JL Audio Fathom f113 Review

[Buckeyefan 1]

Here's a decent review (October '06) from a guy who owns the SVS Plus/2 sub:

http://www.hometheatersound.com/equipment/jl_fathom_f113.htm

Randall Smith:

Comparison

My reference subwoofer, the SVS PB12-Plus/2, is an incredible value at the price ($1199), and I continue to recommend it highly. In fact, some of the biggest differences between the JL and the SVS are in size and price: the SVS is three times the size of the Fathom but costs only a third as much. The SVS has two 12" cones and the Fathom a single 13" driver, but what the JL lacks in size it makes up for in driver capability and amplifier power. The f113 has some of the most advanced technology I’ve seen: the legendary W7 driver is a sight, and the ARO circuit helped me get flatter bass than ever before. Simply put, the Fathom f113 provides more possibilities. As for sound, the JL played deeper, louder, and tighter than the SVS with any material I chose. But this statement doesn’t apply only to the SVS PB12-Plus/2; it applies to every other active sub I’ve heard, at any price. The JL Audio Fathom f113 has become my new reference subwoofer.

 

[Sheep]

I wanna see measurements before I judge. He seemed blown away though.

A little too blown away.

SheepStar

 

[jaxvon]

I wanna see measurements before I judge. He seemed blown away though.

A little too blown away.

SheepStar

Agreed. However, I do not doubt that it is a spectacular product. JL Audio's W7 driver is an amazing piece of engineering. As well, for $3200, I think it had better blow your socks off!

 

[WmAx]

For under $1000, anyone can make one using an Ebay bought W7, P.A. amp, and some good ol' DIY. Of course I realize that most people would rather buy an inferior product that is prebuilt, for the same cost....

-Chris

 

[Sheep]

For under $1000, anyone can make one using an Ebay bought W7, P.A. amp, and some good ol' DIY. Of course I realize that most people would rather buy an inferior product that is prebuilt, for the same cost....

-Chris

Infierior? You're not just buying materials. This has a very robust amp, and room correction (that's AUTOMATED).

Not to mention it's dead SexEH!

SheepStar

 

[jaxvon]

Infierior? You're not just buying materials. This has a very robust amp, and room correction (that's AUTOMATED).

Not to mention it's dead SexEH!

SheepStar

No, I think he's talking about a Sub-$1000 subwoofer, equal in cost to the DIY JL audio sub.

Oh, and Chris, you can't forget the DCX!

 

[jlcct]

For under $1000, anyone can make one using an Ebay bought W7, P.A. amp, and some good ol' DIY. Of course I realize that most people would rather buy an inferior product that is prebuilt, for the same cost....

-Chris

Funny you say that! I've actualy been doing some personal pioneering into the speaker building realm as of late. I have always owned JL Audio speakers and amps in my car but I've sort of strayed away from the car audio hobby and I've been immersed more than ever into my home audio/theatre setup.
I've been buying components left and right lately and I'm at the point where I can't shake the desire to build a sub....a bad *** sub. My current sub (Dayton Titanic MKIII) is o.k. but the box sucks and the speaker can't handle the plate amp it came with.
I've decided that I want to build a sub using the 12W7 (or even two if I could figure out the tuning of the box). I have done a fair amount of reading and moved onto trying to design a box using BassBox Pro. I want to build a vented box design but I have come to a bump in the road.
According to BassBox the speaker requires an internal box volume (Vb) of 4.334 cu. ft and a box resonance (Fb) of 21.36 Hz. These figures don't allow the size of the box to fit the size of ports or vent required. If I shore up on the length of the ports or vent then I will end up with turbulance noise at low frequencys. I've been looking for a solution without having to switch subs or go with a sealed enclosure.
I thought about creating a vent that traveled around the inside of the box but I already am using BassBox as a crutch for the math on a standard ported box. They don't offer a solution for the math on anything besides a standard vented or ported box.

I've tried posting in the DIY section but for some reason I am not allowed. So here I am jacking this thread. I'm sorry but I have invested so much thought and time into this idea that I just couldn't help but throw this in here.

Thoughts? Anyone else experimented with this or had this problem with a different setup? Experience?

Jeff

 

[kgb540]

have you thought about using multiple, passive radiators? just a thought.

 

[silversurfer]

FWIW, the Fathom does not use a W7 driver....it is a different design.

Some good info here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=723558

 

[WmAx]

FWIW, the Fathom does not use a W7 driver....it is a different design.

Some good info here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=723558

Looks like JL Audio may have changed their marketing material. Earlier this year, JL Audio's marketing literature specifically stated that they used a variant of the W7. The pics of the driver for the Fathom, as well as the descriptions make it apparent it is a W7. Besides, it would not make sense to develop new driver technology just for a home application subwoofer, as JL Audio has already spent [probably millions] considerable monies to develop the W7 as one of the best performing driver technologies available.

-Chris

 

[silversurfer]

I'm sure there must be at least some similarities, but here is what the JL rep posted in that thread:

The drivers used in the Fathoms are not the same as the car versions of the W7. The motors are different and the coils are different.........


Manville Smith
JL Audio, Inc.

 

[WmAx]

According to BassBox the speaker requires an internal box volume (Vb) of 4.334 cu. ft and a box resonance (Fb) of 21.36 Hz. These figures don't allow the size of the box to fit the size of ports or vent required. If I shore up on the length of the ports or vent then I will end up with turbulance noise at low frequencys. I've been looking for a solution without having to switch subs or go with a sealed enclosure.
I thought about creating a vent that traveled around the inside of the box but I already am using BassBox as a crutch for the math on a standard ported box. They don't offer a solution for the math on anything besides a standard vented or ported box.

If you build the enclosure so that the inside dimension of two walls is 13", for example, you can build a rectangular port that is 13" Wide x 3" High x 47.8" Long. This would have greater cross section than 3 x 4" ports combined. You would simply put in 'baffles' to make the desired length(a folded pathway is the vent, somewhat resembling the way one fabricates a transmission line length). You add the required volume to compensate for the space this vent will occupy. The vent size specified is for illustrative purposes only. You can use can use WinISD Pro to easily calculate such ports if BassBox does not have this feature. WinISD Pro is freeware.

BTW, the Fathom appears to be a sealed system(at least the 13" version; I did not check out the other ones). With a proper ported system, you should easily outperform distortion and SPL of the sealed Fathom.

-Chris

 

[WmAx]

I'm sure there must be at least some similarities, but here is what the JL rep posted in that thread:

To make different, all one needs to do is, for example, have a different winding on the coil(to change the impedance, for example), and for the motor, make minor modifications to change T & S parameters. For an even bigger set of differences, let's compare the 10W7 to the 13W7. They have many different components when compared to each other, but they are the same core technology.

The differences between the 'official' W7 driver for car audio and the 'HTW7' for home audio are clearly minor ones used to optimize the home audio one for the specific target function(s) that JL Audio desired for their home subwoofers. However, the car version will work perfectly fine in home audio if used in the appropriate configuration(s), mainly, designing a proper enclosure and supplying the driver with sufficient power.

-Chris

 

[silversurfer]

To make different, all one needs to do is, for example, have a different winding on the coil(to change the impedance, for example), and for the motor, make minor modifications to change T & S parameters. For an even bigger set of differences, let's compare the 10W7 to the 13W7. They have many different components when compared to each other, but they are the same core technology.

The differences between the 'official' W7 driver for car audio and the 'HTW7' for home audio are clearly minor ones used to optimize the home audio one for the specific target function(s) that JL Audio desired for their home subwoofers. However, the car version will work perfectly fine in home audio if used in the appropriate configuration(s), mainly, designing a proper enclosure and supplying the driver with sufficient power.

-Chris

I think we are in agreement. I'm sure it is a great sub.

 

[Sheep]

The one thing that's annoying me the most is there's no FR specs on JL's site.

BAH!

AH, get one and review it!

SheepStar

 

[WmAx]

The one thing that's annoying me the most is there's no FR specs on JL's site.

BAH!

AH, get one and review it!

SheepStar

Since it is a small sealed system, it most likely has a rather poor natural frequency response extension. Typically, in such systems as this, equalization is used to accomplish the target response. Being such, it is trivial for them to achieve a flat response to the specified extension that they claim. Nothing wrong with this approach, but it does result in reduced SPL and raised distortion relative to a system with inherent extension using the same driver(s).

-Chris

 

[Davidt1]

Nice review. That's one impressive sub. This sub proves that sealed subs can play loud and deep. It appears that a massive amount of amp power is required to achieve great sounds in a sealed sub.

 

[jlcct]

If you build the enclosure so that the inside dimension of two walls is 13", for example, you can build a rectangular port that is 13" Wide x 3" High x 47.8" Long. This would have greater cross section than 3 x 4" ports combined. You would simply put in 'baffles' to make the desired length(a folded pathway is the vent, somewhat resembling the way one fabricates a transmission line length). You add the required volume to compensate for the space this vent will occupy. The vent size specified is for illustrative purposes only. You can use can use WinISD Pro to easily calculate such ports if BassBox does not have this feature. WinISD Pro is freeware.

BTW, the Fathom appears to be a sealed system(at least the 13" version; I did not check out the other ones). With a proper ported system, you should easily outperform distortion and SPL of the sealed Fathom.

-Chris

First off thanks so much for the response. I just got home from work and I am going to bed but I will do more research regarding WinISD and some further calculations later today. Again thanks.

Jeff