JBL Venue Series SUB12 12-Inch 500-Watt Subwoofer
By: JBL Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 69
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 On: 2008-06-27
Highly recommended for anyone that needs bass at a budget! Extremely happy with the quality.
 On: 2008-06-25
I have had this sub for about a month now and really like it. However, Im not an audiophile so I cannot attest to the range and the finer details of its output. For me, it works great with both movies and music in a medium-sized entertainment area. It is much bigger than I was expecting (although the dimensions were clearly listed in the product specs) and the front cover is down-right unattractive (but I did not buy it for looks).
On: 2008-06-12
I originally bought the Mirage Omnipolar surrounds + the Mirage S8 (100 watts) for my finished basement thinking that the 100 watt sub would be enough...for acoustical reference, my basement is 1000 sq. ft, has carpet and is drywalled on the walls and ceiling...anyway, the surrounds are phenomenal and but the sub was not powerful enough to fill the room with sufficient bass. I am primarily a music listener, and while the S8 did a fine job reproducing musically, it petered out once the volume crept up a little. I could tell the cone was giving it all it had and there was plenty volume left to go on the receiver (Harmon Kardon). SO...I sold the S8 and did extensive review-searching, price comparison and came to the conclusion that the JBL 12 was the way to go...and boy was I right. This sub MORE than adequately fills the 1000 sq. ft. with clean, clear, tight bass at any volume. It is NOT a club sub...it is not boomy, it doesnt reverb, etc. It simply reproduces music accurately (and this is on day one when the thing hasnt even been "burnt" in) and asks for more. It will shake your pictures, walls, windows and anything else prone to rattling, so batten down the hatches and buy this thing. You cant do better for the price....actually, the S8 was $200 more than this sub and this sub begins to shine where the S8 raises the white flag.
On: 2008-06-04
Ive had an 8-inch Yamaha sub for years, and it does do a nice job, but to get 30Hz you need a 12 inch woofer and a ton of amp helps. Not certain about the 500 watt power claims, but can easily pound 100 clean watts, i.e., it matches my Yamahas 100wpc @ .05 THD.
Would have preferred a down-firing design again, but in this day of MY SUVs bigger than Your SUV, it probably makes marketing sense. In a typical forward-right placement the omni-directional effect leans noticeably to the right even with a cut-off set to 50HZ. Side mounted also requires a grill, both a matter of taste and of punishment avoidance from my Goldens 200-pound tail wags.
It lost a star for the grill assembly and un-typically over-stating the amp power - JBL doesnt need to stoop to that, imho. At 200bux though, it was a no-brainer - lucky for me that my 5-year-old Yamaha 8" chose now to die.
On: 2008-05-29
After my other subwoofer died on me (a very expensive, klipsh) I bought this one since the reviews were favorable. I am so impressed, the sound is amazing and distorsion-free even at very high volume levels, music and movies really come alive. The speaker cover is a metallic grey fabric, and very stylish. I ordered the matching tower speakers, and they also sound incredible. Highly recommended.
On: 2008-05-24
I bought this to pair with my set of JBL studio speakers and Marantz receiver, and it matches pretty nicely. I replaced a homebuilt unit that was geared towards music. This setup sounds great with any movie soundtrack. You really feel the action. It is more than enough to overpower my 1br apt. I gave it 4 out of 5 because I dont feel that the bass is tight and defined enough for music listening. If you are a dedicated audiophile, then spend $400 on something better. But, for under $200 shipped, you are not going to find a better deal on the internet. Plus, it matches my JBL set nicely, just wish they had kept the grills dark gray.
Im not sure I understand some reviewers who say this sub isnt loud. This thing puts out like 4-500 watts (perhaps the rating is overstated, but still). Its all about speaker placement. If you put it in the wrong spot it isnt going to sound good. Read some articles on speaker placement before setting everything up. You need to have it a certain distance away from the wall and in a certain spot.
On: 2008-05-23
I purchased the JBL Venue Series 12" sub do to the reviews on this web sight and I have to say I am not disappointed. I found some on clearance NEW for $130.00 at a local retailer. Adding this subwoofer made a great difference in all around listing from movies to music even normal TV. Adding it to my Onkyo 705 receiver and my Polk M60 towers plus my Polk Center and surround speakers they all blended well together.
This would be a great subwoofer for a great price to add to your home theater or music. I liked it so much I just bought another one yesterday now Im running 2 JBL 12 subwoofers and could not be happier. One was sufficient but I could not pass on the deal.
On: 2008-05-18
I just upgraded from a Velodyne 10" Sub, to this JBL 12" Woofer,and I couldnt be happier. I use this mostly for watching movies and concerts on DVD, at first I had my doubts but then I adjusted the EQ in my Yamaha receiver, and now it is perfect. I am blown away at the deep response it puts out, even at low volume it produces great sound. If you have the money to go pro then go fork out $1810.00 for a nice Axiom Audio Subwoofer. For the price you cant beat this JBL 12"
On: 2008-05-17
I bought a great sound system (all JBL Venue series speakers for my home entertainment system) a little over a year ago - and of course like always for me the one year warranty was up about 1 month before the sub took a dive on me - I took it to a guy for repair but it would cost more than a new one so I went home got online and bought a new one and in about 3 days I was back up and running. What a great system - the repair guy said it locked up ??? - he also said that was very strange that it would go bad that soon - he hardly ever sees any JBL equipment in there - his defense of JBL is why I went home and bought an other one.
On: 2008-05-17
This sub works excellent with speakers under 94db efficient, very nice. Over 94db there is a matching issue.
On: 2008-05-16
This speaker is as expected. Sometimes I feel it more than hear it (with LFE) but the music performance is realistic not just booming. Matched with a set of JBL Stadium 3-way dual 8" speakers and a very solid center speaker, music sounds great. I use four Sansui SP2000 for side and rear speakers and they have 12 inch woofers which are also very strong - yet the JBL sub-woofer is still very apparent and finishes the sound. For the price these are great.
On: 2008-05-12
Makes movies come alive. Good for music too. I got it from Amazon for $170. You cant beat that. I bought 3 of them.
On: 2008-05-12
This is not an audiophile-quality subwoofer, but it is a great supplement to similarly priced/similar quality main speakers. It puts out some serious low frequency energy and fills in the bottom end nicely, but it is not super fast or tight and it gets a little sloppy especially at higher volumes. With our high-end system it adds bass but it muddies up the sound, in our other system it makes a huge improvement. The cabinet is ok looking, not a fine piece of furniture, but it looks fine, with or without the grill. Definitely worth the money.
On: 2008-05-08
An excellent choice for my surround sound setup. It provides a deep rich rumble that shakes the walls and floor. Its just what was missing.
On: 2008-05-06
This sub replaced an old RCA 12" sub which sounded good at the time. Now the bass has reached a whole new level! Right now I have the volume level set pretty low because of the landlord living right below me, but when you turn this baby up my whole apartment shakes! The price and performance of this sub is unbeatable. Im becoming a bigger fan of JBL the more I hear there speakers.
On: 2008-05-05
If you want bass, if you want to feel bass, this is what you need. Exclude the size, this sub is awesome.
On: 2008-05-03
This JBL 12" Subwoofer replaced my Yamaha Home Theater in a Box subwoofer.
My receiver is the Yamaha 5930, and paired with Klipsch Synergy Quintet II speakers that I also ordered through Amazon, the sound is simply beautiful. I dare not crank up the volume, unless I want to unintentionally invite the boys-in-blue over for disturbing the peace.
Small, medium or large, the size of the room is no problem for this subwoofer. It is more suited for Home Theater viewing and/or video-game playing, however, as opposed to music listening. Also, make sure you have ample space, as this sucker is rather big. The subwoofer is well-crafted, and I like the rubber-feet. No slipping and sliding for this beast.
Just make sure you tape down your precious belongings on shelves, as this subwoofer has the potential to rattle them off. Just remember, placement of the subwoofer is key in getting the best bass, so experiment, if possible, with different locations to achieve maximum bass.
My only minor complaint has nothing to do with the speaker, but in the way it was shipped. It was not re-inforced with any additional packing tape, as when it did arrive, the bottom of the box was barely intact. Please, for any heavy and big orders, I suggest Amazon to at least add additional packing tape to strengthen the seals. I used to work for Fed-Ex, so i know how brutal we can be with packages...
All-in-all, I bought it at a great price ($200) with free-shipping included. Cant beat that!
On: 2008-05-03
Good sound. Easy installation. Looks good with the grill that Ive never seen a picture of in the item descriptions Ive seen. Recommended.
On: 2008-05-02
This sub is a good value and produces some good crisp bass.
I have this coupled with Polk RTi-8 speakers for fronts and its driven by an Onkyo 605 receiver. The sub compliments the Polk speakers nicely and gives an overall warmth and depth of sound to the playback. Digital inputs all the way to the receiver so you get the discrete channels like you are intended to.
As with any subwoofer it takes a few minutes to get calibrated just right for your speaker position and listening level. But once you do, it really enhances the listening experience.
You could spend a lot more on a subwoofer but this really rocks. You can always just turn it all the way up if you want a big thumping sound but if you play around with the cross over and the output level you can get a crisp clean enhancement to your low end.
Delivery was really fast too! Much faster than I expected. It also comes with a pretty long RCA cable to test out the placement in your room. I chose my final placement to be across the front of the room in the corner and then I later ran the cable through the basement right below once the perfect place was set.
On: 2008-04-28
Well this sub despite what some others have said is an incredibly powerful sub. Plenty of power and low end goodness. I replaced an older JBL 10" sub and the 12" is more than double the output. Just make sure you have a sub out on your tuner and you will be fine, but Im sure you could use the built in crossover but I did not try that.
This sub is also quite good for music low end as well as using it in a home theater setup.
I use my new sub with another JBL passive control 5 sub, 2 pairs of control 5s and Northridge series speakers. All JBL all the time for me.
Oh did I mention it also came with free shipping and I had it in 3 days.
Thanks Amazon,
Dirk
On: 2008-04-26
I bought this 12-inch sub woofer to replace a 15" JBL sub woofer that finally laid down and died after many years of use. I did not want to spend another $120 to fix it after fixing one-time before with a JBL authorized repair facility. I have another JBL 12" sub woofer in my spare bedroom / home office. This new speaker will go there actually.
I am happy with this purchase. On April 21, 2008 I paid $169.88 with free shipping here at Amazon. It took only 5 days to get to me. First thing you will notice is the box is VERY BIG - 24"W x 19"D x 23" H. It is packaged nicely and arrived with zero damage.
Sound is good for my purposes. I use it with my Harman Kardon receiver and 4 (2 pairs) JBL Control 1x Personal Monitor Speaker System (Pair). I listen to my XM radio and in rare cases, my iPod. I dont use it for a home theatre as some people may find it a little "weak" for that. I was used to my JBL 15" subwoofer so everything is going to be rated less. This sub for music use is very good as many other reviewers have said.
It is important to have most of your equipment in the same near quality because you system is as only good as your weakest link. The price and quality for this sub makes it great buy for me and my system.
I had problems bringing myself to spend $600 for a Polk Audio 12" sub when I could get this one for less than a 1/3 a price and considering my other equipment in my system.
Last but not least is appearance. I am partial to black or charcoal for my equipment so the silver speaker cover turned me off initially. I think it looks fine without the speaker cover on. It is hard to tell in the pictures but the front of the sub has a dark checkered charcoal pattern which looks very nice with the all black wood grain. I am debating about recovering the speaker cover or spray painting it dark silver (hammer). I will probably end up with the speaker cover off.
I think it is a great buy / value for my purposes - XM Radio. Is something 3 times as much, 3 times better ? Maybe but probably not - IMHO.
On: 2008-04-21
This was the missing link in my home theater set-up. Ive got a 73" Mitsubishi DLP 1080p with Polk Audio RTA 11t tower monitors. A JBL Venue series center channel which is great and Boston Acoustics right and left surround rear. I also have mounted on the ceiling, a Panasonic wireless surround just for that added effect. But before getting this sub my system sounded fantastic but was always missing something. Now I had looked at subs for almost a year, and just about bought a Polk sub which was awesome but pricey. And then heard a friends system which was a HT in a box with this sub. Needless to say it was awesome....The rest is history, I now have a complete system that would rival any Home Theater set up regardless of the money....
On: 2008-04-05
For the last several years I have been running the entertainment center without a subwoofer. Finally decided to install one. The question was which type and how big. I had always enjoyed the the sound of my older stereo with the 12" speakers. This lead to getting the 12" subwoofer. The sound and feel is solid. It can be configured to any system. Also has a freq. cutoff and output level control. It also has an auto-shutoff when not in use. It has made my system sound completly different with a good low end effect. The only problem is the interference to the lower VHF analog TV channels. Moving the unit away from the TV tuner helped. Still a very good unit.
On: 2008-04-03
This sub blends perfectly with my system. The bass is subtle and powerful with the abilty to provide audio depth without sounding like a component. I was listening to some Kanye West first just to see if this sub could reproduce lows then I swapped out for "Rock", then "R&B", then "Classic". Classic sounds better than expected. For this price bracket I dont think one could find anything better.
On: 2008-04-01
This sub is great! I believe even the pickiest audiophile would enjoy this sub. I am using it with a full surround sound system and it has added a lot of life to my movies, especially flicks like Saving Private Ryan, Heat, and The Matrix... to name a few. This sub will not disappoint!
On: 2008-03-30
This 12" sub woofer - Sounds Great, lost of low end.
Great looking cabinet...Incredible value for the money.
None better for $ 200.00 - 400.00 range.
On: 2008-03-28
It would appear that this model is being discontinued. So I would get it wile you still can the price is great. The chain stores like Best buy are still selling them at full price over 300 US dollars.
On: 2008-03-27
Absolutely great sounding sub for surround or music. I think they should have added a port though since its probably goin to be used mostly in close quarters. Absolutely love it though, great bargain!
 On: 2008-03-04
I had an Athena subwoofer and it was great! Strong bass and sharp and not distorted. It would shake our whole house! It broke and so I bought this because of all the great reviews. I am sorry I did buy it. When I first set it up and listed to some great music I could hardly even hear the bass with the bass all the way up. I even turned up the bass and sound to it from my receiver. That helped and it got lound, but was distorted. Maybe im just spoiled from my previous $300+ sub, but this sucked. Am returning it and looking for something better. Maybe if I spend around $300 I can get something good.
On: 2008-02-29
I upgraded my HT-in-a-box with new Klipsch speakers. As a result, I didnt have much money to spend on a sub, but I needed a replacement for my 8-inch sub- which I thought was sufficient to do the job until it blew. I did a lot of research for the best bang for my buck and decided this was it. I didnt realize how much of an upgrade this was until I opened the box to see the sheer size of this sub compared to what I had before. I had to sit down and have a good laugh before I could continue. Then I plugged it in.... I set the volume to a little over halfway and watched one of my favorite WWII movies. Within minutes, my neighbor frantically knocked on my door to see if something was blowing up in my house. For the price, this sub totally blew me away- figuratively and literally. Trust me, this is a bargain for a little over $200.
On: 2008-02-29
Ib ought this subwoofer for $199.00, at the beginning of Feb08.
Great buy! A low of power, and a very good bass output. It is not too overpowering. It give more the sense of tight bass, without too much ruckus.
If you like extremely boomy and floor shakening subwoofer, then this is not for you.
On: 2008-02-24
Ive had this sub for just under one month and have nothing but great impression toward this product. Once again, JBL lives up to its reputation, not only it gives you the punch youre looking for, it also allows you to fine tune your desired bass level. Of course youll need a great receiver to bring out its true potential. I have a Pioneer receiver that Ive owned for going on 3 years now. It does take a while to fine tune the bass output through my receiver, but in the end it was all worth it. I guess if I have to nip pick, I would say the "power save" function of the sub produces an "unsettling" sound. It literally pulses and youll see the power light flickers on and off between "green" and "red" (green is on, red is off). I guess the sub detects audio input from its sources and it will go into power save mode in 10 minutes (maybe, I didnt really time it). So now I will physically turn off the power of the sub whenever Im not using it. This can only be good for it, it also protects the fuse in the case of power outage. So there you have it, I hope this helps you people out there. I searched for a sub for a long time, I finally found the perfect one. Good luck to you all. The price is also the deciding factor. It was priced at almost $400 and got it for $200 at Amazon, cant beat that price for a JBL!
On: 2008-02-11
I looked and looked and looked at subs. Having inherited some top of the line equipment (Rotel), I wanted to build the rest of my system as well. However, being someone who couldnt afford the inherited equipment I soon found out how expensive subs can be. The best way to determine what you like is not by price, it turns out, its by going and listening to the equipment. But, most of that does not matter that much because youre never going to duplicate your home listening room in a store, so it does require some blind faith. That being said, I went to a couple of local A/V stores to listen to the high end stuff and wished I could afford anything. Then I went to Circuit City and Best Buy and listened to the lower end stuff. I found this sub at BB for $379 and a 12" Klipsch sub for $500 and wanted the Klipsch. I thought the JBL was OK but was a bigger fan of Klipsch speakers. It turned out they didnt have the Klipsch in stock so I waited. In my browsing of Amazon, I stumbled upon the JBL for $202 and change (almost 1/2 price) and decided I couldnt pass it up. When I got it home and set-up the rest of my system, it sounded OK. But, when I tuned everything, it sounded great. I was pleasantly surprised at the thunderous tight bass this item packed only having it turned up half way! Having it placed in the corner of my room definitely helped, but was not necessary. Movies have never been better and music sounds pretty good as well! I dont think you could beat the price and I would give it 4.5 stars if I was able. The only reason that I wouldnt give it 5 is I am sure there are better out there, like my Fathers $1800 12" B&W for instance. But, for what I can afford this is perfect and a steal!
On: 2008-02-08
I had to get this sub to replace a Klipsch monster. I do not have the same amount of money to throw around like I used to. But I needed a new sub. I decided on this one because of the reviews ,size and watts of this sub. Oh yeah and the incredibly reasonable price. I was expecting decent but not exceptional performance. I can say with no hesitation. I was more than pleasantly surprised. It sounds great. It pounds when needed. What impressed me the most is when the volume is turned down (that is when the wife yells at me to turn it down.) It still delivers a good punch without washing out the mids and highs of my system. Bottom line you you would be hard pressed to find a better sub for the price. I thought I was going to be disappointed going from my Klipsch to this. I am not and would recommend it to a friend.
 On: 2008-02-08
Received 1st damaged. 2nd one worked ok. Not that impressed with the sound. It was worth it for the sale price. Good value for basic music/movie.
On: 2008-02-08
ADDED TO HOME SYSTEM, WITH JBL TOWER SPEAKERS. ROCKS!!!!!!!!!! CAN N0T BEAT THE PRICE. BEST BUY WANTS $379 FOR SAME SUBWOOFER. I PAID $203 WITH FREE SHIPPING FROM AMAZON. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On: 2008-02-08
This sub sounds great and is inexpensive. JBL is known for making a good product. Im not a sub aficionado, but I give it four stars for performance, five for price.
On: 2008-02-05
Ill keep it short and sweet: you wont find a better value than this sub. This sub isnt meant to compare to high-end sealed subs (Velodyne or Sunfire), or provide outrageous boom that would blow out your windows (SVS); its meant to be an entry level home theatre sub. No more, no less. The fact that its ported gives you nice extension, but results in a "boomy" (audiophiles might say muddy) sound that does not work well for music; thus I recommend Home Theatre applications only.
On: 2008-01-24
This is by far the best subwoofer I have purchaced. Hooked it up to an Onkyo SR805 through LFE and The sound is Deep, clean and powerfull. I used a THX test cd for it and I can confirm it goes down to 20Hz, you cant really hear that frequency too well but you can sure feel it with this bad boy. It outshines the older JBL psw1200 that I own in every possible way. I liked it so much, I bought 2. They raised the price about $100 since I got it so I dont think ill be buying anymore anytime soon :/
On: 2008-01-19
Well, I did a great deal of research on a lot of different subs, I lestened to a lot of different ones at stores including polk and PSB, and came to the conclusion that they didnt sound any better especially for the large difference in price. To get a sub with the same wattage and frequency responce from polk, you would have to spend more than three times this amount to get a sub of equal performance. This sub fills my living room with well defined thunderous bass during movies and is equally impressive while listening to all kinds of music. It was very easy to hook up. Pretty much, just plug and play. It is huge though. I didnt realize how big it was when I ordered it. But it makes up for that whenever I watch a movie. I read all the review and came to the conclusion that the one guy who couldnt hear his speaker either hooked it up wrong or in fact had a defective product because this thing produces such great sound turned up a third of the way and the bass on my receiver set at zero. Great product cant say enough about it.
On: 2008-01-14
this sub works great! really added to the sound of our home stereo, so glad we went with this one!!
On: 2008-01-04
Hello,Nice,Lots of sub for the money.I noticed the manufacturer offers a big speaker set for the surround sound set up.
On: 2008-01-02
Love IT! Although my room is too small for the sub, I like how it makes the wall vibrate.
On: 2008-01-01
Love IT! Although my room is too small for the sub, I like how it makes the wall vibrate.
On: 2007-12-29
I just installed this sub and I am EXTREMELY impressed! "Loud and Clear" is what this sub is all about... and for $165 to my front door, how could I go wrong? Go Amazon !!
On: 2007-12-28
I just installed this sub and I am EXTREMELY impressed! "Loud and Clear" is what this sub is all about... and for $165 to my front door, how could I go wrong? Go Amazon !!
 On: 2007-12-27
This item was $45 cheaper just a few days before x-mas. Why has the price gone up after x-mas? It should be even cheaper shouldnt it?
by: avraamjack On: 2007-12-24
On December 21, 2007 they were priced at $174 delivered. I ordered two.
.
On December 23, 2007, they were priced at $164 delivered. I ordered two more.
.
At these prices they are stocking stuffers. Good rocking stocking stuffers.
.
By the evening of December 23 they were $208. It pays to watch and wait.
.
Since I am writing a review, let me tell you what these speakers really are.
.
These speakers are woofers, they are not subwoofers.
.
The reason I say that is because most allegedly full range speakers today tend to have very small drivers. 6 or 8 inches at most. That is not a woofer, that is a midrange speaker. It is too small to produce real bass.
.
The reason they sell such small speakers is because the American male is totally whipped. He cannot buy a speaker his wife will object too and girls like small unobtrusive and blending with the decour.
.
They call it a subwoofer to make you think you are getting extra bass. In reality you are just getting bass for the first time.
.
One of the current American fads is to use external criteria to make psychological judgements. Allow me to offer a set.
.
If the biggest speaker you have is a 6 inch woofer you are totally whipped and your wife probably makes you beg for puppy treats.
.
If the biggest is 8 inches you are still whipped but trying to hide it.
.
If the biggest you have is 10 inches you are borderline whipped.
.
If you have 12 inch woofers you have achieved basic respectability.
.
If you have 15 inch woofers in the living room you are your own man.
.
If you have dual 18 inch subs in the livingroom, like the srx728 - see jblpro dot com, you are john wayne rebel without a cause cool.
.
Hope it helps.
.
by: avraamjack On: 2007-12-23
On December 21, 2007 they were priced at $174 delivered. I ordered two.
.
On December 23, 2007, they were priced at $164 delivered. I ordered two more.
.
At these prices they are stocking stuffers. Good rocking stocking stuffers.
.
By the evening of December 23 they were $208. It pays to watch and wait.
.
Since I am writing a review, let me tell you what these speakers really are.
.
These speakers are woofers, they are not subwoofers.
.
The reason I say that is because most allegedly full range speakers today tend to have very small drivers. 6 or 8 inches at most. That is not a woofer, that is a midrange speaker. It is too small to produce real bass.
.
The reason they sell such small speakers is because the American male is totally whipped. He cannot buy a speaker his wife will object too and girls like small unobtrusive and blending with the decour.
.
They call it a subwoofer to make you think you are getting extra bass. In reality you are just getting bass for the first time.
.
One of the current American fads is to use external criteria to make psychological judgements. Allow me to offer a set.
.
If the biggest speaker you have is a 6 inch woofer you are totally whipped and your wife probably makes you beg for puppy treats.
.
If the biggest is 8 inches you are still whipped but trying to hide it.
.
If the biggest you have is 10 inches you are borderline whipped.
.
If you have 12 inch woofers you have achieved basic respectability.
.
If you have 15 inch woofers in the living room you are your own man.
.
If you have dual 18 inch subs in the livingroom, like the srx728 - see jblpro dot com, you are john wayne rebel without a cause cool.
.
Hope it helps.
.
On: 2007-12-02
I bought this contraption in spite that I had been reluctant to the inclusion of a sub in my stereo system for many years. But my amp was running out of juice for the bass I demanded for the music I listen to ( heavy metal, hardcore, crossover and punk). I really didnt have the notions of how it worked/how to set/hook it up right and man was I wrong !!!
This was the ticket to perfection, and the best bang for the buck ! Its like Id added 250 more watts to my amp and traded my main speakers for much bigger/efficient ones, only 1000 times better and more accurate, for a fraction of the cost to boot !!!
Its front-firing, floor-ported design makes it ideal for music listening in that you dont need the floor to ¨shake¨ that much as you would in an HT system (floor doesnt shake at concerts) making it more nighbour-friendly and less critical to position it (ideal, corner location is OK ONLY if youre gonna cross it over at the lowest, 50 hz setting, otherwise it might become very directional).
The design is OK ; its a huge box with an silver grille that wont blend in with any decor or another brand of speakers and makes it look like a radiator stove but personally I couldnt care less about it. Without the grille things are different; the front is a nice fake carbon-fiber fascia with a grey polyplas speaker cone..
Sound is tight, deep, accurate and powerful enough to meet my demands in a 12 X 12, high ceiling, semi-hard room (no drapes, wooden floor, lotsa wood on the walls). Great connectivity but I really could have used the volume knob located elsewhere but at the back of the thing where it is on almost every sub but thats just me.
Get the Klipsch 300 watts Synergy sub for your HT system, its a huge improvement over this one and a much better and efficient all-terrain subwoofer at not that much more money.
On: 2007-11-23
I am really 100% satisfied with my purchase. This subwoofer has great deep and strong bass which gives you an amazing experience when watching movies or listening to dance music. It fits perfectly to my Onkyo home cinema system and also has a very stylish design with black wood and silver metal around the speaker. I have heard much more expensive 12 inches subwoofers, and I really didnt see any difference with this one. I guess for a normal living room and not for a studio, you will never really need a better one. For sure its worth its money. I am living in Greece and I saw it first time while I was in Philippines. Finally I bought it from the US. Its really pity that this Venue series is not yet available in Europe. JBL should treat European market better giving us such a kind of amazing products.
On: 2007-11-12
Exactly what I was looking for, for movies and stereo music, is just a great sound, for all the JBL speakers system bought from Amazon.
On: 2007-11-10
All 8 speaker surround sound speakers are JBL hooked up to my ONKYO 605 as the others crisp clear no distortion very nice deep bass great for the price
On: 2007-11-06
I started out reading a lot of different reviews, and as usual they made me less sure of my decision than when I had started. I was trying to decide between the 10" JBL and the 10" Klipsch as both are pretty similar spec, and sound very much the same. I checked out Amazon, who had the 12" JBL on special, which is pretty much what made my mind up for me. $179 with free shipping! A lot better than what I was looking at paying. It took exactly 1 week to arrive and I could not be happier with it. Bass is very responsive, wasnt too sure what to expect as running some large floorspeakers which could handle down to 35hz, but what it has done is free up the mids to deliver a clearer more defined sound, with a much lower and more controlled bass. The JBL fits in perfectly and is very easy to setup. I wasnt sure what to expect with the silver/grey grill but I dont have any complaints, and the down firing port means I can have it up close to the wall. I am running at just over half volume and you really can feel the bass, makes my DVD experience come to life. Would recommend to anyone.
On: 2007-11-05
I started out reading a lot of different reviews, and as usual they made me less sure of my decision than when I had started. I was trying to decide between the 10" JBL and the 10" Klipsch as both are pretty similar spec, and sound very much the same. I checked out Amazon, who had the 12" JBL on special, which is pretty much what made my mind up for me. $179 with free shipping! A lot better than what I was looking at paying. It took exactly 1 week to arrive and I could not be happier with it. Bass is very responsive, wasnt too sure what to expect as running some large floorspeakers which could handle down to 35hz, but what it has done is free up the mids to deliver a clearer more defined sound, with a much lower and more controlled bass. The JBL fits in perfectly and is very easy to setup. I wasnt sure what to expect with the silver/grey grill but I dont have any complaints, and the down firing port means I can have it up close to the wall. I am running at just over half volume and you really can feel the bass, makes my DVD experience come to life. Would recommend to anyone.
On: 2007-10-28
Very nice speakers.Installation a snap and the sound quality is awesome. JBL makes the finest speakers around and this is no exception
On: 2007-10-25
The JBL sub12 is a very clean subwoofer that will truly shake the room if you want it too. The frequency response is impressive even below 25hz. The most notable quality about the sub is the clean bass output even at ludicrous volume levels. The driver has from what I can tell a high xMax enabling the driver to move a lot of air. The sub can handle bass up to 150hz maybe more and even at that level, the subs bass output is pretty non directional making this sub a good choice to supplement a set of small satellite speakers. The sub has an amazing tuned port that is floor firing, large enough to place your fist inside. For the price, the sub12 is great for music and movies and truly will put out the bass you would expect from powerful car audio systems.
Ive set up the JBl sub12 with 5 rca pro satellites and a harman/kardon avr 435 receiver.
On: 2007-10-14
Deep, good sounding bass but the cover is silver and I am not too fond of that.
On: 2007-10-04
This sub reproduces the deepest lows with incredible accuracy. The sound is deep, full, and powerful. I run the amp level at about 1/3 for everyday use. When turned up, the amp only begins to distort at higher frequencies around 120 Hz. I agree with others that this sub excels at the sub harmonic frequencies. The sound could be a bit tighter, but performance is amazing for this price range. The ability to take a full range input and apply the crossover makes the sub very versatile. The crossover knob lacks frequency labels, but is very accurate within the stated frequency range. The enclosure is solid and does not rattle or move when the sub slams. I have used the Sub 12 for about 2 weeks for movies and music to fill in the low end in pure satisfaction. I have always sworn by JBL and never been disappointed! Add this sub to any home theatre system! For the price it cannot be beat! You will be glad you did!
On: 2007-10-03
Buying subs can be a little tricky - too small of a driver and you dont get a low enough frequency response. Too big of a driver and youre facing a potentially "floppy" sounding base. this JBL 12" sub finds a very nice middle ground.
For those people who are just looking to vibrate the house, wake up the neighbors, piss off the dog, etc, youre probably better off spending less money on a big ol floor firing sub. More importantly to me, however, was that it deliver a solid clean sound without being obnoxiously overpowering. The JBL 12" sub does not disappoint in this regard.
On: 2007-10-02
Buying subs can be a little tricky - too small of a driver and you dont get a low enough frequency response. Too big of a driver and youre facing a potentially "floppy" sounding base. this JBL 12" sub finds a very nice middle ground.
For those people who are just looking to vibrate the house, wake up the neighbors, piss off the dog, etc, youre probably better off spending less money on a big ol floor firing sub. More importantly to me, however, was that it deliver a solid clean sound without being obnoxiously overpowering. The JBL 12" sub does not disappoint in this regard.
On: 2007-09-28
Just upgraded from the 10" version of this sub. I thought the 10" was great, but this 12" just takes it up a bunch of notches. The bass is clean, smooth and plentiful. The controls on the back of the unit make it more than adjustable enough to meet anyones preferences. I think that this was the magic size for more. I think the 18 would have been to much. This can rattle the doors on my kitchen cabinets in the next room, and I dont mean just a little. I actually turned the volume down on the sub. I have never had a sub that had more than needed. This is a great product. Well built, impressive power and clean sound. The price was more than reasonable for what I got.
On: 2007-08-28
I ordered this sub because my my original was damaged in a flood, I was upset about the flood damage and didnt realize when I ordered that this was a 12 inch speaker instead of the 10 inch I had. The 10 inch compared to this is a toy! Im so glad I ordered this, although when I first received it, it gave me pause, because its so big. But the sound is so amazing I dont care. Movies always sounded okay with the old sub, but I hated the way music sounded. Now the music is full and dynamic, and you dont notice the separation between the low and high frequencies anymore, solid sound, punchy and deep.
On: 2007-08-17
Recently I built myself a new home theater system.
My System:
Receiver: Denon 887 (really like this receiver... wish it was a bit more powerful, but still great)
Speakers:
Front Left/Right:
JBL E80 (Black Ash) 3-Way, Dual 6-Inch Floorstanding Loudspeaker
Maximum Recommended Amplifier Power 200 Watts
Power Handling (Continuous/Peak) 100 Watts/400 Watts
Impedance 8 Ohms nominal
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 91dB
Frequency Response (-3dB) 38Hz - 20kHz
Crossover Frequencies 300Hz, 4000Hz
Center:
JBL EC35 3-Way Dual 5-Inch Center Channel Loudspeaker
Maximum Recommended Amplifier Power 150 Watts
Power Handling (Continuous/Peak) 75 Watts/300 Watts
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 91dB
Frequency Response (-3dB) 75Hz - 20kHz
Crossover Frequencies 800Hz, 3200Hz
4 surround speakers (2 on sides, 2 on back)
JBL E10 2-Way, 4-Inch Wall-Mount/Bookshelf Speakers
Maximum Recommended Amplifier Power 100 Watts
Power Handling (Continuous/Peak) 50 Watts/200 Watts
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 86dB
Frequency Response (-3dB) 75Hz - 20kHz
Crossover Frequency 2000Hz
Subwoofer:
JBL SUB 12 12" (300mm) Powered Subwoofer With 300-Watt Amplifier
Amplifier Power (RMS) 250 Watts
Peak Dynamic Power 500 Watts
Low-Pass Frequency Variable from 50Hz to 150Hz
Frequency Response 25Hz - Low-pass crossover setting
Subwoofer review:
The first thing you notice when the box shows up on your door is that its very big. The cabinet feels very well constructed. The look of the face (with the cover removed) is a fo-carbin fiber look. Everything about this feels well made.
My pervious `home theater had been a $250 system in a box (receiver, speakers, and sub). That old system had an 8 inch sub that was probably <100 watt... yet put out a lot of sound.
When I first attached this sub to my new system, I was a little surprised / disappointed (out of my own ignorance). My old sub felt louder. The probably turned out to be with what my perception of a sub was.
My cheap older sub was not really capable of delivering true lows, and was more of a low/mid range speaker and because of this, it sounded louder (because it put out sound in our audible frequency range) .
Now to my Sub-12. Once I researched what a sub should do, and then sat next to it and watched it work, it dawned on me that I was not supposed to hear a sub as `loud, but rather, I was supposed to FEEL the sub... and at this, the sub12 excels.
I had to tweak the crossover frequencies on my receiver, so it would pump the frequency range that my old cheap sub could handle through my new front tower speakers (because they could go lower then the old sub), and then let the sub12 do what it does best, Low lows < 50 hz.
Now that I have come to understand what a true sub should be, I could not be happier. The base is clean and tight... but not boomy. This sub matches perfectly with my other JBL speakers... I dont even realize its there unless I get in front of it and feel the air displacement.
Great buy, great value, highly recommended.
On: 2007-08-16
For a room of 220 s.f., this 12"-500 watt unit was too much, but it has an intensity control to soften the blow for times when booming bass is not desired. Size-wise, my daughter describes it as a "mini-fridge" Also has a nice frequency range adjustment to toggle down the higher frequencies that are already handled by my center and side speakers. A nice product at a great price.
On: 2007-08-15
For a room of 220 s.f., this 12"-500 watt unit was too much, but it has an intensity control to soften the blow for times when booming bass is not desired. Size-wise, my daughter describes it as a "mini-fridge" Also has a nice frequency range adjustment to toggle down the higher frequencies that are already handled by my center and side speakers. A nice product at a great price.
On: 2007-08-10
Looks good and sounds good. Very good for the price I paid ($209.88).I would say 5 stars for that price. I do not think it could be beat for for the price. I have the JBL Venue 250 watt subwoofer also. The 500 watt one is bigger and louder. I use the 500 in front and 250 in back with a surround sound system, it sounds great. The price I paid for the JBL Venue 500 watt subwoofer ($209.88) was listed as 51% off.
On: 2007-07-27
this sub throws out some deep bass an thats because im in a 600 square foot room. really good for movies, when you put rap music on it sounds awesome but you can hear it struggle a bit all other music a awesome.
by: tshimi On: 2007-05-13
This Sub is an excellent complement to a fairly good Surround sound system that includes Vandersteen main and center speakers and a 90 Watts / channel DENON receiver. It is mainly used to give that extra base for DVD movies; the Sub provides both full effect and tight response. It fills a 20x 20 high ceiling room with ease; and has sufficient controls to complement the receivers delivery options and the size of the existing main speakers.
by: Anonymous On: 2007-04-09
I usually never buy any electronics without reading a review first on CNET. I had previously bought the Harman and Kardon home theatre speaker system in a box (HKTS 14). I loved the system so much, as the shelf speakers were great and the sub was incredible. Well my wife was dusting one day and accidently turned the knob in the back all the way up and to make a long story short the sub was fried. It was going to cost $250+ to fix it and I only paid like 370 all together for the system so I decided I would try a JBL subwoofer. Note to people buying subwoofers...If there are no "meaningful" reviews on a subwoofer, dont get it. It was hard to come by any reviews negative or positive for this subwoofer. The few reviews out there were all positive but stated little about the product. I bought the sub for about $250.00 or so. I have been so very unhappy with it thus far. First off, it is a direct firing subwoofer. Unlike the Harman Kardon which was a down firing. The H/K would shake me, my walls, and my neighbors walls everytime I watched a movie. With the JBL, I have to stick my hand in front of the subwoofer to make sure it is on. One of the reasons I bought this sub is because it boasts a 250 Watts RMS Power/ with 500 Watt Peak. SInce my H/K was only 200 Watts I figured this would be a great step up. Sorry to say it was a horrible step down. I even wrote the technicians at JBL and stated by frustrations to them. In so little words they basically told me that the Harman and Kardon Subwoofer I previously owned was better than this one. If I had to do it all over again, I would have bought the Polk Audio PSW505. This was one of the only speakers I was able to listen to at Frys and absolutely loved it..it was just out of my price range. I am now wishing that I would have just saved the money and bought that subwoofer as it would blow this one out of the water with half the volume. I predict I will be putting this subwoofer on sale on ebay very soon...sorry for the long version..just very frustrated and I told JBL that I would get on every sight that I could to show my displeasure with this subwoofer!
by: Anonymous On: 2007-03-21
Bought this JBL Venue sub to upgrade from a Sony 100 watt sub. Sound quality is super. I would recommend this sub to everyone. Im using it with a 7.1 Onkyo TX SR 504 receiver with Bose 601s, 301s,201s and a Bose center channel speaker. Music and movies sound great with this set up. This sub is easy to set up. Clean an crisp sound even at loud volume. Great price from Amazon/J&R Music. 249.00 plus free shipping. Worth every penny. Your neighbors will love you! (If you move away). The only thing I did not like about this sub is the ugly grill cover.(Large an silver). I used a marks-alot black permanent marker on the cloth part. Looks 100 percent better.
by: Anonymous On: 2007-03-15
This JBL 12" subwoofer is a fine product, and a great value when purchased through Amazon. The price was about 40% lower compared to what they were asking for it at Best Buy, all I had to do was wait a few days for it to arrive. Plus there is no additional cost for sales tax, which where I live is nearly 8%. This pushes my total savings up to 48%, nearly half price! There was no additional cost for shipping, either. This was my first Amazon shopping experience, and Im quite satisfied. I may continue to shop at Best Buy, but I doubt I will purchase from them anymore when I can get the exact same thing on Amazon for so much less. Best Buy: $430(price) + $34(tax) = $464(total). I paid $240 total for the exact same thing new-in-the-box from Amazon. Heck, if you really insist on spending that much then get 2 from Amazon instead of 1 from Best Buy and have twice the power to annoy your neighbors!
by: hipkat15 On: 2007-03-15
Great product, everythings as stated. Really loud, crisp bass. Im going to buy another one at this price and quality and hook it up to a Y cable to my LFE jack for more of a surround bass. Life is good, your not buying something cheap here.
On: 2007-03-14
This JBL 12" subwoofer is a fine product, and a great value when purchased through Amazon. The price was about 40% lower compared to what they were asking for it at Best Buy, all I had to do was wait a few days for it to arrive. Plus there is no additional cost for sales tax, which where I live is nearly 8%. This pushes my total savings up to 48%, nearly half price! There was no additional cost for shipping, either. This was my first Amazon shopping experience, and Im quite satisfied. I may continue to shop at Best Buy, but I doubt I will purchase from them anymore when I can get the exact same thing on Amazon for so much less. Best Buy: $430(price) + $34(tax) = $464(total). I paid $240 total for the exact same thing new-in-the-box from Amazon. Heck, if you really insist on spending that much then get 2 from Amazon instead of 1 from Best Buy and have twice the power to annoy your neighbors!
On: 2007-03-09
Very satisfied with my new 500-watt sub. My advice to all you home theatre audiophiles...........never purchase a new subwoofer below 400 watts and a 10 inch cone. Five hundred watts with a 12-inch amplifier cone means longevity and no required fuses. I sincerely recommend this subwoofer to everybody. The price was especially satisfying. This is a $700.00 subwoofer but purchased it (brand new) for $248.00!
Amazon is my #1 online vendor.
On: 2007-03-09
This is a very good sounding sub for the price. I compared others at higher prices and liked how this produced a full range to compliment the other speakers. It fills a 1500 sq ft room with cathedral ceiling very well. I would buy another.
On: 2007-03-08
Very satisfied with my new 500-watt sub. My advice to all you home theatre audiophiles...........never purchase a new subwoofer below 400 watts and a 10 inch cone. Five hundred watts with a 12-inch amplifier cone means longevity and no required fuses. I sincerely recommend this subwoofer to everybody. The price was especially satisfying. This is a $700.00 subwoofer but purchased it (brand new) for $248.00!
Amazon is my #1 online vendor.
On: 2007-03-08
This is a very good sounding sub for the price. I compared others at higher prices and liked how this produced a full range to compliment the other speakers. It fills a 1500 sq ft room with cathedral ceiling very well. I would buy another.
On: 2007-03-04
I highly recommend this sub to anyone looking for a great value in home theater. I did so much research and reading before buying this Venue 12, and had almost talked myself out of getting it because of some saying that if you cant spend X amount then dont even bother, and the X amount just kept getting higher and higher. I wound up moving my older JBL PB10 into my computer room to anchor my upgraded computer sound system and put the new Venue 12 in the living room with my big system. The 10 inch sub was great and very solid for what I paid for it, but the 12 has more depth and definition. I think that there is an effortless quality to the sound that a 12 inch or bigger driver can reproduce that a 10 inch just cant. Big solid sound, and I dont feel like I was extravagant with the purchase.
The Venue 12, like my older PB10, feels well made and solid. I especially like the feet on it, as they are big and heavy and rubbery and help it sit very stably on my uneven hardwood floor. The controls and jacks feel very smooth and solid when making connections. To me, the design and build quality makes it feel like an inexpensive model from a high end manufacturer, rather than a top-end model from a cheap one.
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