In this article: We will give you the details on one of our favorite cost-effective subwoofer options, the MTX 55 series. This is a utilitarian sub that has been around for a long time now, but still kicks today.
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MTX 55 Series Subwoofers Feature Overview
So, do you want big bass in your ride, but you don’t want to have to blow through tons of cash to make it happen? The MTX 55 series is one of our top picks for just this reason. These subs offer an ability to take abuse, last for long amounts of time, and you don’t have to lie about the cost to your friends or significant other. They've been featured on our list of best car subwoofers multiple years in a row now and are a super competitive subwoofer given their price point and performance.
These subs may not have the most advanced tech on the block, but they have been proven to deliver big bass in all types of sealed and ported boxes. It is important to keep the amplification reasonable, but these subs hit hard enough that you don’t need to spend big bucks on a subwoofer amp either. This keeps your system affordable while giving you the type of rounded or booming bass you want.
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Inverted Apex Design
Most subwoofers on the market use what's called a half-roll surround design. This is the rubber surround along the outer edge of the cone that secures it to the frame. half-roll surrounds are on nearly every subwoofer on the market, and they've treated us well for decades. However, one of the downsides to high-power subwoofers that leverage a half-roll design is distortion caused by wrinkling while under heavy load. Particularly when the subwoofer is retracted to its lowest point. If you look at a subwoofer in slow motion, you might be able to see it.
One of the unique features that MTX built into their 55 series subwoofers (along with other MTX subwoofers) is what's called Inverted Apex. It uses four folding points to extend further than traditional half-roll surround, without wrinkles or distorting. It helps to improve SPL/volume, but also increase the cone surface area making the subwoofer more efficient and push more air.
Progressive Suspension & Spider Plateau Venting
The progressive spider is a design you’ll find on higher dollar subwoofers, and ensures that the subwoofer can get the full excursion to provide deep, booming bass notes and function without overheating. The more excursion, the better. MTX builds these subs with a radial ribbed T-yoke that functions as a heat sink to effectively cool the voice coils.
Key Features
- 10”, 12”, and 15” sizes are available
- Dual two-ohm and four-ohm voice coil models are available
- Polypropylene woofer cone
- Inverted apex rubber surround
- Spider plateau cooling
- Progressive Suspension
- Radial ribbed T-yoke
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The power handling for all sizes of the 55-series falls within the 200-watt to 400-watt range. Supplying too much power will shorten the life of the subs and won’t offer good sound.
In many ways, these speakers are very basic and use numerous low-cost materials and construction methods to keep costs down, resulting in an affordable sub.
There are several low-cost and very low-cost options out there, but none of them performs as well as the 55-series.
Conclusion
The MTX 55-series of subwoofers have stood the test of time by routinely showing up against much more expensive subs. For the bass head that wants a lot of boom but doesn’t want to spend a lot of cha-ching, the 55-series is our top pick, and has even featured in our list of best car subwoofers multiple times. We know people who have been using this speaker for nearly a decade without any problems. It is an all-around good subwoofer at a great price, proving that you don’t have to spend a fortune to have big bass response in your vehicle.
