# JL Audio 12W0 SQ box recommendations



## dvsadvocate (Mar 17, 2008)

I currently have an old JL Audio 12W0 Single 4 ohm sub, and I currently use a 1.5cu.ft. sealed box for it, as recommended in the manual. I showed it my local car audio clubs head honcho and he told me to make my box smaller. I forgot to ask him how big my new box should be. Any recommendations? Or should I just stick with my current box size? Its in my '95 Honda Civic sedans trunk by the way, powered by an Alpine MRV-T500 bridged at 200W mono @4ohms.


----------



## 89grand (Nov 23, 2006)

That box size is about right for the 12W0. I'd leave it as is.


----------



## GenPac (Oct 29, 2007)

JLAudio is usually spot on for their enclosure recommendations. You _'could' _make the box smaller, but then you'd probably find yourself wondering _why_ and adding polyfill to psudo-increase the enclosure volume.

Ask your audio club 'head honcho' *"WHY?"*


----------



## mfenske (Feb 7, 2006)

My wife has one in a .88 Q Logic prefabber (hey I was working at BBY and I didn't have any woodworking stuff them) that's got some polyfil and I'm impressed at how it sounds.


----------



## jp88 (Jun 25, 2007)

If You would like to see what it sounds like in a smaller box get some peices of wood (ie scraps of 2x4) and place them in the box a little at a time to take up some of the airspace. If you find that you like it better you can calculate the volume of wood that you put in and subtract that from the enclosure size to find the enclosure size you prefer

I do not think that you will improve much by putting these in a smaller box but if you are curious this is a cost effective way to see for yourself.


----------



## BLD 25 (Apr 13, 2007)

^^^good idea. 

I think if you had it in a smaller box, typically it might be a little bit more punchy, but it won't hit as low, and it will probably sound muffled.


----------



## jrwalte (Mar 27, 2008)

bld 25 said:


> ^^^good idea.
> 
> I think if you had it in a smaller box, typically it might be a little bit more punchy, but it won't hit as low, and it will probably sound muffled.


Exactly what I was thinking. Your low bass response will decrease, you'll crank the power a little higher because of this, and you'll get more 'hit'.


----------



## jp88 (Jun 25, 2007)

If anything in the exp Ive had Youd be better off with a little bigger box than jl recomends. I had some 10w1s a while back in 1 cu ft each (JL recomends .75) sealed. I thought they sounded pretty decent in 1 cube each though.


----------



## Dangerranger (Apr 12, 2006)

The main design aspect of the W0 is efficiency. Enclosure size, efficiency, low end performance, you can only have two of them. The W0 is designed to get reasonably loud from smaller power levels. It's a shorter stroke (compared to W3s, W6v2s, etc) subwoofer with a lower Qts due to the lighter moving mass. It needs a larger enclosure to get good bottom end out of it, that's why they have a larger box requirement than say a W3 or W6v2.


----------



## dvsadvocate (Mar 17, 2008)

Whew, thanks for the replies. Looks like ill be sticking to my current box. I haven't really asked anyone about it except here. Good thing I went to the right place.


----------



## WRX/Z28 (Feb 21, 2008)

I'm still curious to know why "Head Honcho" said you need a smaller box. Did he have JL's box recomendations in front of him? or did he automatically assume he knew better than the manufacturer? JL usually gives ranges that their sub's perform in. http://mobile.jlaudio.com/pdfs/10_12_15W0_MAN.pdf
The 1.5 box is in the middle of SQ and SPL. Go smaller and according to JL, the box becomes an "sq" box, go larger and it's better for "spl" according to the binder I have from them from back in the day.


----------



## dvsadvocate (Mar 17, 2008)

I really dont know if he knew anything about JL Audio. He just told me it would sound boomy, he didnt even listen to it. I guess he just assumed he knew better than JL. I told him I wanted to go for SQ (thats why I went sealed).


----------



## WRX/Z28 (Feb 21, 2008)

Sounds like "head honcho" was thinking about his own woofers. 1.5 cubes is big for a 12" anymore, but your's were designed for that box. Leave it be, unless you're not happy with it.


----------



## lust4sound (Apr 9, 2008)

dvsadvocate said:


> Whew, thanks for the replies. Looks like ill be sticking to my current box. I haven't really asked anyone about it except here. Good thing I went to the right place.


Que the Vulture...

I've got 2 of those for sale, good condition. Will do them super cheap if you're interested!!


----------



## WRX/Z28 (Feb 21, 2008)

lust4sound said:


> Que the Vulture...
> 
> I've got 2 of those for sale, good condition. Will do them super cheap if you're interested!!


2 of what? 12w04?


----------



## dvsadvocate (Mar 17, 2008)

If you're willing to ship it here in the Philippines, maybe we can have a deal. But I think ill get a new 12W3V2 soon.


----------



## lust4sound (Apr 9, 2008)

WRX/Z28 said:


> 2 of what? 12w04?


Yup, 2) 12W0 4 ohms. I hope I'm not going to piss anyone off by plugging my own goodies. Is there a rule against that here?


----------



## 89grand (Nov 23, 2006)

dvsadvocate said:


> If you're willing to ship it here in the Philippines, maybe we can have a deal. But I think ill get a new 12W3V2 soon.


Just to give you a heads up. I used to run two JL 10W3's, then I bought two 10WO's because I got them so cheap, but if you're not running a lot of power, and you're not, there's no real reason to switch drivers.

I almost think I like the 10WO's better than I did the W3's.

I kept the WO's and sold the W3's if that tells you anything.


----------



## lust4sound (Apr 9, 2008)

dvsadvocate said:


> If you're willing to ship it here in the Philippines, maybe we can have a deal. But I think ill get a new 12W3V2 soon.


I've got an older 12W6, for some odd reason it's a dual 4 ohm voice coil version. I actually have a pair, 1 is buzzing at low volumes 1 is perfect. Dual 4 ohm, they may have been re-coned. Yes I will ship to Philipines.. (God i hope I'm not pissing anyone off)


----------



## dvsadvocate (Mar 17, 2008)

How much are you selling the good woofer lust4sound?


----------



## dvsadvocate (Mar 17, 2008)

@89grand
Thanks for telling me that. Looks like the W0's a keeper. Ill probably use it in another project if I can get a new woofer.


----------



## lust4sound (Apr 9, 2008)

dvsadvocate said:


> How much are you selling the good woofer lust4sound?


IDK, $125 shipped? The sub is in good condition..


----------



## dvsadvocate (Mar 17, 2008)

Thats seems reasonable. Ill just try to raise the money first. Hope it doesnt go away soon!


----------



## jrwalte (Mar 27, 2008)

FYI,

Doing PMs for sale questions/answers instead of posting in the thread may have been the better solution


----------

