Maelstrom X Subwoofer : Exodus Audio Keeps the Ball Rolling

Filed under: Home Audio > Subwoofers



Exodus Audio's Shiva-X and Tempest-X are already proving very successful in the home audio DIY crowd, being used in all sorts of arrangements from IB to LLT. The product now known as the Maelstrom-X (another nod to the now-extinct Adire Audio brand) is going to bring some major displacement in an 18" package. With over 33mm of linear Xmax, the Maelstrom-X is capable of over 7 liters of displacement, encompassed in a low distortion motor using the patented XBL^2 topology.

Even better than the 33mm of throw is the linearity of that throw. BL product is within 10% out to 27mm. This is one of the big advantages of the particular topology. To add to the fun, the Maelstrom-X uses a shorting ring in the rebate in the top plate and a shorting ring inside the magnetic stack. The result is decreased inductance and inductance variation; in other words, you can play higher with this bad boy than you can with almost any other driver with this much low frequency extension. Really wide bandwidth is always a good thing. The heart of this driver is obviously the motor, you can see the CAD drawing of it above.

The Maelstrom-X will come with a 3" voice coil in a Dual 8 ohm configuration. It's currently expected sometime around April/May and is targeted at no more than $350. The prototype stage is nearing completion; here are the preliminary thiele/small parameters. All in all, this is the type of driver that will really shake things up a bit.

*Edit: The production parameters are listed below. Le (inductance) is lower due to the use of AlCu shorting rings inside the motor. Also, expect matching Passive Radiators that will be offered separately or sold in a package with the Maelstrom-X.

Re: 3.1
Le: 0.87mH
Fs: 17.7 Hz
Qms: 7.8
Qes: .38
Qts: .36
Mms: 494g
Cms: .170 mm m/N
Vas: 324L
Sd: 1182 cm^2
BL: 21.17
Xmax: 33mm
Xmech: 42mm