should I upgrade front speaker to 12in bass threeway from 6.5in bass two way?

[Torin Krell]

I would suggest using two quality powered subs and cross them over to the speakers you currently have at around 90hz at 24db/octave. This would be significantly more likely to produce the results you hope for and would also reduce the strain on your receiver. I am not familiar with the sub you already have - however if its powered and of good quality just procuring a second one would likely work well.

 

[norman bates]

I would get the 3-way, but I'm a bass head, I like the pounding bass that always puts a smile on my face.
I lose interest in speakers where the bass rolls off below 100hz.....

 

[DatSpeakerTho]

You need a very good 10" to do that for HIFI and the compression driver will not be cheap as well.

VBS 10.2, $40 CD with excellent performance.

 

[ZolaIII]

To 12" mains in 2.0 direct comparation would be the same as you already have 6.5" bookshelf's and one 12" sub you just add another one in 2.2 (3.2 in your case). You go with relatively high XO's 120 Hz and sub's need to be close to its belonging mains. 6.5" cones are on their own response and a little bit stressed out at 120 Hz. If you want more three way bookshelf's like Linton's with 8" low woofer are a step up to ensure midrange is cut off from unwanted harmonic responses (improving speach intelligibility so you don't even need mid one). Depending on the gole you future can scale up (bigger sub's, big flourstand mains). You also get better ELC integration with 2.2 XO's at 120 Hz because bass part of it knew is at 105 Hz and stays on sub's entirely.
When it's said how about ⅓ of data is in the bass region it's mainly in bass ritam/beat section (90~170 Hz range) along with a low bass reinforcement when there is one (in some gernes it's not low bass but higher but still the same thing).

 

[norman bates]

L100 Classic MkII

The L100 Classic MkII is the next evolution in the reborn legend that is the JBL Classic Series. This 12-inch (300mm) 3-way bookshelf loudspeaker features upgraded JBL acoustic components to improve the sound quality of this Classic loudspeaker. In addition to performance enhancements to the...

global.jbl.com

I'd take a jbl L100 classic mkii any day of the week over any 6" 2-way crossed 100hz to a subwoofer............

 

[KL....]

hi
I have a 3.1 surround system a pair of jbl4309 as front LR,a center definitive d9 5,25in bass and a 12in subwoofer mk v12+

what is the difference between a pair 6.5in bass 4309 plus a 12in subwoofer for listening music and movie and a 12in bass threeway 4312g for listening music as 2.0 setup?

Do they sound completely difference?

if I upgrade 4309 to 4312g plus mk v12+ for 3.1 movie system, can mrx740 receiver have enough power to driver 12in bass speaker?



Specifications

Description: 3-way 12" studio monitor bookshelf loudspeaker

Low-frequency Transducer: 12" (300mm) pure pulp cone (JW300SW-8)

Mid-frequency Transducer: 5" (125mm) polymer-coated pure pulp cone

(JM125PC-8)

High-frequency Transducer: 1" Magnesium-Aluminum alloy dome

(054ALmg-1)

Frequency Response: 44Hz – 40kHz (-6dB)

Sensitivity: 90dB

Recommended Amplifier Power: 10-200 Watts RMS

Crossover Frequencies: 640Hz, 5kHz

Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms

Dimensions (H x W x D): 23.5" x 14.25" x 12" (597 x 362 x 305mm)

Weight: 52.4 lbs. (23.8kg) each

• Number of Power Amps​

  7

• Maximum Continuous Output (1% THD) (20Hz - 20kHz, Two Channels Driven @ 8Ω) Channels: 1~5​

  140 W

• Maximum Continuous Output (1% THD) (20Hz - 20kHz, Two Channels Driven @ 6Ω) Channels: 1~5​

  170 W

• Maximum Continuous Output (1% THD) (20Hz - 20kHz, Two Channels Driven @ 8Ω) Channels: Remaining​

  60 W

• Maximum Continuous Output (1% THD) (20Hz - 20kHz, Two Channels Driven @ 6Ω) Channels: Remaining​

  75 W

• Speaker Impedance​

  >4Ω

Thank you, @derekchan, would a pair of these Palmer ORBIT 11 Cardioid Coaxial 3-way studio monitor work for you....

 

[ZolaIII]

Crucial part is how XO's are done and where they are in order to have benefits for them. So 4 way 120 Hz, 250 Hz for first two (ELC, speach intelligibility, much better DR handling to where it's important). You don't want larger than 6.5" mid range cones (from 250 Hz) for directivity issues they will bring in.
It's not how large it is only or how many ways it's composed from its how good it's done.

 

[Sokel]

Another vote for L100 if you want to stick to jbl for chest punch, company is famous about it for decades.
You want clean, strong, coherent output from 50Hz to 200Hz at least for that, subs have nothing to do with it.


And if you also want the rumble and deep down low you can always add a pair of subs.

 

[ZolaIII]

Another vote for L100 if you want to stick to jbl for chest punch, company is famous about it for decades.
You want clean, strong, coherent output from 50Hz to 200Hz at least for that, subs have nothing to do with it.


And if you also want the rumble and deep down low you can always add a pair of subs.

That's not chest punch and no you don't want a lot of slam and well controled punch (low THD). Well done XO's are crucial so that you don't get lack of energy in transition area and most folks don't get this properly so you range between Linkwitz and Butterwort regarding offset (3 dB) to spectral measurement plots to do it right. I can give JBL credits for old cinema THX certified big ones, L100 is a joke to me. Arguably 10" mid bass woffer's should be a best choice for the role but on off the shelf home/HiFi market (in PA you build line area anyway) you will find none of such speakers (there are two or three 8" such floor stands like good old Revels).

 

[Sokel]

That's not chest punch and no you don't want a lot of slam and well controled punch (low THD). Well done XO's are crucial so that you don't get lack of energy in transition area and most folks don't get this properly so you range between Linkwitz and Butterwort regarding offset (3 dB) to spectral measurement plots to do it right. I can give JBL credits for old cinema THX certified big ones, L100 is a joke to me. Arguably 10" mid bass woffer's should be a best choice for the role but on off the shelf home/HiFi market (in PA you build line area anyway) you will find none of such speakers (there are two or three 8" such floor stands like good old Revels).

L100 is not 10" is 12".
Small enclosure though, so limited.

But I do agree in general, there's lots of factors.
BUT, ready made solutions which can throw you off your chair come with a price, L100 is cheap enough to give good hints about it.

 

[norman bates]

2x15's crossed at 100hz to a 12" full range didn't pound me.
The same double 15's crossed at 750hz did.
Eminence magnum 15lf's in a jbL 4508a (I think).
Dance club bass with impact, not morpheus putting his knee through the floor in "matrix" (centered 60hz visible on a 31 band dod spectrum analyzer).

Most punch and slam is 80-200hz.
A 12" 3-way can pound you good in a house.

 

[Redacted]

If listeners don't care about hearing, for example, a bass guitar's low E (~43Hz) at -6dB or even quieter (which for some would make it seem odd) then no worries about having a sub or serious main speaker.

 

[ZolaIII]

L100 is not 10" is 12".
Small enclosure though, so limited.

But I do agree in general, there's lots of factors.
BUT, ready made solutions which can throw you off your chair come with a price, L100 is cheap enough to give good hints about it.

I bet you in the Lucas logo and playing that nonsense L100 Classic won't come close to mid sized JBL Cinema ones and if lucky you can find and double large ones cheap second hand. I know what they are and seen and studied their measurements and how things are done on them (L100). They aren't that cheap either, would pick Revel F208' s over them to a price range anytime. On the cheap Polk R700's on budget. But that whosent the question in the first place, 6.5 on their own cones reinforced with two sub's XO'ed at 120 Hz in 2.2 will pass calibration up to far field just fine.

 

[Talisman]

In home theater, but also when listening to music at low volume, pairing bookshelf speakers with subwoofers yields good results up to a point. When the SPL rises, dynamics increase, and you want to feel that punch in your chest, you need high-performance woofers, not just subwoofers.
For this reason, I replaced my KEF R3 speakers in my home theater with two 2.5-way towers and achieved a marked improvement in the perceived physicality of the bass and its punch.
As good as it is, a single 6.5-inch speaker can't deliver the air movement needed to create that feeling between 120 and 200 Hz.

 

[norman bates]

Why are we dragging a double 15” 2 or 3 way into this discussion ?

But yes, I agree. I had 2x15 crossed @750hz to Jbl 2535hpl on a Jbl 2384 horn. I was awesome. But it required eq, active crossover, and multiple amplifiers.

I moved on to jbl am6212/00, a 12” 2-way (boosted bass, it rolled below 100hz to theoretical f9 of 50hz). That setup had better voices. And I run it from a simple receiver or stereo amp whenever I get it hooked up. Now I use 12” vegas.

I think we are chasing the tactile pressure wave of midbass.

But yes, I do occasionally miss the extreme slamming bass that seemed present at even 60-70db with the double 15’s.

Kick drum fundamental I think starts near 60hz. And bass guitar usually doesn't hover below 100hz. And its first harmonic is around 20db louder than the fundamental. The brain sort of fills it in.

I’m pretty happy with vegas now, but am thinking of putting a pair of emotivas on them for when I want to hear every chair squeak or a mouse fart in the background. I’d hate to actively cross the emotiva at 200-250hz to a 12 or 15 (or a pair of them). That way you get super clarity with slamming bass.

Or run the emotivas with extra woofers (mid bass module) passively 6db, even though a woofers climbing z curve would basically ignore the inductor an octave past the crossover knee. Maybe woofer would run 6db down there to higher frequencies.

A friend of mine (djk, r.i.p.) was at the belief that he couldn't listen to speakers unless there were a pair of 12's per side.
Can't say as I am far from that now, lol.

But please, enjoy your setup.
My opinion is right for me.
I've learned to not poo poo on anyone's setup.
It is your ears, your music, your setup, your room, your mood, and your wallet.

Just be careful that the endless upgrade bug doesn't bite you !!!!!!!

 

[Raj21p]

The biggest difference isn't just bass extension—it's scale, dynamics, and effortlessness. The 4312G's 12" woofer and dedicated midrange will move more air and sound larger and more authoritative for music, even with a sub in the system. As for the MRX740, it should have no problem driving the 4312Gs to healthy levels given their 90dB sensitivity, though an external amp could help if you listen very loud in a large room.