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JL Audio Eii2 subwoofer

Thinking of adding a new subwoofer to my system. Have an old yamaha 100w thats very dated. I heard the JL Audio E112 in a large showroom.   The bass filled the whole space. I was told Klipsch had no true subs for its Heritage series speakers. Cornwall iv's. and that JL could fill that void. I would like feedback from  owners of JL subs.or other brand subs I could look and listen to.

eoj4952
james633
1,005 posts
 

I own 2 (picture under my prophile) and I would not recommend them. They sound great as good as the fathom honestly minus the room correction BUT both have broken twice. The crossovers went bad in both subs within the first few months of ownership. 5 years later both volume pots went bad.

each time JL fixed them. The first time for free the second time for just under $500 each including shipping. The second time was under their rebuild program (yes they break enough there is a program for it?!?). They replaced everything but the cabinet.

so JL has been great from a customer service stand point. I had to go through the dealer which was a pain. But they should not have broken to begin with. Now I am just waiting for them to break again and I will replace them with a different brand.

the only selling point of the E112 is they have a built in highpass with is very rare and very useful.

erik_squires
16,037 posts
 

Not an owner but here are a couple of thoughts:

  • The JL audio subs have awesome software. I really like the results of their auto correction
  • You pay a lot for the software, if you can substitute Hsu or SVB you are going to save a lot of cash
  • The room matters a great deal.  See my blog post, below.

 

mike_in_nc
1,146 posts
 

I have two JL F112 subs that I bought in 2007. The performance is superb, and they blend with the main speakers (Janszen electrostatics) very well. Each sub has needed two repairs during that time. I’m told that JL has upgraded the electrolytic capacitors they use, to reduce the frequency of such repairs.

Recently I bought an SVS SB-3000 to supplement the JLs in a distributed bass array. The SVS was far less expensive than a JL and has more flexible controls. It lacks a balanced input. Unlike the JLs, the SVS doesn’t require an AVA HumDinger to prevent transformer hum. I can’t speak to ultimate reliability, but I have found SVS customer service excellent.

If cost is at all a consideration, you might consider an SVS, such as their SB-2000 Pro, SB-3000, or 3000 micro. They can be got via mail order with a trial period. The JL subs are difficult to beat, but the SVS subs may come very close in performance at far lower cost.

For the cost of one E112, you could buy a pair of SB-3000, which should give more even response than a single sub.

P.S. I think the E112 does have a crossover, but not the extensive auto-EQ of JL’s more expensive "F" line.

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