Car Audio Buff » JL Audio

JL Audio 10W7

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:43:26 +0000

Reliving the ‘ol 10W7

It said that the JL Audio W7 series is a “Tour de Force” of engineering and performance. These subwoofers are not cheap, it retails for $549.95 each, but you get an awful lot of performance and technology for your money, not just a bunch of bling and expensive advertisements.

What others think

“Simply put, the JL Audio 8W7 is the best damn 8-inch subwoofer ever made.” — Paul Sonda

“This demonstrates how successful the JL Audio engineers have been in controlling harmonic distortion. The bass guitar notes are forceful and tight. Note shifts are clear with no blooming in the upper bass frequencies like a number of the other subwoofers that I have tested in the past. The detail in the bass line is great. The 12W6v2-D4 has got to be the most linear subwoofer in frequency response that I have tested.” — Eric Holdaway

“JL Audio’s W6 series, known for producing high levels of audiophile-quality bass from small enclosures, has evolved to become the 3-Series BMW of the subwoofer world, a reference standard to which others are judged.” — Chris Yato

Specifications

Free Air Resonance (Fs):	30.6 Hz
Electrical “Q” (Qes):	0.578
Mechanical “Q” (Qms):	7.647
Total Speaker “Q” (Qts):	0.537
Equivalent Compliance (Vas):	1.28 cu. ft. / 36.1 liters
One-Way, Linear Excursion (Xmax):	0.9 in. / 23 mm
Reference Efficiency (no):	0.171%
Efficiency (1W/1m):	84.3 dB SPL
Effective Piston Area (Sd):	59.8 sq. in. / 0.0386 sq. m.
DC Resistance (Re):	2.75 ohm
Nominal Impedance (Znom):	3 ohm
Thermal Power Handling (Pt):	750W
Driver Displacement:	0.09 cu. ft. / 2.5 liters
Net Weight:	30 lbs. / 13.6 kg

JL Audio 13W7 Review

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:47:20 +0000

Following our popular JL Audio 8W7 review, here comes the 13.5-inch monster 13W7 subwoofer from JL. The 1,500-watt 13W7 has an 8.38-inch magnet and weighs a staggering 52 lbs. This subwoofer is a beast. There are a handful of reviews out there, some done by the most respected experts so we will approach this review as a summarization of what people have been saying plus some points that we would like to add in the end, so read on.

What people are saying…

“This gives an all round performance of such high quality on every level that bettering it will be very hard to achieve. The reward for this entire endeavor comes in the audition. Bass is tight, fast and musical at whatever sound level you choose. It really does pack the punch and easily shakes the walls, but never sounds out of control. If you want quality and quantity and have the ancillaries to support it, the 13W7 or its smaller brothers will take you as close as it currently gets to ultimate bass.”

Peter Hawkins, Total Car Audio

“Listening to recordings of acoustic bass material leaves us with no wishes for improved reproduction and large organ pipe notes reveal a low bass that could not possibly be any fuller. The 13W7 reproduces rock and jazz with merciless precision, bass drums have the correct size and perfect impact, and these qualities are not diminished as volume is increased. Hard techno beat attacks really bring the 13W7′s special dynamic qualities to light, even fat, brutal synthesized bass blasts cannot exceed this woofer’s reserve capabilities.”

Cars & HiFi

“The 13W7 delivers a very impressive sense of power that’s absolutely addictive on this type of material. It’s a totally seductive and completely absorbing engulfment in bass. It has more peak-to-peak linear suspension travel than any subwoofer I’ve tested so far—more than 3 inches. The motor also has more stroke than any other subwoofer I’ve tested—26.3 mm, which is over 2 inches peak-to-peak.”

Tom Nousaine, Mobile Entertainment

Car Audio Buff

The 13W7 is a woofer which has it all. Not only are its ingenious technical solutions impressive, but also its sonic abilities which leave no desire unfulfilled. We all already know and consider the W7 series as one of the best woofers of all time, and the 13W7, the largest of the group, makes it sound like an understatement. It hammers out whatever you feed it, in a very accurate and composed manner. We failed to push the 13W7 to its limits with anything and any situation we put it in. Be it a small sedan, to a large van in a wall configuration.

We recommend wiring the 13W7 also to JL’s extraordinary 1000/1 amplifier as it will feed the perfect amount of power and the cleanest signal to the subwoofer. It can reach 150 decibels with ease, but depending on what type of bass you prefer, you can play around with the box setup. But for something this big, it would be ideal to go ported. Tune it 29.77 Hz for starters and take it from there.

The 13W7 does not come cheap considering you need to shell out another $600-$700 for an amplifier, but for this level of sound, we consider the subwoofer very appropriately priced. And, although there are other monsters out there pumping out more decibels for the true bass fanatics, the 13W7 wass made for people who cannot escape the fascination of a truly exceptional loudspeaker.

JL Audio 13W7

JL Audio 10W6

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:43:09 +0000

JL Audio’s 10W6 (version 1), which has now been replaced by the 10W6v2, was one of car audio buffs’ favorite 10″ subwoofers—great punchy/quick bass combined with undemanding space requirements made it easy to experience up-front bass. Let’s relive the 10W6 and provide an all-in-one resource for owners or soon-to-be owners of this great subwoofer.

Specifications

Fs (free-air resonance)	23.2 Hz
Qts (total speaker “O”)	0.432
Qes (electrical “Q”)	0.463
Qms (mechanical “Q”)	6.567
Vas (equivalent compliance)	2.30 65.1
Xmax (linear excursion one-way)	0.469 11.9
Efficiency (1W/1m)	84.2 dB
Sd (effective piston surface area)	53.6 0.0346
Re (DC resistance)	10.8 Ω (in series)
Znom (nominal impedance)	Dual 6 Ω
Pt (continuous thermal power handling)	300 Watts

Dimensions

Frame Diameter	10.125 in.
Mounting Hole Diameter	9.125 in.
Mounting Depth	4.875 in.
Overall Depth	5.5 in.
Magnet Diameter	6.5 in.
Displacement	0.06 ft3

Recommended Enclosures

Sealed Enclosure	0.625 ft3	18” x 11” x 9”
Ported Enclosure	1.00 ft3	17” x 12” x 13.75”

Sample Reviews

“I have had my 2 10w6s for about three years. I purchased them at a pawnshop so I do not know how old they really are, but they were in perfect shape when I bought them for $100 each. I agree with the statement that they are bulletproof. I have cranked them extremely loud, louder than they should have gone, without any problems. I have used two different box sizes with them and agree that if you go too small you lose the quality you paid for. I originally used .8 ft3 and they went so low that you could almost count the frequency. Now I put them in .65 ft3 and they hit unbelivably hard, although they are less efficent at the ultra low frequencies. I would not suggest going any smaller than .6 ft3. You would lose too much low end and think that they suck.”

“Tight, accurate, detailed bass. Loads of power handling. Can play super quiet or super loud and still be musical. Worth ever penny.”

Sample Images

JL Audio 10w6 1

JL Audio 10W6 2

JL Audio 10W6 3

JL Audio 10W6 4

JL Audio 8W3v2

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:13:37 +0000

8″ Subwoofer

The discontinued W3v2 subwoofers offer phenomenal performance at moderate power levels, making them ideal for those seeking sound quality and solid impact from compact enclosures.

These subwoofers incorporate the patented Elevated Frame-Cooling technology for enhanced thermal dissipation and 20% more power handling than the original 10W3, 12W3 and 15W3. Cosmetic upgrades include a powder-coated silver frame finish, a dished cone/dust-cap design and a rubber mounting flange gasket that accepts grille mesh inserts directly (grille inserts sold separately).

The 8W3v2 comes in 3 variants, namely, the 8W3v2-D2, the 8W3v2-D4 and the 8W3v2-D6.

Subwoofer Specifications

Order: 8W3v2-D2, 8W3v2-D4, 8W3v2-D6
Free Air Resonance (Fs): 33.1 Hz, 34.5 Hz, 34.0 Hz
Electrical “Q” (Qes): 0.392, 0.468, 0.465
Mechanical “Q” (Qms): 7.84, 7.84, 7.84
Total Speaker “Q” (Qts): 0.373, 0.441, 0.439
Equivalent Compliance (Vas): 0.79 cu. ft./22.4 liters, 0.79 cu. ft./22.4 liters, 0.79 cu. ft./22.4 liters
One-Way, Linear Excursion (Xmax): 0.39 in./9.9 mm, 0.39 in./9.9 mm, 0.42 in./10.7 mm
Reference Efficiency (no): 0.199%, 0.189%, 0.182%
Efficiency (1W/1m): 85.2 dB SPL, 85.0 dB SPL, 84.8 dB SPL
Effective Piston Area (Sd): 33.2 sq. in./0.0214 sq. m., 33.2 sq. in./0.0214 sq. m., 33.2 sq. in./0.0214 sq. m.
DC Resistance (Re): 3.35 ohm, 6.70 ohm, 10.31 ohm
Nominal Impedance (Znom): Dual 2 ohm, Dual 4 ohm, Dual 6 ohm
Thermal Power Handling (Pt): 125W, 125W, 125W
Driver Displacement: 0.035 cu. ft./0.99 liters, 0.035 cu. ft./0.99 liters, 0.035 cu. ft./0.99 liters
Net Weight: 7.0 lbs./3.2 kg, 7.0 lbs./3.2 kg, 7.0 lbs. / 3.2 kg

Owner’s Manual

Click here to download the 8W3v2′s user’s manual.

Sample Image

JL Audio 8W3v2

Notes

The 8W3v2 has been replaced by the 8W7 series, particularly the 8″ 8W7-3.

JL Audio 10W7

JL Audio 500/1v2 Review

Thu, 07 May 2009 08:15:50 +0000

First, some specs…

RMS Power Output (Watts x Channels) 500 x 1
Peak Power Output (Watts x Channels) N/A
Power @ 2 Ohms (Watts x Channels) 500 x 1
Bridged Power (Watts x Channels) N/A
Minimum Impedance Bridged N/A
Minimum Impedance Unbridged 1.5
Frequency Response @ Rated RMS Power 20-250 Hz
THD @ Rated RMS Power 0.05%
Signal to Noise Ratio 95 dB
Input Voltage 14.5v

What people are saying…

The R.I.P.S makes all the difference when paired with the bass control this amp gives you. Almost no system will push an amp to its full potential due to lower than 14.4v to the amp. This amp doesn’t need that so the 500w is the real thing, makes my 12w6v2 sound great, if you want a JL sub make sure you have money for this amp as well. JL subs need the clean power that this delivers.

Mike, Iowa

I have this amp and a JL 12w6v2, and the combination is insane in my truck! I used to have a nice Alpine amp with the same rms rating and it didn’t sound half as good or was half as loud. I’ve never notice with other amps the difference in quality when you crank it up until I got this one. This is the best amp you can buy and it will make any sub sound a lot better. Plus Amazon.com has it for a steal.

Klein, New Hampshire

Very nice amp. I have this powering my JL 10w7 in my tahoe and it is simply amazing. The power coming from it is very clean and is always consistent. I would recommend that you buy the bass knob to get your “custom” listening preference.

Chamberlain, Charleston, SC

This is an absolutely awesome amplifier! The power and clarity are just fantastic! It says 500 rms, but in reality (as most in car audio know) it is pushing around 700+ rms. Unbelievable tuning capabilities. I purchased the remote bass knob which is an absolute godsend – comes in really handy when using an IPOD and you switch from bass heavy music to older music that has not been mixed as well. This amp is a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. I have run Alpine amps for around the past 10 years and decided to try something different. MO the JL amplifiers are in a totally different league. The sound quality is just phenomenal!

Negatives: Be really careful, the allen bolts that tighten down the speaker, power, and negative cables are made of really soft metal and will strip easily.

KYHO, Great Falls, MT

JL Audio 500/1v2

JL Audio 8W7 Review

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:31:12 +0000

First Look

The JL Audio 8W7 is a single voice coil, 3 ohm subwoofer. The cone is black plastic dish with a cool “W7” logo. When you first look at this subwoofer, you realize that it is something different and special. The most obvious are the dimensions. They are almost square. Even the 2.25 inch voice coil is out of the ordinary. From the front of the woofer you realize something is missing: the mounting flange. It’s hidden behind the oversized large surround.

Closer Look

Nine patents. In the world of “me too” engineering, JL Audio’s 8W7 has nine things unique enough to be granted patents. (Eight application patents and one design patent) The most obvious is the OverRoll™ surround (U.S. Patent #5,687,247 and #5,949,898). In most “large roll surround” woofers, the actual cone area is reduced to accommodate the huge surround. In the 8W7, the surround actually goes over the mounting flange right to the edge of the basket. The result is more cone area for a given size basket. The rest of the patents can be grouped into two different areas: structural reinforcement and thermal stability. Patents #6,496,590, #6,501,844 and #6,118,884 refer to the cone and spider assemblies and accounts for the excellent control the 8W7 has over its massive linear excursion (1.5 inches peak to peak linear excursion to be exact). Patents #6,243,479, #D472, 891, #6,219,431 and #6,229,902 refer to the pole piece and basket which maximizes the thermal power handling by directing cool air more effectively and efficiently over the voice coil. Detailed information about all the patents is available on the JL website.

Sound Quality and Performance

The enclosure used for testing is the recommend vented enclosure from the owner’s manual. The enclosure volume is a modest 1.0 cubic foot tuned to 32Hz. In a minivan, the 8W7 generated an impressive peak SPL of 106dB, 127.1dB and 129.2dB at 1 watt, 250 watts and 500 watts respectively. These performance figures are on par with most of the 12 inch subwoofers I have tested. (The 12 inch woofer enclosures were also about twice the size!) I then placed the subwoofer enclosure into my RX7 and, as you would expect, the numbers went up. The 8W7 delivered a whopping 107.6dB, 129dB and 131.3dB at 1 watt, 250 watts and 500 watts respectively. Most woofers I have tested do not gain any significant SPL between their “rms” and “peak” power ratings. This is not the case with the 8W7. In fact, the SPL was quite consistent 2dB increase between 250 watts and 500 watts. Did I say this was an eight inch woofer?

Don’t think the 8W7 is just a “one hit wonder.” In fact, the JL Audio is one of the better woofers I have heard. I listened to a variety of music on the JL Audio 8W7. No matter what type of music I played, the JL woofer accurately reproduced what was recorded. It did not color the sound in anyway. On one track, I had to check to see if the woofer was even on. It blended so smoothly with my front 3-way set-up it disappeared. Never did I think, “Not bad for an eight inch woofer.” The truth is the JL Audio 8W7 is a great woofer regardless of size.

Summary

Simply put, the JL Audio 8W7 is the best damn 8 inch subwoofer ever made. Yes it’s expensive, but who cares? What is so amazing is that it doesn’t sound like an eight inch woofer. In fact, it performs like a great sounding 10 to 12 inch woofer. It also has the performance numbers to back that up. If I could give any criticism, it would be the woofer is too accurate. Bass heads wont like that it doesn’t make everything sound like an SPL track. But, if you are looking for big audiophile sound in a package that requires a small amount of power and space, the JL Audio 8W7 isn’t a good choice, it’s the only choice.

JL Audio 8W7