The custom box build video for the 13W7 is now live! Come see if I picked, ported or sealed! th-cam.com/video/O3448ZMbvqU/w-d-xo.html Thanks for watching!
I've always been absolutely obsessed with sound and music. I wasn't driving around setting off car alarms and annoying people, it was a really expensive well balanced system that took me 5 years to complete. I had a JL W7 12" in my car from 2001 to 2010.... Then, I sold my car. But I moved into music production and mastering, so I purchased 2 x JL Audio Fathom12s for my studio. My god.. that low end in a studio with sound proofing and corner absorption.. its like sitting inside a giant bowl of warm cream. The air becomes thick with perfect low end reproduction. Punch, clarity, beauty.. instruments have detail. Its not a cheap bass wobble, its an extension of the music. This is 20+ years old and took YEARS of research and development to make. There's been nothing like it before or since and has to be heard once in your life. There were so many arguments in the audio world when it was released.. oh "this is better, this is more powerful, this is cheaper and better value".. etc etc. Sure, there are wonderful subwoofers in the world. But, this is truly something special. And forever will hold a place in my heart. Yes, its ABSOLUTELY over the top in all regards, absurd throw and excursion. But that also means, incredible control at low and mid volumes. Where other subs would br topping out at that level, this sub doesnt even come close to breaking a sweat. I had many different subs before I bought this one in my car. Diamond Audio, Kicker, Focal, Soundstream, RF.. As a mastering engineer and music producer, I am very sensitive to frequency response and I really listen to music mixes.. The musicality of this sub is what sold me. Some subs seem "tuned" to HIT on certain frequencies, so R&B, Rap or whatever sounds really boomy. Not this one. First and foremost it is reproducing MUSIC. It just happens to be able to make your rear view mirror distort so much that its impossible to see anything. As soon as I heard it, I heard notes being played I didnt even know existed in the songs I was playing. I had to play them over and over again because I thought I was imagining it. Heres a test song for you - Basement Jaxx - Romeo. If your sub can prosuce all the notes of thst bassline, then youve got something special on your hands.. 😅
I bought one in 2014 and I used it every day for about 8 years and the sound quality is unmatched. Yes there’s louder subs out there but the quality of high, mids, and lows of the w7 are worth every Penny.
I have a quick question. Mark mentioned this sub has low distortion. (good sound quality). But basically I want to know is distortion bad or does it just sound not as good? Because I know clipping is bad, but is clipping and distortion interrelated?
@@firebender3092 are you familiar with audio signals by any chance? I am wondering if a bass boosted song affects the power coming from my amp. Can bass boosted songs cause clipping?
I’d say the Tc Sounds LMS was 1000 times better in output and sound quality Unfortunately they aren’t made anymore because the owner of TC Sounds had a gambling problem and sank the company
@@EdgarMendezz yeah bass boosted songs are a no go in the car audio world, they cause clipping and blow speakers, rebased songs however are fine most of the time
I met a guy from Craigslist in a Bestbuy parking lot 7 years ago and he sold me a JL 13w7ae and a JL HD1200 amp for $750 all in. No lie. I don’t know if he was mistaken about what it was or what. But he honestly sold me that system for $750. Unbelievable. It is still in my car til this day. In addition I’ve owned the Image Dynamics IDMAX15v4. Between the two, the IDMAX15 (really a 16” sub) is very, very much a noticeably cleaner sounding subwoofer. Every note from top to bottom is cleaner and tighter on the IDMAX, and kick drums are MUCH more snappy… but it’s also less “visceral”. So depending on your taste, you may want one or the other. I wanted both so I could swap them out as desired, but lately my 14 year old son has been crazy about listening to the sheer slam of 13w7ae so that’s what’s in the trunk as of late. Anyhow. Spend the money on these. You’re gonna die one day. The money you’re saving will be worthless to you at that point. You’re welcome lol
Yeah, some people want to have the loudest system and some people love listening to music loud. That being said I loved my 13.5W7 and my JL Audio 1000/1 slash series amp. Built the ported box to JL spec and set input sensitivity to 32hz and I tested at a bass comp and it hit 147.1. It was the loudest 1 sub 1000watt setup at the competition .
I would love to see if you still have this trophy as well. Because a solo x will do 140 db out the box and is geared toward spql so that be sweet of it did. Also we're you on stock electrical
@@ADHD_Wils I’ve had two 12’s on eight hundred watts and three 10’s on a thousand watts in my other two cars and I just got the 13 dub seven installed two weeks ago in a custom ported box tuned to 32hz powered by the JL 1200/1 and it is at least twice as loud as my other systems. My first in 94 with pyle 12’s and a pyramid amp (it was pretty cheap gear but great install and box) and that hit 128. My second was a 1000/1 JL amp on three Type R 10’s and that was 136. This one sub is at least twice as loud and deep as those other systems if not more. Def hitting in the low to mid 140’s at least Guy is not lying.
I cant lie, the W713.5 has been my dream subwoofer ever since I saw it YEARS ago. Just one in a really good custom box, a good amp, and good wiring/ electronics and that's all you need to bump good and loud.
Here's a great story. So I'm a home audio guy and bought 2 of these brand new in the box from a pawn shop. They were on a cart and I knew they were probably intended for a employee friend to swoop up ( so i nabbed them up).Gave my nephew one 3 years ago (his 21st b-day) and just gave my other one to my best friend yesterday for Christmas . Yeah I could of sold them but I got them bad boys for 399 a piece and two 1200 HD amps for 250 each. So I'm out 1350 but gave the best gift(s) one could give. Only stipulation is they can't sell it EVER! . Meh I held onto them subs for over 7 years. Plus I can still enjoy them rather than letting it just sit there. I could of done a home thx setup but I already have two klipsch SPL 150, a infinity csw-10, a sundown, and a few more just sitting doing nothing.
My vote is for a sealed enclosure. I've always proffered the sound and space saving. It appears the spec sheet says this is ideal too. Especially for sound quality.
You have to run more power to a sealed box vs a ported box. I had to increase the gain when I tried out a sealed box vs decreasing the gain for a ported box. The sealed box does sound more natural.
@@quadvr Agreed. A ported enclosure will require much less power for the same "Loudness". But nothing is higher than a sealed enclosure for SQ. The JL is a 100% SQ Sub. My brother had a 2 10"W7AE system in custom sealed enclosures which were at the rear corners of a 300ZX facing the front. Probably the cleanest bass I have ever heard.
Well, that depends on your end goal. I had 3 JL W6 15's in 1999. We tried them in a sealed box firrt. They sounded OK, but after I put them in a large, ported enclosure, they brought the pain. With a 1400 watt PPI amp(2350) If you're going for sound quality, yes, sealed is definitely best, but if you're going for SPL, ported works great.
@@MrDopey32 To me, JL builds some of the best sounding subs on the market. No, they're not the loudest, but that's OK. I listened to a Digital Designs system a few years ago that was loud as hell, but it sounded terrible. I've never had bass make me feel uneasy, and cause anxiety, but that one did.
Hi Mark, congrats on your new purchase. It is indeed one of the best subwoofers that can combine sound quality with sound pressure. As a sound quality enthusiast, I definitely considered it. Eventually, I went for two Morel Ti124. The reason for me I didn't choose the JL was the fact that the size it needed for a closed enclosure (large) and the fact that all the speakers I already had were already Morel. I'm looking forward to the video installing this beast!
Then you haven’t heard one in a correct ported box. Image Dynamic is insane in sealed. Ported too tho. All my JLs are ported. Sealed was average at best.
I love the design of the JL High Output enclosures for the W7 lineup. However, with so much output to work with to begin with, the SEALED enclosure sounds better and still hits really hard.
I bought a used jl w7 12 with a ported box for $400 10 years ago. The spl may not be as good as the kicker solo baric or sundown, but the sq and clarity is unmatched. Yes they are very expensive but for $400 who can complain. Unless you're into spl competition, the jl w7 will do just fine.
I tried the 13w7 in sealed, vented and the 4th order. The 4th order is next level, its the best and cleanest bass ive ever head. There are more low notes and it hits so much more than sealed.
Thanks for writing this. Have ported now but tomorrow will do a 4th blow through. But I started getting torn between that and sealed. Still "clean bass". Exactly what I needed to hear.
Couple months ago I got myself a 10" JL in a box specifically made for it. It blows my last sub clean out the water. I had a 1st gen Kicker L7 12' that was super heavy to deal with. The new JL is half the weight and nearly half the size with the box. I'm running it on an Alpine M500 monoblock that I got at a second hand shop for $35 7 years ago. It hits so much harder and much cleaner sound than the Kicker using the same amp. It's in the back seat of my truck so I needed something smaller and lighter to deal with for when I need to pull it out to use the back seat. I thought I downgraded at first until I started using it.
I got a 2001 Lexus GS 300. I had (2) 12w7's on (2) JL 1000 in a sealed enclosure at first, then I went with a ported enclosure. Had to build ported enclosure in two separate pieces to fit it into tha trunk. That thing was huge. For most part it got down better, but my electrical wasn't up to par. Needless to say, I never got full potential out of that system. 😔
I have a 13w7ae that I have used extensively in both a ported and sealed enclosure. Let me tell you that the sealed enclosure sounded so much better than ported. The bass was much more accurate and controlled.
why not build both?? It will show us your designs for sealed and ported and you could even compare how the 2 boxes sound in a vehicle and can tell us which one you like better and ultimately which box you go with for personal use.
I think that JL always got a bad rap from a lot of “bass heads” there are definitely super high spl subs out there that would put them to shame but they are usually sloppy at best. W7’s have some of the cleanest, musical sounding bass I’ve ever heard
For accuracy I'd go with B2 over JL anyday but it ultimately just comes down to personal preference even if the numbers aren't on my side. Use what you like. A lot of bass heads can be out of touch when it comes to that 😂
Stereo Integrity hst12, not recommended for ported, but only needs .6cuft sealed. 70 pound motor, 2000wrms, fs of 18hrtz. From about 90hrtz down to 15.
I know I know a dude who has a sundown 15 that slams hard AF louder than a w7 13.5 but it don't sound half as clean. Now that I'm older I like clarity. JLs are the best hands down
I've ALWAYS wanted a W7, BUT I just couldn't bring myself to pay that price, even though I consider JL to make some of the BEST sounding subs I've ever owned! I may get one, someday....or I'll continue to get my joy from installing them in other people's cars 😁
@@dickwoods536 I actually considered one of those, but went with a Stereo Integrity SQL-12, and have been completely satisfied with my purchase, especially at a 3rd of the W7 price.
@@umtbozkr2358 😆😆😆 we must be brothers, because we share the same passion, just on opposite sides of Earth!! You already know how much I love the W7's, so it was no question I'd be watching this video, and I look forward to seeing his build.
@I Still Love Car Audio [n' Car Audio Tech Stuff] Yes, indeed, I know you like them, and I do also. I have followed Mark for a couple of years now, and I must admit that his craftsmanship is really good. Here in Europe, the 13W7's are even more expensive than in the States. They are, after all these years, still absolutely legend subwoofers and still going. I had a subscription to a German car hifi magazine more than 20 years ago. Someone had a 13W7 in his SQ build in an old generation Passat stationwagon. He had the famous and super expensive Rainbow Reference speakers in the front, a row of Brax amps build in the roof, mounted upside down (yes, you've read it right upside down in the roof!). If you looked up in the car, you saw a row of amps instead of a roof liner. The only thing in the trunk was the 13W7 in a huge closed box, aiming to the roof. The writer of the article was heavily impressed off the build and especially the sound quality and output of the 13W7. Really a crazy build. I had saved all those magazines that inspired me, bu I can't find them.
HA! I was in the same boat. I started car audio when I was a teenager in the mid 80's as I was in it until 2005 and stepped away. I heard one of these in a car audio shop in California and I was sold on it. I purchased my 12W7 back in 2004 and spent almost $1000 for it and that sucker still works in 2023. I was using the slash amps for years on it. I had to replace the surround as it rotted out being that its been in Arizona for many years now. I agree this has been the best sounding subwoofer and I've tried dozens of subwoofers over the years. It's worth every penny. I had the car audio shop design it ported.
I had one of these that I bought at a garage sale for 30 bucks in a box (from one of my college professors, whose son had it stored there and didn't want it anymore...also bought the 1000/1 with it for another 30 bucks). I'm kicking myself for getting rid of it when i moved....I know the gentleman that bought it for $450 was overjoyed that he got to match it to his first 13W7AE. Ah the memories....
A couple of months ago I finally upgraded my system from my old Eclipse SW7200 to the JL 10W7AE and I can not say enough about how much I love this sub! The sound quality is superb, and the output is insane, especially for a 10". Can't wait to see what you build for the 13, and I vote sealed.
These subs are a beast and extremely accurate in a sealed enclosure. I had one in my car for years in a JL factory box & HD1200. Now I have the home version, the “Fathom F113v.2” with a 3000W built in amp. Incredibly tight bass, not muddy or boomy at all.
i recall seeing a W7 on a showroom floor decades ago.. it looked so futuristic, that it STILL looks modern, after all these years. that sub takes way too much space than i'm willing to give up.. but if i had a minivan or something, that would be the dream sub to install.
I still have two 10W7 subs in storage. They'll go to my son when he starts driving soon. I upgraded to a pair of 15" Image Dynamics idmax running off a 3000w Zapco.
Hey Mark do have a page o use any apps to viewers that need help with some car audio question .. I'm in the process of buying a system I like by DS18 . I running 2 amps and Dsp so wanted to ask if some more detailed questions.
Listening to you going over all the technical design elements reminded me of the classic Rockwell Automaton Retro Encabulator video. Except this time I mostly understood it all.
I owned a 13w7 back in 2001, built a sealed 1.875 cu.ft. Sounded perfect on every kind of music. Lasted a month of daily bumping. I do remember that mine was the first one out of 5000 sold to be reconed.
Man, my first 'big' subwoofer was back in the mid 90s. I had a white 1988 Ford Escort GT, and I met a guy that was getting out of the audio competition lifestyle, and he gave me one of his unused Orion XTR 15 DVC subwoofers. AT the time I was working for a cabinet factory, and they let me use their CNC machine on my spare time to build a custom dual ported 4.5 cubic foot box (I had contacted Kenwood at the time and they gave me the approximate space I would need for that subwoofer an my amplifier at the time) that FILLED the back of that little Ford Escort, and it sounded amazing. I still remember that the ports were big enough to reach into, and were just the right length based on the specs. If you have the space for it, I'd go with a ported box personally. They are a little harder to tune properly than a sealed box, but knowing you, that won't be an issue at all, and the sound you'll get from it (in my opinion) would be worth the extra engineering! Before my Orion experience, I was using a lot of other things like budget 10" and 12" Pyle subs, (they sounded great for their $40-50 price and if they got broken or stolen they were easy to replace!) and moved onto much better things like the Orion, and after that, my pair of 12" Pioneer competition series subwoofers that a friend of mine helped me design a custom sealed dual-chamber box to replace the 'jump seats' in the back of a 1999 Ford Ranger XLT super cab and it bolted directly to the frame. That box was over-engineered and weighed close to 80 lbs before the subs went in, but it sounded amazing.
18 years ago i was shopping for my first subwoofers. There was a jetta back in the shop with a 13w7 THUMPING the whole building. Never heard anything like it since
Had 2 13.5 W7s, loved them. Upgraded for SPL to some Fi Neo 3.5 18s that so many people said would have way better SQ than the W7s, they certainly dont, but they do sound good.
I inherited my dads 13.5 w7AE in the wedgebox with the JL 1500/1 to power it. Put it in my 2016 Mercedes CLA250 and the sound quality is absolutely unmatched compared to any other system I've had in the past from Kicker & RF. The w7 is unmatched hands down that deep pound you get from it is unique.
paid 600 for my W7 in 2006. Still got it. Moved through 3 cars. I have a 15 inch image dynamics ID Max sub. installing it tomorrow. I'm going to see if the SQ is improved(Everyone knows W7s get loud). if its not better to my ears, back to my w7.
A lot people bash the JL subwoofers due to their price, pointing out that such and such sounds better or this brand outputs more.. but no-one takes into consideration box size requirements. JL makes some of the best sound subs in some of the smallest enclosures possible.
@@7Logik I listen to a lot of rock (new, old, and a variety of genres...a lot of the stuff my dad liked through the 60's and 70's along with some other stuff he didn't care for....and all types of metal, grunge, punk, progressive, alternative, and more). Also listen to a variety of hip-hop (this week on my Spotify for instance, I have Tech N9ne, Madchild, Blackfoot505, Merkules, C-lance, Vin Jay, Connor Price, Grandson, Logic, Ekoh, Kvng Moses, NEFFEX and more....also listen to a lot of local stuff like Atmosphere, Brother Ali, and more)....that's pretty much the majority of what I listen to. I have listened to systems that have different setups for different purposes, but I have always gravitated toward sealed enclosures. The biggest reason is space...I still need my cargo space and I drive sedans so I can't take up too much room. The current setup I want to install (just on factory system right now in my 2016 Fusion which is a 10-speaker non-Sony system) is a pair of JL 6W3v3-4's. Trying to figure out an enclosure that will take up very little room since I have a family of 4 and we road trip. I'll probably build in the wheel well and remove the spare tire. Sorry, way more than you care to know I'm sure.
@@7Logik oh, I've always gone more the SQ than the SPL side of things...I also don't usually use anything larger than 10 inch. I've owned 6.5", 8", 10", and 12", nothing larger.
I agree. I installed car audio professionally years ago and have installed several w7’s but never in my own vehicle. I’ve ran 3x 12w3v3’s ported, 2x 10w6v3’s sealed and 2x 12w6v3 ported over the years. The w6v3 is one of my favorite woofers to date
Wow, crazy to think the OG W7 came out in 2001. Brings back memories of the "excursion wars," of which the W7 was king, beating out the Image Dynamics IDMax, the Adire Brahma, the RE XXX series... At a significantly higher cost, mind you. I had a pair of Infinity Perfect 12s that I sold to buy a 15" Adire Brahma MK1. It required over 3 ft^3 of air space for a sealed enclosure, which was all I could manage to fit in the trunk of my Pontiac Sunfire. But on 1200 watts with over 2" peak-to-peak excursion it moved a ton of air. One key feature of the W7 and other high Xmax subs of the era is the focus on linear excursion. Might sound like buzz words but there was an active effort to really advance motor designs, specifically to flatten the Bl curve of subwoofer motors. In layman's terms, trying to make motor strength consistent across the range of physical excursion as the voice coil moves through the magnetic gap. Traditional motor designs lose electromagnetic efficiency rather drastically as the voice coil leaves the magnetic gap. The W7 I believe uses a long coil, long gap design that mitigates that issue, hence the actual buzz words, "accuracy," "high sound quality," etc. Other technologies achieved similar results (Adire/RE's XBL2 motor) using more traditional parts to cut cost, whereas the W7 is pretty much completely custom-tooled. It really is an impressive piece of technology, which explains it's reputation and longevity not only in the car audio world, but the home theatre world as well (see the Gotham/Fathom subs)
I just got mine installed last week in a custom sealed center console sounds really good im still in the break in process im 8 hrs in of play time the shop that installed it for me recommended 30hrs of play time with the amp set low can’t wait to turn it up
I just got my 13.5 W7AE and it’s in a Gately Ported box made specifically for the 13.5W7 and it’s hooked up to the JL HD1200/1 it’s insane lol I love it
I’ve had a 12 for about 8 years and my 96 Chevy doesn’t have a enough juice to get the most out of it lol but regardless of where the limit is the quality of it is amazing. The 13 is in my future once I can figure out the problem with my truck.
I really want to know how the JL Audio 13W7AE compares to the Rockford Fosgate T2S2-13 for both sound quality and SPL. Especially considering the current sale for T2's at $1000 each (normally $1250) vs the JL premium at $1800 each. Does anyone have any experience with both or at least one of them?
I was the first person in my town to get a 12w7 when they first came out. I wanted the 13 but the 12 came in first. I had in a ported box at the time. I currently run an 8w7 in a sealed box that I've had since 2013. I don't think I would own another sub even tho I know there are probably better ones. I love the sound quality in the sealed box.
Around 96-97 I had a Nissan single cab pickup with two 10” JL’s behind the seat ( don’t know what model) me and a friend would drive through parking lots setting off car alarms with my stereo.the 90s were definitely more fun.
I have a single 8W7AE in a ported box, Hertz Audio Mille PRO components (front and rear), powered by a JL 750/5 amp. Sounds loud and clean. A lot of people that sit in my car think there are two 10" subs in the car. Main key is the air space in the trunk when you are picking a subwoofer(s) - I had to pass on the 13W7AE, and the 10W7AE due to lack of air space in the trunk - the 8W7AE sounded just right with the perfect punch, and complemented the Mille Pro components.
I got a 12W7AE and an 8W7AE, and i can definitely tell you that they can really make some clean, accurate low frequency bass with very minimum distortion at full volume. I also love how nice it looks. It definitely has a premium look to it as well. Almost forgot, in regards to the sub box type. I think that a sealed enclosure would be awesome for the 13w7. Im thinking of doing something similar myself if i buy the 13w7s vs the kicker L7 Solo X subs i am also interested in. This was a wonderful video mark. Thank you so much for making it and giving all that detail of the subwoofer. This is one of the reasons i LOVE your channel. 😎👊
If the best results come from sealed, as stated in the literature, make it a sealed enclosure. I’ve always been fond of sealed. They’re easier to build, anyway.
This was the first JL that I ever owned, back in 06. The 13 W7 with the Slash 1000.1. Amazing piece of equipment. Unfortunately, I ended up getting laid off and had my son in school. So, I ended up having to sell it off for a fraction of what I paid for it. I now have an 8 W3V3 and 4 C2s in my truck. Nice bump, but not a W7 😂. Side note, a Lil Jon song on this setup, in a sealed box, cracked the bondo on the roof of my truck that it was in.
Ooohhhh my god you got one. That unit is a holy grail to me, and I desperately wanted 2 ever since I was 16 lol. But the amount of power needed to genuinely let it breathe is astronomical and usually involves an aftermarket alternator alongside your Thor Thunder amps.
No subwoofer no matter how good it is should be worth $1800. Not many can even afford it. That said I wish I had it 100%. My W6 sounded Amazing back in the day!! Good quality for sure and congrats on owning it 👍
I have been wishing JL would release a JL Audio 12w6 classic subwoofer. The classic line would be the subs that put JL on the map. I'd buy 6 without batting an eyelash.
I vote sealed. I guess my question would be this: Is there any car audio subwoofer on the planet that produces higher quality bass (higher transient response) with ported vs sealed enclosure? I’m genuinely curious.
yea had 10's in my truck and now w6v3's due to mounting height, but i got a 13w7ae for my home theater sub now. slammmms. i should add i bought the w7 for 400 bucks, guy thought it was blown but he just had it wired wrong lol. i took a risk and was just going to have it rebuilt it it really was blown. also the enclosure size i used is like 5 cubic feet tunes to 19hz. shakes everything for you, home theater things.
I remember these when they first came out early 2000s. i was in college and my friend who always had nice cars he would "Trick" out. And he came over to show me his new system. 3 JW7 10's in a custom box that took p his whole trunk in his nissan maxima. And since that day these speakers are also my holly grail of speakers i need to own. What i loved about the 10s is you could mess with the sound and make the bass hit lower than most 15s if you liked that bass or if you're like me you could make them hit really tight and sound like 10s or 8s. but like i said when you wanted to shut up the guy who has one really good expensive speaker worth more than the car and the amp with the rest of the speakers together and drown out his sub.
Sealed. I've owned dozens of jl audios and have heard dozens more. I've heard a few ported and tried it myself once with their 15w3 version 1's and sealed has been better every time. And jl advises it for a reason. The added benefit of a few db you get from ports is completely lost with me due to the narrowing of the frequency range. If you're only ever going to play music that hits that narrow range, or are going to db completions then sure. But I listen to a wide variety of music and want to hear the notes that the artist intended. You buy jl for quality. If you wanted quantity then do a ported sundown
What boxes were you listening to? You don't lose bandwidth with a good ported box. Ported if tuned properly should be way more than a few dB gain as well as playing much lower louder.
I got one in the trunk had it for a decade it still hits like a tank! My AGM secondary battery has went bad but my JL amp and sub have survived. I got the pro wedge with the 13w7 already in sealed box. I would like to get another and do 2 in a ported box! 2 would be nuts in this tiny car and clear!
Omg lol, I actually bought a pair of those in 2001 with my Eclipse unit!! Sometimes I miss a good system, but now it would have to go into a Ford Transit for work
I love my 12w7 and slash 1000/1 v2 combo. It's in a quite large slot ported box and sounds great and hits super low. Ideally I want to double up and build a 4th order box blowing through the ski hatch. That's my little dream.
What can make this sub sound boomy and vague? I have used w7 10, visually it looks mint, but sound wise makes me confused, i have ported the exact measurements box, great wires and an amp with extra power. If the sub wasn't used for a long time, does it need time to play in? Maybe I'm missing something.
Please build a ported enclosure. It seems like everyone builds sealed enclosures for JL. How would this 13w7 do in a 6th order enclosure? That is my summer goal. Or a rear loaded horn.
My vote is ported! I've had a few single 12w7's in multiple vehicles since 2005. I'm now installing 3 12w7ae's in my vehicle right now. I'm extremely excited to hear 3 of them.
I heard the 13w7 like 20 years ago. At a shop hooked up to slash 1000. And the most impressive part was what not one person has mentioned. Did you even hear it right is my thinking. And is there a sub today that can do what I'm talking about. It has to do with the way the surround on the cone creates a surround sound enveloping bass. In 20 years no one has copied it yet.
Can you do a video on how to get more outputs to a radio that has something like 4 rca outputs fron rear and subwoofer outputs. If someone was trying to do a active 3 way set up front ,some coaxial speakers or 2 way speakers in the rear and some subs.
I have a equation of probably some law I’ve not been able to read or digest, and it deals with wiring in series for speakers. I was going to wire a 3-way component set in my front doors, using in-line crossovers for the various speaker sizes. I was putting the 6” first, with bass filter, then 3.5” or 2” mid next in series using a higher frequency bass filter, and then a tweets last in series line on high pass filter. My question pertains to balanced power for each speaker set: does each speakers power handling ability dictate how much power it takes from the feed? If I feed 200 watts, will the power be absorbed equally in distribution to speakers? Or will my first speaker in series have to be not too power hungry for trailing speakers ability to get enough power? Cheers & thanks as always
The custom box build video for the 13W7 is now live! Come see if I picked, ported or sealed! th-cam.com/video/O3448ZMbvqU/w-d-xo.html Thanks for watching!
How does it compare to the t2
Infinite baffle is the best for SQ
I bought mine in 2002. Only sub I’ve owned since!
Bro your stereo god thanks for everything you do to go out of your way to show us perfection ❤️🔥🫵🏻
Would love to see a comparo to the ID MAX, and Adire Brahma.
I've always been absolutely obsessed with sound and music.
I wasn't driving around setting off car alarms and annoying people, it was a really expensive well balanced system that took me 5 years to complete.
I had a JL W7 12" in my car from 2001 to 2010.... Then, I sold my car.
But I moved into music production and mastering, so I purchased 2 x JL Audio Fathom12s for my studio.
My god.. that low end in a studio with sound proofing and corner absorption.. its like sitting inside a giant bowl of warm cream. The air becomes thick with perfect low end reproduction. Punch, clarity, beauty.. instruments have detail. Its not a cheap bass wobble, its an extension of the music.
This is 20+ years old and took YEARS of research and development to make.
There's been nothing like it before or since and has to be heard once in your life.
There were so many arguments in the audio world when it was released.. oh "this is better, this is more powerful, this is cheaper and better value".. etc etc.
Sure, there are wonderful subwoofers in the world.
But, this is truly something special. And forever will hold a place in my heart.
Yes, its ABSOLUTELY over the top in all regards, absurd throw and excursion. But that also means, incredible control at low and mid volumes. Where other subs would br topping out at that level, this sub doesnt even come close to breaking a sweat.
I had many different subs before I bought this one in my car. Diamond Audio, Kicker, Focal, Soundstream, RF..
As a mastering engineer and music producer, I am very sensitive to frequency response and I really listen to music mixes..
The musicality of this sub is what sold me.
Some subs seem "tuned" to HIT on certain frequencies, so R&B, Rap or whatever sounds really boomy.
Not this one. First and foremost it is reproducing MUSIC. It just happens to be able to make your rear view mirror distort so much that its impossible to see anything.
As soon as I heard it, I heard notes being played I didnt even know existed in the songs I was playing. I had to play them over and over again because I thought I was imagining it.
Heres a test song for you -
Basement Jaxx - Romeo.
If your sub can prosuce all the notes of thst bassline, then youve got something special on your hands.. 😅
@@MOSMASTERING this comment is THE TITS! thx dude
I bought one in 2014 and I used it every day for about 8 years and the sound quality is unmatched. Yes there’s louder subs out there but the quality of high, mids, and lows of the w7 are worth every Penny.
I have a quick question. Mark mentioned this sub has low distortion. (good sound quality). But basically I want to know is distortion bad or does it just sound not as good? Because I know clipping is bad, but is clipping and distortion interrelated?
@@EdgarMendezz clipping causes distortion
@@firebender3092 are you familiar with audio signals by any chance? I am wondering if a bass boosted song affects the power coming from my amp. Can bass boosted songs cause clipping?
I’d say the Tc Sounds LMS was 1000 times better in output and sound quality
Unfortunately they aren’t made anymore because the owner of TC Sounds had a gambling problem and sank the company
@@EdgarMendezz yeah bass boosted songs are a no go in the car audio world, they cause clipping and blow speakers, rebased songs however are fine most of the time
I met a guy from Craigslist in a Bestbuy parking lot 7 years ago and he sold me a JL 13w7ae and a JL HD1200 amp for $750 all in. No lie. I don’t know if he was mistaken about what it was or what. But he honestly sold me that system for $750. Unbelievable. It is still in my car til this day. In addition I’ve owned the Image Dynamics IDMAX15v4. Between the two, the IDMAX15 (really a 16” sub) is very, very much a noticeably cleaner sounding subwoofer. Every note from top to bottom is cleaner and tighter on the IDMAX, and kick drums are MUCH more snappy… but it’s also less “visceral”. So depending on your taste, you may want one or the other. I wanted both so I could swap them out as desired, but lately my 14 year old son has been crazy about listening to the sheer slam of 13w7ae so that’s what’s in the trunk as of late. Anyhow. Spend the money on these. You’re gonna die one day. The money you’re saving will be worthless to you at that point. You’re welcome lol
Yeah, some people want to have the loudest system and some people love listening to music loud. That being said I loved my 13.5W7 and my JL Audio 1000/1 slash series amp. Built the ported box to JL spec and set input sensitivity to 32hz and I tested at a bass comp and it hit 147.1. It was the loudest 1 sub 1000watt setup at the competition .
You didn't hit a 147 with JL. Stop with the gas
@ohhh_mister_wilson
I have no reason to lie.
I would love to see if you still have this trophy as well. Because a solo x will do 140 db out the box and is geared toward spql so that be sweet of it did. Also we're you on stock electrical
@@ADHD_Wils I’ve had two 12’s on eight hundred watts and three 10’s on a thousand watts in my other two cars and I just got the 13 dub seven installed two weeks ago in a custom ported box tuned to 32hz powered by the JL 1200/1 and it is at least twice as loud as my other systems. My first in 94 with pyle 12’s and a pyramid amp (it was pretty cheap gear but great install and box) and that hit 128. My second was a 1000/1 JL amp on three Type R 10’s and that was 136. This one sub is at least twice as loud and deep as those other systems if not more. Def hitting in the low to mid 140’s at least Guy is not lying.
@@jljackson1983you’re def not lying. I just got the 13 powered with the HD 1200/1 and it’s bananas.
I cant lie, the W713.5 has been my dream subwoofer ever since I saw it YEARS ago. Just one in a really good custom box, a good amp, and good wiring/ electronics and that's all you need to bump good and loud.
Here's a great story. So I'm a home audio guy and bought 2 of these brand new in the box from a pawn shop. They were on a cart and I knew they were probably intended for a employee friend to swoop up ( so i nabbed them up).Gave my nephew one 3 years ago (his 21st b-day) and just gave my other one to my best friend yesterday for Christmas . Yeah I could of sold them but I got them bad boys for 399 a piece and two 1200 HD amps for 250 each. So I'm out 1350 but gave the best gift(s) one could give. Only stipulation is they can't sell it EVER! . Meh I held onto them subs for over 7 years. Plus I can still enjoy them rather than letting it just sit there. I could of done a home thx setup but I already have two klipsch SPL 150, a infinity csw-10, a sundown, and a few more just sitting doing nothing.
Just got this in my Mazda gti hatch ported 32hz with the HD 1200/1. It is bananas deep and loud and clean. 🤯
My vote is for a sealed enclosure. I've always proffered the sound and space saving. It appears the spec sheet says this is ideal too. Especially for sound quality.
You have to run more power to a sealed box vs a ported box. I had to increase the gain when I tried out a sealed box vs decreasing the gain for a ported box. The sealed box does sound more natural.
@@quadvr Power is no concern, that's for sure!
@@quadvr Agreed. A ported enclosure will require much less power for the same "Loudness". But nothing is higher than a sealed enclosure for SQ. The JL is a 100% SQ Sub. My brother had a 2 10"W7AE system in custom sealed enclosures which were at the rear corners of a 300ZX facing the front. Probably the cleanest bass I have ever heard.
@@AlastasiusBS….. I’ve both underpowered damaging the sub and overpowered and damaging the sub. They are tough but very very particular
you did not mention that the w7 was also 10 years in research and development..... so it is a 32 year old sub still dominating !!!!
Imo, sealed was always the best sound for me when it came to JL.
Well, that depends on your end goal. I had 3 JL W6 15's in 1999. We tried them in a sealed box firrt. They sounded OK, but after I put them in a large, ported enclosure, they brought the pain. With a 1400 watt PPI amp(2350) If you're going for sound quality, yes, sealed is definitely best, but if you're going for SPL, ported works great.
@@dextermorgan1 Agreed
@@MrDopey32 To me, JL builds some of the best sounding subs on the market. No, they're not the loudest, but that's OK. I listened to a Digital Designs system a few years ago that was loud as hell, but it sounded terrible. I've never had bass make me feel uneasy, and cause anxiety, but that one did.
Hi Mark, congrats on your new purchase. It is indeed one of the best subwoofers that can combine sound quality with sound pressure.
As a sound quality enthusiast, I definitely considered it. Eventually, I went for two Morel Ti124.
The reason for me I didn't choose the JL was the fact that the size it needed for a closed enclosure (large) and the fact that all the speakers I already had were already Morel.
I'm looking forward to the video installing this beast!
Then you haven’t heard one in a correct ported box. Image Dynamic is insane in sealed. Ported too tho. All my JLs are ported. Sealed was average at best.
I love the design of the JL High Output enclosures for the W7 lineup. However, with so much output to work with to begin with, the SEALED enclosure sounds better and still hits really hard.
I bought a used jl w7 12 with a ported box for $400 10 years ago. The spl may not be as good as the kicker solo baric or sundown, but the sq and clarity is unmatched. Yes they are very expensive but for $400 who can complain. Unless you're into spl competition, the jl w7 will do just fine.
I tried the 13w7 in sealed, vented and the 4th order.
The 4th order is next level, its the best and cleanest bass ive ever head.
There are more low notes and it hits so much more than sealed.
Did you make the 4th order box or was was it prefab. I do want to try try one but honestly not trying to make one myself
Thanks for writing this. Have ported now but tomorrow will do a 4th blow through. But I started getting torn between that and sealed. Still "clean bass". Exactly what I needed to hear.
Couple months ago I got myself a 10" JL in a box specifically made for it. It blows my last sub clean out the water. I had a 1st gen Kicker L7 12' that was super heavy to deal with. The new JL is half the weight and nearly half the size with the box. I'm running it on an Alpine M500 monoblock that I got at a second hand shop for $35 7 years ago. It hits so much harder and much cleaner sound than the Kicker using the same amp. It's in the back seat of my truck so I needed something smaller and lighter to deal with for when I need to pull it out to use the back seat. I thought I downgraded at first until I started using it.
I put 2 of these with a Earthquake amp in my 2000 Lexus GS 20 years ago. I felt like king of the streets. Cant wait to see your project come in play.
I got a 2001 Lexus GS 300. I had (2) 12w7's on (2) JL 1000 in a sealed enclosure at first, then I went with a ported enclosure. Had to build ported enclosure in two separate pieces to fit it into tha trunk. That thing was huge. For most part it got down better, but my electrical wasn't up to par. Needless to say, I never got full potential out of that system. 😔
I have a 13w7ae that I have used extensively in both a ported and sealed enclosure. Let me tell you that the sealed enclosure sounded so much better than ported. The bass was much more accurate and controlled.
How about a sealed vs ported build and test?
why not build both?? It will show us your designs for sealed and ported and you could even compare how the 2 boxes sound in a vehicle and can tell us which one you like better and ultimately which box you go with for personal use.
I think that JL always got a bad rap from a lot of “bass heads” there are definitely super high spl subs out there that would put them to shame but they are usually sloppy at best. W7’s have some of the cleanest, musical sounding bass I’ve ever heard
For accuracy I'd go with B2 over JL anyday but it ultimately just comes down to personal preference even if the numbers aren't on my side. Use what you like. A lot of bass heads can be out of touch when it comes to that 😂
Stereo Integrity hst12, not recommended for ported, but only needs .6cuft sealed. 70 pound motor, 2000wrms, fs of 18hrtz. From about 90hrtz down to 15.
I know I know a dude who has a sundown 15 that slams hard AF louder than a w7 13.5 but it don't sound half as clean. Now that I'm older I like clarity. JLs are the best hands down
I tried and heard lots of subs… JL is my fav. Still rocking my 13w6v2’s
I've ALWAYS wanted a W7, BUT I just couldn't bring myself to pay that price, even though I consider JL to make some of the BEST sounding subs I've ever owned! I may get one, someday....or I'll continue to get my joy from installing them in other people's cars 😁
the price is nuts.... Adire Brahma mk1s were known for being a better deal for SQL
@@dickwoods536 I actually considered one of those, but went with a Stereo Integrity SQL-12, and have been completely satisfied with my purchase, especially at a 3rd of the W7 price.
HI brother, there we meet again. Are you sure that we are not related 😂😂😂. If I weren't Caucasian, I really would check our ancestors 😂😂😂
@@umtbozkr2358 😆😆😆 we must be brothers, because we share the same passion, just on opposite sides of Earth!! You already know how much I love the W7's, so it was no question I'd be watching this video, and I look forward to seeing his build.
@I Still Love Car Audio [n' Car Audio Tech Stuff]
Yes, indeed, I know you like them, and I do also.
I have followed Mark for a couple of years now, and I must admit that his craftsmanship is really good.
Here in Europe, the 13W7's are even more expensive than in the States.
They are, after all these years, still absolutely legend subwoofers and still going.
I had a subscription to a German car hifi magazine more than 20 years ago.
Someone had a 13W7 in his SQ build in an old generation Passat stationwagon.
He had the famous and super expensive Rainbow Reference speakers in the front, a row of Brax amps build in the roof, mounted upside down (yes, you've read it right upside down in the roof!).
If you looked up in the car, you saw a row of amps instead of a roof liner.
The only thing in the trunk was the 13W7 in a huge closed box, aiming to the roof.
The writer of the article was heavily impressed off the build and especially the sound quality and output of the 13W7.
Really a crazy build.
I had saved all those magazines that inspired me, bu I can't find them.
HA! I was in the same boat. I started car audio when I was a teenager in the mid 80's as I was in it until 2005 and stepped away. I heard one of these in a car audio shop in California and I was sold on it. I purchased my 12W7 back in 2004 and spent almost $1000 for it and that sucker still works in 2023. I was using the slash amps for years on it. I had to replace the surround as it rotted out being that its been in Arizona for many years now. I agree this has been the best sounding subwoofer and I've tried dozens of subwoofers over the years. It's worth every penny. I had the car audio shop design it ported.
I had one of these that I bought at a garage sale for 30 bucks in a box (from one of my college professors, whose son had it stored there and didn't want it anymore...also bought the 1000/1 with it for another 30 bucks). I'm kicking myself for getting rid of it when i moved....I know the gentleman that bought it for $450 was overjoyed that he got to match it to his first 13W7AE. Ah the memories....
A couple of months ago I finally upgraded my system from my old Eclipse SW7200 to the JL 10W7AE and I can not say enough about how much I love this sub! The sound quality is superb, and the output is insane, especially for a 10". Can't wait to see what you build for the 13, and I vote sealed.
BRO THE DC SHOES IN THOSE PICS WAS HUGE NOSTALGIA! I'm glad you finally got your dream sub!
These subs are a beast and extremely accurate in a sealed enclosure. I had one in my car for years in a JL factory box & HD1200. Now I have the home version, the “Fathom F113v.2” with a 3000W built in amp. Incredibly tight bass, not muddy or boomy at all.
What if you did a crazy bandpass box for a crazy speaker like that 🤔
It would be huge I bet, but def worth it. The single ported box I built designed by JL on their website has monster output on 2000watts. 🥰
i recall seeing a W7 on a showroom floor decades ago.. it looked so futuristic, that it STILL looks modern, after all these years. that sub takes way too much space than i'm willing to give up.. but if i had a minivan or something, that would be the dream sub to install.
I have my W7 in a ported box. Got it from them. Sounds amazing. I vote ported.
I finally got a JL Audio 10W7AE in JL's sealed box with a JL Audio HD750/1!
Sooooooooo amazing!
I still have two 10W7 subs in storage. They'll go to my son when he starts driving soon. I upgraded to a pair of 15" Image Dynamics idmax running off a 3000w Zapco.
Hey Mark do have a page o use any apps to viewers that need help with some car audio question .. I'm in the process of buying a system I like by DS18 . I running 2 amps and Dsp so wanted to ask if some more detailed questions.
I bought my first pair of jl audio subwoofers back 1992 put them in a sealed enclosure and the sound quality was amazing
Iv had a 12. And a 13. Remarkable dynamic sound quality simply unmatched.
Listening to you going over all the technical design elements reminded me of the classic Rockwell Automaton Retro Encabulator video. Except this time I mostly understood it all.
😄 That's what my wife feels like watching these videos. All the technical jargon just goes woosh!
It is a special moment when you finally get your dream subwoofer. I feel the same way about my Rockford T3
I still remember my 2-10” JL W0 I had in the trunk of my ‘93 Tempo. Sold me on JLs quality ever since. I vote for a sealed box, myself.
I've been out the game since early noughties. It's nice to see JL is still somebody.
I owned a 13w7 back in 2001, built a sealed 1.875 cu.ft. Sounded perfect on every kind of music. Lasted a month of daily bumping. I do remember that mine was the first one out of 5000 sold to be reconed.
A month? I have a jl from when I was 18. I'm 39. I just had it installed into my 22 golf r. Still bumpin
Yep, had a BD1000 on each coil 😎
Should still last much longer than a month
JL subs are just incredible. I have installed a CP106lg-w3v3 in my car and nobody believes me when I tell them that its a friggin 6 inch sub.
At $1800 this is a little out of my budget. Glad you are able to finally own one! I'm sure it will last a lifetime. Ported for sure.
12 months no interest at a lot of places if your credit is decent. Just sayin lol
Dude I remember you from Kettering! Glad to see you’re out there killing it.
Man, my first 'big' subwoofer was back in the mid 90s. I had a white 1988 Ford Escort GT, and I met a guy that was getting out of the audio competition lifestyle, and he gave me one of his unused Orion XTR 15 DVC subwoofers. AT the time I was working for a cabinet factory, and they let me use their CNC machine on my spare time to build a custom dual ported 4.5 cubic foot box (I had contacted Kenwood at the time and they gave me the approximate space I would need for that subwoofer an my amplifier at the time) that FILLED the back of that little Ford Escort, and it sounded amazing. I still remember that the ports were big enough to reach into, and were just the right length based on the specs.
If you have the space for it, I'd go with a ported box personally. They are a little harder to tune properly than a sealed box, but knowing you, that won't be an issue at all, and the sound you'll get from it (in my opinion) would be worth the extra engineering!
Before my Orion experience, I was using a lot of other things like budget 10" and 12" Pyle subs, (they sounded great for their $40-50 price and if they got broken or stolen they were easy to replace!) and moved onto much better things like the Orion, and after that, my pair of 12" Pioneer competition series subwoofers that a friend of mine helped me design a custom sealed dual-chamber box to replace the 'jump seats' in the back of a 1999 Ford Ranger XLT super cab and it bolted directly to the frame. That box was over-engineered and weighed close to 80 lbs before the subs went in, but it sounded amazing.
18 years ago i was shopping for my first subwoofers. There was a jetta back in the shop with a 13w7 THUMPING the whole building. Never heard anything like it since
You should make a ported enclosure tuned to 33 hz. Also add a second sub and 2 JL audio 1500/1 amps. Let’s get that 150 db score!
@@Catsniffr I said two JL 1500/1 amps. That’s 3k watts not 750x2.
Its an $1800 speaker for anyone who was curious and not into car audio but happened to have this pop up in their feed.
Had 2 13.5 W7s, loved them. Upgraded for SPL to some Fi Neo 3.5 18s that so many people said would have way better SQ than the W7s, they certainly dont, but they do sound good.
People will lie… Chinese subs can’t compare, I tried to divorce the W7, but I always come running back….
I inherited my dads 13.5 w7AE in the wedgebox with the JL 1500/1 to power it. Put it in my 2016 Mercedes CLA250 and the sound quality is absolutely unmatched compared to any other system I've had in the past from Kicker & RF. The w7 is unmatched hands down that deep pound you get from it is unique.
Dang that thing is a beast! Ported for sure!
paid 600 for my W7 in 2006. Still got it. Moved through 3 cars. I have a 15 inch image dynamics ID Max sub. installing it tomorrow. I'm going to see if the SQ is improved(Everyone knows W7s get loud). if its not better to my ears, back to my w7.
I loved my 12w7. It was hitting like a 15 in my single cab truck.
My first experience with a w7 was in a t line enclosure man I was blown away from the output that the one sub put out it was powered by the jl 1000/1
A lot people bash the JL subwoofers due to their price, pointing out that such and such sounds better or this brand outputs more.. but no-one takes into consideration box size requirements. JL makes some of the best sound subs in some of the smallest enclosures possible.
Additionally, everyone wants made in America, until they see the price tag.
I've always wanted to build a box using the shipping baffle.
One of the best car audio channels. Love the w7 definitely a dream woofer for anyone
that is an amazing looking transducer.... I would love to see a ported box build.
I’m sure I’m missing out, but I’ve always used sealed enclosures. I would go that route personally.
Depends on the style of music
@@7Logik I listen to a lot of rock (new, old, and a variety of genres...a lot of the stuff my dad liked through the 60's and 70's along with some other stuff he didn't care for....and all types of metal, grunge, punk, progressive, alternative, and more). Also listen to a variety of hip-hop (this week on my Spotify for instance, I have Tech N9ne, Madchild, Blackfoot505, Merkules, C-lance, Vin Jay, Connor Price, Grandson, Logic, Ekoh, Kvng Moses, NEFFEX and more....also listen to a lot of local stuff like Atmosphere, Brother Ali, and more)....that's pretty much the majority of what I listen to.
I have listened to systems that have different setups for different purposes, but I have always gravitated toward sealed enclosures. The biggest reason is space...I still need my cargo space and I drive sedans so I can't take up too much room.
The current setup I want to install (just on factory system right now in my 2016 Fusion which is a 10-speaker non-Sony system) is a pair of JL 6W3v3-4's. Trying to figure out an enclosure that will take up very little room since I have a family of 4 and we road trip. I'll probably build in the wheel well and remove the spare tire.
Sorry, way more than you care to know I'm sure.
@@7Logik oh, I've always gone more the SQ than the SPL side of things...I also don't usually use anything larger than 10 inch. I've owned 6.5", 8", 10", and 12", nothing larger.
I bought an original 13w7 and reconed it for less than I paid for my 10w3. It is definitely my most favorite sub. The sound is amazing.
i personally prefer the w6v3s for sound quality. I've had my share of w7s in various boxes and its great but the new w6 is just so precise and smooth.
Second that , I have w6v2 and 2 w6v3s and a 13w7 I like the w6v3s as well
I agree. I installed car audio professionally years ago and have installed several w7’s but never in my own vehicle. I’ve ran 3x 12w3v3’s ported, 2x 10w6v3’s sealed and 2x 12w6v3 ported over the years. The w6v3 is one of my favorite woofers to date
Wow, crazy to think the OG W7 came out in 2001. Brings back memories of the "excursion wars," of which the W7 was king, beating out the Image Dynamics IDMax, the Adire Brahma, the RE XXX series... At a significantly higher cost, mind you. I had a pair of Infinity Perfect 12s that I sold to buy a 15" Adire Brahma MK1. It required over 3 ft^3 of air space for a sealed enclosure, which was all I could manage to fit in the trunk of my Pontiac Sunfire. But on 1200 watts with over 2" peak-to-peak excursion it moved a ton of air. One key feature of the W7 and other high Xmax subs of the era is the focus on linear excursion. Might sound like buzz words but there was an active effort to really advance motor designs, specifically to flatten the Bl curve of subwoofer motors. In layman's terms, trying to make motor strength consistent across the range of physical excursion as the voice coil moves through the magnetic gap. Traditional motor designs lose electromagnetic efficiency rather drastically as the voice coil leaves the magnetic gap. The W7 I believe uses a long coil, long gap design that mitigates that issue, hence the actual buzz words, "accuracy," "high sound quality," etc. Other technologies achieved similar results (Adire/RE's XBL2 motor) using more traditional parts to cut cost, whereas the W7 is pretty much completely custom-tooled. It really is an impressive piece of technology, which explains it's reputation and longevity not only in the car audio world, but the home theatre world as well (see the Gotham/Fathom subs)
I just got mine installed last week in a custom sealed center console sounds really good im still in the break in process im 8 hrs in of play time the shop that installed it for me recommended 30hrs of play time with the amp set low can’t wait to turn it up
You don’t need to break a w7 in…. That shop is lying to you….
To anyone that has never heard one or multiples, YOU have no clue what you are missing!! They cost a lot for a reason. Still to this day unmatched!
I just got my 13.5 W7AE and it’s in a Gately Ported box made specifically for the 13.5W7 and it’s hooked up to the JL HD1200/1 it’s insane lol I love it
I’ve had a 12 for about 8 years and my 96 Chevy doesn’t have a enough juice to get the most out of it lol but regardless of where the limit is the quality of it is amazing. The 13 is in my future once I can figure out the problem with my truck.
For what they cost I would want all the output I could get, bandwidth and decibel. As good as they sound sealed, they sound even better ported.
Sealed box applications is the most accurate sound for this sub… ported gives more output but doesn’t magically make it sound “better”…
I really want to know how the JL Audio 13W7AE compares to the Rockford Fosgate T2S2-13 for both sound quality and SPL. Especially considering the current sale for T2's at $1000 each (normally $1250) vs the JL premium at $1800 each. Does anyone have any experience with both or at least one of them?
I was the first person in my town to get a 12w7 when they first came out. I wanted the 13 but the 12 came in first. I had in a ported box at the time. I currently run an 8w7 in a sealed box that I've had since 2013. I don't think I would own another sub even tho I know there are probably better ones. I love the sound quality in the sealed box.
Around 96-97 I had a Nissan single cab pickup with two 10” JL’s behind the seat ( don’t know what model) me and a friend would drive through parking lots setting off car alarms with my stereo.the 90s were definitely more fun.
I have a single 8W7AE in a ported box, Hertz Audio Mille PRO components (front and rear), powered by a JL 750/5 amp. Sounds loud and clean. A lot of people that sit in my car think there are two 10" subs in the car. Main key is the air space in the trunk when you are picking a subwoofer(s) - I had to pass on the 13W7AE, and the 10W7AE due to lack of air space in the trunk - the 8W7AE sounded just right with the perfect punch, and complemented the Mille Pro components.
I got a 12W7AE and an 8W7AE, and i can definitely tell you that they can really make some clean, accurate low frequency bass with very minimum distortion at full volume. I also love how nice it looks. It definitely has a premium look to it as well. Almost forgot, in regards to the sub box type. I think that a sealed enclosure would be awesome for the 13w7. Im thinking of doing something similar myself if i buy the 13w7s vs the kicker L7 Solo X subs i am also interested in. This was a wonderful video mark. Thank you so much for making it and giving all that detail of the subwoofer. This is one of the reasons i LOVE your channel. 😎👊
I had a JL w6 10. Omg. Bass for days. Tight and clear
If the best results come from sealed, as stated in the literature, make it a sealed enclosure. I’ve always been fond of sealed. They’re easier to build, anyway.
Jl audio is my favorite audio company they have the cleanest sound I have heard from a car audio company so far
This was the first JL that I ever owned, back in 06. The 13 W7 with the Slash 1000.1. Amazing piece of equipment. Unfortunately, I ended up getting laid off and had my son in school. So, I ended up having to sell it off for a fraction of what I paid for it. I now have an 8 W3V3 and 4 C2s in my truck. Nice bump, but not a W7 😂. Side note, a Lil Jon song on this setup, in a sealed box, cracked the bondo on the roof of my truck that it was in.
Ooohhhh my god you got one. That unit is a holy grail to me, and I desperately wanted 2 ever since I was 16 lol. But the amount of power needed to genuinely let it breathe is astronomical and usually involves an aftermarket alternator alongside your Thor Thunder amps.
No subwoofer no matter how good it is should be worth $1800. Not many can even afford it. That said I wish I had it 100%. My W6 sounded Amazing back in the day!! Good quality for sure and congrats on owning it 👍
I have been wishing JL would release a JL Audio 12w6 classic subwoofer. The classic line would be the subs that put JL on the map. I'd buy 6 without batting an eyelash.
My cousin had a pair of w7's that set the bar for Me. I've been the proud owner of a few
Best looking subwoofer of all time!! Can’t believe the 13w7’s were my first subs in high school 🙏🏻
I vote sealed. I guess my question would be this: Is there any car audio subwoofer on the planet that produces higher quality bass (higher transient response) with ported vs sealed enclosure? I’m genuinely curious.
yea had 10's in my truck and now w6v3's due to mounting height, but i got a 13w7ae for my home theater sub now. slammmms. i should add i bought the w7 for 400 bucks, guy thought it was blown but he just had it wired wrong lol. i took a risk and was just going to have it rebuilt it it really was blown. also the enclosure size i used is like 5 cubic feet tunes to 19hz. shakes everything for you, home theater things.
I’m really excited for this build. I want to see what box you build and then what amp you pair it with.
I remember these when they first came out early 2000s. i was in college and my friend who always had nice cars he would "Trick" out. And he came over to show me his new system. 3 JW7 10's in a custom box that took p his whole trunk in his nissan maxima. And since that day these speakers are also my holly grail of speakers i need to own. What i loved about the 10s is you could mess with the sound and make the bass hit lower than most 15s if you liked that bass or if you're like me you could make them hit really tight and sound like 10s or 8s. but like i said when you wanted to shut up the guy who has one really good expensive speaker worth more than the car and the amp with the rest of the speakers together and drown out his sub.
Sealed. I've owned dozens of jl audios and have heard dozens more. I've heard a few ported and tried it myself once with their 15w3 version 1's and sealed has been better every time. And jl advises it for a reason. The added benefit of a few db you get from ports is completely lost with me due to the narrowing of the frequency range. If you're only ever going to play music that hits that narrow range, or are going to db completions then sure. But I listen to a wide variety of music and want to hear the notes that the artist intended. You buy jl for quality. If you wanted quantity then do a ported sundown
What boxes were you listening to? You don't lose bandwidth with a good ported box. Ported if tuned properly should be way more than a few dB gain as well as playing much lower louder.
@@JoshM7Yeah that dude doesn't know what he's talking about whatsoever. Bunch of anecdotal fluff. No facts.
Love the old JL stuff! Still have a unused Slash v2 Series 1000/1v2 laying around.
I got one in the trunk had it for a decade it still hits like a tank! My AGM secondary battery has went bad but my JL amp and sub have survived. I got the pro wedge with the 13w7 already in sealed box. I would like to get another and do 2 in a ported box! 2 would be nuts in this tiny car and clear!
Omg lol, I actually bought a pair of those in 2001 with my Eclipse unit!! Sometimes I miss a good system, but now it would have to go into a Ford Transit for work
Still one of my favorite subs after all these years, the only sub I love that compares in my opinion is the first gen RE audio XXX
I love my 12w7 and slash 1000/1 v2 combo. It's in a quite large slot ported box and sounds great and hits super low.
Ideally I want to double up and build a 4th order box blowing through the ski hatch. That's my little dream.
2 of these slot ported, MDF trust me. A side note the old school hcca can push the 3ohm load at .5 stable
What can make this sub sound boomy and vague? I have used w7 10, visually it looks mint, but sound wise makes me confused, i have ported the exact measurements box, great wires and an amp with extra power. If the sub wasn't used for a long time, does it need time to play in? Maybe I'm missing something.
Please build a ported enclosure. It seems like everyone builds sealed enclosures for JL. How would this 13w7 do in a 6th order enclosure? That is my summer goal. Or a rear loaded horn.
I'd go for a ported box!
My vote is ported! I've had a few single 12w7's in multiple vehicles since 2005. I'm now installing 3 12w7ae's in my vehicle right now. I'm extremely excited to hear 3 of them.
I heard the 13w7 like 20 years ago. At a shop hooked up to slash 1000. And the most impressive part was what not one person has mentioned. Did you even hear it right is my thinking. And is there a sub today that can do what I'm talking about. It has to do with the way the surround on the cone creates a surround sound enveloping bass. In 20 years no one has copied it yet.
Yeah sealed is the way to go. Great video and can't wait to see it finished
Sealed SQ, ported for SPL. Don't get me wrong, the sealed can hit really hard! Is just if u want to hit 150db, needs to be ported. JL FTW.
Can you do a video on how to get more outputs to a radio that has something like 4 rca outputs fron rear and subwoofer outputs. If someone was trying to do a active 3 way set up front ,some coaxial speakers or 2 way speakers in the rear and some subs.
A few months ago I picked up an old 13w7 for $200 with a box …… I tried to blow it but it’s been taking a 3k like a champ for a few months.
Sealed box imo. I'm in love with JL audio subs. Specifically this one. Always wanted a set. I think that's my goal. Get a set of 13's in a custom box.
I have a equation of probably some law I’ve not been able to read or digest, and it deals with wiring in series for speakers. I was going to wire a 3-way component set in my front doors, using in-line crossovers for the various speaker sizes. I was putting the 6” first, with bass filter, then 3.5” or 2” mid next in series using a higher frequency bass filter, and then a tweets last in series line on high pass filter. My question pertains to balanced power for each speaker set: does each speakers power handling ability dictate how much power it takes from the feed? If I feed 200 watts, will the power be absorbed equally in distribution to speakers? Or will my first speaker in series have to be not too power hungry for trailing speakers ability to get enough power? Cheers & thanks as always