Power
This sounds like music in the ears
The people behind Clanck all share one thing: a love for exclusive cars and the goosebumps that come from Clanck's sound. MASTERS spoke with Frank Polman and Christian den Hartog, general and commercial director of the company that elevates the audio experience in your car to the highest level.
Frank: “My ultimate dream was to create a brand on which we could let go of our own philosophy. Every car manufacturer that offers an audio system uses manufacturers that have their origins in home audio. We find our origins in car audio: audio enthusiasts who prefer to drive with a good music system. I think listening to music in the car is the best thing there is. With a good system you will be captivated by the music. You feel a certain emotion. If an audio system does not work well in a car, it will not evoke that emotion. Clanck's mission is optimal reproduction of music in the car, so that you experience pure emotion. Music that gives you goosebumps. Clanck stands for that sound experience. In the beginning, we mainly received questions from the market from car owners about what we could do for audio in a Porsche. We started developing this from A to Z. What we do is indistinguishable from the factory: our systems are installed in the original locations. Nowadays we do this for all exclusive cars, whether it is a Porsche, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Bentley or whatever. We also take over the manufacturer's warranty. That makes it a lot more accessible for people who have bought an exclusive car.”
Emotional product
Frank: “First, the doors are provided with acoustic sound insulation, sound absorption and vibration insulation. Then we place the speakers, which are hung in custom aluminum rings. The last, most important and most complex is digital sound processing – we are truly unique in that. We are one of the few in the Netherlands who do 100 percent car audio, just that every day. If you can focus on that matter, you are able to go very deep into the software.” Christian: “Every car is a tailor-made product for us. That is why every car we have is acoustically measured for the best results. Sound is an emotion and this is different for everyone. That is why we have developed various systems. We always call everyone who submits a request to us, so that we can determine what that person's wishes are and which system is best for them to choose. Then we can provide good advice.” Frank: “The Clanck system can be implemented in all exclusive cars, with the limiting factor being the number of speakers that we can fit in the original locations. In a Porsche 911 there are fewer than in, for example, a Cayenne.” Christian: “Consuming music is of course an intangible emotional product, about which you can continue to discuss. However, it turns out that we have created a sound that touches a lot of people. Go ahead and explain that... So we don't do that either. You have to experience this yourself, so we always invite everyone for a demo in one of our demo cars, a Porsche Cayenne, Taycan and 911 equipped with our Clanck audio system. ”
Goosebumps
Frank: “We were at MASTERS EXPO with two of those Porsches. People got goosebumps. One man even had tears in his eyes. Everyone was excited about the sound. That you can hear all the tones and the sound remains pleasant even when you turn up the volume. A clear sound that is balanced. We have had people from different areas of interest sit next to us in the demo cars, including DJs and also someone who organizes large events in stadiums. He hears everything! He was only going to listen technically. For the first fifteen minutes he kept looking straight ahead. I still thought: well, we're not going to convince them. And then he turned down the volume and said, “I've never heard this before. It's absolutely right!'” Christian: “Another person drove an Audi RS Q8 with the most expensive B&O system and was like: 'It can't be better than what I have now, can it?' We don't say that either. We never enter into discussions, it is emotion. Just sit and experience it. You have to feel it. After the first song he said: 'I have goosebumps all over, I have to have this.'” Frank: “Nothing is more beautiful than blowing someone's mind with our sound system. Why do I get up in the morning? To make people happy.” Christian: “It's a joy every day to deliver cars and see that smile. Last week, when we delivered the car, someone said: 'I'm going to empty my entire tank and enjoy the music!'” Frank: “Thanks to MASTERS EXPO we have become busy in a certain target group. We recently moved into an 800 square meter workshop and want to have eight mechanics working there in two years who can handle four or five cars a day. Even more happy customers! That's where we want to go.”
MASTERS MAGAZINE #54
Want to read more of these interviews and much more? The summer edition is a fresh cocktail of entrepreneurship and sport. In this edition, several entrepreneurs from the Champions League of business are reviewed. Including Freddy Heineken and hospitality tycoon Richard Caring, whose expanding empire has been called the 'restaurant equivalent of LVMH'. Doing business is top sport, but top sport is also doing business. Take Formula 1: the sport is increasingly developing into an octopus with arms that touch all aspects of our society. Jaap de Groot investigated how millions are converted into billions. Also interviews with gymnast Sanne Wevers, two-star chef Guido Braeken, hotelier Robert-Jan Woltering, designer Maarten Baas and Rico, together with his Naomy. The 'King of Kickboxing' also turns out to be an octopus (with very strong arms): as an entrepreneur he is active in various industries. “When I look back later, I don't want to think 'I wish I had this or that'. I just want to, boom, accelerate, do fun things, enjoy.” Boom, the new MASTERS: enjoy!
