JBL Studio 550p 10" sealed 50 pound sub for $189 ($599 msrp)

[KEW]

https://www.amazon.com/JBL-Studio-550P-10-Inch-Subwoofer/dp/B0071UQ8FS

JBL has it for $600, but the entire Studio line has been on discount for awhile. The normal, recent discounted price on this sub has been $359, so $189 is an eye opener!

Steve81 gives an overview of this sub:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/jbl-studio-sub-550p-subwoofer-preview.85768/

The 50lbs is an interesting spec! Where does that weight come from? I checked, the driver frame is cast aluminum, not lead!
I really hope someone here buys one and opens it up to see where they stuck the 3 gallon milk jugs of water to account for the extra lbs!

So, for $756, you can buy a set of 4!

These are 10" sealed subs, they will not get it for those wanting the final word in LFE, by any means, however, if you are a music guy, with anechoic measurement of -3dB at 27Hz, these will offer all of the bass you need after room gain is added!
Also not a bad option to get a couple for HT if you are in an apartment and not wanting your neighbors to go postal on you!
If you want a sub for a larger grand/living room, these will probably not play loud enough if you like to crank it!
As long as these are on sale, I would forget about the typical $400-$500 10" sealed subs and buy two of these instead!

 

[Pogre]

Those look pretty legit. that's a smoking deal. I'm gonna run that by my son. He has one of my old Klipsch RPW10's in his small bedroom right now. You think this one would be an upgrade from what he has now?

*Edit: Actually it's his birthday in a couple of weeks... I might buy this for him. I'm gonna look for some 3rd party measurements.

 

[lovinthehd]

Might want to check on their history with amp problems with this line of subs...price is very nice, but I would consider longevity to be a potential issue (and seem to remember when contacting JBL for amp replacement/repair they can't help).

PS See my post #9 and comments beyond.

 

[Pogre]

Might want to check on their history with amp problems with this line of subs...price is very nice, but I would consider longevity to be a potential issue (and seem to remember when contacting JBL for amp replacement/repair they can't help).

Yeah, I saw your other post too. I brought it up to my son as casually as I could and what I got out of him is he'd rather have a sub for his car.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yeah, I saw your other post too. I brought it up to my son as casually as I could and what I got out of him is he'd rather have a sub for his car.

If he spends as much time in his car as I did at his age that makes complete sense...

 

[Pogre]

If he spends as much time in his car as I did at his age that makes complete sense...

He does, and it does.

 

[zieglj01]

Those look pretty legit. that's a smoking deal. I'm gonna run that by my son. He has one of my old Klipsch RPW10's in his small bedroom right now. You think this one would be an upgrade from what he has now?

*Edit: Actually it's his birthday in a couple of weeks... I might buy this for him. I'm gonna look for some 3rd party measurements.

Oh mercy, you are tough. The JBL will pretty much hit their specs -- here is a former review with measurements of the lower model 150P
http://i.nextmedia.com.au/avhub/australian-hifi_reviews_2011-05_to_12_2011-11_jbl_sub150p_subwoofer_review_lores.pdf

 

[zieglj01]

Might want to check on their history with amp problems with this line of subs...price is very nice, but I would consider longevity to be a potential issue (and seem to remember when contacting JBL for amp replacement/repair they can't help).

So far I have not found any amp issues with the Studio 550P sub -- if the sub holds up for 3 years, then that is a cost of $5.25 a month. It would be worth it to me for something like this.

One can always by the sub from JBL for $600 -- it looks like they modded the back panel and amp

 

[lovinthehd]

So far I have not found any amp issues with the Studio 550P sub -- if the sub holds up for 3 years, then that is a cost of $5.25 a month. It would be worth it to me for something like this.

One can always by the sub from JBL for $600 -- it looks like they modded the back panel and amp

I'm wondering if I'm remembering the correct series of JBL sub now, I can't find much on the subject using the model number either....maybe it was the 250p....my bad.

 

[zieglj01]

I'm wondering if I'm remembering the correct series of JBL sub now, I can't find much on the subject using the model number either....maybe it was the 250p....my bad.

I believe that may have been the 260P

 

[lovinthehd]

I believe that may have been the 260P

Found several issues with the 250P and 260P....

 

[KEW]

Found several issues with the 250P and 260P....

Even though it is the low end units, it is disappointing to hear JBL/Hamon would ever have amp problems!

 

[lovinthehd]

Even though it is the low end units, it is disappointing to hear JBL/Hamon would ever have amp problems!

I'm thinking they went outside their own group for these plate amps....

 

[KEW]

I'm thinking they went outside their own group for these plate amps....

Well they just need to stop doing that! LOL!
If you don't mind add an Edit correction to post #3. It'd be a shame if someone this was a good fit for ruled it out on the basis of that post. They might not bother to read this far!
Thanks!

 

[chrismtb]

Thoughts on this vs something like the BIC PL-200 II? The price is really tempting on this JBL, but I'm concerned about the 27 Hz low frequency being inadequate.

 

[rojo]

Thoughts on this vs something like the BIC PL-200 II? The price is really tempting on this JBL, but I'm concerned about the 27 Hz low frequency being inadequate.

There are benefits and trade offs. Comparing a 10" sealed sub to a 12" vented sub, it doesn't take much examination to determine which will move more air, or which will have a smaller footprint more appropriate for a space where floor space is at a premium.

See post #16 for my thoughts on the matter.

 

[panteragstk]

There are benefits and trade offs. Comparing a 10" sealed sub to a 12" vented sub, it doesn't take much examination to determine which will move more air, or which will have a smaller footprint more appropriate for a space where floor space is at a premium.

See post #16 for my thoughts on the matter.

...but...this is post #16

I will say that for the money you would be hard pressed to find a sub that has better specs. I'm tempted and I've got sub drivers without jobs to do.

 

[zieglj01]

Thoughts on this vs something like the BIC PL-200 II? The price is really tempting on this JBL, but I'm concerned about the 27 Hz low frequency being inadequate.

Do not buy into the Bic specs -- the Bic does not really go real low, and tends to not be the most linear. That is a good driver in the JBL. In another forum one person owned one of the Bic subs and then bought one of the Emotiva BasX S8 subs, and ended up preferring Emotiva because of better controlled bass. There is more to a sub than just what the eye sees.

 

[zieglj01]

...but...this is post #16

I will say that for the money you would be hard pressed to find a sub that has better specs. I'm tempted and I've got sub drivers without jobs to do.

The JBL is pretty much a no-brainer at that price

 

[panteragstk]

The JBL is pretty much a no-brainer at that price

Welp, I guess I'll find out why it's 50lbs...I decided to grab one for the office. I think that 15" sub I'm trying to do something with would be a bit too large. I can't even get a 500w amp for what I just paid for this thing.