About the JL Audio 12W7AE-3
Celebrating 10 years of unrivaled bass performance
Celebrating 10 years of unrivaled bass performance
Ten years ago, JL Audio redefined low-frequency reproduction with their masterful, designed-from-scratch W7 subs. Now, the Anniversary Edition W7 Series 12W7AE-3 12" subwoofer features the latest refinements to this groundbreaking design, highlighted by a satin-black frame, silvery anodized trim ring, and special anniversary logo.
Profound bass for the music-lover
Each W7 sub is built to meticulous standards at JL Audio's factory in Miramar, Florida. JL Audio put 30+ years of sonic expertise into their legendary W7 subwoofers, so you can expect smooth, powerful bass that enhances your favorite music.
Innovative design for impressive performance
Six patented technologies help this W7 sub deliver unmatched performance:
W-Cone™: a dish-shaped outer cone is supported by a second W-shaped inner cone attached to the sub's voice coil structure. This design creates a super-rigid, lightweight cone that responds rapidly for accurate bass without unwanted coloration.
OverRoll™: an innovative mounting method lets the surround wrap around the outside of the mounting flange. This method allows for more useable cone area than conventional surrounds, so this sub moves more air for deeper lows.
Floating Cone Attach Method (FCAM™): precision engineering aligns the voice coil, and woofer cone for incredibly linear woofer movement, which means you'll hear exceptionally accurate bass.
Plateau-reinforced spider attachment: a collar on the voice coil eases stress on the spider for extended excursion and improved reliability.
Elevated frame cooling and cross-drilled pole-piece: cone movement pumps air through vents in the frame and machined holes in the pole piece. Your voice coils stay cooler, even when you're pushing your system.
Product highlights:
- 12" 3-ohm subwoofer
- polypropylene W-Cone with polyester foam surround
- solid cast-alloy basket
- power range: 400-1000 watts RMS
- peak power handling: 2000 watts
- frequency response: 18-200 Hz
- sensitivity: 86.2 dB
- top-mount depth: 9-1/2"
- sealed box volume: 1.375 cubic feet
- ported box volume: 1.75 cubic feet
- grille not included
- warranty: 1 year
- Our 60-day money-back guarantee
- MFR # 92115
What's in the box:
JL Audio 12W7AE-3 owner's manual
- One 12" Single voice coil subwoofer (attached to an MDF baffle board with 12 Phillips-head screws)
- Owner's manual
- On-line product registration information
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More details on the JL Audio 12W7AE-3
Features & specs
| Size | 12 -inch | |
| Impedance (Ohms) | 3 | |
| Cone Material | Polypropylene | |
| Surround Material | Polyester foam | |
| Ideal Sealed Box Volume (cubic feet) | 1.375 | |
| Ideal Ported Box Volume (cubic feet) | 1.75 | |
| Port diameter (inches) | N/A | |
| Port length (inches) | N/A | |
| Free-Air | No | |
| Dual Voice Coil | No | |
| Sensitivity |
86.2 dB at 1 watt | |
| Frequency Response | 18 - 200 Hz | |
| Max RMS Power Handling | 1000 | |
| Peak Power Handling (Watts) | 2000 | |
| Top Mount Depth (inches) | 9 1/2 | |
| Bottom Mount Depth (inches) | N/A | |
| Cutout Diameter or Length (inches) | 10 1/2 | |
| Vas (liters) | 66 | |
| Fs (Hz) | 27.2 | |
| Qts | 0.482 | |
| Xmax (millimeters) | 29 | |
| Parts Warranty | 1 Year | |
| Labor Warranty | 1 Year | |
Product Research
Features
Enclosure Compatibility
Features
W-Cone: The JL Audio W7AE subwoofers utilize a patented W-Cone design; the unit-body cone assembly maximizes cone stiffness with minimal mass. The shape also provides torsional rigidity, critical to maintaining voice coil alignment at the suspension limits. Two lightweight mineral-filled polypropylene skins are bonded together at the perimeter and the center of the assembly. The lower skin's cross-section is shaped like a W and the upper skin is the part of the cone visible from the top.
OverRoll Surround: OverRoll Surround technology allows JL Audio to make use of the entire footprint of the speaker, placing the surround further to the outside than in a conventional woofer. This means the oversized surround can support greater x-max without sacrificing cone area. An added benefit is that the mounting holes are sealed by the surround, resulting in an improved box seal.
Ultra-Long Voice Coil: The W7AE subwoofers feature an ultra-long voice coil to enhance linear excursion, power handling and control. The large surface area of the coil offers excellent heat dissipation, while the winding height provides the necessary motivational force to achieve the excursion of the W7AE design.
Floating Cone Attachment Method (FCAM): JL Audio's patented FCAM technology is an innovative method of bonding the surround/cone assembly to the voice coil/spider assembly. This assembly technique ensures proper surround geometry in the assembled speaker for better excursion control and dynamic voice coil alignment.
Dynamic Motor Analysis (DMA): DMA is JL Audio's proprietary analysis method aimed at improving dynamic motor behavior. As a result of DMA optimization, W7AE motors remain linear in motor force over a long range of excursion, and also maintain a stable fixed magnetic field in the gap over a wide power range. This leads to reduced distortion, faithfully reproduced transients, and tight, clean, articulate bass.
Forced Air Cooled: The elevated frame design of the W7AE delivers cool air through slots directly above the top-plate to the voice coil. This not only enhances power handling, but also sound quality by minimizing dynamic parameter shifts and power compression.
Radial Cross-Drilled Pole Piece: This venting system enhances heat dissipation and power handling by directing air flow onto the voice coil former, working in conjunction with the Forced Air Cooling technology.
Progressive-Roll Spider: The large, progressive-roll spider provides precise control and motor/voice coil alignment without limiting excursion prematurely.
Plateau-Reinforced Spider Attachment: A derivative of JL Audio's VRC technology, this suspension attachment relieves stress from the spider material at high excursions for enhanced reliability.
Co-Extruded Double Lead Wires: The extruded casing and carefully engineered attachments ensure controlled lead-wire behavior under the most extreme excursion demands. Two conductors are used per connection for ample current carrying capability.
Enclosure Compatibility
Sealed Box: The recommended sealed box volume is 1.375 cubic feet; a diagram is provided in the owner's manual for a sealed box with external dimensions of 15.5" W x 15.5" H x 15.0" D, assuming 3/4" thick box material (If you are using 5/8" thick materials, you should subtract 1/4" from each dimension).
Ported Box: The recommended ported box volume is 1.75 cubic feet; a diagram is provided in the owner's manual for a slot ported box with external dimensions of 22.5" W x 15.5" H x 15.5" D, assuming 3/4" thick box material (If you are using 5/8" thick materials, you should subtract 1/4" from each dimension). A slot port is recommended with the following dimensions:
- Slot Width: 1.75"
- Slot Height: 14.0"
- Slot Length: 24.0" (a right angled port with a 7.625" extension)
The JL Audio 12W7AE-3 replaces these items
- polypropylene W-Cone with polyester foam surround
- 18-200 Hz frequency response
- 400-1,000 watts RMS power range
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Customer Q&A
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I have had a lot of top brands from kicker to rockford fosgate. The W7 12 ae it is being pushed be the hd750/1 this is a real game changer the bass that comes out of this subwoffer is the hardest and perfect sounding sub I have heard.
Robert from California