Critical Mass Chrysler 300C — “Super-Fi” Surround Sound Innovation
A New Era of Mobile Hi-Fi
How Critical Mass brought electrostatic audio into the luxury automotive world.
A Breakthrough in Mobile Audio
Before consumer car-audio brands offered “premium sound packages,” Critical Mass was already redefining what automotive high-fidelity could be.
This 2006 magazine feature showcased something radical at the time:
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True electrostatic speakers inside a luxury sedan
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Private-theater sound for each passenger
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Hand-designed acoustic architecture
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Proprietary ESL technology engineered by Wayde Alfarone
This wasn’t aftermarket audio —
It was audio architecture, built by hand at a time when the phrase immersive sound didn’t exist in mainstream vocabulary.
And once again, Critical Mass proved a simple truth:
When design leads, technology follows.
Why It's Preserved on National Smart Home
Because the future of smart living didn’t start with apps —
it started with craftsmanship, imagination, and hands-on engineering.
Critical Mass helped pave the path that modern media rooms, immersive audio, and luxury listening spaces stand on today.
These projects remind us:
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Real innovation starts on the edge,
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Not in a product catalog.
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This archive honors that legacy.
All images © Car Stereo Review, November 2006.
Restored and archived for historical reference.