Me vs. JL Audio - An open discussion.


An audiophile ( dpac996 ) in another thread:


https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/eh-hem-subwoofers-what-do-ya-know


found a very interesting, and IMNSHO, very messy, post from JL Audio:

https://jlaudio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/205061040-Adding-a-Home-Audio-Subwoofer


It has some great points, some confusing points, and some word salad. Kind of like a recent Star Wars movie.


Mind you, I think JL Audio has among the very best room correction software out there. I find myself agreeing very much with the choices the software makes, but still, this article has some great things in it I want to bring out, which I'll do in my replies.
erik_squires
The CR-1 is also a noteworthy device that can help you achieve a near perfect balance between your subs and speakers. 

I won't buy JL subs ever again though.  For the price they charge, you should have a much longer lasting product.  I too have had both amps fail on a pair of E110's, and have had major headaches because if it. For your money, you can get a more durable and equally sounding sub.  I miss the looks of my E110's (they are indeed a sexy device), but not the migraines induced from dealing with them failing. 
Use DSP to create your crossovers, then global EQ to bang the living heck out of the results. UGH. I see this not just with subs but with multi-way DIY systems. Don't do that.
why
The article has a good deal of useful information. I considered JL Audio, but thought the value proposition a tad lacking.

Ports are something to enjoy after dinner. IMO, ports create more problems than they solve.

One might find some useful information on integrating subs here http://ielogical.com/Audio/SubTerrBlues.php
I tried to read the JL article. Really, I tried. But I have this problem. Always been a problem, but seems to be getting much worse as I get older. The problem is first of all, I’m really good at spotting crap. And second of all, and this is the part that gets worse, the growing lack of patience dealing with nonsense, especially from people and sources who should know better. This JL Audio piece with all its bold statements and bold fonts highlighting the BS has my meter pegged.

So instead of commenting on all the crap and word salad nonsense, which would take like forever, here’s the one tiny little bit they did get right:
The only correct way to add a subwoofer to system is to define everything above the subwoofers range as an entity;... and then ... the subwoofer is one way and everything above it is the ‘other’ way.


Notice the ellipsis (...)? That’s because even around this one little bit they did get right is a bunch of stuff they got wrong. The part they screwed up is cut out. Thus ....

That’s it. The one thing they got right: low bass is one thing, midbass on up in frequency is another. Of course they can’t say "thing" they say "entity" which is just bad writing. People with little to say and even worse understanding always think big words will make up for their lack of content. As. If.

The truth is everything above the sub really is a whole different thing from everything below. If all their timing technobabble was even halfway true then a mix of four or five different subs randomly positioned around the room would surely be the worst possible bass. Instead of the best. So there you go.
...a mix of four or five different subs randomly positioned around the room would surely be the worst possible bass.
Thank-you for confirming. One may like it, but it is definitely not correct.