JL 12w6v2 is getting an upgrade...
 

I'm adding a JL HD750/1 amp to my JL12w6v2 sub this weekend, the sub is in a sealed box and is in the old free air sub location that MC uses. I had my local stereo shop ( Best shop in Atlanta, IMO) gut the sub and use it as a vent.

My question is am I going to hear a difference in the sub by adding more power? Will there be a decibel change? The amp is currently being power by the sub setup of my WS Syn 6 and it sounds great but I want more and this seem to be a logical choice to add more power.

I am hoping for a big change because I'd really like to keep a single sub setup and stop the spending on stereo stuff....if thats possible. This stereo stuff is like crack...I think

If you were running the Syn 6 bridged I don't think there will be a huge difference just changing amps. But I just went from an XD 600/1 to an HD 750/1 on my 13tw5 and got a very noticeable difference, but I wasn't getting everything out of the XD amp with the subs 3ohm rating so it was a larger bump in power. Adding another one of those grills as a vent and switching into a ported box would make the most out of what you got and a noticeable difference.

I had Earmark swap out the XD 600/1 to a HD 750/1 on my 12W6v2 and it was a very noticeable difference IMO. It really allowed me to get the full potential out of the sub. I really think the JL subs can handle more power than they are rated for by JL.

A Syn6 with either a stereo 4-ohm or bridged 8-ohm load is under-utilizing the amplifier and under-powering the sub. This particular sub gives you no other choices with this particular amplfier. So it's a bad combo in any case. The HD750/1 will make a major difference because you will have the correct match-up and getting more than double the power. The HD750/1 will deliver the identical power into any load from 1.5 to 4-ohms. Going from sealed to bass-reflex will be another gigantic output increase not to mention greater deep bass extension. A 10-inch vent appears very small and resistive as compared to the large and compliant air mass of the seating console and adjoining gunnel cavities. There is little impetus for the acoustic energy to pass from within the seating console to the open cockpit. Doubling the vent surface area for a 12" sub will also pay dividends.
JL Audio is a little conservative on their thermal ratings. If you tune the sub correctly and keep the power out of compression this will be no problem for the long term. Are there subs that are rated for more power? Sure. But how honest are those ratings? And you cannot increase the voice coil power handling by any significant margin without seriously degrading the sound quality. It's just fact. Everything is right about the HD750/1 & 12W6 combo.

David
Earmark Marine