AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (Feb. 16, 2022) – Alpine Electronics of America, Inc. unveiled the third generation AlpineF#1Status System in a Tesla Model S during an exclusive event with AlpineF#1Status Authorized Dealers and Alpine Executive Management at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.
The AlpineF#1Status system is the first complete premium car audio system to achieve 384kHz/32bit High-Resolution Audio Playback, the highest recording spec possible in a car audio system. This is Alpine Electronics of America’s first complete vehicle install of the third-generation sound system.
Complete, High-Resolution Sound System
AlpineF#1Status was designed with one goal in mind: to bring recording studio-level sound performance into the challenging vehicle interior environment and reproduce the ultimate, high-resolution sound.
Comprised of six components – the HDS-7909 Head Unit Commander, DAP-7909 Digital Audio Player, HDP-H900 Digital Signal Processor, two HDA-F900 4-Channel Amplifiers, and HDZ-9000 4-Way Speakers including an HDZ-9000SW 11-inch Subwoofer – the entire system was designed in perfect synchronization to handle the ultra-Hi-Res audio files.
To maintain the High-Resolution Audio Playback spec, the system’s signal path uses custom connectivity, including XLR cables and A2B, making AlpineF#1Status a fully integrated, complete system, and includes RCA connections with up to six channels of high-level input to integrate the factory head unit or aftermarket head unit into the system.
Custom Build for Premium Performance
To demonstrate a premium listening and driving experience, Alpine chose a 2018 Tesla Model S P100D to showcase this ultra-high-resolution sound system. A near-silent Electric Vehicle (EV) powertrain, coupled with the large EV battery bank, made the Tesla Model S an optimal acoustical choice to house and power the AlpineF#1Status system. Additionally, the interior design of the Tesla enabled a custom, recording studio-like interior build.
Built in-house by Alpine’s Detroit Fabrication Team, the Tesla Model S boasts a complete custom dashboard, center console, and trunk fabrication built from scratch. The top plane of the dash was lowered over three inches to install custom, on-axis speaker housings that host the 3-inch midrange speakers and 2.5-inch tweeters. This location was not only ideal to showcase the premium speaker design, but also serves as an optimal listening position for a true front passenger center stage sound experience.
To showcase the system’s ability to retain a factory radio, the build retains the original Tesla 17-inch touchscreen, which controls most of the car’s functions including media, backup camera, interior vehicle controls, and more. Housed underneath the massive screen is the AlpineF#1Status Head Unit Commander, which dons the iconic Alpine green chiclets and controls the media on the Digital Audio Player. A custom, motorized mechanism located at the top center of the dash reveals the factory instrument cluster panel for monitoring speed.
The front door panels house the 7-inch mid-bass speakers that replaced the Tesla factory speakers, with the lower portion fabricated from scratch. From the tweeters to the woofers, all AlpineF#1Status speakers are made from the same high-performance cone material, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) and feature Alpine proprietary technology including DDDrive, DDLinear, and Dual Emission for a completely unified, 4-way system that produces a true stereo image.
The true showstopper of the build is in the rear trunk, which was designed in perfect symmetry to represent the balance of the sound system. The factory panels were removed to utilize the entire cabin space for this premium system. A combination of wood and fiberglass custom panels were added to the sides of the trunk, where the dual 11-inch subwoofers are housed in 1.5 cu ft sealed enclosures for optimal performance.
Multiple levels were added to the bottom of the trunk to showcase the workhorse of the sound system: the Digital Signal Processor and dual, 4-channel amplifiers. A replication Alpine amplifier is featured at the crown of the install as a homage to the Alpine power indicator’s unique design.
Drawing inspiration from the heritage of the third-generation system, aesthetic touches to the front cabin include custom wood paneling and LED lights fixed around the inside of the vehicle, for an “old-school” meets “new-school” design. The wood is authentic Makore veneer (African species of wood) with a clear coat and polish. Premium black leather surrounds the trunk for a modern, clean finish.
The system was meticulously tuned by Alpine’s Detroit Fabrication Team using a specialized, High-Resolution Tuning Kit. The result is a perfectly balanced system that reproduces hair-raising details only found in this ultra-high-resolution system.
Following the unveiling ceremony, the AlpineF#1Status demo vehicle will begin a country-wide tour of the U.S. starting on the West Coast in Spring 2022, where it will be featured at local AlpineF#1Status Authorized Dealers. Details of the vehicle’s journey can be found on www.alpine-usa.com.
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About Alps Alpine
Alps Alpine, a leading manufacturer of electronic components and automotive infotainment systems, has brought the world numerous “First 1” and “Number 1” products since its founding in 1948. The Alps Alpine Group currently operates 110 bases in 26 countries and regions, supplying roughly 40,000 different products and solutions to around 2,000 companies worldwide. Those offerings include devices such as switches, sensors, data communication modules, touch input panels, actuators, and power inductors; electronic shifters, remote keyless entry systems and other automotive units; consumer electronics like car navigation and audio-visual systems; and systems and services such as digital keys based on a smartphone app and blockchain technology, and remote monitoring. For more information: www.alpsalpine.com/e/.