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Featured Reviews
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Chrysalis Acoustics - a subsidiary of Velodyne has introduced a new high performance compact subwoofer line called the Photon Series. The Photon-8 outputs some unexpectedly deep bass at very…
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On my reference subs the bass was authorative and well-tempered, but with the EP500 thrown in the mix, slam and “felt” response was elevated to a new level. There were times I felt as if someone had…
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Recently Reviewed
The new subs are in the Classic line and have 8, 10, and 12" drivers (the CPS 8Wi, CPS 10Wi, CPS 12Wi at $399, $499, and $599 respectively) and are wireless-ready. This means that you'll need to purchase the transmitter separately for $79. Consumers surely will be interested in this wireless offering as it has a more traditional look than the discontinued model from Boston. But we're betting they are going to want the transmitter included in the purchase price.
When we checked out Paradigm's new sub offerings, we couldn't help but be reminded of a classic children's story well loved by us from our childhood. While lacking colorful illustrations and more talented writing, we tried to keep the spirit of that author alive through this first look of Paradigm's Reference Signature SUB 1 and SUB 2. So take this first look with a grain of salt, for the rhyming idea is really Paradigm's fault.
With all the subwoofer options out there, it is hard to stand apart. KEF has always had little problem in this arena with innovative and unique speaker designs. Their new HTB2SE-W wireless subwoofer is no different. Shaped like a gigantic coffee mug hot plate set on its side, the design may not appeal to all but it certainly stands out.
The A3s-250 is Elemental Design's attempt to build a reasonable sized sub. At just a bit larger than a 14" cube and a matte black finish, the A3s-250 should have little problems disappearing into a corner or shadow. Your spouse will like that. Of course, you'll like when it starts rocking your room and shaking the pictures loose. Sounds like a win, win to us.
B&W looks to have a solid contender with this sub. The ASW12-CM sub sports a 12" Kevlar/paper cone driver and a 500 watt amp. With its gloss black finish and sub 20Hz capability, those in love (or lust) with the B&W brand are sure to be salivating.
If you are anything like me, you've got Velodyne envy. If you don't have one, you want one. Even if you have a sub you are happy with, there is always that nagging question in the back of your mind… "What would a Velodyne sound like in my room?" There is no doubt that the Velodyne DEQ-15R delivers the bass. While the DEQ-15R may not do everything quite right, it certainly has enough going for it that I don't mind giving it a very strong recommendation.
When you are a company known for outrageously large subwoofers, you have to do something to expand your market base. The answer - vertical integration. Elemental Designs latest subwoofer offerings have had one thing in common - they are tall. The newest in the line is the A7s-650. This A7s-650 features two forward firing 13" drivers in an enclosure that only takes up a 16" square floor space but stands 38" tall and dips down to 16Hz.
The last several years have seen an increase of the number of options for room equalization at bass frequencies available to consumers. Following up on my A7S-450 review, I was asked to review an external parametric equalizer that Elemental Designs (eD) sells alongside its subwoofers. The eQ.2, can be purchased separately or as a bundle with one of the eD’s subwoofers at a slightly reduced price. The eQ.2 represents a usable parametric EQ solution but with some caveats. It is inexpensive and functional, but it is bare bones basic. For someone on a tight budget or the DIY types, the eQ.2 will certainly do the trick provided you take the time to set it up properly as I instruct in this review.
The JL Audio Fathom f110 may be small in size, but its not lacking in the performance department. While there are certainly much larger subs from other brands at the same price or less, you will be hard pressed to find all of the performance attributes the f110 has to offer in such a compact box. Not once did I find the f110s output lacking as they were always able to rattle my walls and shake my couches when the source material required it. It’s clear to me that JL Audio is as serious about high fidelity in the home environment as they have been in mobile audio since their inception. Bassaholics rejoice as JL Audio has produced a reference level product that will thump, and thump well, without requiring a refrigerator sized box that you neither have the space nor the accepting wife to accommodate.
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