Subwoofer technology has come a long way over the past couple years. New materials and designs are pushing products to a whole new level, at the same time providing customers with great equipment. This has also given companies the ability to become key players in areas where they once didn't have a strong hold. JVC's release of their Arsenal line looks impressive at first glance with the amount of technology that they've incorporated into the products. Lets dig a little deeper to determine if the technology is only for show, or if this is another opportunity for the customer to benefit from new developments in car audio.
JVC Arsenal CS-AW8240
ImpressionsAnticipating the arrival of a 12" subwoofer from JVC's Arsenal line, I cracked open the external shipping package and pulled out a discreet white box stamped with CS-AW8240. Not familiar with JVC's numbering system, I initially thought they might have sent an 8" subwoofer instead. But upon opening the container, I realized the CD-AW8240 model number is no indication of the subwoofer size, as this 12" subwoofer was staring me in the face.
The cone, stamped with JVC's Arsenal logo, consists of a unique Kevlar-laminated hemp fiber. Kevlar's most popular trait is its outstanding strength-to-weight ratio. JVC implemented the hemp fiber for what it claims acts as both a natural lowpass filter to reduce unwanted mid- and high-frequencies, as well as reducing internal losses in the diaphragm to improve overall acoustic performance. A massive santoprene surround engulfs the cone, which seems to almost reduce the actual cone area of the sub by over 2". I've taken the wide surround as a good indication that this subwoofer was designed for high-excursion capability.
The internals of the subwoofer are contained in an appealing cast-aluminum basket with a black, high-gloss finish. Streamlined air vents were designed into the basket to allow for efficient cooling while maintaining cosmetic appeal. One side of the basket contains a connection block with clearly identified positive and negative terminals that utilize hex-headed screws to secure input wires. Directly above the screws are a pair of 10-amp fuses dedicated to each voice coil to prevent the possibility of excessive clipping by the amplifier from destroying the voice coils. Another feature included on the terminal block is the ability to change the configuration of the subwoofer between series or parallel using the patent-pending Rapid Fire Impedance Selector. A diamond-shaped indicator on the bladelike jumper plug indicates the mode of configuration. This feature provides installation flexibility, allowing a multitude of amplification scenarios and easy configuration when using multiple woofers. Inside the basket are 103-ounce dual-stacked strontium magnets that surround the subwoofer's vent plate.
ManualThe manual is comprised of details and installation instructions for both the CS-AW8240 and its little brother, the 10" CS-AS8040. Instructions are written in English, Spanish and French, detailing the parts included with the subwoofer along with pictures, installation scenarios and recommendations. The subwoofer's flexibility was apparent when I read the amplification scenarios diagramed in the manual. The subwoofer can be configured for 2-, 4- or 8-ohm loads depending on the setting of the jumper plug.