Founder of MTX Loyd Ivey Passes

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Loyd Ivey MTX Passes

Loyd Ivey, who founded MTX 40 years ago and was a visionary pioneer of the car audio industry, passed away September 30, his son Johnathan Ivey announced.

Loyd was a Consumer Technology Association Hall of Fame (CTA)  member.  He loved car audio, and while his business expanded into a large commercial audio enterprise, he always retained a soft spot for the 12 volt industry.

Loyd Ivey with Darrel Issa
Photo: Loyd Ivey is shown second from the left with Darrel Issa, founder of Directed Electronics on the far left

Back in the day, Loyd was director of IASCA, serving from 1985 to 1994.  And he was a former member of the board of directors for MERA, now the Mobile Electronics Association. He was also past chairman and board member for the CTA.

As the story goes, Loyd left rural Missouri on a bus bound for Chicago at the age of 16.  One of his first jobs was at a wood mill that made speaker enclosures.  He founded his own company in 1971 making bookshelf speakers, according to a 2015 article by Systems Contractor News.   He founded Mitek in 1979 and soon launched the MTX car audio brand.

Mitek grew to include AtlasIED and it has owned AV brands Xtant Technologies, Coustic Car Audio, Streetwires, Esoteric Audio USA and others.

An in-person and virtual celebration of life for Loyd will be held on October 27th at 10 am at the Whitney and Murphy Funeral Home in Phoenix Az. 602 840 5600.

 

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10 Comments

  1. Loyd was one of a kind. A true pioneer for the industry and the 12v category. He was a tough businessman and a competitor. As others have said, an Icon. RIP Loyd. Thoughts and prayers for the Ivey family.

  2. I had the pleasure of going out to dinner with him multiple times over the years. I learned a lot during those dinners and always enjoyed my time with him.

  3. A photographic memory. Always a kind word. Consumat gentleman. Tough as nails businessman. Certainly had an impact on me. Such a character comes along rarely and will be missed by all.

  5. It was my pleasure to work for Loyd for over a decade. First running his home division then 12 volt. He was an icon and had a hand in creating the 12 volt industry as we know it today. RIP.

  6. I first met Loyd sooo many years ago back in the IASCA days as a competitor. When I left Oriin Industries I interviewed directly with Loyd and a few others there about coming to Mitek and he flatly said, çI’d rather see you working for one of the magazines than here at Mitek.”

    I can’t be sure how much influence he had, but shortly thereafter I joined the team at Car Stereo Review starting my professional editorial career.

    Loyd was a great man who helped so many people in the car audio world to reach their full potential and he will be missed! I feel for his family as well as his Mitek family!

  7. I was honored to meet him in person. He will be missed….
    Greg Horne-SOUND ADVICE CUSTOM STEREO

  8. Loyd was a solid man a respectable business leader. He was a driving force in the industry and will be missed. God bless him and the entire Ivey family.

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