JTR Speakers Captivator 118HT

[Ricci]

All of the test data and notes for this bad boy are now viewable. 

 

Enjoy. 

[lowerFE]

Very impressive results from such a high efficiency, pro style driver. I wonder what is the Cms on the woofer to get such great deep bass and upper bass efficiency. Amazing output from just a 700W amplifier. Looks like the driver had just enough excursion and linearity to produce the 25-30Hz region of highest excursion levels with the given power. Kudos for JTR for coming up with such a high performance subwoofer for such low price. The engineering is obvious to get the most performance possible with modest parts, and that's real engineering skills.

[Kyle]

Good performer indeed. CMS wouldn't have ~too~ much to do with it, its all in that port tuning.

[mojave]

I got to hear a pair of these at their debut at JTR Speakers' 10th Anniversary party. I told Jeff that these might be my favorite of all of his subs. 

 

 

Very impressive results from such a high efficiency, pro style driver. I wonder what is the Cms on the woofer to get such great deep bass and upper bass efficiency. Amazing output from just a 700W amplifier. Looks like the driver had just enough excursion and linearity to produce the 25-30Hz region of highest excursion levels with the given power. Kudos for JTR for coming up with such a high performance subwoofer for such low price. The engineering is obvious to get the most performance possible with modest parts, and that's real engineering skills.

 

When I was at the 10th Anniversary Party, Jeff showed me a motorcycle engine he was working on. The goal is to produce as much power as possible while staying within the the rules for the class you are racing. Ever since Jeff helped design the original Lab 12 driver, he has been working on producing subwoofer motors with high motor strength and incredible efficiency. This often means not using "modest parts," but using the best available. There is a subwoofer that sells for $30,000+ that sources its voice coil from the same place as JTR. Jeff does further engineering to the voice coil to maximize the power from his amplifier. 

 

Jeff said this on another forum, "We spent 1 1/2 years developing and optimizing the Captivator 118 driver. The decision to use the pro audio style surround was made because it maximized the cone area and minimized moving mass while having enough travel. Using to a large, half roll surround would have reduced efficiency (higher mass, less cone area). The cone is custom, well damped and very strong. The motor is the largest and heaviest that Eminence had ever built so we had to go though several processes of getting it approved, including negotiations, drop testing, and manufacturing engineers working out the assembly process. The reason we went though all of this is was to produce the highest efficiency with the highest excursion. The 1/2" thick steel top plate gives us 33% thicker magnetic gap than most of our competitors (commonly using 0.375") which increases motor strength and efficiency. We double stacked 120oz magnets because their larger diameter increases flux in the gap which increased motor strength and efficiency. The 120oz magnets are 1" thick so the pair of them is 2" thick for 2" of clearance between the bottom of the top plate and the back plate which gives us more clearance for increased travel over most of our competitors (using two 0.75" thick magnets plus 0.25" bumped back plate for 1.75"). We went through everything and spared nothing to make the Captivator 118 the best it can be."

[shadyJ]

 There is a subwoofer that sells for $30,000+ that sources its voice coil from the same place as JTR. 

There aren't too many subs that cost over 30k. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is the Magico one that uses two Aurasound NS18 drivers. I wonder which sub you are referring to?

[mojave]

There aren't too many subs that cost over 30k. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is the Magico one that uses two Aurasound NS18 drivers. I wonder which sub you are referring to?

Not Magico.

[shadyJ]

I don't know of a more expensive subwoofer than that Magico sub. There is the Wilson Thor's Hammer, but that is only $25k. What other subs cost north of 30k? That can't be a long list. 

[mojave]

I don't know of a more expensive subwoofer than that Magico sub. There is the Wilson Thor's Hammer, but that is only $25k. What other subs cost north of 30k? That can't be a long list. 

I probably threw you off with the low price. You need to be thinking in the category of speakers that includes the Stenheim Reference Statement or Genesis Prime. 

[Infrasonic]

Expensive for the sake of being expensive. Meh.

[shadyJ]

Sure there are lots of speakers over 30k, but subs alone? Although I am sure any of these companies are willing to cook you up a super expensive sub if you asked.

[dgage]

Sure there are lots of speakers over 30k, but subs alone? Although I am sure any of these companies are willing to cook you up a super expensive sub if you asked.

Yep, you had me thinking...aluminum, concrete...hmmm? Only $25K. A bargain.

[shadyJ]

Yep, you had me thinking...aluminum, concrete...hmmm? Only $25K. A bargain.

Magico already has their aluminum subwoofer. The cabinet is a 500 lbs aluminum block. Concrete wouldn't be 'exotic' enough. 

 

I am thinking.. marble. Make that sucker weigh a full ton. Say the marble has "micro-resonance diffusion properties" and charge $50k for one.