SonnyV

Looking for opinions on subwoofer with regard to 2 channel music only system.

I am thinking of adding a JL F112 subwoofer to my almost fullrange tower speakers.

I always like the sound and feeling of the sound system in my car, with its sealed box 2 8" JL subwoofers. The bass is very taut, tight and supprisingly not boommy like most cars you see on the street with the bass turn up really loud.

What are your experiences with it?

Thanks,

Sonny

Dean_Fuller

I think it would be a great idea. I have a set of Cain & Cain Abbey's that I run a REL B3 sub with. REALLY widens the sound stage and brings things alive. I am NOT a real basey guy and you don't have to be to appreciate a SUB added to your 2 channel system. I would venture to guess MOST 2 channel speaker systems would benefit from a well dialed in sub.

I am not familiar with the JL model your talking about. I know the REL is a very musical sub.

Car audio is very difficult to get right. the environment is just as bad as it can get. Hard surfaces. Bad speaker/ listener placement. I have heard lots that were LOUD...CLEAR...but none that were audiophile quality as regards sound stage and imaging. I don't think its possible with the environment that an automobile offers.

A.Wayne

I was told the JL audio subwoofer works from a friend who has a pr with his Quads ...I Never did get to hear them , but he is happy with the results .

bigmac

I had a Dahlquest Sub with my DQ10's and could always feel it especial in classical records

aussie jimmy

that jl sub will bring your house down. nice piece of gear.
a good sub, when dialled in at lower crossover point can be very nice.

SonnyV

Thank for the confirmation guys.

I have been researched into this F112 subwoofer for a while now and made the decision to start looking for one a used one. I'd also need to come up with a good reason why I need this sub as the wife is not buying it at the monent, :-).

Although my main speakers go down to 30hz -3db, I feel that it is missing something and I don't even listen loudly 98% of the time. Most of my listening time is late at night. Most people mistaken that having a sub is to listen to bass heavy music but that is not true.

Here is a great video from JL Audio explaining the philosophy and techology behind this sub, where a reviewer called "Subwoofer of God".

http://home.jlaudio.com/graphics/Mul...es/JLA_HT.html

Here is a link to all the reviews of their top of the line Gotham down to the smallest F110.

http://home.jlaudio.com/products_sub...php?page_id=33

Thanks,

Sonny
ps: Dean, I did not say that the car environment is a great place for audiophile quality sound. It is just that due the small space (hatch back car), with a quality sub the sound pressure it creates with bass you can hear and feel. The sub in my car was custom built using computer software many years ago by a great local installer. I still love it to this day.

911Jeff

I have a REL Stadium III in my dedicated 2 channel system (Wilson speakers and Krell electronics) and a JL f113 and a JL f112 in my two multi-channel systems, as well a dual JL 8" subs in my 993.
A good sub will add width and depth as well as bottom end weight.
Most subs just add "boom".
JL Audio subs are one of the best, and without a doubt, the best deal!

Dean_Fuller

You can easily go another 10hz that will be obvious to the listener. Let the wife hear a 2 channel that has about the same frequency range as yours and turn the sub on and off as she listens. It will be amazing. Subs don't always mean shaking the windows. Just finishing off the range is what I use mine for and its awesome. Its one of those things that you don't know you were missing until you hear it. Then you wonder why you didn't do it a long time ago.

I was just rambling about car auto...sorry. Did not mean to insult you.

George from MD

Yes I do. I use B&W 801s (which have plenty of bass themselves) but the sub (800 series I forget the number) certainly adds "impetus".

Also while the sub is monoral I did use a y cable to take inputs from both left and right channels.

993MAN

Personally I don't think you can really get the ultimate sound until you add a sub. Audiophiles will shreek at that comment but if you do try a good one, you'll be amazed.
I have never heard of the JL brand but it sounds like it's good. I have always used REL's in my own system. The latest is a Storm 5 and it totally brings my system to life, in more ways than one, and not just the bass.
For me the trick is to get the bass to truly blend into the main speakers without hearing the "thud" coming from the sub. Too date REL's the only one I have found that can this so far.

Kevinmacd

Velodyne only! :-)

kellymartin612

I heard this system in his London studio in 1993 while I was a cello student at the Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester). He sold Quad and Yamaha electronics at the time and didn't really bother. When I bought my pair of LS3/5a, it was a Spendor he had in stock. He sold Spendor, Harbeth and Rogers as I remember. We had a really nice conversation about music and CDs. There was no other like him....

switchface

That JL is solid piece of gear.

I use a 2.1 stereo setup for my music and TV/movies. I used to design home theaters and would like demonstrating the 'wow factor' of various surround sound setups, but in my house, a quality 2.1 setup delivers proper imaging nicely given my layout.

I'm using a Martin Logan Depth i subwoofer and could not live without it. It adds that musical 'warmth' to all genres of music, even tracks that are not bass heavy are rounded out nicely. Yes, my liquid dnb has much deeper impact that I can feel, but you'll find that you can even ascertain a sense of heft in a cello's strings, feeling the size of the instrument better than before.

If you like to tweak your crossovers, a dedicated sub would allow your towers to focus on ranges they are more efficient with, rather than straining to cover too much of the spectrum.

Quality is important with subwoofers. I know your situation is music only, but when a giant spaceship appears on screen, a lower quality sub will cause a big commotion...a quality sub will make your stomach queasy!

(just realized this is a 4 year old thread)

993MAN

hahahaha, I also just realised it was 4 years old!

In the last few months I decided I was bored and sold the REL and bought a new Velodyne DD12. Holy carp! It's incredible!! For music and movies. The REL is biased to 2 channel, but things change I guess.

As good as REL are, this unit blitzes it in every regard, especially on movies.
I can actually feel the air pressure in my room now.
I'm not an audiophile, clearly, but I'm a convert.

I also got bored with my speakers and grabbed some Focal 1038BE's.
Asthonishing is all I can say

Kevinmacd

Yup velodyne all the way! Have had multiple models and they never cease to amaze me!