Subwoofers

While many people think of subwoofers only in a home cinema context where they deliver the deepest thrills of movie soundtracks, they can be equally useful in a stereo music system, deepening the response of floorstanders as well as standmounts, and taking the load off the main speakers which can then perform to their best with the rest of the spectrum.

RICHTER THOR 10.6

W2019 ∕ $1699 ∕ www.richter.com.au

Aussie company Richter has succeeded where most have not in building a small and versatile subwoofer that doesn’t sound small at all. Versatile too, with tuneable bass ports and three-mode DSP.

SUNFIRE HRS-10

HC2015 ∕ $2549 ∕ www.qualifi.com.au

Great bass from a small enclosure seems de rigeur from Sunfire – confirmed by the performance of the HRS-10’s 1000W Tracking Downconverter amplifier and longthrow 10-inch woofer.

DYNAUDIO SUB 6

W2020 ∕ $4299 ∕ www.busisoft.com.au

It’s not only the size of sound from Dynaudio’s dual-driver compact subwoofer but also its quality that makes the Sub 6 such a marvel of low-frequency performance.

PARADIGM SIGNATURE SUB 2

W2011 ∕ $15,999 ∕ www.audioactive.com.au

Hexagonal design using multiple radially-aligned high-excursion drivers to generate astounding bass (7Hz anyone?) — Paradigm’s SUB2 delivers solid bass without limits.

KRIX TEKTONIX

W2012 ∕ $1745-$2095 ∕ www.krix.com.au

Krix brings high tech to its ‘midsize’ (11-inch cone) subwoofer with a superb sub for across a wide range of uses, whether purist stereo-only or multi-channel.

BOWERS & WILKINS DB4S

W2021 ∕ $2799 ∕ bowerswilkins.com/en-au

The DB4S delivers rich, satisfying, full-bodied bass from an attractive cabinet with a single B&W Aerofoil cone, along with sophisticated app control for fine adjustment.

BOWERS & WILKINS DB1D

W2019 ∕ $6900 ∕ bowerswilkins.com/en-au

Hugely powerful — 2000W of power driving twin 12-inch cone, and accurately too, plus built-in room equalisation and the useful versatility of other settings using an iOS/Android app.

KRIX VOLCANIX

HC2011 ∕ $2095-$2515 ∕ www.krix.com.au

Another superb Australian sub with 12-inch cone and adapted ICEPower. It works beautifully, ‘sonically invisible’ in large systems or with small to mediumsized stand-mount/ bookshelf speakers.

REL SERIE S/5 SHO

W2015 ∕ $3999 ∕ www.synergyaudio.com

Not a sub, a “sub-bass system” says REL: wire it up in line for music, not just movies. Highend performance also gives an impressively extended bass.

MAGICO ASUB

W2021 ∕ $11,000 ∕ www.absolutehiend.com

A phenomenally good-sounding high-performance subwoofer for both home cinema and stereo use, with astoundingly flexible computer-based room and speaker tuning.