/Translation from the Lithuanian language/
Car Sound System Contest
Rules and Regulations
2024
1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
The DB Drag event is a car sound system contest in which the contestants compete to find out who has the loudest sound system installed. Sound pressure measurements shall be taken with a special gauge. During the contest, the contestants shall prioritise on the safety of other contestants, judges, and viewers; as a result, all of them shall have read and understood and accepted these Rules and Regulations. The contestant shall confirm having read the Rules and Regulations of the contest at the time of registration.
Any contestant failing to follow these Rules and Regulations shall be disqualified. The event shall be open to its promoters as well. These Rules and Regulations shall apply to and be binding on the following clubs: Panevėžys Car Audio, Bass Team Anykščiai, HairTrick Lietuva, Žemas dažnis Šiauliai, MemelBass Crew, Bildukai, Beast Of Sound.
2. REGISTRATION
The contestants shall register by the cut-off date or by the cut-off time on the day of the event. No late registrations shall be accepted.
Once the registration is closed, the judges shall inspect the car sound systems of all contestants and shall lock the class for each contestant, with the exception of classes Street Stock, Street A, Street B, and Street C, which shall be locked after the first qualifying measurement.
3. REGISTRATION FEE
The amount of the registration fee shall depend on the type of the event.
4. THE GROUPING OF CONTESTANTS
The promoters shall group contestants of classes Cabrio, Extreme, and Extreme Plus at the time of registration or once the registration is closed, and classes Street Stock, Street A, Street B, and Street C, following the first qualifying measurement. One contestant shall only be eligible to compete in one class with the same car.
Classes Cabrio, Extreme, and Extreme Plus shall be grouped on the basis of the vehicle (for the Cabrio class), the sound system installed, and other modifications made on the vehicle (for the Extreme and Extreme Plus classes); classes Street A, Street B, and Street C, on the basis of the amplifier output registered during the first qualifying measurement. If a contestant exceeds the maximum permitted output after grouping, they shall be moved to a higher class.
For the purposes of the qualifying measurement, vehicles in the Extreme class may not have any additional reinforcement, with all of the doors and the boot lid opening and closing freely; any additional reinforcements using straps, bolts, and/or adhesive tape may be installed after the grouping has been done.
Each speaker 20 centimetres and more in diameter shall be considered a subwoofer. Passive sound emitters, ports, and channels shall not be considered subwoofers.
Classes Cabrio, Street Stock, Street A, Street B, and Street C shall be open to non-modified vehicles free of partitions or walls and equipped with the number of seats designated in the vehicle registration document. For the purposes of measuring sound pressure, the seats may be folded with a possibility to set them into the original position if the judge so requires. The entire sound system shall be installed in the boot. No open ports installed on the outside of the parts of the vehicle’s body shall be allowed. The subwoofer box may not be installed above the seat level. If these requirements are exceeded and the subwoofer sound system does not fit inside the boot, the contestant shall compete in the Extreme class.
Any partition or wall installed inside the vehicle shall be considered part of the acoustic system. Vehicles equipped with acoustic systems shall be eligible to compete in the Extreme Plus class only. The rear sill installed at the level designated by the manufacturer shall not be considered part of the acoustic system. Minimum modifications (such as door speaker podiums, rear sill) shall not be classified as vehicle modifications.
Contestants may use any sound system that draws its power from the vehicle’s 12 V electric system. If the supply voltage with the engine turned off exceeds 15 V, the contestant shall be eligible to compete in classes Extreme and Extreme Plus only.
For the purposes of measurement, the driver’s door may be open and a sinus or a selected sound track shall be permitted.
Classes Street A, Street B, and Street C shall not be subject to any restrictions as to insulation and layers thereof, but shall maintain their original finish, with the exception of the boot and the boot lid.
4.1. Cabrio
This is the class for convertible vehicles only. The capacity and number of batteries shall be unlimited, lithium batteries shall be permitted. The number of subwoofers shall be unlimited. The main battery shall be installed in the location originally designated by the manufacturer.
4.2. Street Stock
One stock 12 V, 6 chamber lead/acid or gel car battery shall be permitted. Any modifications (other than door speaker podiums) and additional insulation shall be prohibited. The contestant shall be grouped into this class if the amplifier output as measured during the qualifying measurement is under 1500 W RMS.
4.2.1. Street Stock
One 38 cm (15”) subwoofer
or a maximum of two 30 cm (12”) subwoofers,
or a maximum of three 25 cm (10”) subwoofers,
or a maximum of four 20 cm (8”) subwoofers.
4.3. Street
No minivans and trucks shall be allowed to compete in the Street classes.
Amplifiers other than those used on subwoofers shall not count.
The main battery shall be installed in the slot designated by the manufacturer, with auxiliary batteries installed in the boot. All batteries/lithium batteries shall be anchored securely.
4.3.1. Street A (3000 W RMS)
Only 1 subwoofer amplifier shall be permitted. No acoustic walls or partitions (other than the rear sill) shall be allowed. There shall be no restrictions as to the battery capacity and number, lithium batteries shall be permitted. The number of subwoofers shall be unlimited. The contestant shall be assigned this class if the output of the amplifier registered at the qualifying measurement is up to 3000 W RMS.
4.3.2. Street B (5000 W RMS)
A maximum of 2 subwoofers amplifier shall be permitted. No acoustic walls or partitions (other than the rear sill) shall be allowed. There shall be no restrictions as to the battery capacity and number, lithium batteries shall be permitted. The number of subwoofers shall be unlimited. The contestant shall be assigned this class if the output of the amplifier registered at the qualifying measurement is up to 5000 W RMS.
4.3.3. Street C (10000 W RMS)
A maximum of 4 subwoofers amplifier shall be permitted. No acoustic walls or partitions (other than the rear sill) shall be allowed. There shall be no restrictions as to the battery capacity and number, lithium batteries shall be permitted. The number of subwoofers shall be unlimited. The contestant shall be assigned this class if the output of the amplifier registered at the qualifying measurement is up to 10000 W RMS.
4.3.4. Extreme
A maximum of 4 amplifiers per one speaker. Maximum permitted voltage: 18 V.
The equipment shall be installed behind the front-door pillars. No acoustic walls or partitions shall be permitted. There shall be no restrictions as to the battery capacity and number, lithium batteries shall be permitted. The box may not be integrated into the body of the vehicle.
4.2.5. Extreme Plus
A maximum of 4 amplifiers per one speaker. Maximum permitted voltage: 18 V. The equipment shall be installed behind the front-door pillars. There shall be no restrictions as to the battery capacity and number, lithium batteries shall be permitted.
5. THE VEHICLE
The vehicle shall arrive at the venue of measurement of its own accord, propelled by its own engine. The sound pressure measuring sensor shall be attached to the windshield, 30 centimetres away from the right-side pillar and 10 centimetres away from the front panel. The distance between the sensor and the seat may not be under 76.2 cm. No sound generators, frequency multipliers, harmonisers, speakers equipped with servomechanisms, and such shall be permitted. All elements of the sound system (auxiliary equipment, condensers, amplifiers, and so on) shall be anchored and be aligned with the regime of their usage and operation as indicated by the manufacturer. The cables of the sound system shall be hidden away so as not to cause any hazard.
For the purposes of the contest, subwoofer boxes need not be anchored. At the time of taking measurements, the original and after-market air-blowing accessories installed on the vehicle shall be turned off (this also applies to the vehicle’s air conditioning system), and the handbrake shall be engaged. Failing to comply with these requirements, the contestant shall be disqualified. The contestant shall be allowed to apply adhesive tape or other materials on any leaky parts of the vehicle within the 5 minutes earmarked for preparation at the measuring site.
For the purposes of measurement, all doors, windows, sunroofs shall be closed, with the exception of the driver’s door or window. Any contestant who has their teammates or friends open or loosen the boot lid or rear or passenger doors while measurements are being taken shall be automatically disqualified.
6. THE PROCEDURE
The registration of the contestants shall be followed by the qualifying stage of the competition, with the sound pressure and sound amplifier output of all participating vehicles measured. After the first qualifying measurement, any contestants who were not assigned any class shall be split into classes Street Stock, Street A, Street B, and Street C.
Once the contestant drives into the measuring site, they shall be given 5 minutes to prepare. Sound pressure measurement shall take 1 minute to complete.
The contestant may use an official CD or any other medium (USB, Bluetooth interface, and such) with any music, text, or sound recording.
For classes Cabrio, Street Stock, Street A, Street B and Street C, the permitted measurable frequency shall be within 20 Hz and 60 Hz. If the frequency of the sound recording while the measurement is being taken is lower than 20 Hz or higher than 60 Hz, the contestant shall be disqualified.
For classes Extreme and Extreme Plus, the permitted measurable frequency shall be within 20 Hz and 80 Hz. If the frequency of the sound recording while the measurement is being taken is lower than 20 Hz or higher than 80 Hz, the contestant shall be disqualified.
If a failure occurs in the contestant’s sound system as the measurement are being taken, the contestant shall be able to fix the failure by the next stage (if the contest is held in stages). Failure to do so shall mean that the contestant who lost in that pair shall move on to the next stage. If the sound system breaks down at the measuring venue before the measurement begins, the contestant shall have 5 minutes to fix/adjust the system. Failing to fix their sound system within this timeframe, the contestant shall drop out of the competition. If the contestant is able to fix the failure, a second measurement shall be taken without them leaving the site.
The contestant shall be allowed to open/close/move the driver’s door of the vehicle as the measurement is being taken.
Between measurements or at the measuring site, the contestant may use the 5 minutes earmarked for preparation to swap the subwoofers or other elements of the system for other parts of the same (or smaller) size, quantity, and output as was declared at the time of registration.
If measurement results are the same for two contestants, the contestants shall be allowed 5 minutes each to recharge the batteries of their cars (using the engine alone rather than any auxiliary chargers) without leaving the site, and a second measurement shall be taken.
Only the contestant alone shall be allowed to operate the sound system of their vehicle. The contestant (other than in the Street Stock class) shall be permitted to have a support team of up to 5 persons near the vehicle at the measuring site. The contestant and/or members of the support may not touch and hold any body parts of the vehicle while the measurement is being taken. The contestant and/or members of their support team consuming alcohol or other psychotropic substances, acting aggressively, instigating a fight, abusing the judges, other contestants, and/or viewers, and otherwise conducting themselves in a manner that contradicts the generally accepted ethical norms shall entitle the judges to disqualify the contestant. The contestant shall be responsible for the actions of the members of their support team hereunder throughout the event.
7. FINAL PROVISIONS
Car sound systems can generate high sound pressure; as a result, contestants are advised to leave the vehicle and use a remote control while the measurement is being taken. In the absence of a remote control for the sound system, the contestant shall be allowed to remain in the vehicle provided the contestant uses additional hearing protection (earmuffs/plugs). Other persons shall not be allowed to be in the vehicle while the measurement is being taken. The promoters shall not be held liable for any potential impairments of the contestants’ health.
The promoters and the judges shall not be held liable for any potential failures of the contestant’s sound system or vehicle during the event. The contestants shall abide by the rules of public order, be respectful to other contestants and the viewers, obey instructions of the judges. The Highway Code shall apply on the territory of the event and any violators shall be prosecuted in the manner prescribed by the legislation of the Republic of Lithuania. Distribution of promotional material (booklets, flyers, and such) on the territory of the event during the event shall be permitted subject to pre-approval by and permission from the promoters.
All appeals against judge decisions shall only be accepted if made in writing. Acceptance of appeals shall be subject to a EUR 50 fee. If an appeal is found to be justified, the fee shall be refunded. If the judges deny an appeal, the fee shall be applied towards organisational costs and shall not be refunded to the appellant. No refund of the registration fee shall be made to a contestant who has been disqualified.