I replaced my Kicker L7 Kicker 12'' for this...did I make the right choice?

[treesive 10+ year member]

The future looks dim for audio when you see the W6 get hated on this much and have so many people pushing sundown, american bass, etc over it. I have no idea what the problem is by trying to diagnose the setup from my computer chair but everything in your setup seems to be of good quality. I would for certain move your ground to the car chassis and off your seat bolt first and would also let the sub break in before coming to any extreme conclusion. From your use of the bass boost I just have a feeling you like distorted bass which a kicker is king of delivering. This being the case you will probably never like the W6 then as it is made to make pure bass first not output first.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

The future looks dim for audio when you see the W6 get hated on this much and have so many people pushing sundown, american bass, etc over it. I have no idea what the problem is by trying to diagnose the setup from my computer chair but everything in your setup seems to be of good quality. I would for certain move your ground to the car chassis and off your seat bolt first and would also let the sub break in before coming to any extreme conclusion. From your use of the bass boost I just have a feeling you like distorted bass which a kicker is king of delivering. This being the case you will probably never like the W6 then as it is made to make pure bass first not output first.

could be that he went from a square 12 that had almost the cone area of a 15 to a little 10. The reason why we recommend those other ones because they meet in the middle of SQ and SPL for a fraction of the JL price tag. JL is great but not RETAIL price great. Heard dual 13.5 W7s setups many times and they all sounded great and got pretty loud but i've heard DD, sundown, incriminator, FI dual 12" or 1 15" setups that sounded almost as good but had a lot more spl and low end response. All(xept DD and incriminator) at much lower price point then the 1k retail price tag for each 13.5 W7.

Some people like accurate bass, some people like bass that fucks their ears and crush their lungs, OP's tastes and comments are leaning towards the latter.

You'll always have people tricked into thinking JL is the best god given brand the car audio world can provide you with from all these brick and mortar shops aggressively pushing and brainwashing people into believing. So JL's not going anywhere. Its just gonna sit on its ass and enjoy its fat automated pension plan.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

I agree he got the wrong sub for what he appently wants but there is nothing wrong with JL or it's pricing if you use it as intended. You talk about the W7s price, NO OTHER sub has lower distortion at its capable output.. And it's been doing it for 12 years now. The W6 holds more SQ titles than any other sub, if you compare its price to real SQ subs it's cheap. And they are US built. The problem with JL is the dealers pushing it like it's the loudest stuff ever... And the people that believe them.

 

[mrpep]

I have always had ghetto bangers I call them, these are loud DEEP bass sounds in my cars. Today I have a JL audio and I think I am not appreciating the SQ . I also should realize that a single 10'' may not beat as hard as a 12''. I will say this and I find it strange... some songs that rattled the SUV to crap on my L7 no longer do with the JL yet other songs that sounded just good on my L7 sound freaking great on the JL. There is a level of sound that is too deeply appreciate on this JL. There are certain songs that hit the deep bass that I want, the problem is the JL does not seem to pick it up all of the time but when it does I think wow, there it is and I begin to think this JL has the potential but how do I get it to pick up this deep bass all of the time? I wonder if I should just increase the gain? I wonder if I should turn teh dial on my bass dial on my amp up? Are my settings ok on my amp? is my ground sufficient? I feel the bass I want, the system uis just not picking it up all of the time, its very picky as to when it wants to output the bass but more times than not it does not. Again the potential is tehre.... I feel it on certain songs and it is freakin drop dead awsome. How do I get it to just pick it upp on all my songs that have good lows?

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

It's in box tuning. I believe that JL is tuned around 40hz. Depending on cabin gain it will have more output in the higher bass range. This will cause it to struggle in the low 30hz range(where you get that rumble).

 

---------- Post added at 09:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:41 AM ----------

 

What songs does it do well on?

 

[mrpep]

It's in box tuning. I believe that JL is tuned around 40hz. Depending on cabin gain it will have more output in the higher bass range. This will cause it to struggle in the low 30hz range(where you get that rumble). 

---------- Post added at 09:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:41 AM ----------

 

What songs does it do well on?

I listen to Sean Paul and songs like "turn it up" sound very good with the JL. Now theirs a song by DJ SCREAM called "always" that would rattle the SUV with the L7 and now I can barely feel the bass on with the JL. Those are just 2..

In regards to tunning , I tuned to 60hz using a 60hz tone on a cd.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Your tuning has nothing to do with box tuning. This is basic stuff. A lower tuned box will be able to play lower better and normally more flat. Example. Tune a box at 32hz will play strong 25-50hz. Tune a box to 40hz will play strong 35-60hz. Like I said, I think the HO is tuned at 40hz. Ported box tuning is determined by a few factors, net airspace, port area, and port length.

 

[mrpep]

Your tuning has nothing to do with box tuning. This is basic stuff. A lower tuned box will be able to play lower better and normally more flat. Example. Tune a box at 32hz will play strong 25-50hz. Tune a box to 40hz will play strong 35-60hz. Like I said, I think the HO is tuned at 40hz. Ported box tuning is determined by a few factors, net airspace, port area, and port length.[/quote
The box is a bit small I will say that. So why would it hit hard at times on some songs and not on others?

 

[treesive 10+ year member]

I listen to Sean Paul and songs like "turn it up" sound very good with the JL. Now theirs a song by DJ SCREAM called "always" that would rattle the SUV with the L7 and now I can barely feel the bass on with the JL. Those are just 2..
In regards to tunning , I tuned to 60hz using a 60hz tone on a cd.

My guess is DDtC is correct on the box tuning part being the big difference. To know for certain we would have to know the L7 setup/tuning and what the Jl box is tuned at. The fact that you say it sounds like it is quickly falling off after a certain frequency tells me tuning and is your subsonic/ crossover point to high.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Your tuning has nothing to do with box tuning. This is basic stuff. A lower tuned box will be able to play lower better and normally more flat. Example. Tune a box at 32hz will play strong 25-50hz. Tune a box to 40hz will play strong 35-60hz. Like I said, I think the HO is tuned at 40hz. Ported box tuning is determined by a few factors, net airspace, port area, and port length.[/quote
The box is a bit small I will say that. So why would it hit hard at times on some songs and not on others?

Do you think all bass lines are at the same frequency? 20-20000hz is the range. Bass is a very small part of that. I'm sure the box size is fine for its design.

 

---------- Post added at 10:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:27 AM ----------

 

My guess is DDtC is correct on the box tuning part being the big difference. To know for certain we would have to know the L7 setup/tuning and what the Jl box is tuned at. The fact that you say it sounds like it is quickly falling off after a certain frequency tells me tuning and is your subsonic/ crossover point to high.

It's a set SS and I believe it's 30hz. Could be a bit lower.

 

[mrpep]

Hm, alot of tech talk and I do not understand, lol. Should i TRY TO LOWER MY SUBSONIC? Should I raise my gain over 34 volts? and raise bass dial at amp?

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

You can not make a box play lower than it's designed to do.

 

[treesive 10+ year member]

It's a set SS and I believe it's 30hz. Could be a bit lower.

Man I hate the idea of a set ss.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

For the average person that just wants plug and play they are fine. OP post a picture of the box in the truck. It could be a loading issue.

 

[csu87 10+ year member]

Like everyone has said, the w6 is not a high output sub. If you want loud, get a different sub. A 10 can do what you want if you get the right 10 in the right box.

raising your gain, raising your Subsonic, messing with any setting on your amp, isnt going to help.