MTX Jackhammer

The MTX Jackhammer is a 22 inch subwoofer driver made by MTX Audio. It is currently the largest available subwoofer on the consumer marketFact|date=October 2008. It weighs 369 pounds and is rated at 6,000 watts RMS with a peak power of 12,000 watts (music). Due to it's sheer size, especially it's depth which exceeds it's diameter, it does not practically fit into most vehicles used for common purposes and is therefore usually only installed under special circumstaces. These include the MTV show, Pimp My Ride [Citation | last = Greene | first = Jay | title = Car Tech: A Back Seat at CES | newspaper = Business Week | year = 2006 | date = 2006-01-09 | url = http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/jan2006/bw20060109_872680.htm | accessdate = 2008-10-09] , or installment in the back of an out-of service delivery truck just to experiment with "ridiculous bass."

Technical Details

Diameter: 22 inches

Mounting Depth: 21+1/16 inches

Weight: 369 pounds

Power handling: 6,000 watts RMS; 12,000 watts peak (music)

Voice Coil: 6.5 inches

Linear Cone Excursion: 5 inches (max in to max out)

Impracticality

The MTX Jackhammer is so heavy, large, expensive and of such limited availability that it is largley impractical for common applications. Just the speaker itself costs around $5,000 USD.

Practical Applications

The MTX Jackhammer is often used in SPL competitions where the only objective is sheer loudness. In fact, one Jackhammer is capable of high enough SPLs that people who are nearby are often wearing ear protection. A Jackhammer was installed in a 1986 Buick Regal during an episode of "Pimp My Ride". [Citation | last = Greene | first = Jay | title = Car Tech: A Back Seat at CES | newspaper = Business Week | year = 2006 | date = 2006-01-09 | url = http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/jan2006/bw20060109_872680.htm | accessdate = 2008-10-09]

Criticisms

Hazards: The Jackhammer is able to create SPL's high enough to easily damage human hearing. It has been measured at well over 150 decibels, which is 30 decibels more than an airplane at takeoff.

Power consumption: The Jackhammer consumes much more power than the average electrical system of a car can provide, adding to it's impracticality. It usually requires multiple powerful amplifiers to drive it, and high quality wires are needed to carry the current to the speaker. Multiple large capacitors are also generally used. About four lead automobile batteries are required to power the amplifiers.

Weight: Between the speaker and everything needed to power it, the system weighs well over 500 pounds.

ee also

MTX Audio

References

http://www.lightav.com/car/mtx/sub.html

http://thetrue22.com/