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Subwoofers
Black Trevoce 12 EQ OSD DSP Subwoofer: $600
If you don’t know much about OSD Audio (OSD stands for Optimal Speaker Design), it might be time to start paying attention. We were taken aback by the clear, deep bass emanating from the $200 Nero TubeBass 10 Subwoofer we reviewed last year, so we wanted to see what the $600 DSP Trevoce 12 EQ OSD could do. We were not disappointed. The subwoofer combines a 12-inch woofer with dual side passive radiators, app-controllable DSP with 25-band parametric EQ and an 800-watt amplifier in a manageable 15-inch cube. There are also standard crossover, volume, and phase controls, but you probably won’t use them once you launch the app.
Reviewer Al Griffin subjected the subwoofer to two torture tests – one in a system configured for music, the other in a home theater dedicated to watching movies. The Trevoce 12 delivered the pumped bass on Steven Wilson’s “King Ghost” (The bites of the future) in a clean and dynamic way and was able to convey the immense power of the deep synth basslines on “Valley” from The Orb’s 1995 electronic album Orbus Terrarum. “I was impressed with how much sound I was hearing,” Griffin noted, adding, “I was also able to push the volume to almost uncomfortable levels without losing clarity.”
The movie time was equally impressive. When the plane is hijacked and crashes into a hangar in the 2020 sci-fi action thriller Principle, the impact was palpable, and Ludwig Göransson’s droning, bass-heavy score was rendered in a suitably dynamic manner – one that created the extreme tension the composer was undoubtedly looking for. If you like the idea of a nuanced performance from a subwoofer with an arsenal of controls that lets you really dial in the bass, the Trevoce 12 EQ DSP is well worth a look and a listen.
IN ONE LOOK
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Deep bass from a compact design
DSP and application control
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Not user-friendly control app
Unreliable auto on/off function
No wireless connection option
Full review here (published 01/26/22)
THX Ultra Monolith by Monoprice Certified 13-inch Subwoofer: $1,700
Tipping the scales at 153 pounds and commanding well over 2 cubic feet of space, Monoprice’s new 13-inch bass beast is the latest model in its ever-expanding Monolith series and could be your last subwoofer – as long as you have the space (and budget) for it. The 13THX (our unofficial name) is a surprisingly simple affair with a custom tank-shaped woofer, which weighs 60 pounds on its own, a ballsy 2,000-watt amplifier (steady state), and an oversized triple-port enclosure (plugs foam pads are provided for those who would like to experiment with different alignments).
There’s no remote control, wireless connectivity or app-controllable automatic EQ. Instead, you get a simple, basic super subwoofer with a standard set of crossover and other controls (including “THX” and “Extended” EQ settings) that’s flat below 18Hz and capable to reach 115 dB SPL at 25 Hz. . As reviewer Daniel Kumin very vividly put it, “Unless you live in a disused train station or you’re a convicted felon with an ankle monitor, Monolith’s 13THX delivers more bass than you’d expect.” You can use any. Placed and balanced with care, you can be assured that you hear all the bass present on a recording, at whatever level you desire. Period.”
If you’re wondering how the 13THX compares to one of those subcompact subwoofers that use watts and EQ to defy physics, the answer is that it continues to run while the sub-limiting circuitry smaller sailor reduced his output. Navigating a series of torture tracks from movies and music, including tomorrow’s war and “Bass I Love You” from Bassotronics, Kumin said the Monolith 13THX was “hands down the most capable subwoofer I’ve ever enjoyed.” How’s that for an unequivocal recommendation?
IN ONE LOOK
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Extension and exit from the reference level
Exceptionally flat and controlled response thanks to the crossed octaves
THX Ultra Certified
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No auto-EQ/correction or remote control
Very big and heavy
No direct outputs
Full review here (posted 4/20/22)
M&K Sound X15+ THX Dominus Certified Subwoofer: $5,999
One look at M&K’s 33-inch-tall X15+ and you know you’re in the presence of bass. With a 700-watt (RMS) Class-D amplifier and two custom 15-inch drivers arranged in the push-pull configuration that M&K founder Ken Kreisel introduced three decades ago, this is the subwoofer to beat. . The X15+ is one of the first to reach THX Dominus Certifiedmeaning it’s guaranteed to hit THX levels in rooms up to 6,500 cubic feet while maintaining a flat frequency response and low distortion.
The THX moniker aside, M&K has a long history as a reference-grade speaker system maker and audio innovator, having invented the satellite speaker/subwoofer concept and introduced the world’s first self-powered subwoofer. mid-70s. As resident bass guru David Vaughn said, “If you’ve never listened to a system with an M&K sub first hand, this is something you need to experience. M&K models have a unique and extremely precise sound.” Although Kreisel is no longer involved with M&K, the company continues to honor its principles, as evidenced by the impressive performance of its new subwoofer.
Running through his usual battery of torture tests, Vaughn marveled at the precision and accuracy of the bass he heard — and felt. He was particularly impressed with the sub’s ability to ignore anything thrown at it and produce a measurable output below 17Hz. In terms of pure performance, he called the X15+ the better subwoofer than he has tested in his two decades of reviewing audio products. If you’re looking for the last word in bass from an extremely deep, extremely loud playing sub in the biggest of rooms, the M&K comes highly recommended.
IN ONE LOOK
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Deep bass response with extremely high output
Impeccable build quality
THX Dominus Certified
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No built-in parametric EQ or room correction
No app or control handset
Full review here (posted 5/18/22)
Soundbars and stereo speaker systems
Polk Audio Signa S4 soundbar: $399
Immersive Dolby Atmos sound for 400 hundred dollars is a tall order, but that’s what Polk is aiming for with its Signa S4 soundbar system, one of the cheapest Atmos-enabled bars money can buy. It’s a fairly basic 3.1.2 setup featuring a compact wireless subwoofer and a slim 41-inch soundbar with three left/center/right driver add-ons and two overhead speakers. The system supports Bluetooth streaming and provides an eARC-compliant HDMI connection as well as a USB port and 3.5mm optical and analogue digital stereo inputs – the connections you need to dramatically improve the sound of any what TV. You also get some useful “voice tuning” settings to keep dialogue from getting lost in the mix, whether you’re watching a movie or listening to music.
While it might be unrealistic to expect a system of this caliber to immerse listeners in a full 3D bubble – you’ll usually need more speakers and a bigger budget to achieve this – the S4 excels at turning ordinary TV and movie watching into an engaging experience Reviewer Rob Sabin described as “very listenable” with warm, palatable sound and punchy, defined bass. “The best experience came from tracks that made good use of the pitch channels, such as ‘We’re Not Talking About Bruno’ from Disney’s animated feature Encanto. The vocal counterpoints that emerged from different parts of the soundstage were distinctly separated in the S4’s rendering. While it’s not perfect, the Signa S4 is capable of surprisingly spacious sound – better than you might expect from a soundbar in this price class.
IN ONE LOOK
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Atmos height effects from a great value soundbar
Easy to install and use
Small, well-integrated subwoofer
Good sound for watching TV and movies
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No extensibility for environments
No network connection for music
No level adjustment for pitch channels
Better for movies than music
Full review here (published 4/13/22)