JBL GTO1214BR

Carpeted ported enclosure housing a GTO 1202D  twelve inch subwoofer and 4mm binding post connections. The face of the classic wedge shaped enclosure is finished with a shiny laminate and instead of a grille, the speaker has two large rugged looking Aluminium bars running across the front of it. They look able to keep suitcases from harming your cone on a hurried-to-Gatwick roundabout. Rated at 300w RMS, the product also comes as a bandpass option which states a higher power handling of 350w RMS. The unit was tested using a JBL GTO24001 amplifier. In fact this amp is way over-powered for the box, as it puts out 1,700 watts at four Ohms. Now, while you can get both Bandpass and Bass Reflex (hence BP or BP model numbers) in two Ohm versions, that would have meant that the unit would be at risk of drawing 2,400 watts and that would have been terminal. As it was, it had the 1,700w output to contend with.  The black shiny lacquered  front panel is held in place by four plastic mouldings, with the port fashioned in two pieces, one silvery top ring and the main gas-flowed part with the word ‘slipstream’ branded into it behind it. The JBL GTO 1202D driver has a large raised JBL logo and fluted shapes on the cone for rigidity. A large top roll surround on the driver for high excursion. All the parts, speaker connection cup included are fixed with attractive Allen headed screws.
– Three-quarter inch MDF construction
– Power Handling: 300w RMS (1,200w peak)
– GTO 1202D vented pole piece subwoofer driver used
– Large top rubber roll surround and progressive lower spider
– Cone has raised ribs and silvery dust dome with raised JBL logo
– Large front firing gas flowed ‘Slipstream’ port
– 4 Ohm voice coil
– Gold plated 4mm binding post terminals
– JBL GTO SERIES badge on front
– Efficiency: 94dB 1w/1M
– Dimensions: 420(h) x 626(w) x 322 to 237(d) mm
Review by Adam Rayner
This box is definitely an Object of Desire. It not only looks really sexy and powerful but it sounds it too. A classic in every way and pure JBL in that it is able to handle far more power than its ratings suggest. I admit that as I was getting used to the new bass amplifier, the first time of connection, I did give the poor woofer an absolute slapping. I gave it a signal way below its port tuning frequency, then I boosted it at a point still below the tuning frequency, then I gave it a kilowatt.
That the poor thing survived a moment or three of unadulterated stupidity speaks volumes for its ability to withstand abuse on the street. I must have offered a year’s worth of over driving to the motor structure. I know I boiled every last gram of the volatiles out of the glues used to hold the thing together and even toasted them a bit as they made that nasty hot voice coil smell. (Which I admit a certain pervy love of but it might be toxic.)
However, I finally got a grip of the true power of said test amplifier, a JBL 24001 monoblock and better yet, the bass optimisation circuit they use on it and gave the GTO1214BR a far more sensible load. I crossed out the stuff above around 80 to 100Hz by the knobs’ annotation, and then turned the subsonic filter to about 30Hz, or just a snadger below the bottom declared frequency response of the box at 35Hz. I refrained from offering any boost, as I was using Power Supply ‘More Bass More Boom More Bottom’ again and the ‘Hold Up Wait a Minute, Better Put Some Boom In it!’ track. This has huge bass sweeps and drops in it and goes way deeper than the GTO1214BR is specified to be able to do.
Then, I gave it a fat slice of power again, around the half kilowatt mark, as the Odyssey battery was being supported by the 10A marine battery charger at the time of the test and offering 12.4V.
The subwoofer tracked the huge bass lines and made a really full fat sound with nary a trace of any strain until you dropped down to the lower than 30Hz zone. Then it made a valiant attempt at the material but you could hear that it was running out of puff down there.
It showed a big old excursion on the cone of the GTO woofer in the box and this means a real ease with grip of the big end of wobbles and big bass notes that change and grow or swell. It’s fabulous for dance music and techno and I would happily suggest it to most any music fan who wants the bass accurate as well as loud but wants to keep costs slightly under control as the VFM of the unit is huge. You can pay more and get less with just a driver that isn’t as good. Furthermore, the box is so well furnished that the whole is more than a mere woofer in a box but a thing you’ll be proud to own.
It isn’t audiophillia and it isn’t weapons-grade but it is fabby value and it sounds big. Beefy, deep and meaty and able to use lots more power than it says on the box.
So another typically rocking product from the brand that remains one of the truly Big Boys of Bass and earns itself a Talk Audio Recommended flag.
Sound Quality 8.0
Build Quality 9.0
Power Handling 9.0
Efficiency 9.0
Value For Money 9.0
Overall rating 8.8