Printer Friendly Forum Posts - Is JL the best sub?

JL is not the best sub. I don't even compare it with some brands. They are way overpriced. The only sub worth the cash is the W3, it is a good quality sub. W7 is a good sub but the price tag does not match what your getting. Focal is awesome, polk's are good, (Never heard of Hertz), Cadence has that wild beast out, but i like the beast better (Dual 1 ohm voice coils), and MB Quart makes a good SQ woofer (Premium series). Adire makes awesome subs, i own 2 12'' Brahmas and they crank hooked up to my ZRS-9 Cadence amp. Check those out at www.adireaudio.com and see the glory of this woofer! - Tony

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

yes that's what i think I completely agree with you .....there are plenty of subs to choose from ...i check this site looks pretty cool to me

JL Audio makes excellant subwoofers - don't let the price tag fool you. They are worth every penny IMO. And like uthinkuknoaudio said, I wouldn't compare it with some brands - like Sony, Kenwood, Pyramid, RF, PG, etc. posted_image

. Are there better brands out there - depends on who you talk to. But you really can't go wrong with JL Audio, depending on what you want.

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VEHICLE: 2002 GMC Sonoma ZR2
Alpine CDA-7940
AudioControl EQT x2
JL Audio 1000/1
JL Audio 10W6 (originals) x3
Kicker ZR120
Kicker ZR460
Polk GXR-6 x4
Polk GXR-4 x2

i'm not going to compare it with sony or pyramid, i trying to compare it with focal, polk, dls ...something that the same class

to uthinkuknoaudio i try to find some info on hertz subs just found it,but not in english https://www.subwoofers.ru/cat/hertz.html just have a look on subs thanks

Only JL audio sub worth every penny to me is the W3. The rest, forget them. Name one other JL sub worth the money. Seriously. People that say W7, i laugh at you. For half the price you can get an adire brahma and be just as good or better.

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

JL makes some great subs, but I agree that they are way overpriced. If you dont believe that the W7, and JLs other woofers can take a beating, go check out realmofexcursion.com, and check out the JL section. I probably wouldnt buy any JL stuff becasue of the price, and becasue it seems to be what everyone has...I want something differant.

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I have seen the realmofexcursion many times. Look at the adire brahma vs the w7. Then look at their price tags. You chose which one is better...

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

JL Audio is not the best I prefer Eclipse any day..

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Eclipse "Approaching Perfection"

i never heard eclipse subs ,how do they sound????

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Head Unit:Alpine CDA 9835
6.5 MB Quart Pce 210
Amp:JBL 80.4
Amp:JBL 1200.1
Sub:Adire Brahma 12 MKII

If you looking for pure SQ they are the best in my opinion. I have had just about every kind of sub out there and I love the Eclipse sound. SW8100's and the SW9100's are killer subs..Very high quality subs.

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Eclipse "Approaching Perfection"

do you tried smth different than eclipse like focal tried this first than compare SQ

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Head Unit:Alpine CDA 9835
6.5 MB Quart Pce 210
Amp:JBL 80.4
Amp:JBL 1200.1
Sub:Adire Brahma 12 MKII

i have a A 12W6V2 and had an elcipse sw8122dvc. jl does make great subs although overpriced, but the eclipse subs rape them in sq and spl.

sancho, how are those quart comps working out for you. i am slightly dissipointed with my pce's. what are your feelings on these driveers?

Hey guys.

Thanks for the kind words. However I am a big fan of JL Audio. I believe they have some great engineers and make some of the top subs on the market. Honestly I personaly see the W7 and the Brahma as equals, not as one better than the other. Although the Brahma has a couple advantages, they have some advantages as well. I also greatly respect the engineering they put into their speakers. They were able to think outside the box and come up with a low distortion motor just like we have. For this I give them their due respect. There aren't many companies out there doing this, including many of the one's mentioned thus far. People shy away from the W7 for the price, but don't downplay it's abilities because of it. Honestly I believe it to be one of the best subs on the market, it's throne shared with a very select few subs.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

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may be it is time to try smth more than just jl....i can't say that i do not respect jl but anyway there is always a lot of options thats sounds better like uthinkuknoaudio f.e. adire or smth else

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Head Unit:Alpine CDA 9835
6.5 MB Quart Pce 210
Amp:JBL 80.4
Amp:JBL 1200.1
Sub:Adire Brahma 12 MKII

bullman96 i like those mids they working for me just fine

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Head Unit:Alpine CDA 9835
6.5 MB Quart Pce 210
Amp:JBL 80.4
Amp:JBL 1200.1
Sub:Adire Brahma 12 MKII

I have 2 jl audio w6v1 not v2 but I did not like the way they sounded, i bought a rf punch stage 3, (pl3) dual 2 ohm in a ported enclosure and it kicks harder than both jlw6, imo jl is good but by fare the best.

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There is no such thing as "the best" sub or anything else.

There are good manufacturers and OK manufacturers and poor ones. JL is one of the good ones.

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Support the12volt.com

You will find that some think JL is the best because they don't know better. JL is a great company that make good products but certainly not the best. As DYohn said there is no such thing as the best, you need to listen and decide for yourself. I like Eclipse products allot more then JL and you don't find Eclipse products all over the net for sale like JLAudio. JLAudio must give there products out to internet sites because there are thousands of sites selling the JLAudio that our not authorized. That alone makes me not want to buy them...

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Eclipse "Approaching Perfection"

Lizardking wrote:

You will find that some think JL is the best because they don't know better. JL is a great company that make good products but certainly not the best. As DYohn said there is no such thing as the best, you need to listen and decide for yourself. I like Eclipse products allot more then JL and you don't find Eclipse products all over the net for sale like JLAudio. JLAudio must give there products out to internet sites because there are thousands of sites selling the JLAudio that our not authorized. That alone makes me not want to buy them...

JL Audio does not "give there products out to internet sites," (at least they say they don't; who knows, eh?). For that matter, ALL COMPANIES could be lumped into that very broad statement, other than those that are not as well known and/or don't have the capability to meet mass-market demands. So let's not get carried away and start misleading people with statements like that (even if it was unintentional). posted_image

I have 3 10W6's (old style, not the new V2's or Ae's) and I couldn't be happier. DYohn said it best - no such thing as the best...

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VEHICLE: 2002 GMC Sonoma ZR2
Alpine CDA-7940
AudioControl EQT x2
JL Audio 1000/1
JL Audio 10W6 (originals) x3
Kicker ZR120
Kicker ZR460
Polk GXR-6 x4
Polk GXR-4 x2

Steven Kephart wrote:

Hey guys.
Thanks for the kind words. However I am a big fan of JL Audio. I believe they have some great engineers and make some of the top subs on the market. Honestly I personaly see the W7 and the Brahma as equals, not as one better than the other. Although the Brahma has a couple advantages, they have some advantages as well. I also greatly respect the engineering they put into their speakers. They were able to think outside the box and come up with a low distortion motor just like we have. For this I give them their due respect. There aren't many companies out there doing this, including many of the one's mentioned thus far. People shy away from the W7 for the price, but don't downplay it's abilities because of it. Honestly I believe it to be one of the best subs on the market, it's throne shared with a very select few subs.
Steven Kephart
Adire Audio

So nice of you to say good things about JL Audio, Steven. Even though your company is a competitor, you have constantly shown much class when discussing other brands of audio gear and always try to answer questions clearly and concisely. You could bash other brands and peddle your companies stuff instead, but you don't - thanks for keeping it real and "unbiased." You are a true asset to this forum. posted_image

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VEHICLE: 2002 GMC Sonoma ZR2
Alpine CDA-7940
AudioControl EQT x2
JL Audio 1000/1
JL Audio 10W6 (originals) x3
Kicker ZR120
Kicker ZR460
Polk GXR-6 x4
Polk GXR-4 x2

The "best" sub changes from person to person. To some people Eclipse may be the best sub becasue it offers such great SQ. For some people it may be the RE XXX becasue of its great SPL numbers. For some people the best sub may be a sony xplod becasue thats all they have ever been exposed to, or all they can afford. Best sub will change from person to person. Which ever sub best suits your specific needs for a price you can afford would be the "best" sub.

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Its all on your prefence i coudlnt afford to purchase the sub i wanted (ADIRE AUDUO 12inch SHIVA), I got a deal 200CDn for a 12 Jl12w3V2 (300RMS) in nice ported box i couldnlt be happier it pounds liek a mofo with 200Watts Rms goign to it i couldnt be happier. Anyways JL is not the BEST thier is much better out their or the same that is LOWER in price. JL is pretty darn good but just pricy thats all if your rich do w/e you want buy your JL W7 you will be happy...

PS Does anyoen have a link were someone has compared the Jl 12w7 to a brahma. im trying to convince a buddy to buy a brahma instead of the W7. thanks

JL makes great product. They are a reliable name in car audio, possibly the most reliable there is out there. True, they are very expensive to the average consumer. But, you have to ask yourself, how much do you actually know about these other companies? How long have they been around? Will they last as JL has because of their dedication to constantly improving their product? What other manufacturers always being new, and improved stuff to the table that also have the reliability as JL? While I can't justify the average consumer going out and dumping loads of money into JL stuff, I can say that they won't be disappointed if they do. As for the W7 being compared to other woofers? I'd compare them to an IDMAX, a Brahma, among several woofers. The main qualm with JL is the price. Were they not so expensive, I'd be willing to bet for the performance and reliability that they offer, the vast majority of people would be running them.

It's funny all the opinions you get when you ask for the best. Many different speakers do different things well. There are also many variables to take into account. Proper amplification, box size, material, bracing, craftsmanship, well sealed enclosures, etc. will all alter the sound of a woofer. I have heard some very inexpensive woofers sound very good in the proper enclosure. Without companies like JL, Adire, etc. to bring new technology to the woofer world by spend the R&D money, the woofer world as we know it stays the same. JL does a lot of development and manufacturing inhouse, this is more expensive, but results in much better quality control. Should these woofers be the same price as those that are made in whatever factory wherever they can do it cheapest this week? I believe there are companies out there that have the high pricetag because of the name alone, but in my opinion, JL is not one of them.

the best sub is the one your ear likes.

ive had people come in looking strictly for jl and i ask why, There words are my friend says there the best. Then i ask what type of subs there friend has and what do you know, they dont have jl.

There is No Best sub, without knowing specifics, how much room, Box size, Depth, Diffrent subs are made for diffrent reasons.

I remember Years ago, everyone would put down Pioneer Impp woofers, In the right box They Slammed, 90% of the people wouldnt put them in the right box, When people heard my car they were like what do you have in here, i would pop the trunk and they would just be like theres more then these 2 woofers. The key was Proper box and proper power.

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As far as eclipse, i think it is a good SQL sub, not the best. It is a good blend of the two catagories though. Someone said Focal, a great SQ company, and i have yet to be let down by them. Every product i have heard from them is nothing but fantastic. The Utopia series is wonderful, and their woofers pack a good punch and maintain great SQ. Eclipse on the other hand, i see a lot of SPL in it, moreso than SQ. It can pack a mean punch and still sound good, but clarity weakens as you push it to the limits, much like other woofers, but i have noticed doing similar tests on my Brahma and a Focal sub that the clarity stays the same at both minimum and maximum output. A lot of people think i downtalk JL just because of quality, which is not true. I maintain the fact that they are good quality woofers, but that they are not worth it and their is always something better for the same price or less. I support Stephen's statement, as the W7 and the Brahma are idealy equals, but that if you were to choose between them, who would you pick? Well for me, price tag makes the difference here, and the Brahma was my clear choice. Another good sub that no one stated was by Alumapro. Anyone tried out the M16 or the Alchemy RX. Well if you haven't, your missing out buddy. Those things are flat out awesome, maintaining constant SQ through peak excursion. Slight downside is the aluminum cone, which heats up and may be hot to touch, but a good user would use common sense DO NOT TOUCH HOT THINGS... As well as resonant engineering goes, they have good woofers, they are right up their with the other names mentioned. I've heard the XXX and i still think the Brahma's better, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Its all what your ear tells you, so you be the judge.

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

Thanks Paradigm. Since I work for Adire, I do have to be careful what I say about other companies as I represent Adire. Plus we work a great deal with other companies behind the scenes in designing and production of their speakers. I would hate for my comments to effect that in any way.

I do however think there can be a best speaker. However a definition would be in order in the beginning. The subs mentioned seemed to be all SQ subs, so I was basing my comments on that. Now unfortunately SQ is subjective, so I like to take an objective approach to it. Which subs provide the lowest distortion and with the flattest frequency response in a decent sized enclosure and do this at reference (or beyond) output levels? Well with the technology used in our XBL^2 motor and JL's design, they will have less distortion than any other motor on the market previously. That is why I believe these subs are the best. However subjectively we have found that some people are so used to distortion in their subs, they don't like the sound of our drivers. It doesn't sound as loud or as "full" to them because there are harmonic peaks missing that they are used to hearing. I believe these people like their music more "surreal", which of course isn't a bad thing.

Even Consumer Reports assumes the reader is looking for an objective opinion about the items they are reporting on, and not taking into account the subjective side of things. posted_image

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

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Paradigm wrote:

Lizardking wrote:

You will find that some think JL is the best because they don't know better. JL is a great company that make good products but certainly not the best. As DYohn said there is no such thing as the best, you need to listen and decide for yourself. I like Eclipse products allot more then JL and you don't find Eclipse products all over the net for sale like JLAudio. JLAudio must give there products out to internet sites because there are thousands of sites selling the JLAudio that our not authorized. That alone makes me not want to buy them...

JL Audio does not "give there products out to internet sites," (at least they say they don't; who knows, eh?). For that matter, ALL COMPANIES could be lumped into that very broad statement, other than those that are not as well known and/or don't have the capability to meet mass-market demands. So let's not get carried away and start misleading people with statements like that (even if it was unintentional).
I have 3 10W6's (old style, not the new V2's or Ae's) and I couldn't be happier. DYohn said it best - no such thing as the best...

Maybe I came off wrong! I guess what I was trying to say is I see allot and I mean allot of sites carrying JLAudio that is not authorized and not only do they carry the stuff but they carry a huge variety. They must get there hands on it somehow and I'm sure it's not all stolen or knock offs. What I like about Eclipse you won't find but a handful of sites that carry Eclipse products and they only carry certain Eclipse products which are probably knock offs or stolen or possibly refurbish. Yes, Eclipse is expensive and sometimes more expensive then JLAudio but I think they make the best SQ subs I have ever heard thus far. To me the W7 is very nice sub but way overrated and there certainly other choices that to me are better choices..

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Eclipse "Approaching Perfection"

i myself, had both JL and jBl... 4 12's of each...

i had the jl w3's but they were way to pricey.. i loved it cuz it just went BOOMM ..

later i had jbl gti 1500s where less but they sounded sooo much better with the 1200 amp..
over all... if i had to pick between subs... i'd go for jbl, cheaper and sound just as good!

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Canadian Auto Sound
Starting Installer

Lizardking wrote:

Paradigm wrote:

Lizardking wrote:

You will find that some think JL is the best because they don't know better. JL is a great company that make good products but certainly not the best. As DYohn said there is no such thing as the best, you need to listen and decide for yourself. I like Eclipse products allot more then JL and you don't find Eclipse products all over the net for sale like JLAudio. JLAudio must give there products out to internet sites because there are thousands of sites selling the JLAudio that our not authorized. That alone makes me not want to buy them...

JL Audio does not "give there products out to internet sites," (at least they say they don't; who knows, eh?). For that matter, ALL COMPANIES could be lumped into that very broad statement, other than those that are not as well known and/or don't have the capability to meet mass-market demands. So let's not get carried away and start misleading people with statements like that (even if it was unintentional).
I have 3 10W6's (old style, not the new V2's or Ae's) and I couldn't be happier. DYohn said it best - no such thing as the best...

Maybe I came off wrong! I guess what I was trying to say is I see allot and I mean allot of sites carrying JLAudio that is not authorized and not only do they carry the stuff but they carry a huge variety. They must get there hands on it somehow and I'm sure it's not all stolen or knock offs. What I like about Eclipse you won't find but a handful of sites that carry Eclipse products and they only carry certain Eclipse products which are probably knock offs or stolen or possibly refurbish. Yes, Eclipse is expensive and sometimes more expensive then JLAudio but I think they make the best SQ subs I have ever heard thus far. To me the W7 is very nice sub but way overrated and there certainly other choices that to me are better choices..

I have found just as many sites that carry JL as Eclipse pretty much. I know for sure JL does not support unauthorized internet sales.

There is no such thing as the best like everyone else has said. If you're in the market for a sub then listen to everything you can and pick the sub that sounds best to you.