Exodus Audio 21" Maelstrom-X vs REAudio 18" XXX

14016 Views 28 Replies 10 Participants Last post by DanWiggins, Dec 16, 2009

Ryan Anderson

Discussion Starter · Nov 22, 2009

So I'm going to guess the Maelstrom is more efficient, ignoring both driver's efficiency and sensitivity ratings, as it has a much larger cone and seems more efficient in build... light paper cone, light foam surround, not over built... smaller Sd with larger roll surround than needed. trim coil.

The XXX I hear complaints all the time how it just doesn't get loud, but it gets really really low. It's a much smaller cone, it should have more linear displacement, but it's all in excursion...more power required by Xmax displacement vs Sd in the overall scheme of Vd. This sub seems like a tank, over build, heavy duty huge roll surround, dual cone almost with the dustcap basically acting as a second cone as well as the actual cone with a huge conical shape to it to withstand such high excursion pressures.

I'm going to plot in a minute here and see what WinISD thinks, but just out of the gate... what are your opinions?

Thank you.

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Ryan Anderson

Discussion Starter · #2 · Nov 22, 2009

looks like cone area wins

i like this though

both with 44" x 5" slot port, but there probably won't be room to port the 21's, and, could possibly make the port 6" tall for 18's

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5

Ryan Anderson

Discussion Starter · #3 · Nov 23, 2009

" 5400.00 and I will include shipping. "

thats for 6 XXX's. forget that! Thats more than they are on eBay 1 at a time!

Ryan Anderson

Discussion Starter · #4 · Nov 25, 2009

got my price quote from the other place, then this email that I just had to reply to LOLZ!

I plotted both in winisd and the XXX gets its handed to it. Ive been in love with the XXX since before it was finished... I know all about it, but I also know the MX, and I know how to plot.

red is XXX
yellow is maelstrom x

xxx vs mx port gain pic, the XXX gets MUCH more gain from the port
SPL pic, the XXX gets STOMPED, the MX is identical from 10Hz-27Hz, below 10Hz the MX gains 2dB, and above... LOLZ! are ya kidding me?
transfer function, only one lookin good for the XXX for my tastes, but NOT anyone elses... I love an exagerated low end hump, vs the normal flat responce the MX shows

Air velocity obviousely the MX has more, it's moving more air since its so much more efficient with the same power

X cursion, XXX obviousley has more as it needs to move further with less Sd..expected..and not a problem as it peaks at 38mm, 16mm before it's Xmax... non issue

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: RE: You've received a question about your eBay item, RE AUDIO XXX18-D2 XXX 18" 4000w CAR SUBWOOFER XXX18D2
Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:00:40 -0800
From:assuming i should emit

To: mine too!

Hey Jordan,

The price I gave you is an excellent price. My personal opinion is the maelstrom is not even in the same league as the XXX. The XXX would outperform the maelstrom on all levels. The only thing you can have an advantage of with the maelstroms is cone area. My personal opionion would be to go with the XXXs.

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Ricci

· #5 · Nov 26, 2009

I'm trying my best not to weigh in on one of these threads again...The modeling is really not saying much about anything that is unexpected. OBV 21" cone will be more efficient. Also modeling is just that sometimes:nerd:

Ryan Anderson

Discussion Starter · #6 · Nov 26, 2009

Ricci said:
I'm trying my best not to weigh in on one of these threads again...The modeling is really not saying much about anything that is unexpected. OBV 21" cone will be more efficient. Also modeling is just that sometimes:nerd:

forget that put your gloves on! (after we get your weight first)

you know the XXX inside and out. Please weigh in! PLEASE?

Drizt

· #7 · Nov 26, 2009

Ryan Anderson said:
forget that put your gloves on! (after we get your weight first)

you know the XXX inside and out. Please weigh in! PLEASE?

Exactly. Please speak your mind. That is what forums are for.

Ryan Anderson

Discussion Starter · #8 · Nov 26, 2009

Drizt said:
Exactly. Please speak your mind. That is what forums are for.

hes just scared of Kevin... but it's not any diff than praising the DTS-10s :R :boxer:

Drizt

· #9 · Nov 26, 2009

Ryan Anderson said:
hes just scared of Kevin... but it's not any diff than praising the DTS-10s :R :boxer:

Kevins a great bloke. Surely it wouldn't be bad form to give ones opinion on such a topic? After all its only ones opinion.

I have two Maelstrom-X's and wouldn't be upset to hear someone think theres something better out there.... there always is.

Ryan Anderson

Discussion Starter · #10 · Nov 26, 2009

yeah kevin is solid, and he also knows he has as good as a woofer as they come. i dont think either is better than the other, just different. no reason a guy with some subs who just loves to test test and retest cant comment, no ones feelins should get hurt, we all know both are very capable drivers, and, that the MX is hella cheaper

ccdoggy

· #11 · Nov 28, 2009

the maelstrom has the XBL^2 motor. cleaner output throughout. sure a massive driver like the XXX is cool when its moving that far in and out, but I personally would go with the maelstrom because of the coil and sd. less power needed to achieve better results.

and the excursion graph shows the XXX destroying itself where as the maelstrom is just fine. (unless that graph's limit is wrong. remember that the further out the XXX goes the more distortion will be created compared to the maelstrom (XBL^2 coil).

the XXX is an awesome driver, though i would put that in my car in a sealed box and get the maelstrom for the theater.

Ricci

· #12 · Nov 29, 2009

Cdoggy,

Not sure where you are coming from. The comment about the excursion graph is not making sense in particular.

The XXX has a linear motor based on split coil and also has aluminum shorting rings and a full aluminum cap on the motor. It also has more cooling built in and more wire in the vc's in total. The suspension bottoms out at about 60mm inward stroke compared to 40mm for the MX. No doubt as to which woofer gets into trouble first. The extra SD does make up for a lot though.

Drizt

· #13 · Nov 29, 2009 (Edited)

Ricci said:
Cdoggy,

Not sure where you are coming from. The comment about the excursion graph is not making sense in particular.

The XXX has a linear motor based on split coil and also has aluminum shorting rings and a full aluminum cap on the motor. It also has more cooling built in and more wire in the vc's in total. The suspension bottoms out at about 60mm inward stroke compared to 40mm for the MX. No doubt as to which woofer gets into trouble first. The extra SD does make up for a lot though.

Those XXX's (spec's, and people impressions) sound super impressive.... extremely impressive actually.

ccdoggy

· #14 · Dec 1, 2009

my bad, i was assuming the line in the excursion graph was the limit line for the XXX. thus the comment of destroying the driver by exceeding its limits that much. I did not look up the actual excursion limit.

I am sure its an excellent driver, not trying to shoot it down or anything as any driver at this level of performance is awesome.

Kevin Haskins

· #15 · Dec 4, 2009

Ryan Anderson said:
hes just scared of Kevin... but it's not any diff than praising the DTS-10s :R :boxer:

I hope nobody is scared of me. I used to kill people for a living but that was long ago and I've yet to actually kill a customer. There are one or two I can think of who have tempted me but I'm old fat and slow and I'd have to catch them first.

In terms of subwoofers, I don't take any of this personal. For me, it is just a way to make a living. There are tradeoffs no matter what you do so it is just a matter of fitting the right shoe to the right foot.

Kevin Haskins
Exodus Audio

lsiberian

· #16 · Dec 4, 2009

I suggest you aim for SQ in this battle. I'm willing to bet the maelstrom has the edge in this one. 138 db is like 150 in room. Which is insane.

t_garp

· #17 · Dec 6, 2009

I will probabaly be facing a similar decision come this spring when I finally get myseld psyched up enought to start my basement HT build...

I do like the idea of the 21" Maelstrom so that I can be sure to have the biggest one on the block!

Lonely Raven

· #18 · Dec 7, 2009

Kevin Haskins said:
I hope nobody is scared of me. I used to kill people for a living but that was long ago and I've yet to actually kill a customer. There are one or two I can think of who have tempted me but I'm old fat and slow and I'd have to catch them first.

In terms of subwoofers, I don't take any of this personal. For me, it is just a way to make a living. There are tradeoffs no matter what you do so it is just a matter of fitting the right shoe to the right foot.

Kevin Haskins
Exodus Audio

I don't know...I almost had a heart attack pulling the Maelstrom 21" out of the box to install it in my baffle. Does that count? :bigsmile:

lsiberian said:
I suggest you aim for SQ in this battle. I'm willing to bet the maelstrom has the edge in this one. 138 db is like 150 in room. Which is insane.

t_garp said:
I will probabaly be facing a similar decision come this spring when I finally get myseld psyched up enought to start my basement HT build...

I do like the idea of the 21" Maelstrom so that I can be sure to have the biggest one on the block!

I just finished my Maelstrom 21" sealed build. It's not painted yet, but it's been working in the living room theater for almost two weeks now. I took some quick measurements that I will redo simply because they look too good to be true. The build is about 16cu ft sealed, stuffed with pillows, and powered by an EP2500.

This is a 5-200Hz sweep with a calibrated soundcard and Behringer mic with the downloaded calibration file. REW was calibrated at 75db with the built in pink noise.

I'll be taking some more measurements this week.

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lsiberian

· #19 · Dec 7, 2009

Lonely Raven said:
I don't know...I almost had a heart attack pulling the Maelstrom 21" out of the box to install it in my baffle. Does that count? :bigsmile:

I just finished my Maelstrom 21" sealed build. It's not painted yet, but it's been working in the living room theater for almost two weeks now. I took some quick measurements that I will redo simply because they look too good to be true. The build is about 16cu ft sealed, stuffed with pillows, and powered by an EP2500.

This is a 5-200Hz sweep with a calibrated soundcard and Behringer mic with the downloaded calibration file. REW was calibrated at 75db with the built in pink noise.

I'll be taking some more measurements this week.

You don't happen to have the desire to measure it on a ground plane do you.:bigsmile:

I'd also love to see a 3rd party distortion reading on this bad boy.

Lonely Raven

· #20 · Dec 8, 2009

I asked you in my build thread to explain to me how to do it, and I'd see what I could do.

I'm not familiar with all the different types of measurement.

In my thread, I think I've proved these measurements are as accurate as I can do with the equipment I have. I re-measured everything at the cone, and at seating position, and it came up pretty close.

So how do I do a ground plane measurement?

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