Can a soundsystem be too large?

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jquest03

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Joined: September 23, 2005

Location: United States

Posted: August 12, 2006 at 10:59 AM / IP Logged

I just visted my local audio shop and they were doing a project on a Caddilac EXT. The truck already had three Kicker Solo X 18's in it. The customer was adding the MTX Jackhammer also to it and was being powered by four Crossfire VR4000's. Oh by the way, to anyone who hasn't seen this sub in person, AMAZING. They had this subwoofer on an engine lift b/c it was too heavy for any 2 people to lift. I'm wandering what is the point of all of this? Won't there be cancellation problems? And how can you measure when there will be cancellation issues?

xtremej

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Joined: February 24, 2006

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Posted: August 12, 2006 at 11:03 AM / IP Logged

With that many diffrent products/sizes, its for the wow factor. More than likely it will sound like dood.....

luckydevil

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Joined: July 04, 2005

Location: United States

Posted: August 12, 2006 at 11:04 AM / IP Logged

jquest03 wrote:

I'm wandering what is the point of all of this?

More money than brains...

killer sonata

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Joined: May 17, 2006

Posted: August 12, 2006 at 11:10 AM / IP Logged

First of all to answer your question a system can never be too big when done properly. Second, a jackhammer is just for bragging rights. it is in no way shape or form practical. If you visit the jackhammer website and look at the installation manual you will see the amount of work you have to do just to use the damn sub. they dont even mention the suspension upgrades you have to do to the vehicle. The only reason I can think of as to why they would keep the existing subs is so that they dont have to have the jackhammer on all the time. If you put the remote wires for the amps powering the kicker subs on a differnet switch than the remote wires on the amps powering the jackhammer, you can toggle between the 2. You are right about the cancellation. the jackhammer will overpower those 3 kickers. But like i said, the jackhammer is only for bragging rights. "Hey man, check this out, I have a rediculously huge sub that is impracticle in every way possible"

DYohn

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Posted: August 12, 2006 at 11:16 AM / IP Logged

My guess would be the Caddy is headed for car shows.

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forbidden

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Joined: November 01, 2003

Location: Alberta, Canada

Posted: August 12, 2006 at 1:12 PM / IP Logged

Which makes it all the more practical. Just because it may be impractical for you and your views does not mean that it is impractical for someone else. I know I could build a system around it for sure and make it practical.

Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

killer sonata

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Posted: August 12, 2006 at 2:25 PM / IP Logged

Ok for best of show competitions, yeah i guess its "practical" since the WOW factor is there. But for sound competitions and especially a daily driver it is super impractical. by the time you spend all the money to buy the giant thing, buy a crapload of 1/0 gauge wiring, get a vehicle big enough to install it in so that a proper box can be constucted, buy all the wood, buy extra H/O alternators, suspension upgrades, bunch of batteries and capacitors, and all the amps needed to run the thing, you are atleast 5-10 grand in debt (unless you have that much extra money laying around and dont have anything better to do with it).

Now for SPL competition purposes, there are much better ways of getting the same output from a jackhammer or more with a lot less money. Also, dont forget that according to MTX, the jackhammer is a SQ sub. I have yet to hear of the jackhammer breaking any SPL records, so there must be better ways of obtaining high SPL.

Now dont get me wrong, I am a fan of MTX products and think the jackhammer is a great invention. But personally, I would sell the dang thing even if was given to me.

killer sonata

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Posted: August 12, 2006 at 3:10 PM / IP Logged

yes, the sub is 350 lbs. the installation manual recommends atleast 3 extra batteries, so thats about 150lbs if each battery weighs 50lbs (personally I would want more than just 3). for a sealed box, mtx recommends a 6ft^3 box. if built properly, it should weigh atleast 300lbs (a 2" thick board of MDF weighs 256lbs). for a ported enclosure, mtx recommends 11ft^3. I cant even immagine how much that box would weigh. So what are we up to now? atleast an extra 800lbs for a sealed box. If that is a daily driver, that thing would be sagging like crazy. Now if its a show vehicle and wont be driven, im sure you could just weld steel bars where the suspension would be if the car is not going to be driven.

cloak559

Copper - Posts: 215

Joined: July 14, 2006

Location: United States

Posted: August 12, 2006 at 8:59 PM / IP Logged

The only way I could ever see a JackHammer being practical is with a wall in a large van. Even with that the weight would still be ridiculous. I frown at the people who use car audio as just another "flashy" item in a show car. If you're gonna spend the money, make it work!...Theres no reason to have a 22" subwoofer in a truck if you cant cruise down the street shattering windows and setting off alarms. Thats the greatest part of car audio IMO...

'89 Mercedes-Benz 300E

Pioneer DEH-5900UB

(2)RE Audio SX 10"s

(1)US Amps MD3D

3ft^3 @ 37Hz

Blowing up in a car accident doesnt worry me, as long as I'm putting out some major dB's when I die...

Steven Kephart

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Posted: August 12, 2006 at 9:15 PM / IP Logged

cloak559 wrote:

cruise down the street shattering windows and setting off alarms. Thats the greatest part of car audio IMO...

It's that kind of attitude that will eventually prevent the majority of people from enjoying a good sounding system in the future.

As Dan Wiggins once said; "It’s not a question of rights, it’s a question of responsibility. With rights come responsibilities. Regulations arise when people can’t handle the responsibilities related to their rights."

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