JL Audio E-Sub e110 and e112 Subwoofers Review

[admin]

When JL Audio announced their new "budget" E-Series line of subwoofers we clamored to get in review samples to see if they would live up to the legacy of their name. The new E-Sub e110 ($1,500) features a 10" driver and 1200 watt amp while the e112 ($1,900) features a 12" driver mated with a 1500 watt amp. These subwoofers have some of the best fit and finishing we've seen on any speaker and they are so small that they should fit into anyone's room. They were rock solid no matter what I put them through never misbehaving regardless of the severity of the signal source. The E-Series JL Audio subwoofers may be one of the best options on the market for those in need of a small yet powerful bass system. The e110 subwoofer easily meets the specified output thresholds to receive the Audioholics Bassaholic Medium Room rating. Its larger brother the e112 was able to meet the output requirements needed to garner the Audioholics Bassaholic Large Room rating. Highly recommended!

Read the our JL Audio e110 and e112 Subwoofer Reviews

Do you own one of these subs or planning on getting one soon? Share your experiences here.

 

[Sheep]

Dear JL, please make something in the 500 dollar price range.

KTHXBAI.

SheepStar

 

[ErinH]

Excellent review, Josh. I really appreciate the time you took to provide not only subjective thoughts but objective data and correlating analysis as well. I actually own two of the e112 subs and share your sentiments. Yes, it's not cheap, but when you consider what JL was going for - packing a whallop down to 20hz while being in a very small enclosure - they've hit the nail on the head. Compared to the plethora of other subs (DIY and brand name) I've had over the years, these are exactly what was needed to compromise space for output.

 

[gene]

Excellent review, Josh. I really appreciate the time you took to provide not only subjective thoughts but objective data and correlating analysis as well. I actually own two of the e112 subs and share your sentiments. Yes, it's not cheap, but when you consider what JL was going for - packing a whallop down to 20hz while being in a very small enclosure - they've hit the nail on the head. Compared to the plethora of other subs (DIY and brand name) I've had over the years, these are exactly what was needed to compromise space for output.

Erin,

Ironically these subs are still more affordable than some of the ID brands and for there size nothing can touch them. JL Audio is upgrading my dual f110s in our family room system for dual e112s. I can't wait to experience the difference and I will definitely write it up.

 

[gene]

Dear JL, please make something in the 500 dollar price range.

KTHXBAI.

SheepStar

That's what SVS is for. The SB-1000 or preferably the SB-2000 which will get you fairly close to the e110's performance for less money.

 

[Ricci]

Excellent review, Josh. I really appreciate the time you took to provide not only subjective thoughts but objective data and correlating analysis as well. I actually own two of the e112 subs and share your sentiments. Yes, it's not cheap, but when you consider what JL was going for - packing a whallop down to 20hz while being in a very small enclosure - they've hit the nail on the head. Compared to the plethora of other subs (DIY and brand name) I've had over the years, these are exactly what was needed to compromise space for output.

Thanks Erin. The JL's are nice subs. I'm a big sub kinda guy and I usually come away underwhelmed with the small sealed units but these have more balls than most.

 

[theJman]

Thanks Erin. The JL's are nice subs. I'm a big sub kinda guy and I usually come away underwhelmed with the small sealed units but these have more balls than most.

+1

I can personally attest to that. Expensive, yes, but amazing little subwoofers. If they make an E113 I'm all over it...

 

[ErinH]

They say every man needs a pair, right?....

This is with a temporary setup just checking everything works as it should.

I'm a bass head at heart. I strive for reference audio quality... but I'm a bass head at heart. That said, these two in my room (26x17x8) is plenty adequate for my needs. The throw on these things is unreal. I kept turning up the knob and they kept going, showing no audible signs of mechanical stress. I'm looking forward to actually getting the room finished and tuning these properly. I LOVE the variable phase adjustment on the amp. That makes blending the sub(s) with the rest if the system so much easier. And saves me from having to add more architecture in the chain with my DSP.

 

[Sheep]

I just like their aesthetic. They have a large range of drivers to choose from, would be nice to see them branching out a bit.

SheepStar

 

[jsc1979]

I just picked up a e112 a couple of days ago. This sub sounds amazing! I haven't had any time yet (haven't been able to coax wife and 2 year old away for the day) to do any type of set up/calibration.

My preliminary thoughts are that this is a keeper. For 1 sub it fills my open floor plan room up with a nice amount of bass, it has impact/feel to it with music and movies. This has proved tough to do in my room due to its size and layout. My open room is approx 5k + ft^3. My mlp is adjacent to a wide hallway going to the entrance of my house, and behind it is my kitchen and dining area.

Duals would be awesome. I have it paired with my Ascend Acoustics Sierra 2's and they blend seamless. Can't wait to get it all dialed in!

 

[KEW]

Erin,

Ironically these subs are still more affordable than some of the ID brands and for there size nothing can touch them. JL Audio is upgrading my dual f110s in our family room system for dual e112s. I can't wait to experience the difference and I will definitely write it up.

Gene,
Is this still happening? Has it already happened?
I could search for your write-up, but I'm lazy and figure it'd make sense for you to link it from this thread anyway.

Cheers,
Kurt

 

[carlosdecibel]

I was about to purchase the Velodyne SPL-1200 Ultra but am now considering the e112. Any opinions?

 

[gene]

Gene,
Is this still happening? Has it already happened?
I could search for your write-up, but I'm lazy and figure it'd make sense for you to link it from this thread anyway.

Cheers,
Kurt

Yes I traded up my f110s for e112s. Big improvement in sound and depth!

Check out my Youtube Review:

 

[gene]

I was about to purchase the Velodyne SPL-1200 Ultra but am now considering the e112. Any opinions?

The Velodyne SPL-1200 is a nice sub but the JL Audio e112 is better in every category of performance. You would have to move up to a DD-12+ or 15+ to match the JL performance.

 

[ATLAudio]

I was able to demo an e112 along side a PSA XS15se in home and the only thing that was better about the E112 was it's diminutive size. They almost sounded identical, except the PSA seemed (very slightly) tighter on ultra low bass. At the time, my scientific wild ass guess was this being a 15" woofer behaving better at lower frequencies. I later found out in the Data-Bass measurements that the impulse response on the JL was not as tight. Some might say not tight for sealed design at all. If you compare there are some vented subs with better IR, but it didn't matter much. At the end of day the main thing better about the PSA was that it was $1000 cheaper. Even if the impulse response advantage was with JL, I'd certainly not have given it a $1000 value. When it was given to me in a cheaper option, it was a no brainer.

Since size wasn't a factor, the JL's only advantage in my set up, I went with the PSA.

 

[theJman]

The 'se' version of the PSA subs have won a lot of fans. Having reviewed that model as well as the original version means I was fortunate enough to experience both first hand, and while I thought the original was solid I like the se much better. It's a great product and I'm sure you'll enjoy it for years to come.

 

[billy p]

Yup...the "SE" certainly improved things...most notability I gained about 3db ~50-80 hz in my situation...with better transient response & composure throughout the entire mid-bass frequency range...a worthwhile upgrade...IMO.

 

[haraldo]

They say every man needs a pair, right?....

This is with a temporary setup just checking everything works as it should.

I'm a bass head at heart. I strive for reference audio quality... but I'm a bass head at heart. That said, these two in my room (26x17x8) is plenty adequate for my needs. The throw on these things is unreal. I kept turning up the knob and they kept going, showing no audible signs of mechanical stress. I'm looking forward to actually getting the room finished and tuning these properly. I LOVE the variable phase adjustment on the amp. That makes blending the sub(s) with the rest if the system so much easier. And saves me from having to add more architecture in the chain with my DSP.

Priorities are in order, first get the stereo system in .... then you can finish the room

 

[haraldo]

Why is it that JL Audio employs absolutely zip damping material in these subs?
And does really not have any detrimental consequences?

 

[KEW]

Why is it that JL Audio employs absolutely zip damping material in these subs?
And does really not have any detrimental consequences?

Are you sure it has no detrimental consequences?
I think they could definitely use some damping!