I get this question from almost every first-time SPL entrant: "my mate's Sound Quality car got a great Install score for a near-invisible setup — why would my trunk full of subs and exposed amp rack score any better?" It's a fair question, and the honest answer is that EMMA doesn't judge Install Quality with one checklist for every car. Sound Quality and Multimedia builds are judged against a much deeper installation matrix — fit, finish, cable routing, how well everything is hidden and integrated. ESPL (Sound Pressure League) cars are judged against a shorter, more practical list that's really about safety and presentation, not concealment.
Two different jobs, two different checklists
A Sound Quality or Multimedia install is scored on dozens of small details because the whole point of those classes is seamless integration — speakers, processors and amplifiers disappearing into the car while still sounding right. An SPL car is doing something completely different: it's built to move air, often with a trunk, B-pillar wall or roof-high enclosure stacked with subwoofers. Judging that build on "how well is it hidden" makes no sense, so EMMA's SPL install checklist focuses on a shorter, more direct set of questions instead.
What an SPL judge is actually looking at
- Correct fusing at the battery and at every amplifier
- Wiring that's safe and properly dressed, even behind a wall of subwoofers
- Enclosures and amp racks that are mechanically secure, with nothing able to shift under load
- Normal, safe use of the vehicle where the class calls for it
- Overall cleanliness and first visual impression when the boot or trunk is opened
Why an extreme build can still score well
This trips a lot of competitors up. The Expert and Unlimited SPL classes exist specifically so builders can go extreme — wall-to-wall enclosures, visible amp racks, roof-high woofer walls. I'm not marking a build down for being big and loud; that's the entire point of the class. What I am looking for is whether it was done properly: fused correctly, mounted so nothing flexes or rattles loose, no bare copper anywhere near metal, no obvious afterthought in how it was finished.
If you've stood next to a serious Trunk or Wall class car at an EMMA event, you already know this isn't about restraint — it's about doing something extreme safely and cleanly.
Where the two classes still agree
The fundamentals never go away. No class gets a pass on exposed terminals, unfused runs, or an enclosure that's barely attached — see our breakdown of the Install Quality scorecard and the key EMMA install rules for the detail that applies across every category, SQ or SPL. What changes between classes is how much the judge digs into integration and finish versus how much weight sits on safety and presentation.
If you're coming from a Sound Quality background and building your first SPL car, don't assume the habits that scored well there carry straight across — read through our guide to EMMA's SPL classes (T, B/R and W) before you commit a weekend to the build, so you know which checklist you're actually being judged against.
Not sure which class your current setup fits, or want a second opinion before competition day? Have a look at our DIY install guide, or get in touch — happy to talk it through.
Written by Pete — Integrated Audio
Pete is the founder of Integrated Audio and a Certified International EMMA Head Judge, judging EMMA Sound Quality and Installation competitions in Australia and internationally. He writes from the judging side of the table, drawing on hands-on experience building and installing HELIX, MATCH and BRAX car audio systems.