JL Audio 8W04 Review

Alright, we know that this subwoofer has been out since about 2003. We promise you the latest reviews, but here we are reviewing a 5 year old subwoofer. Believe us, we have our reasons.

First of all, JL Audio makes high quality products without a doubt. There is virtually no product that they have produced that has ever been dubbed as useless or unreliable. The JL Audio 8W04 is a high-performing 8” subwoofer that will enhance any sound system in any vehicle. It is still widely used today and the few people who do get these are rewarded with the quality and performance of the subwoofer. The trick is finding where to get them, but I’m sure that won’t be a problem for long.

Be advised that this subwoofer is an 8” subwoofer. It isn’t designed to rattle your windows or the car next to you, but it is designed to give you ample bass that you would need to enrich and enhance the sound reproduction quality of any sound system. Yes it will give you some bumpin’ bass, but again, not the kind of subwoofer you would use to stroll down Main Street with 20” rims. Let’s go over some its features and you’ll see why this subwoofer is worth purchasing.

This review is designed to give you perspective and knowledge. In the business world, knowledge is power. Keep in mind that price does not necessarily mean quality and higher power handling does not necessarily mean better bass.

The first thing you’ll notice, obviously, is the cone material. It is made of standard polypropylene, which is basically a plastic cone. This cone material is widely used in the car audio industry and is capable of producing consistent bass sound in nearly any ambient environment. It does not react much to extreme temperatures or humidity so it is indeed a great cone material to have.

The woofer is attached to a foam surround. This cheap material has excellent physical properties that allow the cone to move around a bit without the surround material being stressed. However, foam surround material tend to break down easier under extreme temperatures, especially true when found in prolonged exposure to UV rays, like when you park your car under the hot sun.

The JL Audio 8W04 also features a “progressive-roll flat spider” which allows the subwoofer driver to perform outstandingly and maintain its alignment. It is complimented with an oversized 6-layer voice coil on Kapton former which allows it to handle much higher temperature, like that which occurs during optimal performance.
For it being an 8” subwoofer, the sub handles understandably lower wattage at 75 watts RMS. Again, the design of the subwoofer is primarily for richness and depth when listening to music. It’s mounting depth is surprisingly deeper, but that’s only to complement its large magnet structure which allows it to perform impressively even as a small subwoofer.

If you’re a music lover, you’ll want the 8W04. It is another great example of how subwoofers could be used for enhancing audio, not showing off. How much will this cost you? Well 5 years ago, it would’ve probably cost you over a hundred dollars. You could probably pick one up really cheap, brand new, for under $50.

JVC Arsenal CS-AW7040 Revew

If you’re looking for performance, the JVC Arsenal Series CS-AW7040 can provide your deepest bass needs. This 10” subwoofer could put out 600 watts of continuous power with 1800 watts maximum power handling. This means incredible power handling and you could sure bet that the CS-AW7040 will outperform most other 10” subwoofers out there.

The monster subwoofer features a glass fiber hemp composite cone woofer. This cone material is the signature composition of the JVC Arsenal series subwoofer. It is designed to reproduce sound as naturally as possible. Their design philosophy includes the notion of natural material, such as hemp, capable of producing natural sound using its natural physical and chemical properties. But of course, not everything is natural on the CS-AW7040. Take for instance its surround material—it’s made of synthesized rubber called santoprene. It’s quite possibly the strongest surround material available in the car audio industry. It allows the cone to move up and down as much as it needs to produce high quality sound without it tearing from the structure.
The basket is made of aluminum die-cast construction which reduces the overall weight (though it’s still quite heavy). But the massive aluminum basket is capable of dispersing heat so that the subwoofer is still capable of functioning efficiently and safely. What’s amazing about the CS-AW7040 is its Rapid-Fire Impedance Selector Terminal, which is another uniquely Arsenal characteristic. It allows users to select impedance according to the output from the source.
The subwoofer also features dual 4 ohm voice coil, heat transfer silicon structure, and a large 65.4 ounces (approximately 4 pounds) of magnet. With all the incredible features, it’s surprising at how low you could get the CS-AW7040. Expect prices to be as high $300, but there are a few stores out there that have them for cheaper even as brand new.
The JVC CS-AW7040 is truly an amazing subwoofer. You’ll enjoy its dependability, performance, and monstrous deep bass. The only thing is its large size. It makes it rather difficult to mount in various sub boxes. I guess that’s the price to pay in order to have power bass output from the sub. The addition of this subwoofer to any car audio system will sure turn heads and put a big smile on your face. Just be weary of its enormous size. It’s probably bigger than most 10” subs out there. If you like deep bass, the JVC CS-AW7040 is the subwoofer for you.

Kicker L5 Solo Baric Review

Even though it's two years old, the 2006 Kicker L5 Series Solo-Baric Subwoofer is still considered by many as a current and competitive model. This is perhaps one of the biggest secrets in car audio. People always want the newest and most current products expecting it out-perform the manufacturer's older models. However, this is not necessarily the case. Sure it generally does, but with Kicker car audio products, even some of their earliest models is still comparable to today's subwoofers.

If you're able to resist the temptation of trying to keep up with the Jones', then you may be able to save money while still being able to impress your friends when you buy the older models. That should tell you a lot about the quality of Kicker subwoofers. Of course Kicker recently released their 2008 line of products, so be sure to check those out too.

The L5 Solo-Baric subwoofer is capable of 600 watts RMS with 1200 watts maximum power handling. That power rating is CEA standardized, so don't worry about getting jipped. Of course, with any Solo-Baric subwoofers, it is characterized with a uniquely Kicker square design. The result is an increased cone surface area, allowing for greater movement while maintaining a relatively small design. The subwoofer performs marvelously, primarily due to its SoloKon cone woofer design with its stitched Santoprene rubber surround for incredible durability.

The 2008 model has greater ventilation design, allowing for a better endurance and slight improvement in bass response. The only other difference is also the darker color cone on the 2008 L5 Series Subwoofers. Everything else is pretty much the same--dual voice coils, similar recommended enclosure volume, heavy-duty steel basket, similar mounting depths, and definitely high performing.

This is why I'm saying that some of the best deals out there today are with older, yet high-quality products such as the 2006 Solo Baric Subwoofers; and they're available in 8", 10", 12", and 15" in both dual 2 and dual 4 ohms voice coils.

Kicker 2008 CompVT Review

For those of us who do not have the luxury of having large cars, the Kicker CompVT subwoofers may be the best solution for having powerful bass in a small car.

In 2007, Kicker released the slim and shallow-mount 10" and 12" CompVT subwoofers. This year, they took the game even further with the release of the 8" and the even smaller 6-½" CompVT subwoofers!

At first glance, the CompVT subwoofers may seem small and weak, but boy do they pack a punch. You would not find any better brand to trust than Kicker. They've been doing this for awhile and you can be sure that when they design subwoofers for performance, they will perform accurately to every specification they wrote down for you. So when they say that the CompVT 6-½" subwoofer could handle 150 watts of RMS power, they really mean it! You wouldn't ever think 6-½" subs could ever produce good bass, but you'd be pleasantly surprise.

Both the 8" and the 6-½" Kicker subwoofers are capable of reproducing any low frequency from 25-350 Hz with 85dB SPL each. While the 6-1/2" subwoofer could handle 300 watts of maximum power and 150 watts continuous power, the 8" variety could handle 400 watts maximum wattage and 200 watts of continuous power. What's amazing is the sound they produce while requiring much smaller enclosure volume than most subwoofers out there as they both only require less than a half of a cubic foot. The secret is found with its vent-less solid-pole design that eliminates the need for additional mounting depth since it could be mounted all the way up to the wall of an enclosure if it needs to. This is why these subwoofers need less than 3" of mounting depth.

Kicker did not sacrifice anything in their design of the CompVT subs. They still feature high quality injection molded polypropylene cone woofer, ribbed Santoprene rubber surround, steel basket frame, perimeter venting, Uniplate backplate, Uniplate pole, double stitching, 360° back bracing, and four layer high-temperature voice coil.

Once again, Kicker produced an outstanding and ingenious design that will be sure to impress and leave audiophiles with a smile.

The 2008 CompVT subwoofers are available in 8" single 4 ohms (08CVT84), 8" single 2 ohms (08CVT82), 6-½" single 4 ohms (08CVT654), and 6-½" single 2 ohms (08CVT652).

Pioneer TS-W1007D4 Review

Finding an affordable yet high-performing subwoofer isn't an easy task, but the Pioneer TS-W1007D4 is exactly that. It's not everyday that anyone could get a cheap subwoofer that is also powerful and reliable; so read carefully because this may very well be one of the best deals available to you.

The subwoofer features the now commonly used injection molded polypropylene cone woofer. However, it is not just plain polypropylene but is compounded with interlaced aramid fiber or also known as Kevlar. The material utilized along with its woven fiber radial surround creates an extremely tough and rigid construction, allowing for greater bass response while maintaining consistent performance in any environment.

The Pioneer TS-W1007D4 is primarily regarded as an entry-level subwoofer. However, it packs a big punch for those who do not want to spend much money on their car audio equipment. Its 10" cone woofer is capable of delivering up to 1000 watts maximum power and could consistently produce 350 watts of CEA rated RMS power out of dual 2 ohm ( TS-W1007D2) or 4 ohm (TS-W1007D4) 4-layer copper voice coils. Don't overlook its hefty 74oz. dual-stacked magnet structure that when combined with the mentioned specs could produce that boomy bass you've always wanted.
Another great feature of the TS-W1007D4 is its ability to pick up frequencies as low as 18 Hz to as high as 600 Hz. This means that this 10" subwoofer could produce sound frequencies just below what you would typically call "midrange". When combined with a decent component speaker system, the results would be great audio reproduction in your vehicle.
Cosmetically, this subwoofer looks good. It has a classy look, not overbearing, but is still able to give off an intimidatingly powerful image. The basket is a stamped design with all four terminals on one side for easier installation. An additional but optional grille is available, allowing the cone to be protected and cosmetically enhanced.

MA Audio MA115XQ Review

The MA115XQ is the brand new 2008 model produced by MA Audio. This particular model is a 15"dual 4 ohms subwoofer, capable of handling up to 900 maximum wattage and 450 continuous wattage.

Unusual for recently released subwoofers, the MA115XQ features a non-pressed paper cone. The material used allows the subwoofer to be relatively inexpensive. Nonetheless the affordable paper cone still delivers very good and, under certain conditions, impressive low-frequency bass response.
The surround material featured on this subwoofer is one of the most rigid designs available. It is a double stitched rubber surround that is also reinforced with glass fiber. The result is a tough surround design that is sure to last for a long time with constant subwoofer usage. The rubber surround's elasticity will ensure proper movement while protecting the cone from separating or tearing away from the basket.

The 15" subwoofer, unfortunately, has its drawback. First, you would need a large subwoofer enclosure as well as a deeper mounting space in order to fit. The mounting depth nearly reaches 7" deep. It's also rather heavy as the Strontium magnet itself already weighs a whopping 80oz. But all of these somewhat negative aspects could be easily overlooked with its double 4 ohm voice coil, large power handling capability, and high SPL (90 dB). If you're looking for an inexpensive subwoofer with competition-quality performance, the MA Audio MA115XQ is the subwoofer for you!