TECHWEEK
Autumn is a traditional time for equipment upgrades. Today we will offer a guide for everyone who wants to enhance the bass component in their system.
That is, we will answer the question of which subwoofer is worth buying this year.
8. Behringer SAT 1008 SUBA
Speaker – 8” | Frequency response – from 30 Hz | Power – 200 W | Weight – 15 kg.
Pros – well made and good sounding sub
Cons: unassuming appearance
Verdict – excellent price/quality ratio
A semi-professional model, the active subwoofer Behringer SAT 1008 SUBA develops a peak power of 600 W or a long-term power of 200 W – for its price, this fifteen-kilogram robust subwoofer is made just perfectly. It’s gratifying that the model has RCA switching, and a sound pressure of 110 dB with an frequency response of 30 Hz will satisfy even seasoned music lovers. Yes, there is no super detail here, but (once again) pay attention to the price!
7. Magnat Alpha RS 8
Speaker – 8” | Frequency response – from 25 Hz | Power – 80 W | Weight – 8.5 kg.
Pros – German quality
Cons – sometimes lacks scale
Verdict – a great entry-level model
A compact model from a famous German company that even produces speakers at its own facilities. The Magnat Alpha RS 8 reaches 80W of continuous power with peaks up to 160W and uses an 8” long throw woofer. The body made of thick fiberboard plates perfectly damps resonances, and the declared frequency response of 25 Hz does not seem like a joke – this bass module “digs” really deep.
6. Bowers & Wilkins ASW608
Speaker – 8” | Frequency response – from 42 Hz | Power – 200 W | Weight – 8.85 kg.
Pros – compact dimensions, excellent dynamics
Cons – frequency response could be longer
Verdict – Bowers & Wilkins holds its own
Another device that can easily fit into any interior is the Bowers & Wilkins ASW608. During the development, the task was set to make a cool-sounding subwoofer that would provide coverage for halls up to 15-18 m2. This worked out one hundred percent – the combination of a closed enclosure with a proprietary woofer with a Continuum diffuser gave a stunning effect. The Bowers & Wilkins ASW608’s bass is extremely fast, dry and accurate – bravo.
5. UandKSound M800 II
Speaker – 8” | Frequency response – from 40 Hz | Power – 200 W | Weight – 12.6 kg.
Pros: elegant appearance, very lively sound
Cons – again, I would like more bass depth
Verdict – a designer model that won’t let you down
The appearance of the UandKSound M800 II immediately attracts the eye – it’s something you wouldn’t expect from a subwoofer. For its dimensions, almost 13 kg of weight ensures complete damping of cabinet resonances, and a 200-watt amplifier and 8” long-throw driver provide a very marvelous, agile and precise performance. You wouldn’t expect such an effect from such a compact device.
4. Velodyne Vi-Q12
Speaker – 12” | Frequency response – from 25 Hz | Power – 500 W | Weight – 25 kg.
Pros – textured and deep bass
Cons – for your money – nothing
Verdict – Velodyne sets the standard
The closed body of Velodyne Vi-Q12 is made of 22 mm HDF plates, and the thickness of the front wall reaches five centimeters! The 12” woofer of our own design with a double magnetic system and a four-layer 76 mm coil uses a carbon diffuser and “pumps” from 25 Hz. Traditionally for the company, the entire range of DSP settings is available through the proprietary iWoofer application (including sound correction for a specific room). Peak 900 W of amplification is the icing on the cake, and it is impossible to make any complaints about the sound of the sub.
3. MK Sound X12+
Speakers – 2 x 12” | Frequency response – from 18 Hz | Power – 600 W | Weight – 45.9 kg.
Pros: incredibly powerful and dense sound
Cons – none
Verdict – luxury high-end sub
The luxurious active subwoofer MK Sound X12+ is a real hit of the season. The model is created for enthusiasts of good sound, it uses the famous proprietary Push-Pull switching circuit in a non-isobaric configuration – in fact, both woofers are open to air and form a completely symmetrical wave with additional distortion cancellation. The sound of the device seems to be a reference for its group, but the power looks prohibitive (carbon diffusers and 600 W of amplification work “at their best”).
2. Sonus Faber Gravis VI
Speaker – 2 x 12” | Frequency response – from 18 Hz | Power – 1,700 W | Weight – 52 kg.
Pros – equally good in both music and cinema
Cons – only price
Verdict – Sonus Faber Gravis VI remains one of the most impressive subwoofers
A high-end subwoofer from Sonus Faber, the Gravis VI model uses a pair of 12″ speakers and reaches 1,700 W of power. The declared frequency response of 18 Hz looks absolutely honest – this mastodon weighing half a centner is capable of coping equally well with complex music or with the next blockbuster movie, always forming a surprisingly dense bass flow.
1. Magico SSUB
Speaker – 2 x 13” | Frequency response – from 15 Hz | Power – 2 x 550 W | Weight – 113 kg.
Pros – absolutely live performance
Cons – prohibitive price
Verdict – “shock and awe”
Magico S-SUB is based on the developments of a much more expensive “titanic” sub from a High End company, but the price is still off the charts – well, it’s Magico! The unit uses a pair of the latest 13″ woofers (housed in an all-aluminum enclosure) with dual 75mm coils, each driven by a separate 550-watt amplifier (3.2 kW peak system power). The sub operates from 15 Hz and reaches an incredible 120 dB SPL, and the realism of the performance seems to be industry standard.
