ll tell you that bad things always occur the week of the world finals. Whether it’s a dead battery, or losing the tune on the equalizer, it always just seems to “happen” that issues arise right before, or during the world finals. John Roberts of Hot Springs Arkansas is no exception. In the past several months, Roberts has been busy retrofitting his show truck with the award-winning Hybrid Audio Technologies Legatia and Clarus products, and had put the finishing touches on his kick panels just hours before leaving for the event. Only fifteen minutes into his trip, Roberts noticed his alternator had stopped charging and the truck was running on battery power alone. Flabbergasted, Roberts was about to turn around and go home, negating the months of work leading up to this point, but before he did, he rang Ohio Generator, and they came up with a plan for Roberts to continue on to the Finals on Kinetik battery power alone.

With all amperage-robbing accessories turned off, John limped into Tulsa four hours later. The voltmeter read 11.2 volts. John got situated, and immediately plugged his vehicle into the power supply he brought along, and began to trickle charge his batteries back to life. A few hours later, in an unprecedented effort in customer service, Thomas Eliopoulis of Ohio Generator flew in to repair the alternator on the tailgate of John’s truck. Team Hybrids members rallied around Roberts and ensured that his sound was dialled in, while John focussed his efforts on preparing for judging to begin. By Sunday afternoon of the USACi Finals, word had gotten around about Roberts’ situation, but even more remarkably, the buzz was about how strong the truck was, and how great it sounded.

Fast forward to Sunday evening, the night of the USACi Finals awards ceremony, and the months of preparation and last-minute tribulations all seemed to be worth it, as Roberts was named the USACi world champion in the heavily-contested Intermediate Pro division.

“John’s showing exemplifies the competitive spirit found in every member of Hybrid Audio Technologies Team Hybrids’ competition group – that insatiable desire to achieve great things, and fight through adversity” remarked Scott Buwalda, CEO of Hybrid Audio Technologies. “We are honoured to have a person like John on our team, and using our products, because he’s an example of how perseverance always pays off.”

John was found after the awards ceremony sipping on a cup of coffee, smiling from ear to ear. “It’s just been one of those weekends, I guess.” Standing in the shadow of his six-foot tall trophy, nothing else seemed to matter much to Roberts.

Team Hybrids is the official competition group of Hybrid Audio Technologies, and to date has achieved more than forty national- and world championship honours around the world in its short tenure of less than four years. Eighteen have been won this year alone in North America in the various competition organizations. No brand has dominated organized sound quality competition the way Hybrid Audio Technologies has.

Hybrid Audio Technologies is an Atlanta, GA-based high-end speaker manufacturer with the goal of developing the world's finest car audio loudspeakers. For more information, or to inquire about becoming an exclusive dealer of Hybrid Audio Technologies products, or to purchase Hybrid Audio Technologies products, please contact us at info@hybrid-audio.com or by calling 1.770.888.8200.

September 2009: The IASCA^® Canadian Championships Have Proven One Thing: The Best-Sounding Cars in Canada Use Hybrid Audio Technologies Products

Atlanta, GA – Hybrid Audio Technologies-equipped cars dominate the trophy ceremonies at the IASCA Eastern and Western Canadian Championships with key wins, including the highest sound quality score in both eastern and western Canada, respectively, the highest overall sound and installation “SQi” score, as well as a remarkable sweep of all “SQi” classes in eastern Canada.

In the past four years, no brand of car audio product has dominated organized sound quality competition – irrespective of format – like Hybrid Audio Technologies. The latest chapter of the unequivocal success played out over a two weekend timeframe in Canada, with the Western Championships hosted on August 23 in Penticton, British Columbia and the Eastern Championships hosted on August 30 in Whitby, Ontario. This unique format included common sound and installation judges between the two events, so that a unified Canadian champion could be crowned in each format.

The Western Championships was an impressive showing for Team Hybrids members, dealers, and customers. Hybrid Audio product user Gene Skarra won the Amateur SQC “sound only” division, and in the Professional division, Team Hybrids North American Coordinator Bill Pleasant won the Professional SQC “sound only” title with the highest sound quality score of the western championships. Bill also won the Professional SQi class, where scores are awarded for both sound and installation, posting an impressive 460 points - the highest score of the entire Canadian Finals Series, East or West!! Keith McCumber of Sounds Good in Coquitlam, BC, a Hybrid Audio Technologies dealer, took third place in the Professional division and in the Amateur SQi division, and Team Hybrids member Mike Peterson nabbed 3rd place in SQi and Amateur SQC with his daily driven Mustang.

At the Eastern Championships, nine of ten SQ and SQI classes were won by a Hybrid Audio Technologies user or Team Hybrids member. The Hybrid Audio Technologies champions are as follows: Julian Ridi (Rookie), David Erwin (Amateur), John Myers (Professional), Emanuel Beja (Ultimate), Larry Woolacott (Expert), Julian Ridi (SQC Rookie), John Myers (SQC Professional), Emanuel Beja (SQC Ultimate), Larry Woolacott (SQC Expert). For his efforts in SQC Amateur, David Erwin was awarded second place, 0.5 points behind the winner, due only to system noise deductions which were out of Erwin’s control.

“The dynasty we established at the 2009 IASCA North American championships in Daytona Beach, Florida has been further reinforced with several key victories at the Canadian Championships” proclaimed Bill Pleasant, Team Hybrids’ North American Coordinator. “Not only did Hybrid Audio Technologies have the best-sounding car in both western and eastern Canada, but cars equipped with Hybrid Audio Technologies products also the highest total SQi score of the two events, and a sweep of every SQi class at the eastern championships! There can be no denying that Hybrid Audio Technologies has proven that it is the car audio speaker brand of choice in Canada.”

“The showing from our Canadian Team and other folks using the Hybrid Audio Technologies product was remarkable and I am elated that we have continued on in the tradition of dominating organized competition, the proving ground for great car audio equipment” remarked Scott Buwalda, CEO of Hybrid Audio Technologies. “It’s a great feeling to back up our wins from the North American Championships, and our Sound Quality Best of Show win at the Mexican IASCA Finals last October. The best sounding cars in North America – Mexico, USA, and now Canada – all use Hybrid Audio Technologies products.”

Hybrid Audio Technologies is an Atlanta, GA-based high-end speaker manufacturer with Canadian distribution coordinated by Sound Solution, located in Lindsay, Ontario. Together with Sound Solution, the goal of Hybrid Audio is to develop the world's finest car audio loudspeakers. For more information, or to inquire about becoming an exclusive dealer of Hybrid Audio Technologies products, or representation or international distribution availability in the USA, please contact us at info@hybrid-audio.com or by calling 1.770.888.8200. Inquiries in Canada can be directed to Sound Solution at sales@sound-solution.net or by calling 888.811.6336 toll free.

Yup, you heard right. As if the Legatia L1 Pro wasn't enough of a car audio tweeter masterpiece, we went and designed a "Special Edition" model, to be sold in very limited quantities. Available by December 15, 2009, the Legatia L1 Pro SE will boast a radiator ring diaphragm and a lower resonance frequency than the original L1 Pro (Fs of 580 Hz!). The L1 Pro SE delivers flat response and precise detail, while the high frequency waveguide prevents phase cancellation and wide dispersion. The L1 Pro SE will set the new benchmark for radiator ring tweeters. The following is a photo of the final prototype:

Because of the unsettled economic climate, the Legatia Pro-series had been tabled for several months. We'd like to announce that we're back on track, and are actively working on the Legatia L3 Pro. This will be the world's finest 3" midrange. We hope to have it available around March 2010. Be watching the Buwalda Hybrids International bulletin board for details and product updates.

June 2009: Team Hybrids Trinidad Breaks Out the "Dread Spanking" of the Competition at the First Show of the Year

At the first sound quality event of the year, Team Hybrids Trinidad members came out in force. An early season show for the island nation, only three out of the five cars on the Team were truly ready. Even still, the Trinidad Team took four first places, and one second place. "It was truly a dread spanking of the competition today" announced Dinelle Mangalsingh, Team Hybrids Trinidad Coordinator. Making the win even sweeter was the fact that Team Hybrids member Devin Ramkissoon took home the coveted "Sound Quality Best of Show." This showing continues the dominance of Hybrid Audio Technologies-equipped cars in Trinidad's organized IASCA competition.

May 2009: "Big Red" Jim Becker Sweeps Speaker Works Show in Orange, California

Known on many of the car audio forums as "Big Red", Jim Becker (and his big red Ford F250 truck) pulled into the IASCA show at the famous Speaker Works in Southern California, and scored not only a win in the tough amateur class, but also winning the "single-seat" sound quality-only class known as "SQC1." What makes this a remarkable achievement is the fact that there was 20+ competitors in the SQC1 class! Way to go, Jim!!

March 2009: Hybrid Audio Technologies’ Dominance in Organized Car Audio Competition Continues with More North American Championships

Atlanta, GA – Hybrid Audio Technologies Team Hybrids competitors dominate the trophy ceremonies at the IASCA North American Championships with key wins, placements, the highest sound quality score of the event, and a remarkable one-two sweep of one of the classes competed in.

In the past four months, as competition seasons have come to a close, Hybrid Audio Technologies has announced key wins, placements, and sound quality bests of show in the Mobile Electronics Competition Association (MECA), and United States Auto Sound Competition International (USACi) formats. This year’s International Auto Sound Challenge Association (IASCA) season-ending competition was dubbed the IASCA North American Championships (INAC), and were held in Daytona Beach, Florida, in conjunction with the annual Spring Break Nationals, the world’s most famous sound-off.

Clothed in Team Hybrids “Unlimited Bragging Rights” T-shirts, Dwayne Blackwood, John Marsh, and John Sketoe came away with North American Championship wins. Blackwood competed in the Manufacturer/Expert division, and posted the highest total sound quality score of the entire event (the sound quality best of show). Marsh won Ultimate, the INAC Finals most-difficult class with a record final score over stiff competition. And in Amateur, Sketoe won the top honours, with teammate Hajji Grape placing second, making it a Team Hybrids “one-two sweep” in this highly contested category. Other key placements included Chris Ott (3^rd place Ultimate and 5^th place SQC-2), Dave Brooks (3^rd place in SQC-1 and 5^th place Pro), and Hajji Grape (4^th place in SQC-1). The Team also did very well in the Spring Break Nationals competition, as well as the MECA regional event, with key wins and placements, including the debut of Steve Anderson’s Lexus, built by TC Audio in Arkansas, a Hybrid Audio Technologies dealer, which won all classes competed in."

Its official…Team Hybrids has achieved dynasty status, with its fourth year in a row of dominating the IASCA Finals” proclaimed Bill Pleasant, Team Hybrids’ North American Coordinator. “We had cars competing in six of the seven INAC class, and won half of the classes competed in, with a one-two sweep in Amateur, the highest sound quality score of the entire event, and winning IASCA’s top-two categories, Ultimate and Manufacturer/Expert. It was a great outing for us.”

The showing from our Team was remarkable and I am elated that we have continued on in the tradition of dominating the IASCA Finals” remarked Scott Buwalda, Founder and Managing Director of Hybrid Audio Technologies. “It’s a great feeling to back up our wins from the last IASCA Finals, where we won more first place trophies than all other front-stage manufacturers combined.” Buwalda continued “with this showing, and our recent wins and bests of show at the USACi and MECA Finals, there is no doubt that Hybrid Audio Technologies is the brand of choice for winning car audio competitors and enthusiasts that want nothing less than the best for their own personal vehicles.”

February 2009: Hybrid Audio Technologies is Now a Sponsor of the European Mobile Media Association (EMMA) Germany

Hybrid Audio Technologies is a few short weeks from officially entering the European market with our superior line of competition-proven products. Together with our new European distributor, our brand is now represented within the European Mobile Media Association (EMMA), as our distributor partner, to be named shortly, is a national sponsor for EMMA Germany. Be looking for our presence at up-coming car audio shows and competitions in Salzburg, Leipzig, and Bodensee, as well as the beginning of Team Hybrids in Europe.

February 2009: Hybrid Audio Technologies Welcomes Varitehc (Mexico) and Augustin Imports (Finland) to our Growing List of Exclusive International Distributors

Hybrid Audio Technologies has now achieved important distribution hubs in Mexico and Finland, geographically bridging into the important Latin American and Scandinavian communities, respectively. It is with great pleasure that we welcome aboard Jesus Guzman and his crew at Varitehc to distribute the Hybrid Audio product line in Mexico, and Eero Augustin and his crew at Augustin Imports to distribute the Hybrid Audio product line in Finland. Please reference our Dealers page to get contact information for these two fine international distributors. Welcome aboard gentlemen!

January 2009: Hybrid Audio Technologies Launches the Long-Anticipated Legatia L1V2 Tweeter!

It's been a long time in development, and they are here! The Legatia L1V2 is available now! Read the specifications sheet here.

December 2008: Hybrid Audio Technologies Announces a New Industry Standard: Guaranteed Product Value and Trade-In Program

Hybrid Audio Technologies is now offering guaranteed value for their full line-up of products, offering an industry-standard “trade-up” program with guaranteed value for their existing customers, and a “trade-in” program for their competitor’s products. Read the story here:

December 2008: Hybrid Audio Technologies Crowns Yet Another Champion and Takes USACi Mexico Nationals Sound Quality Best of Show

Not even one month after David Edwards' perfect MECA ModEx season ended with a world championship, and the dominating performance by John Sketoe at the USACi Finals, Jorge Larracoechea and Team Hybrids have done it again, winning yet another championship, this time including the coveted Sound Quality Best of Show. Read the story here:

November 2008: John Sketoe Wins Advanced Consumer at USACi Finals; Sketoe is the Only Non-Professional Competitor in the Best of Show

John Sketoe of Conway Arkansas wins the heavily-contested Advanced Consumer division at the United States Auto Sound Competition International “World Finals” in Dallas-Forth Worth, and is the only competitor in the Best of Show “final-three” to be a non-professional competitor. Read the story here:

November 2008: David Edwards Caps a PERFECT Season Using Hybrid Audio Technologies Products Exclusively

David Edwards of Christiansburg Virginia goes undefeated in his first year of competing in the Mobile Electronics Competition Association (MECA) organization, using front-stage speaker products exclusively from Hybrid Audio Technologies. Read the story here:

In an effort to continually improve the Hybrid Audio Technologies line with products that are requested by our clients, we are pleased to announce that the world's best car audio tweeter now comes in a black anodized finish! We continue to manufacture the Legatia L1 Pro in the original brushed aluminum finish as well, giving you two choices for color and finish.

September 2008: Hybrid Audio Technologies Initiates Dealer Referral Program (USA)

In an attempt to identify the best dealers in the USA, we are seeking the help of the enthusiast members of the 12-volt industry. If we were to ask you "who is the best car audio dealer in your home town?", we are sure that you could come up with a name quite quickly based upon your own personal experience. We're willing to pay you in Hybrid Audio speaker systems for this experience. Here's how it works:

Visit your favorite neighborhood dealer, introduce yourself, and introduce the Hybrid Audio Technologies line, and suggest that the dealer carry the products. You could go in armed with a few print-outs from our website, such as these documents:

About Us
Why Hybrid?
...and maybe a few details about our Products.

If the dealer is interested, grab a business card, a manager or owner contact name, an e-mail address, and a snail mail address, and ask him if a representative of Hybrid Audio can call him or e-mail him to discuss becoming a dealer. If he says yes, send the details to us a info@hybrid-audio.com and we'll do the rest.

If the dealer you referred signs on as an official Hybrid Audio Technologies dealer, and meets all of the requirements of the HAT dealer program, we will offer you a finder's fee reward of ANY pair of Legatia speakers we sell. Your choices are:

One pair L1, or
One pair L1 Pro, or
One pair L3, or
One pair L4, or
One pair L6, or
One pair L8

Yes, absolutely free. You just pay a boxing, peanuts, and labor/handling charge of $20.00 and the actual DHL shipping to your door (usually less than $10.00).

There is no limit to the number of dealers you can refer. Just remember though, our dealers have to be a minimum of 35 miles apart, so keep that in mind.

August 2008: Hybrid Audio Technologies Welcomes South Pacific Impex Pte Ltd (Singapore)

Hybrid Audio Technologies has now achieved an important distribution hub in Singapore, further expanding the Hybrid Audio Technologies product line in SE Asia. It is with great pleasure that we welcome aboard Jonathan Heng and his crew at South Pacific Impex Pte Ltd to distribute the Hybrid Audio product line along side our preferred industry partner amplifier manufacturer, Tru Technology. Please reference our Dealers page to get contact information for South Pacific Impex Pte Ltd. Welcome aboard gentlemen!

August 2008: Hybrid Audio Technologies Welcomes Sound Solution Distribution (Canada)

Its been a summer of international expansion of the Hybrid Audio nation, this time in Canada. We are excited to announce that Sound Solution, let by industry veterans Larry Woolacott and Jason Gay, have assumed distribution of the Hybrid Audio Technologies brand as their primary line in Canada. Please reference our Dealers page to get contact information for Sound Solution, or visit their website here. Welcome aboard gentlemen!

July 2008: Hybrid Audio Technologies Welcomes Loud and Clear Distribution (Israel)

We are elated to announce that Eli Katsobashvili and his team at Loud and Clear Distribution, located in Holon, have joined Hybrid Audio Technologies as our exclusive distributor in Israel! Please reference our Dealers page to get contact information for Loud and Clear Distribution. Welcome aboard gentlemen!

June 2008: Hybrid Audio Launches New Advertisement Campaign Geared Toward German Luxury and Performance Cars

As a growing and vibrant company, we saw the need to expose our products to the discerning German luxury and performance car market, and are pleased to launch our new ad campaign "Qualitätslautsprecher für Ihr Qualitätsautomobil." Download our latest advertisement here:

June 2008: Specialty Retailers Continue to "Get on Board" with Hybrid Audio Technologies!

The specialty retailer is the lifeblood of the car audio industry; you can't match the advice and tutelage of a good car audio dealer! At Hybrid Audio Technologies, we continue to foster our vision to advance the specialty retailer, and are pleased to announce that dealer growth has been strong for 2008. In the past five weeks, since May 1, 2008, we are pleased to announce three new dealers to the Hybrid Audio family: Custom Audio in Burney, California, Boomer's Audio in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Performance Audio in Tyler, Texas. All three shops represent the pinnacle of car audio know-how in their respective towns, and we are elated that they have chosen Hybrid Audio for their protected brand of choice. If you are a dealer and want a real high-end brand that out-performs everything in its price bracket, is protected, and can't be purchased via on-line auction, please contact us at info@hybrid-audio.com.

May 2008: Car Audio & Electronics Publishes a Glowing Review of the Clarus C51-2 Set; Evaluative Scoring Places Clarus™ Better than Sets Costing Five and Six Times as Much!

In the July 2008 issue of Car Audio & Electronics Magazine, there is a review of the Clarus C51-2 set (5 1/4" component speaker set). The results of the evaluation were glowing.

The highest sound quality score ever achieved, using the new Car Audio & Electronics scoring criteria, went to the Clarus component system. For example, near perfect listening test scores were achieved (9.5 out of 10 on the song "Spanish Harlem" as performed by Rebecca Pidgeon). According to the reviewer, even despite being 5 ¼” midbass, they compared well to competitor’s 6 ½” and 7” component sets! Using a formularized Excel spreadsheet, which subjectively compared the old Car Audio & Electronics scoring criteria to the one adopted relatively recently, it was quickly determined by Hybrid Audio Technologies staff that this was one of the best component sets, if not THE BEST component set reviewed by the magazine in the past several years (as far back as we were able to take our research).

Reader Note: Clarus C51-2 is a $469.99 set of 5 ¼” speakers which was compared to, and found to exceed the performance of 6 ½” and 7” component sets costing literally up to six times as much ($2,000+).

Notable quotes from the reviewer:

"What I found was one of, if not, the best owner's manuals I've ever encountered in my many years in this industry! It is a comprehensive description of the speaker system and a lengthy and very informative tutorial on sound quality system setup in general..."

"To adjust tweeter output, you select between different push terminals (a nice way to do this)...which eliminates the common selector switch that can degrade over time and affect the quality of the connection."

"It was a large sound...other components sets I've auditioned employ a 6.5-inch low frequency driver, so the fact that these diminutive speakers can hold their own against a larger driver is a feat in itself."

"When (Rebecca) Pidgeon's solo vocal starts it's as though she's in the room with me! The image is strong, at eye level, and perfectly centered with a life-like tone. I can even detect the size of the room and there's a feeling of air around the vocalist."

"There's a realistic, sweet sound to the strings...that I've rarely heard from even the most expensive component sets that I've auditioned."

"When (B.B.) King starts singing, his voice is stable and perfectly centered. It has all the rich, soulful character he's famous for and when Lucille (King's guitar) plays, she sounds totally life-like and robust."

"If you and/or your installer completely read the owner's manual that's downloadable for these components, and institute the damping and driver placement recommendations therein, you'll be able to realize the same excellent imaging and staging details these components are capable of producing."

"I wish more speaker manufacturers would take it upon themselves to educate their customers as to proper installation and placement of their products as Hybrid Audio has done."

"After listening to these speakers for literally hours on end, I didn't experience any appreciable listening fatigue."

"From the extremely complete user's manual to the construction and sound of these diminutive drivers, they're a class act by any standard, and they're probably one of the best bargains out there for a retail price of $469.99. It's obvious that the folks at Hybrid Audio did their homework and a lot of research, testing, and listening to perfect this product."

"If you're in the market for a component set for your car audio system, you'll be doing yourself a great disservice if you don't audition these speakers for your application."

We invite you to support our last remaining dedicated car audio publication in the USA, and further, invite you to check out the review of our Clarus C51-2 set!

Blatant plug: After winning "State of the Art" from England's Talk Audio Magazine, to winning seventeen (17) national- and world-championships last year alone in organized competition, and now getting a review which says that this $469.99 component set is better than systems costing five and six times as much---if there was any remaining doubt---even those that relish in doubting---you have hereby been given notice: THERE IS NO DOUBTING ANYMORE.

For the past four years, Scott Buwalda, the Founder and Managing Director of Hybrid Audio Technologies and curator of Buwalda Hybrids International, has been offering the Sound Quality Summit (SQS) advanced sound quality seminar at locations around the world. On May 17-18, 2008, the SQS returns to the island of Trinidad with the addition of a second day of seminar, covering the most advanced topics in car audio sound quality. Some of the more popular topics include a discussion of:

Be on the look-out later on this year for the SQS to return home to the USA, with potential offerings in the Dallas/Tyler, TX area, and Atlanta, GA. Mr. Buwalda is certainly open to suggestions for other host cities and/or host dealers, so please e-mail sbuwalda@hybrid-audio.com.

Thank you to our dealers, representatives, distributors, and most importantly, the people that buy our products! March 2008 was the best sales month ever for Hybrid Audio Technologies! As a no-debt, organic company, we are so happy that your choice in high-end mobile audio is Hybrid Audio Technologies! THANK YOU!

March 2008: Hybrid Audio Technologies Announces the Legatia L1 "Pro Series" is Now Available!

In the past two years since releasing its first offering, the benchmark wide-bandwidth, small-format Legatia L3 wide-bandwidth midrange, the world has seen the emergence of Hybrid Audio Technologies as a leader in the development of a wide variety of loudspeakers specifically designed for in-car use. In 2007 alone, seventeen national- and world-championship victories were earned in heavily contested car audio competitions around the world, five of which came at the International Auto Sound Challenge Association World Finals; more championships were won by Hybrid Audio Technologies-equipped vehicles than all other front-stage speaker manufacturers combined. And just recently, Hybrid Audio Technologies products achieved the coveted “State of the Art” award from Talk Audio – UK Magazine; the first speaker system to ever receive this honour out of hundreds of tests performed. In continuing with our tradition of exceptional, mobile audio loudspeakers, we are elated to announce that we are now shipping our widely-anticipated Legatia L1 “Pro Series” tweeter to compliment our vast array of other products in the Legatia series, as well as our recently-introduced Clarus series component separates.

The Legatia L1 Pro tweeter is the result of a significant effort in research and development, materials science engineering, an exhaustive level of sampling and prototyping, real-world testing, and obsessive attention to detail to create the ultimate masterpiece in a mobile audio tweeter. The body of the tweeter is a fully-machined aluminium housing (not cast aluminium), and contains a damped rear chamber to ensure the tweeter’s wide-bandwidth operation. The dome is an impregnated 25mm fine silk diaphragm, and the motor a neodymium design. The connections are via nickel-plated small-format spring-loaded binding posts, with an extremely unique 52mm knurled accoutrement at the rear to attach the tweeter to its mounting surface. With the addition of the L1 Pro tweeter to the Hybrid Audio Technologies product line-up, we now offer sixteen options for two- and three-way component sets, in addition to offering the six different component speakers in the Legatia line ala carte, and two different packaged two-way kits with passive crossovers in the Clarus line.

March 2008: Hybrid Audio Technologies Legatia-Series the Subject of Rave Review by United Kingdom Reviewer and Industry Expert

Hybrid Audio Technologies has received word that its Legatia-series L631-3 three-way component set just received the highest honor in the United Kingdom from professional reviewer Adam Rayner: the coveted “State of the Art” award.

We are pleased to announce that Adam’s review of the Legatia L631-3 was glowing, as outlined in his official review:

Adam likened the Legatia L631-3 set, which was supplied to the reviewer in semi-infinite baffle enclosures to replicate in-car conditions, to the sound of “a pair of hifi enclosures.” Adam went on to say “I could hear brushed cymbals in the background I had never heard before…I (could) hear edits and cuts. Hell, I could almost see the bloody faders in my mind’s eye. So analytical, so sweet, and with pin sharp placement of the instruments. A fabulous speed and rapid rise time for impulse sounds like the leading edge of big thumps. Front and foremost and clean as a whistle.” Then a realization occurred to Adam, as he commented “…these potent, spanky and incredibly high quality and crisp definition loudspeakers are not £1,000 like the JBL set I tested (here) or even £1,400 like the Morel I tried (here) but are £560 plus whatever you want to do with an individually designed passive or else six channels of super clean amplification…all of which adds up to an unbeatable-at-the-money package of truly fabulous speakers.”

The unprecedented review of the Legatia L631-3 was concluded with the component speaker system being awarded the second-ever “State of the Art” award, and a 9.6 out of 10 ranking (the first State of the Art award went to a CD source unit, making this the first speaker system in Talk Audio history to achieve this coveted award). Many speaker systems have been tested before, but Legatia is the first to achieve “State of the Art.”

March 2008: Final Tooling for the Legatia L1 Pro Series Tweeter is Done! Production Begins Immediately.

Ever hear the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words?" Here is our final tooling for the Legatia L1 Pro Series Tweeter. We should be shipping these tweeters in two to three weeks! Contact us at info@hybrid-audio.com for details!

We have exciting news to share today…we are now fully stocked on our superior new line of Hybrid Audio Technologies Clarus Series 2-way speaker systems. The industry and media has been buzzing for months in anticipation of this day, and as promised, it’s March 1^st, 2008, and we are shipping our newest range of high-performance component sets.

The Clarus systems were based largely upon our award winning and world-championship caliber Legatia series, but at a lower price point. Like Legatia, this is a no-compromise car audio speaker component system with amazing clarity and detail, excellent midbass response, smooth, pleasing midrange, and lifelike and airy treble. Unlike many of the brands available today which are largely re-badged existing products built by and for others, this line is a “built from the ground up” product, conceived from more than sixteen months worth of research and development, real-world testing, and obsessive attention to detail. Like all Hybrid Audio Technologies products, the Clarus systems were designed by Scott Buwalda, speaker designer, world champion competitor, and industry expert. Everything included in the design was for a purpose, even down to the box the speakers ship in. There are no compromises in the Clarus systems.

What Clarus does offer, that Legatia does not, is a complete turn-key system, including grilles, flush, surface, and wedge-mount tweeter mounting options including a swivel cup, wire and hardware, passive crossovers, and of course the four-piece speaker components. These systems are designed to be installed in a few hours on a Saturday afternoon with nothing more than a Phillips head screwdriver and a wire stripper. We have taken all of the guess-work out, and have left you with an easy to install product that sounds better than every other manufacturer’s products we double blind-tested against the Clarus within this price range, and several products costing twice as much as well. Basically, Clarus has all the bloodlines of our World Championship Legatia line, but at a reduced price (up to several hundred dollars).

There are two options in the Clarus range, the Clarus C51-2, a 5 ¼” component system, and the Clarus C61-2, a 6 ½” component system. We have not yet had the chance to spend time in the photo studio to take catalog-grade photographs, but we thought we’d show you in a less formal way what some of the system components look like (please see below). Be watching as well for the Clarus User’s Manual and Car Audio Reference Guide; the Manual and specifications will be able to be downloaded here.

February 2008: Hybrid Audio Technologies and Team Hybrids Honors One of its Key Members: David (Dave) Brooks, U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant

Atlanta, GA –Hybrid Audio Technologies and Team Hybrids, the official competition team of Hybrid Audio Technologies, honor one of their own, Dave Brooks, as he achieves the highest enlisted rank one can attain in the United States Air Force.

Clarus testing and prototyping is complete, and our shipping deadline of March 1, 2008 will be met. We can't stress enough how good these new speakers sound. And as eluded to in the December 2007 news column, Legatia L1 Pro tweeter testing is complete. Here's a sneak peak at our exceptional new tweeter offering, as we expand our offering into the Legatia "Pro Series" ranks:

We love to multi-task (well, not really, but the saying works well to drive home a point). While we were away at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (January 8-11), contractors descended on our quaint little home we call "Hybrid Headquarters", and retrofitted and expanded our offices. Additionally, we have expanded our storage capability with an expansive loft build-out (previously, our 15-foot ceiling eve was largely unused...now with our office build-out, we were able to accommodate a large "loft" build-out for storage). Storage space inside our office spaces also increased by about three times with the addition of industrial shelving to store out product "under heat and air" (in a controlled environment), unlike our competition who stores their products in warehouses, exposed to dust and potentially the elements.

Hybrid Audio Technologies would like to thank its loyal customers, dealers, representatives, distributors, and last, but certainly not least, Team Hybrids for a banner year in 2007. As an organically-grown company, owned by a true, passionate audiophile, with a lot of audiophile friends and associates, seemingly in an era of no high-end presence in the car audio communities, we not only "survived" in 2007, we "THRIVED" in 2007. We are very much looking forward to 2008, with the launch of the Clarus series (you are really going to LOVE these speaker systems we have cooked up for you), and the Legatia L1 Pro Series tweeter (the Pro Series tweeter is double-secret, so please don't tell anyone). Happy New Year everyone. Here's to having great sound in your car!

November 2007: Hybrid Audio Technologies Team Hybrids Competitors Continue Reign of Supremacy in Organized Competition!

Hybrid Audio Technologies-equipped vehicles win two more World Championships, one in USACi and one in MECA, making the total championship count for 2007 at seventeen around the globe, showing once again the Hybrid Audio Technologies Legatia^™-series product is the brand of choice for sound quality championships.

Given our reputation of building some of the finest car audio speakers in the world, we knew that our newest line of car audio speaker drivers needed to be very special. Our news for the month of October 2007 is we are deep into the prototyping and testing process with Clarus, and the results have been nothing short of spectacular. In double-blind testing against kits from other major manufacturers, with products costing upwards of twice as much as the proposed MSRP of Clarus, Clarus has shown itself to be the most tonally accurate set amongst its rivals. We are convinced that Clarus will set a new standard for product sound quality within its category. Be on the look-out for Clarus on March 1, 2008! Here's a sneak peak:

September 2007: Hybrid Audio Technologies Wins More First-Place Trophies at the IASCA World Finals Than All Other Front-Stage Speaker Manufacturers Combined.

Atlanta, GA – Hybrid Audio Technologies-equipped vehicles win five of the possible nine World Championship trophies at the recent IASCA® World Finals, showing complete and unequivocal dominance by cars equipped with the Hybrid Audio Technologies Legatia™-series product.

On the weekend of September 15-16, the highest-level of car audio competition was convened at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the location of the world’s most prestigious car audio competition and World Championships: the IASCA® World Finals. Held in conjunction with the annual NOPI Nationals, which serves host for more than 100,000 spectators and 7,000 show cars, the stage was set for the most exciting car audio championships seen to date. The competition was fierce, but once the dust had settled, vehicles equipped with Hybrid Audio products won more World Championships that all other front-stage speaker manufacturers combined, winning five of the nine possible first-place trophies. Read More...

September 2007: Hybrid Audio Technologies Making Their Mark on the European Competition Scene

Atlanta, GA - Hybrid Audio Technologies-equipped vehicles win 4 national first places, 2 league championships, and 4 invitations to the EMMA (European Mobile Media Association) European finals in Denmark and IASCA (International Auto Sound Challenge Association) European finals in Italy, proving beyond a doubt that the Hybrid Audio Legatia™ range is not only a success in its’ home country, but also a force to be reckoned with in Europe.

At the recent IASCA UK 2007 finals at Mega-Watts in Runcorn, Cheshire, both of our competing IASCA UK members were victorious in their respective classes, bringing home 1st places on the day, and seasonal league championship wins. The battle in Street Semi Pro was long anticipated and intense; John Paul proved to the competition that it doesn’t matter how much money or time you invest in a project, Hybrid Audio and Team Hybrids competitors are here, we’re serious, and with a little persistence and hard work, are more than a worthy adversary. Not only did John win the Street Semi Pro class, he also scored the highest in the Street Division. Jaz Suman also did the company and his fellow teammates extremely proud, winning Rookie 1-1000W in his first season of competition, whilst also actively competing in EMMA UK (more on that later), helping build teammates’ cars, buying, selling and moving house! Read More...

August 2007: Hybrid Audio Announces Hand-Matching Services For All Speaker Systems

Hybrid Audio knows how hard-core their customers are, and they feel that a fair segment of the high-end market will be interested in something that has been historically reserved for only the highest-dollar component systems: hand matching of Thiele/Small parameters to within close tolerances for the Legatia series components. Everyone loves to know when the speaker systems they are buying come in matched pairs. This usually only occurs in the very highest-end range, and is often reserved for only the high-dollar systems. Well, not any longer. Scott Buwalda, Founder of Hybrid Audio technologies was quoted as saying "we have decided to begin to offer something that no other speaker manufacturer can offer at the price-point of Legatia, and that is to sell matched pairs of our drivers. This will be an important factor for many enthusiasts, competitors, and dealers that want to offer the most precision in a speaker set to their customers."

Hybrid Audio has always had the ability to test individual T/S parameters on their speakers, and now they can do it to sell individually-matched pairs of drivers with within an acceptable range for pairing. What's even more important is that the pairing and T/S parameters are done POST burn-in, so you know the speakers are performing representative to their parameters. According to company representatives, a print-out will be provided of each speaker's parameter list, to keep for reference. Hybrid Audio feels strongly that it's extremely important to offer this service, to show their commitment to high-end car audio and the faithful recreation of the music.

August 2007: Hybrid Audio Absolutely Dominates Car Audio Competition Like No Other Speaker Manufacturer

Once again it has been shown, in the most emphatic way, that the car audio speaker manufacturer that continues to dominate in organized car audio competitions in the USA and abroad is Hybrid Audio Technologies. With five cars in attendance at the recent Elite Summer Nationals, held in Spartanburg, South Carolina on August 11-12, 2007, Team Hybrids members Andy Jones, Dave Brooks, Jason Pellino, Hajji Grape, and John Marsh went on to dominate like no other speaker manufacturer with wins, high placements, and the coveted MECA "Best of Show - Sound Quality" in two competition formats. Read More...

August 2007: Hybrid Audio's Jonathan (Marty) Martin Wins Professional Drift Event at Elite Summer Nationals

While Team Hybrids was busy dominating the Sound and Show competition formats at the Elite Summer Nationals in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Jonathan (Marty) Martin was dominating the professional racing drift exhibition and competition with an impressive win in the open drift competition. Marty drives a bright pink supercharged Mazda Miata, and showed once again his race drift prowess by winning the event and a check in the amount of $500.

Congratulations Marty for your strong showing! Hybrid Audio Technologies is excited to be associated with your drift program! For more information about Marty Martin, go to http://martymartymarty.net/

At the Elite Summer Nationals in Spartanburg, South Carolina, an IASCA and MECA triple-point regional event held on the weekend of August 11-12, the newest member of the growing Legatia car audio speaker line made its competition debut. A pair of the awesome new Legatia L8 8.5" infinite baffle subwoofers made their way into their new home: Dave Brooks' 2005 Harley Davidson Ford F250 competition vehicle. Mr. Brooks is a Team Hybrids member and a do-it-yourself installer that placed the L8 subwoofers in the front doors of his truck, playing completely infinite baffle into the frame of the front doors, with absolutely no enclosure...the most elementary of all mounting methods. The L8's were crossed over from 20 Hz to 140 Hz, to cover not only the critical midbass frequencies, but establish as well a significant front-stage subbass presence; the L8's compliment an existing Legatia L31-2 3" component system already installed on the truck's a-pillars. Mission accomplished. Dave went on to sweep the trophy ceremonies in both the IASCA and MECA triple-point competitions, with a win in every category competed in, despite stiff competition. What makes the showing even more convincing is that Mr. Brooks went on to win the MECA Best of Show - Sound Quality for the MECA regional event. At the trophy ceremony, MECA commissioner Steve Stern announced "the best sounding car [at the event] is owned by Dave Brooks."

Congratulations Dave for your huge win, and for proving that an infinite baffle 8" subwoofer can dominate in the highest level of car audio competition, and also, for showing the world that a do-it-yourself installer that works out of his garage can win any competition with the right gear and good installation techniques.

The Legatia L8 is an infinite baffle-capable subwoofer that can be mounted without an enclosure virtually anywhere in a car.

When baffle-mounted in a vehicle, the L8 can effectively reproduce the lowest octave of subbass music at reference levels. For information on how to purchase the Legatia L8, or any other of Hybrid Audio's fine car audio speaker drivers, please contact us at sales@hybrid-audio.com.

On the weekend of August 4-5, 2007, Team Hybrids members in Trinidad, England, and the USA made their way into competition, equipped with Hybrid Audio Technologies Legatia-series speaker drivers. After the dust had settled, one result remained: first place finishes across the board, in three different countries, with three different rule sets and judging protocols.

"It's hard to argue with results" exclaims Dinelle Mangalsingh, Captain and Coordinator for Team Hybrids Trinidad. At the IASCA event in Trinidad, Team Hybrids members won every class they competed in. And in those cases where a Team Hybrids member took second place, it was because another Team Hybrids member had placed first, creating a 1-2 sweep. This is the third time this season that the six-member Trinidad team of Jason Tang, Keston Cooper, Kashmeed Khan, Vishnu Mangalsingh, Dinelle Mangalsingh, and Dalelan Mangalsingh has gone on to dominate the trophy ceremonies in Trinidad.

While Team Trinidad was tearing up the competition scene in the West Indies, Team Hybrids UK was also making a huge statement in the highly contested European Mobile Multimedia Association (EMMA) - UK event held at the Ultimate Street Car Challenge. Jaz Suman beat his closest rivals again with an outstanding sound quality score courtesy a full Hybrid Audio Legatia front stage system, and went on to win his class amongst heavy competition. Additionally, Kevin Hall won first place in the difficult "Pure Passive" class, which pits competitors against each other without any significant level of active crossover processing. Two competitors with Hybrid Audio product competing in England, and two first place finishes in EMMA competition! Mark Stringer, Team UK Captain and Coordinator went on to say "once again, we show the high-end competition community that Hybrid Audio is the brand of choice for winning in organized sound-off competition."

Back across the pond, in the good 'ol USA, Team Hybrids competitors were mixing it up at two different IASCA events in Georgia and Florida. Three competitors from Team Hybrids - USA were out seeking late-season points toward the IASCA World Finals, and once again, the results were the same. Chris Ott came away a champion in Florida, and Andy Jones a champion in the sound quality-only class "SQC" in Georgia. "It's nice to show our home country that we are poised to continue to dominate in organized competition like no other speaker manufacturer does, not only here in the USA, but wherever we decide to compete" exclaims Scott Buwalda, Founder and Owner of Hybrid Audio Technologies.

These combined results show that, despite differing sets of rules, differing organizations, differing judging protocols, and widely different geography, Hybrid Audio Technologies and Legatia is the speaker brand of choice for those that want true high-fidelity sound in their cars at a reasonable price. Trophies don't lie.

On July 28, 2007, the car audiophiles of the island country of Trinidad came together for a Sound Quality Summit, proctored by Scott Buwalda, Founder of Hybrid Audio Technologies and three-time IASCA Expert Division World Champion. The amazing seminar was well-attended with 24 of Trinidad's best installers, retailers, enthusiasts, and competitors. The discussions were lively, as the seminar covered basic to advanced fundamentals of car audio sound quality. Here is what a few of the attendees had to say:

"Excellent program, was well worth it for beginners and experienced guys." (Shazad Rahaman)

"The Summit was well organised...a lot of information was received...some I might have never learnt on my own. What I'm most happy about is that it gave me a stepping stone, somewhere to start in Sound Quality, so now I can start to expand on what I've learned, test it and start moving on." (Miguel Dindial)

"Those who didn't get to go, you guys missed out big time. For the inexperienced installers like me, it was a chance to clear a lot of hurdles in terms of what one learns through experience. I have never come across some of methods of tuning discussed in the seminar before. The event on the whole was very well organised...and very well worth it." (Jonathon Babulal)

The long-anticipated Legatia L8 infinite baffle-capable subwoofer is now available, and ready for immediate shipment! Finally, consumers, professionals, and competitors have a REAL option for an infinite baffle-capable subwoofer.

We heard you asking for a great new I.B. subwoofer, and we answered the call again...once again setting the standard for others to follow. Get a pair today to try and be amazed by what this 8.5" subwoofer can do without an enclosure. Contact us at sales@hybrid-audio.com.

July 2007: Scott Buwalda & Select Team Hybrids Members Film New TV Show Pilot and First Episode

On July 11th - July 15th, a film crew descended on the Hybrid Audio Technologies headquarters to film a pilot and first episode for a new television show in the USA. The new show will focus on high-quality do-it-yourself (DIY) techniques for modifying one's car for speed, styling, and sound quality. The show will be hosted by Scott Buwalda, and includes Team Hybrids members Dwayne Blackwood, Brett Nelker, John Marsh, Chris Ott, Dave Brooks, Jeremy Carlson, and Bill Pleasant. More details will be coming about this show in the very near future!

May 2007: The Much-Anticipated L4 4.65" Wide Bandwidth Midrange is Now Shipping!

They're finally here! The world's finest car audio midranges are now shipping! Contact us at sales@hybrid-audio.com.

May 2007: Team Hybrids Member Establishes First Championship Win of the 2007 Season in England

Coming off an exceptional 2006 season in IASCA - UK, England's International Auto Sound Challenge Association affiliate competition association, Team Hybrids was again eager to continue on in the rich heritage of top honors forged previously by perennial powerhouses John Paul and Chris Kemp. At the second show of the season, The Southeast Extreme Sports, yet another Team Hybrids member made his mark on the competition scene with a fantastic win: Jaz Suman. Jaz is a do-it-yourself builder and tuner, and after coming away from his first showing at Donnington Park where he placed 2nd of seven competitors (and had a list of install-related items to rectify), Jaz came back with a vengeance to the Southeast Extreme Sports competition with a win, boasting an exceptional SQ score of 255.5 points. Congratulations Jaz, and keep up the great work!

April 2007: More Team Hybrids Domination: Trinidad Witnesses Hybrid Audio Sweep of Trophies

Hybrid Audio Technologies is pleased to announce the newly-formed branch of Team Hybrids dominated the April 29 Centre Point Mall IASCA Trinidad event with first place finishes in every category competed in. Read More...

On the weekend of April 28-29, Team Hybrids member Rick Sellers attended a pair of USACi events in Flowood and McComb, Mississippi, USA and came away with a truck-load of honors. Rick came home with a pair of first-place finishes and a Sound Quality Best of Show, beating his nearest competition in the Best of Show judging by 24 points! Rick is a college student, and do-it-yourself installer/enthusiast who's secret to success is the Legatia L631-3 component system in the front of his competition vehicle: a Dodge Ram Dually. Congratulations Rick on your continued dominance using Hybrid Audio Technologies products!

Hybrid Audio Technologies is pleased to bring competitive car audio back to the former hotbed of car audio competition: the Metro Atlanta/North Georgia area, with its first of three events for the 2007 competitive season. The event was held at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame (formerly known as Thunder Road USA) in Dawsonville, GA, and saw 15 competitors battle it out for bragging rights in the first show series to come to Georgia since the 2001 season. Although attendance was light, likely due to the threat of inclement weather, we foresee the next two events grow in size as word gets out that there's a place to play now in North Georgia. Read More...

April 2007: Hybrid Audio Technologies Announces Formation of Team Hybrids Trinidad and Tobago

Team Hybrids, the official sound-off competition team of Hybrid Audio Technologies, has branched out to Trinidad, with the formation of Team Hybrids Trinidad and Tobago. Read more...

April 2007: Team Hybrids Member Andy Jones Recognized as "Member of the Month" for MECA

"Join me as we recognize Andy Jones (Team Schil Acoustics/Team Hybrid Audio) from Alabama as our March 2007 Member of the Month. Andy was at [Spring Break Nationals 21] SBN21 and took first place in Modex+ Sound Quality, and did the same at the March 31st charity event for SKILLS USA in Lebanon, TN. And, incidentally, Andy was at the April Fool's Fest the next day in Lebanon and took SQL Best of Show. Last year's SQL Modified+ World Champion has received many nominations for this [Member of the Month] MOTM honor, especially after he was chosen for a special Spirit Award, out of all the SBN21 participants, which was presented at the Sunday Awards Ceremony at the Ocean Center. His scores are going up and he'll let you sit in the driver's seat and soak up the good vibes at any show. You can find Andy at shows in AL, TN, and GA coming up soon, and he'll probably be at many Soundfests as the season progresses, like Elite Summer Nationals in Spartanburg, SC in August, for example. He's going for great sounding music and gathering lots of points along the way. The MOTM is recognized for great spirit, attitude, competition results, and club involvement and that's why Andy is our March 2007 Member of the Month.
Congrats Andy!"

What takes some competitors years to accomplish, if ever at all, Andy has achieved in less than one month: Three first place finishes, two bests of show, a coveted competitive spirit award, and now the "member of the month" award. Way to go, Andy!

Team Hybrids, the official sound-off competition team of Hybrid Audio Technologies, once again made its indelible mark on the competition scene with wins and placements at the 2007 Daytona Spring Break Nationals, an IASCA^® Territorial Key Event and MECA^® Triple Point Regional Event. The Daytona Spring Break Nationals represents the unofficial beginning of the 2007 sound-off competition season, and Team Hybrids USA had six competing members, and five support staff on hand to continue Hybrid dominance in organized sound-off competition. Among its six members, Team Hybrids took home two firsts, a second, two thirds, and a fourth place finish, with strong performance across the board in the sound quality section of the judging sequence. Read more...

February 2007: Hybrid Audio Technologies is Expanding its World Headquarters Operations - USA!

Hybrid Audio Technologies is expanding its Georgia/USA operations with a new building, and more space for inventory, staff, testing facilities, and our own dedicated installation bay for real-world testing of our designs, and to build our own demonstration and competition cars in house. The expansion will triple the footprint size of the Hybrid headquarters; construction has begun, and we anticipate being done with the build-out by April 15, 2007! It's an exciting time for us, as we continue to grow!

Hybrid Audio's famed Legatia line of speakers has made an indelible mark on the high-end car audio industry and in organized competition. We’d like to highlight this series in more detail, and also introduce the new Legatia™ model numbers to accommodate the expansion of this product line with several new speakers and speaker sets. Read More...

2006 was a banner year for Hybrid Audio Technologies and Team Hybrids. We have put together an amazing group of competitors. Out of this amazing group, two individuals have stood out as being the ones that have pushed the envelope and gone above and beyond in showing and WINNING with Hybrid Audio drivers. For their extra efforts we wanted to recognize them both as the First Annual Team Hybrids MVPs: John Paul of Team UK, and Andy Jones of Team USA! Congratulations Team Hybrids Champions!

November 2006: Hybrid Audio Announces World Championship Sound Quality Victories and Placements Internationally

In only its second year of existence, Hybrid Audio Technologies and Team Hybrids competitors once again dominate the organized car audio competition scene with wins and placements at five different organization’s national and world finals events. Read More...