Do JL subs require some breaking in?

[jmass03 10+ year member]

I purchased a JL12W7 and have it in a sealed box built to spec. I also am using a Kicker 750.1 to power it. The birth sheet on the 750.1 states 934 watts. I noticed however, that I have to have the gains to the max on the amplifier to get decent sound out of the JL. I was wondering if the sub just needs to be broken in, or is my Kicker just severely underpowering it. Just seems weird. I noticed after about 4 hours of play time, the amp was getting pretty hot. This is in my boat, so it was outside, but I don't want to fry my amp, but seriously though, I have to push this amp hard to get the JL to sound good. What gives?

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[porksoda 10+ year member]

I am not positive but i think they do require a break in period.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

No speaker I know of 'requires' a break-in period. If you want to know more about break-in periods, search, you'll find plenty of info already discussing it.

Sounds to me like you have a setting on your h/u set incorrectly. I know some Pioneers and other brands require the 'sub out' to be boosted before the h/u will actually display full signal voltage to the subwoofer outputs, for example. It could also be in your xover settings.

Assuming your h/u isn't from 1993 and has a .5v output, you should not be required to turn the amp's gain up so high to get advertised output from it.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

You also have to consider that regardless of what that birthsheet says, the sub isn't presenting the amp with the same load that the birthsheet power was "measured" at. The W7s are advertised as a 3ohm sub, but operate closer to a 4 ohm load. They are also not at all efficient. Now you're looking at running only, maybe, 400 W to a sub that isn't know for being efficient in the least or particularly loud with any amount of power and in a sealed box as well. I think that your expectations are a little optimistic for that sub/amp/box/ combo. You'll either need more power, a better box, a different sub or some combination thereof to get what you really seem to want.

Also quite likely that you have something set wrong as well.

 

[Ed Lester 10+ year member]

Also, what is the environment like on your boat?

Is this outdoors? It maybe just that that box and sub combo does not work well in the environment.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

If the amp is getting really hot, you're probably clipping it to hell and back trying to get it to do something that it was not designed to do. That amp into a 3-4 ohm load should run nice and cool.