An Excellent All-Around Subwoofer

This subwoofer was purchased to complete a JBL home theater setup and is a perfect addition. There are many choices when it comes to subwoofers today: driver size, amp power, down or side firing, ported, etc. This subwoofer seems to be an economical combination of the best features.

For starters, a 12" driver is a good compromise between the responsiveness of a 10" and the ultra-deep base of a 15". It has never been slow to respond nor struggled with any track thrown its way. The 250 watt (RMS) output is more than enough power. (Watch the helo assault scene in The Matrix--each shell from the cannon feels like the gun is in your hands).

The frequency range for this unit is also very good. It reaches an amazing 25hz, only 5 hz above the audible range of the human ear. If you want a sub that can actually reach 20hz, plan on parting ways with at least a G note. It also has a continuously variable crossover, which maximizes the subs efficiency and keeps it in the ultra low spectrum where it belongs

Besides a direct LFE(Low Frequency Effects) input, it also has a stereo in jack. This allows an older-make receiver without an LFE output to be hooked up with equal bass response.

The true weakness is the size--this is a large, heavy box. However, it is a 12" sub, and with high quality audio components, bigger tends to be better. There have also been a number of reports of subs which were dead on arrival, but I believe that JBL has fixed this problem as few have been recently reported. Also, customer service is excellent.

This is an excellent sub for this price and even a good deal more. It has a natural smooth sound when it comes to music and enough power to replicate the most intense special effects moments of a DVD soundtrack. I love this subwoofer and whole-heatedly recommend it.