JTR Speakers Captivator RS1 Subwoofer Review

[shadyJ]

Among home theater enthusiasts, JTR Speakers has carved a name out itself as the go-to subwoofer manufacturer for high-output at ultra-low frequencies. If you want serious bass in the lowest part of the audible frequency spectrum, JTR Speakers is the first name that crops up in any discussion of capable brands. It was that reputation for deep bass performance that made me leap at a chance to review a JTR subwoofer, and in for review today we have the Captivator RS1. The Captivator RS1 is the smallest sub that JTR makes, but that doesn’t mean it is a weakling. With a high-excursion 18” woofer and a 2,400-watt amplifier, this “entry-level” sub from JTR is far more powerful than the flagship subs from most other subwoofer manufacturers. At $2,600, the RS1 is not an inexpensive sub, so what is it doing that commands that kind of price tag? Read our full review to find out!

READ: JTR Captivator RS1 Subwoofer Review

 

[ryanosaur]

(Review will go live soon, don't panic id link doesn't work yet...)

But...

...want now, Shady.

 

[Danzilla31]

Among home theater enthusiasts, JTR Speakers has carved a name out itself as the go-to subwoofer manufacturer for high-output at ultra-low frequencies. If you want serious bass in the lowest part of the audible frequency spectrum, JTR Speakers is the first name that crops up in any discussion of capable brands. It was that reputation for deep bass performance that made me leap at a chance to review a JTR subwoofer, and in for review today we have the Captivator RS1. The Captivator RS1 is the smallest sub that JTR makes, but that doesn’t mean it is a weakling. With a high-excursion 18” woofer and a 2,400-watt amplifier, this “entry-level” sub from JTR is far more powerful than the flagship subs from most other subwoofer manufacturers. At $2,600, the RS1 is not an inexpensive sub, so what is it doing that commands that kind of price tag? Read our full review to find out!
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READ: JTR Captivator RS1 Subwoofer Review

What a fantastic sub Shady especially for the size. I've got some bites on my PB 4000's but no one has committed yet but when they sell I have some tough choices to make.

I'm probably going passive with RBH but I've always liked the idea of a sealed sub that can handle the deep waters of a ported sub.

Just for the fact that you can get the full range if they're powerful enough without chuffing and they can extend beyond the ported subs port tune limit they're not cheap but that advantage alone seems worth it

If I was going for it in my room it would be the RS 2 I can't imagine what that beast would be like being double the sub of the RS 1 which is already a beast in its own right

Have to do some thinking man I wish he would offer a passive version of these which you can just buy your own amplifier to run on.

That's one real plus with RBH I LOVE the fact they offer a passive version of all they're lineups

Anyways great writeup thanks for a totally awesome review!

 

[ryanosaur]

That looks quite delightful. I can only imagine what replacing my 2 X-13s with two of those would do to me in my 2000'3 room!

@Jeff Permanian thank you for your efforts and raising the bar on performance!
@shadyJ thanks for another good review!

 

[lovinthehd]

What a fantastic sub Shady especially for the size. I've got some bites on my PB 4000's but no one has committed yet but when they sell I have some tough choices to make.

I'm probably going passive with RBH but I've always liked the idea of a sealed sub that can handle the deep waters of a ported sub.

Just for the fact that you can get the full range if they're powerful enough without chuffing and they can extend beyond the ported subs port tune limit they're not cheap but that advantage alone seems worth it

If I was going for it in my room it would be the RS 2 I can't imagine what that beast would be like being double the sub of the RS 1 which is already a beast in its own right

Have to do some thinking man I wish he would offer a passive version of these which you can just buy your own amplifier to run on.

That's one real plus with RBH I LOVE the fact they offer a passive version of all they're lineups

Anyways great writeup thanks for a totally awesome review!

Might be worth contacting JTR to see if they'd build subs for the external amp version of the SpeakerPower amps instead of the plate amp?

 

[everettT]

Might be worth contacting JTR to see if they'd build subs for the external amp version of the SpeakerPower amps instead of the plate amp?

Since they make both it I doubt it is an issue.

 

[Danzilla31]

Might be worth contacting JTR to see if they'd build subs for the external amp version of the SpeakerPower amps instead of the plate amp?

Thanks to both of you guys I'll do that

 

[shadyJ]

Have to do some thinking man I wish he would offer a passive version of these which you can just buy your own amplifier to run on.

That's one real plus with RBH I LOVE the fact they offer a passive version of all they're lineups

There isn't any point in JTR offering a passive version of this. It is already well-matched with its amp, and it is already well-tuned JTR. It isn't as if anyone who would add an amp on a sub like this could calibrate it better than Jeff. It is already fully optimized. That is what you get when you buy a turnkey sub like this, you don't have to futz around with amplifier settings.

 

[ryanosaur]

There isn't any point in JTR offering a passive version of this. It is already well-matched with its amp, and it is already well-tuned JTR. It isn't as if anyone who would add an amp on a sub like this could calibrate it better than Jeff. It is already fully optimized. That is what you get when you buy a turnkey sub like this, you don't have to futz around with amplifier settings.

I was going to post something to this effect. Having a DSP program to optimize the response built in, then stripping all of that away with the Amp doesn’t make much sense to me.
I guess I can understand it from a true DIY perspective...
To be fair, I have zero knowledge of how the RBH Subs operate when they come with a plate Amps vs not; if they are DSP tuned or not.

What is the argument for going passive?

 

[lovinthehd]

There isn't any point in JTR offering a passive version of this. It is already well-matched with its amp, and it is already well-tuned JTR. It isn't as if anyone who would add an amp on a sub like this could calibrate it better than Jeff. It is already fully optimized. That is what you get when you buy a turnkey sub like this, you don't have to futz around with amplifier settings.

.

I agree that I wouldn't just want the drivers in a box without Jeff's touch on the amp programming....but since SpeakerPower makes both rack style and plate amps and pretty sure they're equally programmable....worth an ask for Danzilla's case. Personally I'd rather go that way than use plate amps.....

 

[Danzilla31]

I was going to post something to this effect. Having a DSP program to optimize the response built in, then stripping all of that away with the Amp doesn’t make much sense to me.
I guess I can understand it from a true DIY perspective...
To be fair, I have zero knowledge of how the RBH Subs operate when they come with a plate Amps vs not; if they are DSP tuned or not.

What is the argument for going passive?

It's not so much as going passive but rather getting the plate amp to be built for the rack instead of in the sub

I've had def tech towers in the past and subs with plate amps built in them already fail several times through the years getting wary of amps in enclosures if that makes any sense

Like Lovin said Im going to contact him and ask

 

[everettT]

.

I agree that I wouldn't just want the drivers in a box without Jeff's touch on the amp programming....but since SpeakerPower makes both rack style and plate amps and pretty sure they're equally programmable....worth an ask for Danzilla's case. Personally I'd rather go that way than use plate amps.....

I'd think that it wouldn't be an issue, I could be wrong but Jeff is great to work with.

 

[lovinthehd]

Sometimes it's the use of the term "passive sub" that gets to me, which merely means supplying your own amp. If the sub needs particular dsp to meet the designer's goals....

 

[lovinthehd]

It's not so much as going passive but rather getting the plate amp to be built for the rack instead of in the sub

I've had def tech towers in the past and subs with plate amps built in them already fail several times through the years getting wary of amps in enclosures if that makes any sense

Like Lovin said Im going to contact him and ask

SPEAKERPOWER

Premium Home Theater Hifi Subwoofer amplifiers built in California.

www.speakerpower.net

 

[Danzilla31]

SPEAKERPOWER

Premium Home Theater Hifi Subwoofer amplifiers built in California.

www.speakerpower.net

Not cheap but they are badass

 

[everettT]

I'd think that it wouldn't be an issue, I could be wrong but Jeff is great to work with.

Just to clarify the amp question, Jeff could offer it with the external amp and DSP loaded. I wasn't implying to get it without the file.

 

[lovinthehd]

Just to clarify the amp question, Jeff could offer it with the external amp and DSP loaded. I wasn't implying to get it without the file.

Well Dan has been contemplating using existing Crown XLS amps with the RBH "passive" subs. Altho I think the SpeakerPower amps are the way to go if spending this kinda money

 

[everettT]

Well Dan has been contemplating using existing Crown XLS amps with the RBH "passive" subs. Altho I think the SpeakerPower amps are the way to go if spending this kinda money

It's the transform for a sealed sub I'd think Jeff doesn't want to release. The ported sub would be tuned, to a certain degree.

 

[lovinthehd]

It's the transform for a sealed sub I'd think Jeff doesn't want to release. The ported sub would be tuned, to a certain degree.

Then there's the mixing of sealed/ported subs....

 

[Danzilla31]

Well Dan has been contemplating using existing Crown XLS amps with the RBH "passive" subs. Altho I think the SpeakerPower amps are the way to go if spending this kinda money

I'd only use the crowns at first no sense spending money just yet if I already have something to get the job done but I agree with you totally down the road I would eventually replace them with the better speakercraft amp