In this episode of the SQOLOGY Podcast, Klifton Keplinger and Michael Myers are joined by Jeffrey Hald of Total Tuning. The conversation digs into the realities of remote tuning at scale, microphone strategy, physical optimization versus DSP-first thinking, and what actually separates consistent competitors from one-hit results. Jeffrey shares lessons from rebuilding after failure, tuning under real-world constraints, and why iteration, fundamentals, and community matter more than chasing equipment or shortcuts.

They also explore the future of sound quality competition, the difference between sales-driven events and competitor-driven events, and how the industry can better cultivate new participants without losing depth or integrity.

This episode is sponsored by ResoNix Sound Solutions, providing engineered sound treatment designed to reduce noise and resonance and create a stable foundation for serious sound quality systems. Learn more at ⁠resonixsoundsolutions.com.⁠

This episode is also supported by SVR XV (Steel Valley Regional 15), taking place July 17-19, 2026 at the WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. Registration for the Top 48 competitor field is currently full. For more information, contact Larry Chijner or Richard Papasin, and follow the Steel Valley Regional Facebook group for updates on organization registration, announcements, and availability.

SQOLOGY exists to document the pursuit of better sound, preserve the culture of sound quality competition, and keep meaningful conversations alive across seasons, regions, and generations.

In this episode of the SQOLOGY Podcast, Klifton Keplinger and Michael Myers are joined by special guest Mark Bruno. Mark shares his origin story in car audio, his time at Eclipse during its peak years, and the real-world lessons that shaped how he builds and tunes today. The conversation covers competition mindset, “run what you brung” versus last-minute changes, what separates top money-round cars, and why consistency is harder than people think when conditions, judges, and formats vary.

This episode is sponsored by ResoNix Sound Solutions, providing engineered sound treatment designed to reduce noise and resonance and create a stable foundation for serious sound quality systems. Learn more at resonixsoundsolutions.com.

This episode is also supported by SVR XV (Steel Valley Regional 15), taking place July 17-19, 2026 at the WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. Registration for the Top 48 competitor field is currently full. For more information, contact Larry Chijner or Richard Papasin, and follow the Steel Valley Regional Facebook group for updates on organization registration, announcements, and availability.

SQOLOGY exists to document the pursuit of better sound, preserve the culture of sound quality competition, and keep meaningful conversations alive across seasons, regions, and generations.

Klifton Keplinger and Michael Myers catch up after a busy season and break down what they saw at Steel Valley Regional, including judging flow, multi-org complexity, and why score variation happens in the real world. They cover common event pitfalls like last-minute preset changes, competitors adjusting settings between judges, and the "middle seat" debate. They also touch on regional finals momentum, how conditions and fatigue affect judging consistency, and the ongoing push toward better formats, better data, and better competitor feedback.

This episode is sponsored by Resonix Sound Solutions, providing engineered sound treatment designed to reduce noise and resonance and improve system performance. Learn more at resonixsoundsolutions.com.

This episode is also supported by SVR XV (Steel Valley Regional), taking place July 17-19, 2026, at the WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. Details and registration information are available through the Steel Valley Regional Facebook group or by contacting Larry Chijner. Registration opens Friday, January 16, 2026.