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JBL BassPro SL2 Under Seat Slim Subwoofer Review

Rate this Automotive "subwoofer:"

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 64 71.1%

  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 22 24.4%

  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 4 4.4%

  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    90
"Without a reference, it is hard to know how good or bad these numbers are. Fortunately I also bought a Kicker version I will be testing next. Until then, I sort of assumed laws of physics were suspended and this thing would act like a proper woofer with flat response until it couldn't. Instead we have this one note response. With EQ it the peak can be flattened but then I worry about amount of power available. Will be testing it in van and post the final conclusion then."

You will get huge room/cabin gain in a typical car. I mean it could be 20db by the time you get down around 30-40hrz. Less of course in a big huge camper.

I've tried these type of subs and they are just not worth it IMHO. It just for a under the seat in a small car vs nothing type of dilemma.
Just build your own box(es) and end up with some awesome bass.
I'd go vented vs sealed for efficiency and less strain on the alternator but that means a bit bigger box.
Still lots of options for great bass in small boxes in a small room like a car. Well in your case a very large car.
 
Oh man, for years I've thought about purchasing one of these during holiday sales and sending it to you. Many thanks!
 
Now that we are on page 2, this tanget seems cool to me.

You mentioned you want better speakers vs the 4" set you are trying now.

So maybe be the guy who tries these JBL/REVEL car audio components. :)

Retail a few months ago was $5000 but Sound of Tri-State has them for $999.99 right now ( Crutchfield still has them for $3000)
I was tempted but in the past did all DIY stuff and now I have some stuff already that I can't return. Plus $1000 is still crazy vs PE or Madisound OEM stuff.

JBL Arena X 36Be
www.soundoftristate.com

JBL Arena X 36Be

Arena X Series 6-1/2" 3-way component speaker system
www.soundoftristate.com www.soundoftristate.com
1747872006863.png


They also have the 2way set the 'JBL Arena 26Be' for $799 down from $2000
www.soundoftristate.com

JBL Arena 26Be

Arena Series 6-1/2" 2-way component speaker system
www.soundoftristate.com www.soundoftristate.com
1747872049912.png
 

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MoreWatts said:
If the Sprinter's original sound system did not have a subwoofer, you should check to make sure the factory head-unit even outputs low frequencies.
Click to expand...
The factory unit is long gone or was deleted when the RV maker (Aistream) purchased it and put in the Kenwood head unit. I am ditching that as well as I can't stand its slow response and lack of features. That, of course is a project by itself. I purchased a $600 non-name Android head unit that will arrive on Friday. Will report on how it does! If it works, it seems far superior to offerings from traditional companies at double the price.
 
jomo said:
Doesn't the Klippel predict room response?
Click to expand...
It does but not for this kind of "room." What it produced was identical to on-axis as this is an omni speaker due to low frequencies it produces.
 
ROOSKIE said:
You will get huge room/cabin gain in a typical car. I mean it could be 20db by the time you get down around 30-40hrz. Less of course in a big huge camper.
Click to expand...
The camper actually came one with a sub in a custom enclosure that was a bit bigger than this tested unit. It sounded awful and just produced thump thump. I needed the space for my Lithium batteries so took it out. Maybe with EQ would have sounded better. The camper is 24 feet by the way so quite long and this sub was put way in the back.
 
bachatero said:
What frequencies though?
Click to expand...
multiple things going on there, although my comment was initially just pointed at "how much bass (in measurements) makes us happy?", I realize the video also asks, "what bass frequencies and volumes combine with the rolling shutter effect of a camera to create the effect illustrated here?" Even though cameras run on a DC source I just assume the rolling shutter effect is maximized when the bass frequency is some multiple of the frame rate the video is being recorded at, so something like 24 Hz, 30Hz, or 60 Hz, depending on the camera and settings. But initially I was just poking fun at the nexus of "audio coming from a van" and "subwoofers"
 
cavedriver said:
How do we quantify this? Science says bass at infrasonic levels like this makes us inexplicably happy, not that we need science to tell us this:
Click to expand...
Holy cow. He has half a dozen woofers in *his door*??? I thought I had seen it all....
 
amirm said:
Holy cow. He has half a dozen woofers in *his door*??? I thought I had seen it all....
Click to expand...
yeah, these SPL competitors go to crazy lengths. One I saw filled the inside of a van with woofers, but had to brace the speakers' baffle to the roof and floor of the van because the flex eats into the peak output. I don't think they can keep the windows closed, or they replace the windows with plexiglass to survive the pressure levels.
 
amirm said:
For now, I am starting to think that a box with a driver and external amp may be a better way to go. Place I have for it is 17 by 17 inches and can have as much as 5 to 6 inches height. Hoping better response can be had with increased
Click to expand...

Some of the best slim subs are the woofers from Earthquake Sound, but you would need to build your own enclosure.

earthquakesoundshop.com

SWS-12X Shallow Woofer System

The Earthquake SWS-12X Shallow Woofer System provides more bass from less space with less power than any other woofer technology.
earthquakesoundshop.com earthquakesoundshop.com
 
It is during the project phase of the car interior that subs and music system could be integrated according to a SOA approach. Cars with a boot could take advantage of its rectangular shape, midrange and tweeters appropriately positioned in the doors and in the front frame. Alas, any vehicle generates noise when driven, and even Rolls Royces have an interior noise > 50-60 dB, except when idle. So, upgrades of any kind are, IMO, worthless, as you would not spend thousands on a system that has a SINAD at best of 30-35 dB. Thank you Amir from steering us away from a 6 inch subwoofer tuned to a 105 Hz peak output.
 
2024 Nissan Frontier with “premium “ Fender sound system. The bass is so bad is turned all the way down. Really pathetic unless you are teenager craving rumbling mind numbing distortion.
 
WOW, this is cool to see. I've been toying with the idea of a slim, under-seat subwoofer (no other place it can go) for a while.

kyuu said:
Saving grace here would seem to be that huge SPLs are not needed for a car, given that it's extremely near-field and a very small "room". Even after lopping off the huge peak via EQ I should think there's would be enough SPL headroom available for any sane requirement of bass. If you want to rattle the door panels off and piss off everyone around you, then should definitely look elsewhere though.
Click to expand...

Exactly. At least... that's what I hope.

The intention of this kind of sub is to simply fill in a half octave or two below your door speakers. It assumes proper EQ/crossover setup by the installer.

In my car the door woofers seem to roll off around 80hz. If I can get a few more dB in that 40-80hz range things might actually start to sound satisfying.

I had a 2008 Mazda 3 with a similar arrangement from the factory. "Seven speaker" system - 4 door woofers, 2 tweeters on the A pillars, and a teeny subwoofer under the passenger seat. It was actually very effective. Not "audiophile" but really, it was enjoyable.
 
Last edited:
ROOSKIE said:
Retail a few months ago was $5000 but Sound of Tri-State has them for $999.99 right now
Click to expand...

Thanks man, now I'm out 1000 bucks :'(
Does the store have a good reputation? That's a wild price for a kit that includes one of the best tweeters and midbasses on the market.

On the topic of this slim sub: I've tried twice to use them and I thought they were the worst performers in their category which is surprising because JBL's Bass Hub and Fuse work quite well for their form factors. In fact, the fuse outperformed a semi-custom sub I had tried to install in my truck.
 
amirm said:
The factory unit is long gone or was deleted when the RV maker (Aistream) purchased it and put in the Kenwood head unit. I am ditching that as well as I can't stand its slow response and lack of features. That, of course is a project by itself. I purchased a $600 non-name Android head unit that will arrive on Friday. Will report on how it does! If it works, it seems far superior to offerings from traditional companies at double the price.
Click to expand...

Why $600 no name when you can get brand name? Do you want full Android or just Android auto?



Or do you need GPS?
 
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