Subwoofers

(Originally written by xav69/translated from Audiofanzine FR) I've owned a 18G550 for 4 years and I can assure you that this speaker is better than everything I've heard regarding low-frequency response. Yes, we're talking about low-frequency... The impact is not localized at 30 Hz, for that you'll need something else. This speaker produces low and ultra-low frequencies without compromises. It is THE speaker for ultra low-end. You'll only get ultra low-end and nothing else! It's perfect to enhance a system which already has subwoofers and to produce that famous "impact" everyone is talking about... Beyma for tweeters, Beyma for Boomers, Beyma for ever...

The JBL JRX 118S is a passive subwoofer that has a clean sound in almost any room size. I would crank this subwoofer up in many different spaces and would get zero distortion or muddy sounding bass. This is the subwoofer line from JBL that originally made me fall in love with their subs in the first place, the JRX line of subs was a way to get a great sounding bass without having to spend a ton of money on a subwoofer. That was back in companies like Mackie where overcharging for quality subwoofers and it was hard to find one that was good without breaking your whole budget on one. These subs are built to take a beating; I still own mine and though I do not use it anymore I will never get rid of it because it symbolized how hard I use to have to work. I would take this sub with me everywhere when I was first starting out as a DJ and stage manager for other bands that needed me. The sound of this sub is very clean, the low tones are full and rich and when you use it with some good speakers it will just complete the sound and work for any style of music. This woofer has never given a single issue. After using it for all of those years, it never had a single problem and that is generally what you get with JBL. You will get a good quality piece of gear from them all of the time. This JRX118S is the reason that I have purchased so many other woofers from JBL. You can get 1400 watts of peak power out of this woofer and 350 at continuous use. I am very happy that I purchased this woofer years ago, and I am even happier that I didn’t get rid of it and still own it!

If you are looking for powerful bass, this is the sub you need to get. I have always been a huge fan of all Bose products so it was not an issue for me to spend the money on this one. If you have the Bose L1 model system or even the Model II system then this is the sub you need to go with those set ups. This sub looks great and sounds even better. If you need to get more low end out of it you can easily switch it to the + position and make your bass even deeper for your drums which is mainly what we used it for. You can leave it in the – position for normal modes. This is one of the most powerful subs that Bose has come out with and definitely is for the Model II and L 1 systems. You will get very low frequencies and deep hard hitting bass with this woofer and it is all packed into a woofer that only weighs 45 pounds. This is what Bose does; they make the best possible products using the best possible materials! You will pay for it though because it is not cheap, and nothing from Bose is ever cheap. I have used Bose products for over 15 years and everything they make is very good and has never given me any issues. If you buy from them the customer support is absolutely free and cost you nothing. Someone will be able to assist you on the phone without a problem. I also recommend purchasing directly from them for the best possible customer service, because if any issues arise the place where you purchased it form will most likely tell you to call Bose anyways so you mine as well save your self some time and purchase directly from them and that way you can even get a warranty plan (which I recommend when spending this kind of money).

Added a pair to a large installed system for around $400 each. Bought from a local Peavey rep. Peavey has a winner with the Impulse subs. It's basically an Impulse enclosure with no tweeter, just a Black Widow woofer. But what a woofer! It's rated at 1000W program (!), but I'd only recommend that outside, in a large area. For example, the pair being reviewed here are hanging in a high school gym, connected to a 400W amp. Light the system up with a hip-hop CD, and you can literally shake the bleachers! Another nice feature is the built-in low-pass filter. No more fiddling with crossovers and custom wiring harnesses. Just plug it in (even daisy-chained from your tops) and ROCK! Most subs are all about the thump. Sure it doesn't sound that great, but you get the cool effect to complement your mids. The impulse is different: it SOUNDS GOOD! In fact, you don't really hear the excessive bass, you feel it. The low-pass filter is only on the 1/4in input. It would be nice if the Speakon was filtered too, just for ease of use. Granted, that's a pretty weak complaint. These subs are just that good. As subs go, this one is pocket-sized. The ones I bought are hanging from the ceiling, but I wouldn't mind hauling a couple of these around in my portable PA--they're that small and light! The injection-molded case even has fly-points, handle, and pole-mount built right in so you can use it however you see fit. The Impulse has a Speakon input, plus a pair of paralleled 1/4in jacks for daisy-chaining goodness. Injection molding appears to be the cabinet of the future, and I welcome it! I highly doubt you can abuse these to the point of serious damage, even with road use. And if you do, the woofers are field-rebuildable for a quick and easy fix. If you need some serious thump in your small to mid-size PA system, don't bother shopping. Get Peavey Impulse subs. They're definitely not the cheapest subs out there, but they're light, versatile, and ridiculously tough. Throw in loud with a clean, tight sound and you've got every soundman's "dream features" list. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I've been looking to find a good subwoofer for my band's PA system (which I won't mention, since I'm sort of embarrassed). Basically, we were loud enough, but we didn't have the earth shaking low end we needed. Now we were doing great before we started mic'ing drums, because the bass cabinet that our bassist was using was more than enough. But once our collective mic collection grew, and we played venues that mic'd drums, we realized the low end on the kick drum, and even the guitars was rather lacking. Adding this sub to our rig was a great idea. I actually might need to update the rest of the PA system to match the quality of this sub! How's that for backwards? The good thing about this thing is the fact that its tasteful. It's not a great choice for a DJ who needs to keep a dancefloor at a club hoppin', because it doesn't have the obscene amounts of power that is necessary in this day and age. This is just a great idea for a band who needs to add a bit of low end to the overall mix. It won't shake the foundation of your house if you use it indoors. It also won't muddy the rest of your sound, as often happens when a band tries to add the low end to the mix. It manages to be very clear and forthright. Arguably the best feature of this product is the price, there are supposedly inferior speakers that list for twice as much. Most speakers in the price range of this speaker are guaranteed to break within a given amount of time. Not so with this one. The source that recommended it to me has had his for years. It's probably not ready to play a huge venue, but at that point, you probably won't be dragging a PA with you.