JL Audio 13W7: Sealed or Ported?

[PickupBass 10+ year member]

Hey all...This has probably been answered/debated many times before, but the search function is not cooperating with me today //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

Anyway, I'm getting into stereos again (I was a year ago, until my truck died on me, and I got rid of it) and I'm looking for a couple basic answers.

I have an extended cab pickup truck, and I'm going for a single JL Audio 13w7 subwoofer. The amp is going to be my old JBL 1200.1 amp. The first question is this: Will my amp blow my subwoofer? The sub is rated at 1000w RMS, and the amp, I believe if wired parallel to the sub, will deliver 1200w RMS.

I do not want to blow the sub, and I figure if the gains are 3/4 way up, I should be good. Also, I heard that the JBL bp1200.1 amps are a little under-rated, and the JL w7's can take much more power than they are rated at. I'm very sure that even if I had the amp cranked up all the way, the sub would be fine, but I don't want to risk it at all. Any ideas?

Also, the main question: Should I get a sealed or ported box. Since this is an expensive sub, and I'm no good at wood-working...I'm going to be buying a custom box from Tweeter Audio. They quoted $150 for a sealed enclosure to JL's specs, or $200 for a ported enclosure to JL's specs. I'm going for a tune @ 30hz. I want a mix of SQL. I was leaning towards the sealed box...but the more that I think of it...the ported box does sound like a good idea. I want it to get HELLA LOUD and to sound good. Is the sealed enclosure capable of rocking my socks?

Thanks a lot guys...by the way, I'm not the type to 'boom' in neighborhoods and wake people...I just like having the potential. Kind of like America having nukes! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/spank.gif.0d78e34d42ea8780359e903aeb6697d6.gif

Click to read more...

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

I have an extended cab pickup truck, and I'm going for a single JL Audio 13w7 subwoofer. The amp is going to be my old JBL 1200.1 amp. The first question is this: Will my amp blow my subwoofer? The sub is rated at 1000w RMS, and the amp, I believe if wired parallel to the sub, will deliver 1200w RMS.

No, you'll be fine

Also, the main question: Should I get a sealed or ported box. Since this is an expensive sub, and I'm no good at wood-working...I'm going to be buying a custom box from Tweeter Audio. They quoted $150 for a sealed enclosure to JL's specs, or $200 for a ported enclosure to JL's specs. I'm going for a tune @ 30hz. I want a mix of SQL. I was leaning towards the sealed box...but the more that I think of it...the ported box does sound like a good idea. I want it to get HELLA LOUD and to sound good. Is the sealed enclosure capable of rocking my socks?

Well, the sealed is still capable of getting loud; but every sealed W7 I've heard has sounded like poop.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

port the beast //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[drjjg 10+ year member]

It's a dual 1.5ohm driver so in parallel, you'll have a .75ohm nominal load. Don't worry about it being too much power, that 1000wrms rating is quite conservative. As was mentioned, PORT IT //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[SensesFail 10+ year member]

I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO would not run a JBL BP1200.1 at 0.75 ohms ...

Yeah, that's what I thought. It is 1ohm capable...but not anything lower.

I have the same setup almost...and it booms! Ported definately for a box. Wiring? I did not do, so I'm not 100% sure on what's the proper way.

 

[BIG_SUPERMAN72 10+ year member]

If u look at the JL rms chart for W7s. The 13 does good at like 1100-1300 i believe. the 12w7 is like 850 or so.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

and even that's highly underrated...

 

[PickupBass 10+ year member]

So, I think I'm going ported...

2.5^3@30hz

Does that sound good? I'm going for SQL...

Also, what is the most efficient/safe way of wiring the JL 13w7 to my JBL bp1200.1 amp without blowing anything and getting the most power?

I would really APPRECIATE help on wiring it properly! THANKS

 

[ohravi 10+ year member]

Ported bro, trust me on this--sealed and W7 should NEVER go in the same sentence. Learn from my mistakes! Btw, unlike a lot of people I have had personal experience with the setups, went from a 12w7 sealed to a 10w7 ported and I love it. At the shop we did a 13w7 ported for a customer and it blew me away--literally lol! For SQL imo tune low.

Best of luck! The JL tech suppport guys are very helpful for box design.

peace

ravi

 

[PickupBass 10+ year member]

Ported bro, trust me on this--sealed and W7 should NEVER go in the same sentence. Learn from my mistakes! Btw, unlike a lot of people I have had personal experience with the setups, went from a 12w7 sealed to a 10w7 ported and I love it. At the shop we did a 13w7 ported for a customer and it blew me away--literally lol! For SQL imo tune low.
Best of luck! The JL tech suppport guys are very helpful for box design.

peace

ravi

Thank you for the advice. Does 2.5 cubes sound good to port? Also, 30hz a good tuning frequency? Any ideas on proper wiring configuration with a jbl 1200.1 and a 13w7?

 

[ohravi 10+ year member]

What does the amp put out and at what impedance?

On paper the dimensions look ok, but for a better idea try using winiSD or like I said call JL and find a proper size for your size constraints.

Peace

 

[i3abyjay25 10+ year member]

get w/ Limitkid7.. he owns a 13w7 and use to run it in a ported box and now runs it in a sealed box... he said he'll never go back to a ported system.....

 

[PickupBass 10+ year member]

What does the amp put out and at what impedance?
On paper the dimensions look ok, but for a better idea try using winiSD or like I said call JL and find a proper size for your size constraints.

Peace

The amp puts out 1200watts RMS at 1 ohm. It's the JBL bp1200.1 amp if that helps.

 

[PickupBass 10+ year member]

get w/ Limitkid7.. he owns a 13w7 and use to run it in a ported box and now runs it in a sealed box... he said he'll never go back to a ported system.....

It's possible that he had a bad ported enclosure right? Sealed enclosures do sound nice, but I'm sure a low tuned ported enclosure can get louder and sound better, if done correctly. I want SQL.

 

[limitkid7 5,000+ posts]

trust me, it (being my ported box) was done correctly.....

i like the sealed sound and the ported sound off this sub, i'll soon write a comparison review....

those that have heard my 13w7 setup say its one of the best as far as being clean and loud