filecat13

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $400.00 from ebay

Summary:
I bought this sub and the BX63A crossover for a great price off ebay, and it arrived remarkably intact after long distance shipping. The crossover required a repair as it was inoperable, but it was an easy fix. The sub is solid, stable, unobtrusive, and powerful. I'm bridging a Soundcraftsmen A400 amp to drive it and running it with a pair of JBL 4430s to round out the bottom end. It's a bold combo.

As mentioned by others, it takes a good amp to drive this, and 400W is not too much to really control it. All in all, it's a capable sub with an unobtrusive demeanor.

Strengths:
Solidly built, strong performer without being intrusive, and dependable performance.

Weaknesses:
Big, heavy, and unimaginative design; underwhelming without the right amp.

Similar Products Used:
JBL PS1400
JBL HTPS400 THX
JBL L8400P
JBL Music 20
Fosgate Audionics CSS200 THX
Fosgate Audionics FS400 THX
Citation 7.4
Cambridge 200
Realistic 120

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I have to say that the previous reviews are missing the mark. I have a B-460 (homebuilt box to 460 specs with 2245H driver and JBL crossover) but the B-380 is of equal quality only smaller. These are perhaps the finest Subs ever sold period and in great demand by the people who know. I read the other reviews and shake my head. These subs provide the bottom octave and do it in a way that does not take away from the rest of the spectrum. I have used mine for 15 years with plenty of high end mains and it has always made me smile. It was designed as a compliment to regular mains in music reproduction in mastering studios and works great in music only systems. It was never meant to be a theater system but excells there too. It is a match for any driver out there. If the previos posters don't like their subs they should sell them as the market for these is very strong and they are worth much to people who know.

Strengths:
Power Handling, Sound, Durabillity

Weaknesses:
Price. They command a fortune from people who know.

Similar Products Used:
I dont know of many that compete

Price Paid:  $500.00

Summary:
The JBL 380 subwoofer is a 15" speaker from JBL. It is big, and heavy! I first used this subwoofer with a Crown DC300A. That was allright but not great. It is difficult to manage a big speaker like this one. It can get blurry and loud with the wrong amp and cableling. I tried the 380 with another amp from Crown, the famous PSA2. That was a lot better! Far more control, but the Crown Delta-Omega 2000 that i use now is a energy monster who is in full control. It is great! You don't hear the subwoofer but if it must be there, it is! All sub-low music parts are there, for example Genesis (firth of fifth with MOOG pedals) Pendragon, James Taylor (hourglass) or Roger Waters (amused to death) Control the bigone and it will serve you greatly!

Strengths:
Great sub-low frequencys It is almost the (real) PA thing.

Weaknesses:
You better get a very good amp, good cabeling and replace the cables inside. Use them for lightbulbs. The powersupply on the active crossover sucs! Also it i non symmetric. I use a behringer crossover. Better! Sometimes it is a slow 15"speaker but it sounds like a PA system in the real.

Similar Products Used:
Crown, Classe, Denon ML, crown PA stuff.

Price Paid:  $1000.00 from Melbourne

Summary:
This is for the B430 which has the 18" passive driver with an external frequency divider. Very large and heavy. Not punchy. Sounds like a heavy truck going past outside the door. Very few notes are recorded in the frequencies where this operates so most of the time it just huffs and puffs. Affect on body cavities (lungs and digestive organs)is disturbing/tiresome at high volumes.

Strengths:
Will play as loud as your nerve. Try the Telarc 1812 cannons. Can cause chest heave, queezy stomach, easily moves glass windows, flaps plaster, and shakes the power cables in walls.

Weaknesses:
When correctly balanced with full-range speakers, you don''t hear it contributing much with normal Pop music CDs. The rounded front prevents cabinet being used as furniture side table. Grill top catches dust.

Similar Products Used:
Sold because insufficient source material to justify cost and space.

Price Paid:  $300.00 from used audio shop Korea

Summary:
This has been my first and only foray into the world of subwoofers.
I would say that it is a solid performer for the price, but seems more useful for mid bass frequencies than for deep bass, which is what I've been led to believe that subwoofing is all about.

The active crossover unit uses a cheesy wall plug transformer as a power supply. (You know, the kind which will cover TWO or THREE outlets when plugged in.) Why not build the X-over into a dedicated chassis? The pot also required frequent de-oxit treatments.

Honestly though, this subwoofer was misapplied in my all concrete apartment building. The low frequencies were conducted much too easily to coexist harmoniously with my neighbors.

Strengths:
designed to take a beating

Weaknesses:
port chuffing, chintzy crossover power supply

Similar Products Used:
none