JBL GTO1214D Subwoofer Review

JBL released a powerful and sturdy subwoofer in their Grand Touring line, the GTO1214D. The shiny silver from the die cast metal basket looks sharp alongside the black rubber surround. The durable appearance is backed up by a strong performance.
This subwoofer has a lot to offer. It can handle 350 watts RMS continuous power handling, which is enough power to make the whole block aware of your arrival. The polypropylene cone material allows the subwoofer to flex and move to the rhythm of your music’s beat. Along with that, this sub will endure since it has a rubber surround, which serves to protect the subwoofer throughout the most intense beat thumping. The special featured tinsel wire protector reinforces the most crucial joint (the maximum stress point) in the subwoofer operation, yet another feature that should help extend the subwoofer’s life.Reviewing the specifications showed that this subwoofer rated better than the average sub in most categories. The 12” subwoofer requires 1.00 cubic feet for sealed and 1.75 cubic feet for ported/vented enclosures. In addition, it responds to frequencies ranging from 23 Hz to 400 Hz and has an exceptional SPL rated at 93dB (1W/1m). For those trying to build a respectable system that will last for a number of years, this subwoofer is a good building block.

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.

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).