JL Audio 8W3v3-4 User manual

8W3v3-4 / 8W3v3-8
Subwoofers
owner’s manual
Congratulations on your purchase of a JL Audio subwoofer component. Your JL Audio subwoofer is a
precision loudspeaker which has been engineered to produce the highest quality sub-bass performance
in your vehicle. Authorized JL Audio dealers have extensive technical information for many different
applications of your new speaker. They also have the knowledge, skills and tools to build a high-quality
enclosure that will maximize the performance of your speaker. We highly recommend that you have your
enclosure built by an authorized JL Audio dealer.
Inside you will find specifications and two recommended enclosures for your speaker; one is a sealed
enclosure, the other is a ported design. Both types of enclosures will give you excellent sound quality and
low-frequency extension. The sealed enclosure is a better choice if space is extremely tight, but the ported
enclosure will produce 3dB more output at the same power if you have the extra space to work with.

2 JL AUDIO 8W3v3-4/8W3v3-8
SUBWOOFER 8W3v3-4 8W3v3-8
Free Air Resonance (Fs): 35.14 Hz 35.40 Hz
Electrical “Q” (Qes): 0.501 0.489
Mechanical “Q” (Qms): 7.071 6.789
Total Speaker “Q” (Qts): 0.467 0.456
Equivalent Compliance (Vas): 0.54 ft³
15.29 litres
0.57 ft³
16.14 litres
One-way, Linear Excursion (Xmax)*: 0.375 in.
10 mm
0.375 in.
10 mm
Efficiency (1W/1m)**: 83.24 dB SPL 83.68 dB SPL
Effective Piston Area (Sd): 32.02 in²
0.021 m²
32.02 in²
0.021 m²
DC Resistance (Re): 3.77 ohm 7.42 ohm
Nominal Impedance: 4 ohm 8 ohm
Power Handling (continuous): 250W 250W
* Xmax specifications are derived via one-way voice coil overhang method with
no correction factors applied.
** Efficiency (1W/1m) is not an accurate indicator of a subwoofer’s output
capability and should not be used as a comparison to other subwoofers to
determine which one is “louder” !
A
C
D
B
E
10W3v3 SUBWOOFER PHYSICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
Nominal Diameter: 8.0 in.
200 mm
Overall Diameter (A): 8.54 in.
217 mm
Mounting Hole Diameter (B): 7.09 in.
180 mm
Bolt Hole Circle (C): 7.85 in.
199 mm
Magnet Diameter (D): 4.75 in.
121 mm
Mounting Depth (E): 4.63 in.
118 mm
Net Weight: 8.2 lbs
3.7 kgs
Driver Displacement: 0.03 ft³
0.85 litres
JL AUDIO 8W3v3-4 / 8W3v3-8
U.S. PATENTS: #5,734,734 #6,501,844 #6,219,431 #D480,709 Other U.S. & Foreign patents pending.

JL AUDIO 8W3v3-4/8W3v3-8 3
SUBWOOFER RECOMMENDED SEALED ENCLOSURES
Volume
(net int.)
External Dimensions
(Width x Height x Depth)
F3
(Hz)
Fc
(Hz) Qtc
8W3v3-4 0.30 ft³
8.5 litres
12 in. x 10 in. x 8 in.
305 mm x 254 mm x 203 mm 54 58.8 0.783
8W3v3-8 0.30 ft³
8.5 litres
12 in. x 10 in. x 8 in.
305 mm x 254 mm x 203 mm 55 60.28 0.777
All specifications are subject to change without notice.
SUBWOOFER RECOMMENDED PORTED ENCLOSURES
Volume
(net int.)
Enclosure External Dimensions
(Width x Height x Depth)
Round Port Specs
(Inner Diameter x Length) Port Information Tune to: (Hz)
F3
(Hz)
8W3v3-4 0.35 ft³
9.9 litres
12.5 in. x 10 in. x 9.25 in.
317 mm x 254 mm x 235 mm
2 in. x 18 in.
51 mm x 457 mm
Round port requires a 90˚ elbow
to fit in the specified enclosure 35 41
8W3v3-8 0.35 ft³
9.9 litres
12.5 in. x 10 in. x 9.25 in.
317 mm x 254 mm x 235 mm
2 in. x 18 in.
51 mm x 457 mm
Round port requires a 90˚ elbow
to fit in the specified enclosure 35 41
!! CAUTION !!
Prolonged exposure to sound pressure levels in excess of 100dB can cause permanent hearing loss. This high-performance
speaker can exceed this level. Please exercise restraint in its operation in order to preserve your ability to enjoy its fidelity.
When installing a subwoofer in your vehicle, it is extremely important to secure the enclosure firmly. We recommend
bolting the enclosure through the metal of the floorpan or the frame of the vehicle with large diameter washers for
reinforcement. If an enclosure is not firmly attached, it can become a projectile in a collision. This is particularly important
in a hatchback, station wagon, sports utility vehicle, or van.
• The enclosure recommendations listed are external
dimensions which assume the use of 3/4" (19mm)
thick material. If you are using 5/8" (16mm) thick
material, subtract 1/4" (6.5mm) from each dimension.
Do not use any material with a thickness of less than
5/8" (16mm) as this may compromise the rigidity of
the enclosure.
• All enclosure volumes listed are net internal volumes!
Box volume displacement, port displacement and
brace displacement must be added to obtain the final
gross internal volume. All enclosure dimensions listed
have already taken this into account.
• When using two subwoofers in a common
enclosure simply double the required volume and,
in the case of a ported enclosure, use two times the
recommended port(s).
• We recommend the use of this speaker in a
bi-amplified system using high-quality satellite speakers
and amplifiers. We do not recommend the use of this
subwoofer with a passive crossover (coil), as this type
of device will adversely affect performance.

MEDIUM GRAY (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.
LIGHT GRAY (OPTIMUM):
This zone represents the best compromise
between long-term reliability, high-output and
low-distortion performance. This power level is
lower than the woofer’s continuous power rating
(as published in its specifications), but you will still
be taking advantage of the woofer’s, low-distortion
performance range without undue risk of failure.
DARK GRAY (MAXIMUM):
Slightly more SPL will be gained by pushing the
power into this zone, but typically not more than
2dB, compared to the light gray zone.The subwoofer
driver is designed to operate safely up to this power
range, but not beyond. Operate with caution.
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.
MINIMUM OPTIMUM MAXIMUM
LEGEND:
WARRANTY VOID
8W3v3
60W 125W 250W 500W30W
Printed in USA JLA8W3v3_MAN_01_08_011228
JL AUDIO warrants this speaker to be free of defects in materials and
workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase.
Damage caused by the following is not covered under warranty: accident, misuse,
abuse, product modification or neglect, failure to follow installation instructions,
unauthorized repair attempts, misrepresentations by the seller. This warranty does not
cover incidental or consequential damages and does not cover the cost of removing
or reinstalling the unit(s). Cosmetic damage due to accident or normal wear and tear
is not covered under warranty.
This warranty is not transferable and applies only to the original
purchaser of the product from an authorized JL AUDIO dealer.
Warranty is voided if the factory-applied product serial number is
removed or defaced.
Should service be necessary under this warranty for any reason due to
manufacturing defect or malfunction, JL AUDIO will, at its discretion, repair or replace
the defective product with new or remanufactured product at no charge.
Any applicable implied warranties are limited in duration to the period of the
express warranty as provided herein beginning with the date of the original purchase
at retail, and no warranties, whether express or implied, shall apply to this product
thereafter. Some states do not allow limitations on implied warranties, therefore these
exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you
may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
If you need service on your JL AUDIO product:
All warranty returns should be sent to JL AUDIO freight prepaid through an
authorized JL AUDIO dealer and must be accompanied by proof of purchase (a
copy of the original sales receipt.) Direct returns from consumers or non-authorized
dealers will be refused unless specifically authorized by JL AUDIO with a valid
return authorization number. Warranty expiration on products returned without
proof of purchase will be determined from the manufacturing date code. Coverage
may be invalidated as this date is previous to purchase date. Return only defective
components. Non-defective items received will be returned freight-collect. Customer
is responsible for shipping charges and insurance in sending the product to JL AUDIO.
Freight damage on returns is not covered under warranty. Always include proof of
purchase (sales receipt).
RECOMMENDED CONTINUOUS (RMS) POWER RANGE FOR ONE SUBWOOFER DRIVER:
JL Audio offers an extensive line of high-performance subwoofer drivers to fit a wide variety of enclosure and power applications.When designing systems with our 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 without drastically overdriving the amplifier(s). Make 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.
For Service Information in the U.S.A. please call:
JL Audio customer service: [phone] during normal business hours (Eastern Time)
JL Audio, Inc
10369 North Commerce Parkway, Miramar, FL 33025
International Warranties:
Products purchased outside the United States of America are covered only by that country’s distributor and not by JL Audio, Inc.
JL AUDIO LIMITED WARRANTY (USA)
Automotive Subwoofer Components