JL Audio 13TW5v2-4 13.5" Subwoofer Driver

Dynamic Motor Analysis - DMA Optimized Motor

Summary:
JL Audio's proprietary Dynamic Motor Analysis system is a powerful suite of FEA-based modeling systems, first developed by JL Audio in 1997 and refined over the years to scientifically address the issue of speaker motor linearity. This leads to vastly reduced distortion and faithfully reproduced transients... or put simply: tight, clean, articulate bass.

Detailed Information:
Since 1997, JL Audio has been at the forefront of Finite Element Analysis-based modeling of loudspeaker motors and suspensions. This research is aimed at decoding what we refer to as the "Loudspeaker Genome"... a project aimed at understanding the true behavior of loudspeakers under power and in motion. A major component of this integrated system is DMA (Dynamic Motor Analysis). Starting with the 15W3v3 and the W7 Subwoofers in the late 1990's and early 2000's, DMA has played an important role in the design of all JL Audio woofers sold today, including our component woofers.

DMA is a Finite Element Analysis (FEA)-based system, meaning that it takes a large, complex problem, breaks it down into small solution elements for analysis and then assembles the data to form an accurate, "big-picture" solution. DMA's breakthrough is that it actually considers the effects of power through the coil as well as coil/cone position within the framework of a time-domain analysis. This gives us a highly accurate model of a speaker's actual behavior under real power, something that the traditional Thiele-Small models or other low power measurements cannot do. Because DMA does not rely on a steady-state model, it is able to consider shifts in the circuit elements being analyzed. These modeling routines are intense, requiring hours to run for a whole speaker.

DMA is able to analyze the real effects of fluctuating power and excursion upon the magnetic circuit of the motor, specifically the dynamic variations of the "fixed" magnetic field. This delivers intensely valuable information compared to traditional modeling, which assumes that the "fixed" field produced in the air gap by the magnet and the motor plates is unchanging. DMA not only shows that this "fixed" field changes in reaction to the magnetic field created by current flowing through the voice coil, but it helps our engineers arrive at motor solutions that minimize this instability. Analyzing this behavior is critical to understanding the distortion mechanisms of a speaker motor and sheds light on the aspects of motor design that determine truly linear behavior:

• Linear motor force over the speaker's operational excursion range
• Consistent motor force with both positive and negative current through the coil
• Consistent motor force at varying applied power levels

Our ability to fully analyze these aspects of motor behavior allows our transducer engineers to make critical adjustments to motor designs that result in extremely linear, highly stable dynamic loudspeaker motor systems.

The payoff is reduced distortion, improved transient performance and stellar sound quality.

Floating Cone Attach Method - FCAM™ (U.S. Patent #6,501,844)

Summary:
This assembly technique, conceived by JL Audio, ensures proper surround geometry in the assembled speaker for better excursion control and dynamic voice coil alignment.

Detailed Information:
JL Audio's patented FCAM™ technology is an innovative method of bonding the surround/cone assembly to the voice coil former/spider assembly. This feature helps ensure concentricity of the surround, spider and voice coil without torquing the suspension to achieve it. This allows for the inevitable, slight variations in production part dimensions without having them negatively impact the integrity of the suspension and coil-centering at high excursions.

Tab-Ear Frame Design

Summary:
This frame design feature facilitates mounting the subwoofer driver in tight spaces.

Detailed Information:
By employing a tab-ear mounting system, the driver's overall outside dimensions are reduced, permitting it to be mounted in a space that is very similar to that required by the next smaller round woofer frame.

In this example, the “Tab-Ear” frame design allows a 13TW5 13.5-inch driver to fit in a space only slightly larger than a conventional 12-inch woofer requires (only 0.44 in. / 11.2 mm bigger)

Concentric Tube Suspension (U.S. Patent #5,734,132 & #6,095,280)

Summary:
Our patented Concentric Tube Suspension™ technology delivers unprecedented excursion in a low-profile woofer.

Detailed Information:
The biggest challenge in any low-profile woofer design is to create enough mechanical clearance for the speaker to generate enough excursion to meet its output and low-frequency extension goals. Since these goals were very ambitious in the development of JL Audio's low profile woofers, achieving them required development of a new suspension architecture.

JL Audio's patented solution employs a molded structure which spans over the edge of the motor system, supporting the spider on the outside of the motor's boundaries and the large diameter voice coil on the inside. The large diameter voice coil permits the magnet to sit inside it, rather than surrounding the coil as is typical in most woofers.

The concentric tube structure and the elimination of a conventional top-plate helps us place the motor system higher up into the cone body's space to further compress depth, while still permitting excellent mechanical excursion.

Precision Built in U.S.A.

Summary:
JL Audio's Miramar, Florida loudspeaker production facility is one of the most advanced in the world.

Detailed Information:
At a time when most audio products are built overseas, JL Audio’s commitment to in-house loudspeaker production continues to grow. All W7’s, W6’s, TW5’s, TW3's, W3v3’s and some of our ZR products. We also build our Marine Speaker Systems, Home Subwoofers, Stealthbox® products and the vast majority of our enclosed subwoofer systems in Florida.

To pull this off in a competitive world market, our production engineering team has created one of the world’s most advanced loudspeaker assembly facilities. This commitment to state-of-the-art technology allows our highly skilled workforce to efficiently build JL Audio products to extremely high quality standards.

While it is also feasible to build good quality products overseas (and we do build some of our products in Europe and Asia), it can be challenging when the product’s technology is innovative or complex. Since most of our premium loudspeakers incorporate proprietary, patented technologies requiring specific assembly techniques, we prefer that the people who design them have close access to the people manufacturing them.

Specifications

General Specifications

• Continuous Power Handling (RMS) 600 W
• Recommended RMS Amplifier Power 250 - 600 W
• Nominal Impedance (Znom) 4 Ω

Physical Specifications

• Nominal Diameter 13.5 in / 345 mm
• Overall Diameter (A) A1: 14.2 in / 361mm
• A2: 13.0 in / 330 mm
• Mounting Hole Diameter (B) 12.5 in / 318 mm
• Bolt Hole Circle (C) 13.5 in / 343 mm
• Magnet Diameter (D) 6.75 in / 171 mm
• Mounting Depth (E) 2.625 in / 67 mm
• Driver Displacement 0.052 cu ft / 1.47 L
• Net Weight 20.5 lb / 9.3 kg

Parameters

• Free Air Resonance (Fs) 27.61 Hz
• Electrical “Q” (Qes) 0.553
• Mechanical “Q” (Qms) 10.692
• Total Speaker “Q” (Qts) 0.526
• Equivalent Compliance (Vas) 2.13 cu ft / 60.31 L
• One-Way Linear Excursion (Xmax)* 0.433 in / 11 mm
• Reference Efficiency (no) 0.2300%
• Efficiency (1 W / 1 m)** 85.63 dB SPL
• Effective Piston Area (Sd) 98.26 sq in / 0.0634 sq m
• DC Resistance (Re) 3.513 Ω

* Xmax specifications are derived via one-way voice coil overhang method with no correction factors applied.
** Efficiency (1 W / 1 m) 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”.

Sealed Enclosure Specifications

• Wall Thickness 0.75 in / 19 mm
• Front Baffle Thickness 0.75 in / 19 mm
• Volume (net int.) 0.80 cu ft / 22.66 L
• External Width (W) 19 in / 483 mm
• External Height (H) 15 in / 381 mm
• External Depth (D) 7.75 in / 197 mm
• F3 41.42 Hz
• Fc 52.84 Hz
• Qtc 1.007

Enclosure Notes
* The enclosure recommendations listed above are external dimensions which assume the use of 0.75 in (19 mm) thick material. If you are using 0.625 in (16 mm) thick material, subtract 0.25 in (6) from each dimension. Do not use any material with a thickness of less than 0.625 in (16 mm) as this may compromise the rigidity of the enclosure.
* All enclosure volumes listed above are net internal volumes! Driver displacement, port displacement and brace displacement must be added to obtain the final gross internal volume. All enclosure dimensions above have already taken this into account.
* When using multiple subwoofers in a common enclosure you will need to recalculate the enclosure and port dimensions. For assistance please contact your authorized JL Audio dealer or JL Audio Technical Support.
* We recommend the use of this speaker in a bi-amplified system using high-quality satellite speakers and a high-quality amplifier. We do not recommend the use of this subwoofer with a passive crossover (coil), as this type of device will adversely affect performance.
* All specifications are subject to change without notice.

Safety Notice
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.

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