Mythbusters tried to destroy a Mercedes 300 Series Diesel with a 51" Super-Woofer...

The "test" resulted in a "popped" sunroof (It was "blasted" from its track on both sides), which "saved" the car from further damage from the woofer - which, BTW, did self-destruct (The woofer - not the car.).

The "driver force" for the woofer? The car's drive-shaft. :wtf:

The measured Hz. and sound pressure? 16 Hz. @ 161.3 dB.!

IF they had used any other vehicle, they might have achieved their original objective - Destroy a vehicle (Windows exploding - panels tearing loose, etc..).

One of the hosts, Jamie, had two t-shirts with the following wisdom silk-screened on them:

"Failure is always an option."
"I reject your reality and substitute my own."

.

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M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

They should have used a Citroen 2CV. It sure comes apart when you drive it in the engine wash of a 747.

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

old news pfft

I really like Mythbusters. Some of the things those goofballs do are certainly entertaining, but about 1/4 of the time, their approach is whacked, so it's fun to see the reactions and subsequent second or third approaches.
There was one episode in particular where Adam stuck his face in a motor that was moving and he ended up with a nasty cut. No reason was ever given for him doing that other than "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

I have come to the definite conclusion that at least some of those folks are stoned a lot of the time, primarily Kari, Adam, and Tory.

Kari is the nicest

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85' 300D No inspection, No registration fees, Cheap insurance
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious %$&^."

anyone got a link to the episode online?

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

Surpised they even made an eposide about it.

If any one here has ever attended a stereo sound-off "SPL contest", it pretty much involves the same thing. The top contenders bring barely driveable vehicles stuffed to the gills with subwoofers. The doors and windows are reinforced to prevent flex, which is where sound pressure loss would occur.

All of the systems are activated remotely...permanent hearing loss (and possibly bowel loss) would occur is the contestants actually remained in their vehicles during the competition.

Last I remember, the top SPL scores were in the neighborhood of 171 db!!!

For those cars with stock chassis but large systems, shattered windows aren't the norm...typically the window seals give first, so rear windows pop off (where most subs reside), and loose trim comes off.

Back in my car sound off days, the shop that did my install had a company vehicle that would dust the competition when it arrived. One year, the woofers in the trunk broke all of the welds from the ribs along the trunk lid!!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

A db figure is useless without the frequency it was taken at.


SPL contests hardly go into the sub-bass region (if ever at all.)



Just dont get me going on the watts debate; another useless figure...

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-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

They did send the kid (Tory, I think) to an "SPL Contest" - he got himself learnt...

They did a little report at the "SPL Contest" - that point was mentioned, but not the "possible bowel loss" or "brown note" issue...

In the show, they brought out the facts concerning dB. levels experienced during the contest and what relative dB. levels have occurred during the recent 100 years...The Atomic Bomb had an "SPL" of approximately 240 (?) dB..

Monomer: Your quotes: "A db figure is useless with the frequency it was taken at. /// SPL contests hardly go into the sub-bass region (if ever at all.)
/// Just dont get me going on the watts debate; another useless figure..."

The show made the point that at the frequency that was measured in the MB (16 Hz. w/an SPL of 161.3 dB.), at the SPL Contests, very rarely are any measurements made below 25 Hz., just because human reception of frequencies at, or below, are extremely rare. You feel it more than you heard it.

The measurements they made on the show was a full-scale measurement, due to the fact that the speaker was so large (51" diameter) and the amount of energy that was going to be needed to move it (Probably "measured" in Horse-power, not Watts! ).

The fact that the show is "Mythbusters" and not "Mr. Science" is just for entertainment purposes...more "tongue-in-cheek" than real science. AAMOF, when they do wander down "science-fact" lane, they warn the viewers that there's some real knowledge about to be imparted their way...

And, when the stated objective isn't achieved, they'll go out of their way to somehow, "skew" the more explosive myths to a fitting end. (Think more "bang" for the viewers' buck!)

ANYWAYS, still a fun show to watch and "learn" from.

BTW, it was Adam that had the goofy T-shirts on - not Jamie. Jamie is the one with the mustache (sp?) and serious attitude. Without him, I think the rest of the cast would be weekly replacements for the dead and maimed on the previous week's show.

Adam is the one with the red hair and trouble-maker-looks and without Jamie, would probably have killed by the first intermission of the first show during the first season. He always appears to be about a teaspoon of gun-powder away from leaving this orb.

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M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

Hardly. A SPL is a SPL whether you can hear it or not.

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MB-less

But a measurment at 20Hz is FAR diffrent than one taken at 120Hz.


A SPL vs. Frequeny chart is the only option to actually show the responce of the said array/speaker.

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-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

I agree with your idea on measurement, but the point was to blow out the windows.

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MB-less

I still remember driving around the "hood" in theh 80's in my buddy's Ford Fairmont with his custom installed stereo.

The lights would blink with every beat of the music!!

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Current:
2014 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion 43,000 miles.

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (wife's).

Past:
2006 Jetta TDI 135,970 miles. Sold Nov. '13.
1995 E-320 Special Edition. 220,200 miles. Sold Sept. '07.
1987 190-E 16 valve. 153,000 miles. Sold Feb. '06.
1980 300-D 225,000 miles. Donated to the National Kidney Foundation.
1980 240-D manual, 297,500 miles. Totaled by inattentive driver.

People use large Caps to prevent this now.


But nothing replaces a battery - caps have their flaws...

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-1983 VW Rabbit LS Diesel (5speed, VNT/Giles build)

Anyone got a link to Kari?

i second that one!

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it