JL Audio W7AE Owners Manual

W7AE Owner’s Manual

PRECISION-BUILT IN U.S.A.

An Introduction

250W 500W 1000W 2000W 4000W125W

Thank you for purchasing a JLAudio W7AE subwoofer driver. The
W7AE embodies JLAudio’s commitment to pushing the envelope
of speaker technology, with eight patented technologies, a design
patent and a completely unique set of component parts. Each
W7AE model has been meticulously engineered to reproduce
sub-bass with extreme fidelity at any volume level, provided it
is installed and tuned properly. Please review the information in
this document carefully so as to maximize your enjoyment of the
W7AE’s capabilities.

Two enclosure recommendations are listed for each model,
one sealed and one ported. In most cases, the sealed enclosure
design will give you the best overall sound quality and take up the
least space in your vehicle. The ported enclosure design will deliver
additional output over the sealed enclosure (about 3 - 4 dB more)
and will also maintain excellent sound quality, but it will require
significantly more space to install. The recommended ported
enclosure is not designed for peaky “competition SPL” performance,
but rather for music listening. It will be very loud and sound

In addition to the enclosure recommendations, we also
provide recommended amplifier settings for JL Audio amplifiers
commonly used with W7AE’s. Some of this information is also
applicable with other brands of amplifiers (like crossover points
and slopes), some is not (like the voltage levels specified for input
sensitivity settings). Please note that W7AE’s rarely require any
equalization to produce smooth frequency response. If you have
an equalizer in your system (or one is included in your head unit
or amplifier), defeat all bands below 125 Hz before dialing in your
new system settings.

For optimum sub-bass performance, the amplifier input
sensitivity must be adjusted to avoid excessive distortion (clipping)
of the amplifier output. Overly high input sensitivity settings
result in no additional clean output but will result in poor sound
quality and reduced speaker reliability. With W7AE subwoofers,
a clipped amplifier output may manifest itself audibly as a low­level “mechanical” sound coming from the speakers. Proper input
sensitivity setting will avoid this problem.

extremely good when set up properly.

Please consult the input sensitivity setting information on page 14 of this book.

RECOMMENDED CONTINUOUS RMS POWER RANGE FOR ONE SUBWOOFER DRIVER:

13W7AE

12W7AE

8W7AE

10W7AE

GREEN MINIMUM:

From a reliability standpoint, this zone
represents a very comfortable operating
power range for each driver. This level
of power will not stress the woofer but
will not extract all of its performance
potential, either.

Use of less than the minimum power
level will not damage the woofer, but may
result in unsatisfactory performance.

When designing systems with W7AE drivers, it is very important to achieve a good power match between the subwoofer amplifier and the subwoofer driver's capabilities. The power levels listed in the
above chart represent continuous (RMS) amplifier power per woofer and assume that the user will regularly make full use of that power
sure you factor system impedance and the total number of subwoofers into your calculations. Adhering to these power recommendations will result in systems that are both reliable and enjoyable.

2

YELLOW OPTIMUM:

This zone represents the best balance
between long-term reliability, high
output and low distortion performance.
In this zone, you will be taking full
advantage of the woofer's optimum,
low-distortion performance range
without undue risk of failure.

RED MAXIMUM:

In this zone, low-distortion output and
long-term reliability will be compromised
(especially by an aggressive user). Slightly
more SPL will be gained by pushing the
power into this zone, but typically not
more than 2dB, compared to the yellow
zone. The closer you are to the black
zone, the higher the likelihood of driver
failure. Operate with caution.

without drastically overdriving (clipping) the amplifier(s). Make

BLACK WARRANTY VOID:

We do not recommend operating
woofers at this level of power. In this
zone, there is a very high probability that
the driver will fail due to excessive heat
and/or mechanical stress.

Subwoofer drivers operated at
these levels of power are NOT covered
under warranty.

W7AE Subwoofer Drivers: Tight.

The ultimate no-compromise subwoofer for those seeking extreme output and sublime sound quality.

PRECISIO N
BUILT
IN U.S. A.

1 - OverRoll™ Surround

(U.S. Patent #5,687,247 and #5,949,898)

By utilizing space wasted in conventional
speakers, this ground-breaking innovation controls
the W7AE’s massive excursion without sacrificing
precious cone area.

2 - W-Cone™ (U.S. Patent #6,496,590)

The W-Cone™ is a unit-body cone assembly that
delivers astonishing cone stiffness with minimal
mass. The shape also provides incredible torsional
rigidity, which is critical to maintaining voice coil
alignment at the suspension limits.

3 - Floating-Cone™ Attach Method

(U.S. Patent #6,501,844)

Our newly conceived assembly technique ensures
proper surround geometry in the assembled
speaker for better excursion control and dynamic
voice coil alignment. A small detail that means
a lot when you’re pumping the cone to the
excursion extremes the W7AE is capable of.

In addition to the patented technologies listed above, multiple U.S. and International patents are currently pending.

4 - Plateau-Reinforced Spider Attachment

(U.S. Patent #6,118,884)

A derivative of JLAudio’s famous VRC technology,
this bulletproof suspension attachment relieves
stress from the spider material at high-excursions
for enhanced reliability.

5 - Radially Cross-Drilled Pole Piece

(U.S. Patent #6,243,479)

This innovative venting system greatly enhances
thermal dissipation and power handling by
directing air flow onto the voice coil former,
working in conjunction with technology #6.

6 - Elevated Frame Cooling (U.S. Patent

#D472,891, #6,219,431 and #6,229,902)

The elevated frame design of the W7AE delivers
cool air through slots directly above the top-plate
to the voice coil of the speaker. This not only
enhances power handling, but also sound quality
by minimizing dynamic parameter shifts and
power compression.

7 - Highly Linear, DMA-Optimized Motor System

DMA is JLAudio’s proprietary Dynamic Motor
Analysis system and is aimed at improving
dynamic motor behavior. As a result of DMA
optimization, W7AE motors remain linear in motor
force over an extreme range of excursion and also
maintain a highly stable fixed magnetic field in
the gap over a wide power range. This leads to
vastly reduced distortion and faithfully reproduced
transients... or put simply: tight, clean, articulate
bass.

8 - Huge Diameter, Progressive-Roll Spider

Arrived at after intense computer analysis and
optimization, the W7AE spiders provide precise
control and motor/voice coil alignment without
prematurely limiting excursion.

9 - Co-Extruded Double Lead-Wires

The extruded casing and carefully engineered
attachments ensure controlled lead-wire behavior
under the most extreme excursion demands. Two
conductors are used per connection for ample
current carrying capability.

10 - Ultra-long Voice Coil

To allow extreme linear excursion, phenomenal
power handling and control, control, control.

WARNING: Prolonged exposure to high sound pressure levels can lead to permanent hearing loss.

W7AE subwoofers are capable of reproducing sound at extremely high sound pressure levels. Please exercise restraint in the operation of your system

in order to preserve your hearing and your long-term enjoyment of this product’s sound quality capabilities.

3

W7AE Subwoofer Drivers: Mounting Guide.

The ultimate no-compromise subwoofer for those seeking extreme output and sublime sound quality.

Please review the mounting procedures thoroughly before attempting to remove the
speaker from its shipping baffle. The W7AE mounts like no other speaker and care must be
taken to follow these instructions precisely.

2c

1

Step 1: Your Tools

When you remove the W7AE
from its shipping carton, it is
attached to an MDF baffle board.
Make sure you keep this baffle
board and all the packing material
in the unlikely event that the W7AE
ever needs to be shipped back to
JLAudio for service.

Two tools are required to install a
W7AE: a large flat blade screwdriver
and an electric screwdriver with a #2
Phillips-head bit.

2a 2b

Correct

Step 2: Remove Clamp-Ring

Gently insert the tip of the large flat-head screwdriver between the shiny aluminum clamp­ring and the foam surround (picture 2a). Be careful not to push the screwdriver too far down
or it will wedge behind the hidden O-Ring (picture 2b). Gently twist the screwdriver to “pop”
the clamp-ring off of the O-Ring and frame (picture 2c). This should require little effort... if you
are encountering high resistance, pull the screwdriver up a bit to make sure it is not wedged
behind the O-Ring. Once you have released the tip of the clamp-ring, a gentle push with your
thumb in the direction of the speaker circumference (picture 2d) will separate the clamp-ring
fully (picture 2f). Do not pull up on the ring until it is completely removed (picture 2g).

Wrong

2d

PRECISIO N
BUILT
IN U.S. A.

Wrong

2e

2f

2g

3a

Step 3: Remove O-Ring

Once the clamp-ring is removed, the
steel O-Ring is exposed. Gently lift
this O-Ring up and off the speaker
with your fingertips and set it aside.

4

4b

4a

Step 4: Remove Screws

Once the O -Ring is out of the way, the surround is
completely free of the speaker frame (no glue is used to secure it). Lift the
surround up and fold it back inside the speaker frame (picture 4a). This
exposes the mounting screws (picture 4b). The surround should be folded
back and in towards the center of the speaker (picture 4c). Do not pull it up
(picture 4d) or invert it (picture 4e). While holding the surround back with
two fingers as shown, back the first screw out using your electric
screwdriver (picture 4f, 4g). Repeat this process eleven more
times (there are twelve screws on a W7AE) until you have

3b

separated the speaker from the shipping baffle-board.
Before you panic, be aware that the surround and cone
materials are rugged and will not be damaged if you
follow the procedures shown. Only careless acts like
picking the speaker up by the surround or creasing it by
force will cause permanent damage.

4g

Correct

4d

4c

Wrong

Wrong

4e

4f

Step 5: Ready to Install

You are now ready to install the W7AE into
its enclosure. The parts are shown below.

6a

Step 6: Connect the speaker wires and

place the W7AE into the enclosure

Connect the positive wire to the red terminal and the negative wire to the
black terminal of the W7AE (picture 6a). The 13W7AE (not shown) has dual
voice coils and must be wired with its coils in series or in parallel. Once

the speaker is wired, gently lower it into the enclosure (picture 6b). This

is difficult on a vertical mounting surface (because of the speaker’s

weight) so you should enlist the help of a second person. If you

need a better grip (or are afraid of smashing your fingers)

you can grasp the inside of the speaker’s mounting flange

(remember, the surround moves out of the way). This tip

is particularly useful with the 13W7AE.

6b

7c

5

7a

7b

Step 7: Screw it in (12 times)

Line up the screw holes of the frame
with the holes that you have pre­drilled in your enclosure (you did
pre-drill the holes, right?). The W7AE
should be attached with heavy
screws such as the ones supplied
with the speaker. This will necessitate
pre-drilling. The use of inferior
hardware (i.e. drywall screws) may
lead to disastrous consequences,
so don’t do it. While holding the
surround back with two fingers
(picture 7a), screw the speaker into
the enclosure (picture 7b). Once
all twelve screws are in place (you
did use all twelve, right?), place the
surround back over the outside of
the speaker frame (picture 7c).

8a

Step 8: Attach O-Ring

Next, take the steel O-Ring that you
removed in step 3, and place it over
the outside of the surround. Push it
down evenly (do not seat one side

first) to make sure it seats the

lower lip of the surround down

to the frame (pictures 8a, 8b).

9e

9a

the clamp-ring is “pointing” towards the front of the
speaker. The clamp-ring is only designed to work in
this orientation.

Be sure that the beveled edge of

“click”

9b

Step 9: Attach Clamp-Ring

Place the seam of the clamp-ring where it will
be least visible in the installation (usually at the
bottom of the speaker). Start one end of the clamp-ring
by pressing it in firmly (pictures 9a, 9b). Then work your way around from
that point around the speaker, pushing the clamp-ring inward and in the
direction of the circumference of the frame (pictures 9c, 9d). If you have
achieved a tight fit all around, the seam will be small when you reach the
starting point again (pictures 9e, 9f). Check the entire circumference for a
tight fit just to be sure.

8b

9d

9c

That’s it!

You’ve just installed a W7AE!

9f

5