Summary: It is quite frustrating to hear complaints about a subwoofer not being powerful enough to boom you off the planet. This subwoofer is fantastic for any application. In my large room with fireplace and L-shaped dining room, I have to keep the gain to a minimum to prevent earth shatter. Subs are supposed to be transparent, especially for music. And this one is very exacting in its phase and frequency adjustment to make it so. Don't hesitate if you want one and see it on sale somewhere. It is also quite unobtrusive and the gold driver is outstanding.
Strengths: Phase, frequency adjustment. Bass power for its size.
Weaknesses: No subwoofer is really necessary for music only if you have good speakers.
Similar Products Used: cheap non-powered ones
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Summary: First of all I must state that I work for a Monitor Audio dealership. I have had 100's of hours with this unit and have two verdicts.
1. Music
Not bad for music. Mated with Silver series towers or bookshelf units this sub does ok. Most 2ch guys don't want an ear-bleeding experience so turning up the volume to extreme levels is not normally a problem.
2. Movies
Don't waste your time, plain and simple. This thing will bottom quickly under the pressure of most LFE tracks. I'm not talking about extreme volume levels either. Average tracks like the Dolby Digital demos on the Sound and Vision home theater tune up DVD will destroy this little thing. Not even worth looking at.
Last but not least I would guess that 25-30% or these units are bad out of the box with amplifier problems. Not a good sign.
Strengths: Ok for 2ch at low volumes
Weaknesses: Horrible for movies. Push just a little and sound quality quickly diminishes
Similar Products Used: B&W, Klipsh, Type Twelve, Jamo, Sunfire, Earthquake, JBL, Polk Audio
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Rating Reviewed by: Eric Morrison(Unregistered User)
(AudioPhile)
Review Date May 16, 2003
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for Less than 1 month
Review 3 of 15
, from Centerton, AR
Price Paid:
$559.00
from Local dealer
Summary: Well, i first got the sub and the amp didn't work... so after about a month and finally getting a replacement, it sounds wonderful. I'm really picky about bass. I can't stand annoying, thumpy, ugly booms. This sub is great for music and home theater. I played through all my cd's and some scenes of DVD's and it really amazes me. It doesn't get extremely loud, but that's cool with me. All though i am a teenager, i do have a professional ear (just not a professional JOB to Pay for nice stuff ;) ) But this was well worth it. Great, clean, tight bass.
Strengths: size, application to music and home theater, great sound.
Weaknesses: volume. but this is no big deal, b/c you don't need tons of bass anyway unless you're just trying to impress your ignorant friends :) plays plenty loud for me
Similar Products Used: some cheap e-bay asian sub that i got for $100. but i've also heard velodyne, jbl, cerwin vega, sony, bla bla bla best buy crap. don't even bother
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Summary: I traded my Polk 350 & 250 subs for this unit plus cash. The dealer & I both took a beating on this deal. I''ve got a feeling that this is not my last sub.
I have an Arcam Diva AVR 200 and after a some trial and error, set all my speakers to large on the Arcam.
fronts Sonus Faber Concertinos,
center Paradigm CC370
surrounds Polk f/x300i
I use Linn K20 speaker cable, very detailed but inexpensive.
My sources are a Cambridge Audio DVD300 for DVD''s and CD''s(connected to the Arcam w/ a Synergistics Research Digital Corridor No.2) plus my satellite receiver which is jacked to the receiver with Audioquest Copperheads. Television sound is set to PLII movie which is very good on most DirectTV channels. I switch to stereo for music channels and when I listen to CD''s.
This sub blends very well with the Cocertinos. It draws its signal through the sub preamp out where I plugged in Radio Shack''s best Y connector then Audioquest Copperheads to line level(?) jacks on the sub. It is set to 40 HZ frequency, gain keeps lowering because the Sonus Fabers cover the upper bass range so well that it is now at roughly 40%. I wish I could hear any difference in the phase setting but since I can''t I''ve left it at 0.
With this setup I''ve spent many times what I thought was reasonable and acquired a much more critical "view" of the quality of recordings.
The Monitor Audio ASW110 sub is a good, fast, musical sub that allows the main speakers to play the music without overpowering things with a boomy sound. It has a slight metallic edge that can enhance the timber of many sounds in this range.
On Harry Connick Jr.''s SHE, a great funky test for a subwoofer, the speed is a treat. I recommend cuts 1,2 & 7 as a reference test for subwoofer musicality and speed.
Strengths: Cost and while it has a slight metallic ring, it seems fast and musical.
Weaknesses: There are better subs for home theatre bash and boom.
Similar Products Used: Have owned Polk but auditioned everything.
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