By James Chevrette
Car audio enthusiast Miguel Rios started an in-person DSP tuning service called WaveForm Tuning in 2023, after a successful competition season winning “Best Sounding Car” at the prestigious Aggieland SQ event and a top six placement at the Steel Valley Regionals in Wheeling, WV in 2024.
Rios, a retired E-5 Staff Sergeant in the military, has a passion for car audio and says he wants to share it with others. Rios is the second sound off competitor we know of who is converting his tuning skills into a business, along with Jeffrey Hald, about whom we reported earlier.
Rios’ unique business model offers flat rate service fees for DSP tuning. At the time of this post, WaveForm’s rate was determined by one’s distance from Tampa, FL. If you are within 300 miles of Tampa, the charge is $1,000, otherwise the fee is $1,250 for anywhere in the continental US. For more pricing details, contact Rios via his website.
Rios believes tuning must be performed in person. He offered remote tuning in the past but discontinued the service. “I 100 percent agree with using remote tuning to identify or fix issues while achieving good sound. What makes us different is listening to the customer’s personal taste in music,” said Rios. “If I sit in the car with the customer, and he wants more bass or mid-bass etc., I need to hear what he calls too much or too little with his music.”
WaveForm’s service includes 4 hours of tuning, which is usually more than enough time to achieve the customer’s satisfaction. Rios provides all his own tuning equipment to avoid problems with the customer’s equipment or software. Rios uses the M-7NB microphone array, his personal favorite microphone, as well as other hardware.
Rios encourages people to book a consultation to discuss their personal goals, competition goals or personalized listening. He notes, “My business might not be as scalable as remote tuning, but sometimes seeing the smile on their faces makes all the travel worth it.”