The JBL BP300.1 packs a lot of power from a small package.
Written: Jul 02 '07 (Updated Jul 03 '07)
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Pros: Low current,high power, large wire terminals, speaker level inputs.
Cons: It's discontinued.
The Bottom Line: The BP series of sub amps from JBL are an outstanding value. Great performance in a small package.
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| cspu's Full Review: JBL PowerValve BP300.1 Car Amp |
I bought a used JBL BP300.1 because I thought I might add a sub to the stock stereo in my 2006 Civic Si. I remembered the good things I'd read about the BP300.1 and on www.sounddomain.com forums in 2001 and started looking for a small amp to power a single IDQ 12.
About the BP300.1
This amp has a reputation for making huge power for a great price. It's also known for producing that power without taxing your electrical system or getting too hot. Add to that the amp has a very small footprint and you've got an amp that can be placed just about anywhere.
The specs for the BP300.1 are:
150 X 1 @ 4ohms
300 X 1 @ 2ohms
10.75" (L) X 8.3" (W) X 2.6" (H)
I did not receive a birth sheet with my amp and I don't know if JBL measures the output at 12 or 14 volts.
My Installation
I never got around to installing the BP300.1 in my 2006 Civic Si, the factory stereo was good enough that I never got motivated to install it. When I decided that the Si was no longer doing it for me, I traded it for a Mazdaspeed 3. The sound of the stock Bose system in the 3 was a couple of steps below that of the Civic Si. Most notably in the sub department. I quickly discovered why when I asked the salesman where the sub was. His reply was "under the passenger seat". On the way home I had already determined that the BP300.1 would be in this car soon.
The location of the stock "sub" turned out to be ideal for installing my amp. I removed the stock 4" sub enclosure and mounted my BP300.1 there. The length of the amp is about 4 inches shorter than the "sub" so I had to fabricate a base out of MDF. I was able to bolt the amp to the MDF and the MDF to the stock "sub" bolts. The BP300.1 fits nicely under the seat of the 3 and does not affect seat travel and still has plenty of room to breathe.
I ran 5 gauge wire for the power and ground. The BP300.1 will accept as large as 4gauge, but even 5 is overkill for this amount of power. I chose to run the larger wire in case I decide to replace the factory Bose amp with a 4 channel later. All of the power and speaker outputs use my favorite type of terminal wherein you slide the stripped wire inside the terminal and tighten a screw. No need for any special connectors on the end of the wires.
The BP300.1 has both low level RCA type inputs and high level speaker inputs. This is one of the reasons I chose this amp, no need for a separate Line Output Converter (LOC). I simply unplugged the spade terminals from the stock "sub" and removed the wire from the box. Then I had to splice one spade connector because the factory "sub" had a smaller connector on the (-) side. Once that was done I simply connected the spade terminals to the input on the amp and viola... ready to test.
I have the amp connected to an Image Dynamics IDQ 10 D4 V2 sub (10", dual voice coil). Max RMS power for this sub is 300 watts so it's a good match for the BP300.1.
Adjusting the sound
Anytime you add a sub you have to balance the sound with the rest of the speakers. Because the stock system is relatively low powered the 300 watt sub can easily overpower the high frequencies. I set the factory deck to "0" (zero) for both bass and treble, then inserted some music that I knew very well (Tool, Vicarious from 10,000 days) and turned up the sound to just before the stereo speakers began clipping. I set the gain on the BP300.1 so that it blended well with the rest of the system, because the input signal is coming from the factory amp, the gain is nearly zero.
The BP300.1 has adjustable bass boost (set to zero) and a variable crossover that I have set at about 80hz. Since the signal it receives is already filtered I'm not able to adjust it up much. Adjustments are made with a small standard screwdriver... the adjusting screws are very sensitive and small adjustments make big differences.
Sound
After the initial adjustment I listened to several different types of music to determine if I had it set where I needed it. For Rap and heavy bass type music I have to turn the bass settings down (negative numbers) on the head unit and I've only had to turn it up on some older music that didn't have much bass to begin with. The BP300.1 produces clean bass that compliments the stock system nicely. It can be overpowering but only because it's so much more powerful than the rest of the system. I'm very pleased with the sound quality and volume of my setup.
Power consumption and heat
Even after extended playing at high volume my BP300.1 is only warm to the touch. I was sort of concerned that it might get hot because it's under the seat and the heat sink is relatively smooth. No heat issues whatsoever.
Power consumption is not noticeable. Since the BP300.1 is a class D amplifier it doesn't draw enough current to tax my electrical system. Maximum current draw is listed at 29 amps so most modern cars should have no problem providing the necessary power.
Summary
The BP300.1 lives up to it's reputation. It's a very good amp that produces clean power, doesn't tax the electrical system, and fits in small spaces without overheating. If 300 watts is enough for your needs then this is definitely one to look out for. The BP600.1 is the bigger brother and based on what I've heard from this amp it's probably just as good with twice the power. I'd definitely buy this amp again.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 70
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Epinions.com ID:
cspu
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 in Electronics |
 - Top 500 |
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Location: The Island of Misfit Toys (Alabama)
Reviews written: 116
Trusted by: 98 members
About Me:
Sarcastic car audio enthusiast, motorcycle rider, and hunter... and I make NO apologies for it!
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