EMMA runs both SQ, ESPL / SPL formats, but they're judged in completely different ways and if you're building a car for competition, which one you're aiming for changes everything.
Sound Quality (SQ): judged by ear, by people
SQ is what most of our EMMA Australia events are built around, and it's the format I am personally most interested in judging. In SQ, a certified judge sits in your car, plays reference tracks, and scores what they hear against a written matrix — things like positioning, tonal balance and frequency response, stage width and depth, focus and imaging, and overall listening pleasure. There's no meter involved. It's a human ear against a scoresheet, which is exactly why the install itself matters so much: sloppy wiring, reflective surfaces and poor speaker integration all show up as lost points, not just as things that look bad.
Because it's subjective (within a structured framework), SQ rewards tuning skill, acoustic treatment, and genuinely careful installation as much as it rewards gear. I've seen plenty of Entry-class cars that outscored far more expensive builds because the tune and install were dialled in properly.
SPL: judged by a meter, full stop
SPL (Sound Pressure Level) is the opposite end of the spectrum. There's no listening panel — a calibrated meter measures the peak sound pressure your system produces in the cabin, typically tested with doors closed and doors open. Highest number wins. There's no argument about imaging or tonal balance, no "how did that make you feel" — it's a pass/fail number on a screen. Builds aimed at SPL prioritise excursion, power handling and enclosure design over the acoustic treatment and speaker placement that dominate SQ scoring, because a car chasing SPL numbers isn't trying to sound accurate — it's trying to move air.
That difference in judging method is the real split between the two disciplines. SQ is a craft competition judged by trained ears against a matrix. SPL is an engineering benchmark judged by an instrument. Both sit under the EMMA banner globally, both use class structures based on installation budget and modification level, but the skills, the builds and the mindset needed to do well are genuinely different.
Which one should you build for?
If you're just starting out, I'd point you toward SQ. It's the format our Australian events are primarily structured around, it rewards the kind of installation discipline that also makes a car nicer to live with day to day, and the class system (see Master vs Entry €3,000: EMMA classes explained) gives newcomers a genuine on-ramp regardless of budget. SPL is a different pursuit entirely — worth chasing if raw output is what excites you, but it's a build philosophy that pulls in a different direction to a daily-driver SQ car. Want your own daily driver upgraded toward that SQ standard? Browse our vehicle sound upgrade packages.
Whichever format you're aiming for, the install quality fundamentals — clean wiring, proper fusing, secure mounting — still get scrutinised. See Key EMMA install rules you need to know for what judges are actually checking.
Not sure which class or format fits your car and budget? Have a look at how to calculate the value of your car audio system, or get in touch via our contact page — as a Certified International EMMA Head Judge I'm happy to talk through where your build sits before you commit to an entry.
Written by Pete — Integrated Audio
Pete is the founder of Integrated Audio and a Certified International EMMA Head Judge, soon to be 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 performance focused car audio systems upgrades.