Moving on to a jazz track, I selected Ramsey Lewis' "People Make the World Go 'Round." This track opens with a lot of jump and energy from a bass guitar and percussion. The 12W6v2-D4 is smooth and easy to listen to and has the impact and hit that gives this track its excitement. The playback is full and exciting to listen to.
My usual lead off test track is Tracy Chapman's "Heaven's Here On Earth." It's an awesome recording that features a bass drum, toms and a bass guitar in the bass line. The track opens with the bass drum, one beat in every other bar as a pick up note for the next phrase. The bass guitar and toms are added and maintain the bass line for the phrase. All of the instruments are clearly defined and individualized without any blurring.
To finish off my listening test I put in the Bass Mekanik's V5.0 album, track six, "Dubalicious." On this album, there is nothing delicate about the recording of the bass. It's loud, it's strong and it's deep and moving. I like this track because of the variety of bass notes and its mix of sustained and punctuated notes.
The W6v2 has been just about flawless up until this point. It has been punchy, tight, smooth and a wonderful listen, but on "Dubalicious" I heard a flutter (a mechanical noise) in the opening bass line that should not be there. I checked the enclosure, the wiring and panels but the flutter persisted on this opening section of 80Hz sustained notes. Once the pitch changed the flutter was gone and the 12W6v2 was fantastic, throbbing and punchy bass delivered to your body like someone smacking you with an axe handle.
Conclusion
While I was not able to figure out the fluttering noise that I heard, it was frequency specific and could not mar the overall performance of the JL Audio 12W6v2-D4. I would have to say that the 12W6v2-D4 is the best sounding subwoofer that I have tested for CA&E. Its low distortion, powerful impact and overall musicality give it a wonderful sound and invisibility in imaging. If the 12W6v2-D4 is any indication of what JL Audio is engineering for its home audio line, other home speaker manufacturers need to be reinventing themselves or JL Audio will roll right over them.
Data Chart
Brand: JL Audio
Model: 12W6v2-D4
MSRP: $459.95
Warranty: 1-year dealer installed or approved, otherwise 90 days
Mechanical Specifications
*Weight: 23 lbs.
*Rear Mounting Clearance: 7.062"
*Woofer Magnet Dim. (dia. X ht. in mm): 167 x 40
*Voice Coil Diameter: 69.85mm (2.75")
*Voice Coil Winding Layers: 2x2 (two, two- layer coils)
*Measured T/S Parameters
*Nominal Impedance (ohms) 8
*Revc (ohms): 6.58 (both 3.3-ohm voice coils connected in series)
*Sd (cone area in sq. meters): 0.050
*Bl (motor strength in Tesla Meters): 20.4
*Vas (in liters): 83.8
*Cms (micrometers per Newton): 23.8
*Mms (grams): 181.7
*Fs (Hz): 24.3
*Qms: 7.52
*Qes: 0.44
*Qts: 0.42
Power and Excursion Data
*Sensitivity (2.83V/1M in dB): 87.3
*Continuous Power Handling (Watts RMS): 400
*Peak Power Handling (Watts): Not published
*Xmax ([coil length - gap height]/2 in mm): 16.5
Computer Simulation Data
*Enclosure size for simulation (cubic feet)
*Sealed 1: 1.0 (no fill material)
*Sealed 2: 1.25 (no fill material)
-3dB (F3) at 2.83V
*Sealed 1: (Qtc=0.81) 48.3Hz
*Sealed 2: (Qtc=0.75) 45.1Hz
Voltage to achieve Xmax + 15%
*Sealed 1: 100V
*Sealed 2: 90V
SPL at Xmax + 15% (8.5mm)
*Sealed 1: 116.5dB anechoic
*Sealed 2: 115.0dB anechoic
SPL In-Car Measurement At 2.83 Volts, 1 Meter Peak Reading Non-Weighted
| 40Hz | 100.0dB |
| 80Hz | 100.3dB |
| Max SPL | 129.7dB |