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Image Dynamic IDMAX15 Listening Review

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14K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  truckerfte  
6
#1 · (Edited)
Overview:

So this build has been a long time coming! Because of drugs I had to place my entire life on hold and almost lost everything I love, including my own life. So I don't want to focus too much on the technical side of things since I don't have a wealth of technical knowledge. What I do have to offer is a picky ear and a deep love of music. I will try to extend to you my experience with the IDMAX15.

The build:

So I chose to go ported. I come from SPL roots so I wasn't willing to sacrifice output.. I went with a 4.4ft3 gross box dropping to 3.9ft3 after displacement. I tuned at 25hz. I used .75" MDF with bracing. The carpeting I chose as close to the color carpeting already in my car to be pleasing to the eye. Sometime down the road I'd like to cover the entire face of the box with a removable acoustic screen not unlike you'd see in home theater towers.

I used Stinger 1/0 power and ground wires along with Stinger RCAs to supply a Skar 1500.1.

My head unit is an old Alpine 9887.

Components right now are stock but are being powered by an Alpine 3554 and includes dedicated tweets(stock). Can say I'm left wanting here but it does suffice for now.. it's not BAD.

The vehicle is a 1999 Infiniti QX4. The broken spoiler happened today when my son and I were four wheeling and I misjudged our clearance of a tree branch... good times.
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The review:

*Accuracy
So as a hobby I create music and have become knowledgeable over the years of music production and mastering. I will use my experience in this field to help me explain why the IDMAX is a great piece of equipment.

So we've all heard a poorly produced track. The bass can usually be described as muddy, sloppy, ect.. Well the IDMAX when playing such a track sounds..... muddy, sloppy, ect.. and this fact is the IDMAXs greatest strength! What I am alluding to is that the IDMAX is incredibly accurate. It's so accurate that my jaw drops sometimes. I've had the opportunity to listen to some amazing studio monitors and the accuracy of the IDMAX is in the same ballpark...! That's just wild to me. I can't listen to poorly produced tracks with the IDMAX because I can clearly hear how junky the track really is.
-I want to explain this in a little better detail with my experience to back me up. So when I am creating a kick with a strong bass line I have learned to magnify the wave form in Adobe Audition and separate the kick and the bass line so that they do not overlap. I can use my car audio system with an IDMAX to see if I have everything just right before mix down... I'm telling you guys that's just wild.

In an IB setup or even sealed an IDMAX15 could be used in a budget studio. It really could.

Moving on I'd like to share the music I've been using to form my opinions:
Chevelle - Vena Sera[incredibly well mastered album]
Chevelle - Sci-Fi Crimes[well mastered album]
Third Eye Blind - Tattoo of the Sun(2006 remastered)
Deftones - Change
Young Dro - Gangsta[properly separated kick and bass lines]
Plies - Ran Off on the Plug Twice[properly separated kick and bass lines]
I've also been listening to some of my own "screwed" tracks because 25hz :)

*Output
Jesus eff'n Christ this thing will get loud. Louder than I NEED for sure! Another strong point for the IDMAX is its accuracy at low output levels and the accuracy of its output, if that makes sense. I can perceive the difference between a -3db bass line and a -4db bass line when they are played next to each other. The thing still sounds excellent at red lights when I turn the volume way down..

These days I don't view the vibrations that the body of my vehicle sees as a good thing but I can say with a slight smile that my windshield wipers don't clear away water at full tilt. Hehe

In closing:

This piece of equipment is impressive. It really is. I have been hooked since the very first time I heard an IDMAX play years ago. My infatuation with car audio would likely have passed away if it wasn't for the IDMAX so I am thankful for its existence. The few I've demoed for are asking me to build similar systems for them.

Credits:

I'd like to thank Majik with SoundEthics.com for an awesome dealer experience and everyone who helped me with using winISD!

Also:

I would've included a plethora of pics from the box build and installation but Home Depot SUCKS at using their saw and I had to do A LOT of splitting the difference and other junk to make the box work out and out of embarrassment I decided not to include all of that stuff.

There are many pics of the unboxed IDMAX15 in my unboxing review on this site.

Michael Greene
 
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#3 ·
Excellent review! The IDMAX 15 really does seem to have something special about it...and the output is incredible! Thanks for the credit and I'm glad that you're so thrilled! In my opinion, you can't go wrong with an IDMAX.

I agree with Audiophilefred; White Pony is a fantastic album. Yes, "Change" and "Digital Bath" are good...but my personal favorite is "Passenger" w/ Maynard (I'm a die-hard TooL fan though).
 
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#5 ·
Teddydolan said:
How are these things even selling?
Click to expand...
Huh? Perhaps I'm not getting your point.....
This is sort of "the place" where folks hang out who are deeply into this hobby, Along with the typical guys like me. The law of diminishing returns often applies and this is a hobby where it certainly does! Some folks wIll spend a thousand bucks + for a pair of tweeters and another grand + to fabricate the mounting & tune. Many of the folks on here have the skills to do it themselves, saving $,$$$$ in the process.

I would suggest you check into some of the guys local to you, who would be willing to let you listen to what they have. You'll probably have the chance to hear a $500 sub then :)
Be well!
 
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#6 ·
I think you did miss my point, because i actually own a $600 sub myself. I do the majority of my work myself also. My point was that Image Dynamics seems like they are falling off as far as advertising and social media. Many companies have risen from nowhere by having the internet flooded with their products. I would have thought that the idmax 15 would have at least had a handful of videos on youtube being that we waited until 10 years for this sub to come out. And no one locally has this sub. All of the shops that used to carry image dynamics in my area has dropped them. Ill have to drive 90 miles for a dealer in central florida and they dont even stock any of the products anymore. I want to see more on them because ive been considering 4 of the max15's for some time, but cant find anyone with first hand experience on them
 
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#12 ·
I agree with this 110%. You take Sundown Audio. They have videos of the excursion potential of there woofers. Sure it doesn't tell you how its going to sound buuuut people that love this kind of tech love watching them. I've been searching on youtube for a long time for vids of the IDMAX 15. Hopefully the dude posts a video. However I would like to see one in a sealed box too.
 
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#10 ·
I haven't been active on here since a while. I started again past few days and see IDMAX threads popping up. They seemed to have been dying down in popularity, atleast on the boards, last I was here.
Can someone tell me what's the reason behind this renewed interest? has there been a new revision to the IDMAX line? did Eric Stevens come back to ID? : )

Thanks!
 
#16 ·
While ID still produces some outstanding products...the IDMAX15 is surely one of them...they don't seem too interested in the opinions of their customers. Or, more specifically their potential customers. Maybe this has to do with the turnover in ownership/personnel or perhaps they are like many small companies and are understaffed.
I take this position because I sent them a respectful email about possibly building a modern follow up to the very popular IDQ15 and was told that "the industry has changed and they've literally only had 2 such requests over the past year". Now, I understand that the IDMAX15 is very popular and ID would surely love to sell me one. However, I have neither the space or interest in buying and installing such a large driver. Surely I'm not alone in that.
 
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