TOP 5 best active subwoofers for home use

The Japanese corporation Yamaha occupies a leading position in the production of musical instruments and equipment of household and professional level, in the range of which subwoofers are far from the last place.

The model of the active subwoofer YST-SW215 received a durable MDF housing of the phase inverter type in black with dimensions of 36x29x32 cm and a weight of 11.5 kg, mounted on a kind of stand of 4 paws and a pallet. The whole structure is solid. The controls are located on the glossy front panel at the top, and the logo is located at the bottom. In general, the design is restrained and concise, the assembly is reliable, and the only drawback can be considered excessive glossiness, on which finger marks remain and dust is clearly visible.

YST-SW215 is a representative of the low-cost segment and is designed for home use with the ability to connect broadband passive speakers, for which the device has high-level output terminals. The model is also equipped with RCA inputs and high-level inputs.

The subwoofer has a cone-shaped 12-inch speaker with magnetic shielding, an output power of 120 watts, a woofer range within 28 – 200 Hz and standard control options: adjusting the phase, level and frequency of the crossover 50 – 150 Hz in increments of 10 Hz.

The model also uses technologies patented by the manufacturer: Advanced YST (Yamaha Servo Technology), designed to ensure the correct movement of the diffuser for a clearer transmission of the sound stream, and QD-Bass, which allows you to achieve a deep and clear sound of low frequencies.

There is also an interesting function for switching between the "music/cinema" modes of the Bass Action Selector System (B.A.S.S), with which you can improve the sound picture in a specific situation. In the "Music" mode, the bass becomes more accentuated and biting, but loses power and depth. In the "Cinema" mode, on the contrary, power and depth appear against the background of some blurring.

I was also pleased with the Standby/On standby mode, in which the subwoofer consumes only 0.5 W/h. In addition to manual mode control, there is also an automatic one — AUTO STANDBY, but it does not always work correctly.

For complete happiness, there is not enough cable in the kit to connect the speaker, but this shortcoming is easy to fix with an additional purchase.

The YST-SW215 model is an excellent subwoofer with high—quality sound at an adequate price for rooms up to 20 m²., easy to operate, compact, pleasant to look at.

For almost 70 years, the German company Heco has been producing high-quality home acoustics for true connoisseurs of pure sound. All of its speakers use the finest long-fiber pressed cellulose, which, in combination with powerful ferrite magnets, transmits sound with unique realism.

The Sub 25A subwoofer model belongs to the Music Style line of the mid-price segment. The 26-centimeter speaker is placed in a massive MDF housing with a wall thickness of 25 mm, designed using Bass Reflex technology and having two Air Flow phase inverter holes on the back panel, designed to let air through with the least resistance, which improves the performance of the speaker system. The total weight of the model is a little – a lot of 24.5 kg.

The Sub 25A stands on four legs resting on a support stand. Thanks to a well-thought-out system of rubber gaskets and non-rigid joints, a minimum of vibrations is transmitted to the reference plane, which eliminates unnecessary sound vibrations. The lacquered glossy parts of the case and the stand give the model an expensive appearance, but add to the hassle of care due to excessive roughness of the surface.

The subwoofer is equipped with standard control options: phase switching, volume control and crossover frequency. There is also an AUTO STANDBY mode, in which the acoustics consume only 1 watt per hour, and an automatic low-frequency equalization system, with which the bass sounds equally comfortable at any volume level. All controls are located on the back of the case.

Having a nominal (RMS) power of 125 watts and a bass range of 22 – 150 Hz, the subwoofer noticeably adds volume and depth to the sound, which is confirmed by numerous reviews and reviews. The best application is found in the dubbing of films and video games. But demanding music lovers may not like it, as it slightly blurs the sound of the bass, depriving it of clarity and clarity.

Founded in the 60s of the 20th century, the British company Bowers & Wilkins focuses on the production of high-quality acoustic systems based on speakers of its own design. The high quality of products is evidenced by the fact that many well-known companies prefer to equip their equipment with B&W speakers: for example, Apple.

Despite the fact that the ASW608 subwoofer is made in China, its development was carried out at the head centre in the UK. The result was an ultra-compact 26x26x33 cm case weighing slightly less than 9 kg, made according to the "closed box" principle, which contains a colossal power of 200 watts compared to other models of this class. In fairness, it should be said that the subwoofer handles poorly with a high volume level, distorting the sound.

The model provides wide application in various speakers — from 2.1 to 7.1 by connecting through linear and high-level inputs. The standard set of crossover frequency, phase and level adjustments is supplemented with a 2-position EQ correction and a Bass Extension pickup scheme with reference levels of 23, 28 and 36 Hz with a common bass range of 23 – 140 Hz. Such functionality would not hurt to control using the remote control, but unfortunately it is not provided.

The compact subwoofer ASW608 is perfect for fans of listening to music of various styles. Although on particularly energetic works it will lose dynamics and show a slight compression, it is not difficult to compensate for this shortcoming by selecting good satellites with a clearly defined "midbass".

Despite the fact that the Danish manufacturer of Hi-End equipment, the Dali company, focuses mainly on the Scandinavian market, its products can be found in other parts of the globe. The company barely celebrated its 30th anniversary, but such a young age did not interfere with the numerous prizes received at international exhibitions of musical equipment.

The E-12 F subwoofer has found its golden mean in many ways: it is in the middle price range, has an optimal size ratio of 37x34x38 cm and a weight of 14.7 kg, and a sound balanced for a wide perception — the bass in the overall mix sounds soft and deep, while unobtrusive, but legible, clearly complementing the sound picture.

The almost square body of the subwoofer is made of wood-laminated MDF and placed on a thin aluminium stand. It is offered in three colour options: light walnut, black (available) and white. Inside there is a 12-inch long–stroke woofer reproducing sound in the range of 28 – 190 Hz and a Class D amplifier with a nominal (RMS) power of 170 watts. Class D amplifiers are more economical, they heat up less and allow you to fit high-performance devices into a small-sized case, which is confirmed by this model.

The case is made using Bass Reflex technology with a phase inverter hole directed to the floor, and does not resonate even at the maximum volume level. But the built-in overload protection helps against sound distortion in the speaker.

The model allows various switching options: through linear, stereo and mono (LFE) inputs. In addition to the standard phase settings, crossover frequency in the range of 40 – 140 Hz and the output power level, the subwoofer has the ability to operate in AUTO STANDBY mode, consuming only 0.4 watts per hour at rest, and turning on at the slightest detection of an incoming signal.

The Sub E-12 F model is a real find for any audiophile who appreciates deep feedback and high sound detail. It is perfect for both dubbing movies and playing music of different styles.

The German company Magnat Audio began its activity in 1973 with the production of automotive audio equipment: first subwoofers, then amplifiers. The company's engineers have made many achievements: they created the most powerful subwoofer for household audio, were the first to design a wireless home theater system, and their Hi-End tube amplifiers won the first awards at prestigious international audio equipment exhibitions at the turn of the millennium.

The SUB 731F subwoofer of the Quantum 750 series is the most massive model of the manufacturer, has dimensions of 34x56.8x45.2 cm and a weight of 26.1 kg. Offered in three colour options (black, white and brown), the 35 mm thick MDF case is tightened inside with stiffeners. Two holes of the phase inverter are located on the back panel and are implemented using Air Flex technology, which reduces air resistance to a minimum.

The subwoofer is mounted on four supports passing through a massive 45 mm podium designed to dampen excessive vibrations of the case. The front panel and podium are covered with glossy piano lacquer, which brings some sophistication to the design of the speaker system, although it adds hassle in the fight against the roughness of glossy surfaces.

Inside the case there is a 12-inch long–stroke low-frequency tweeter with a performant sound coil and a ventilation system that reproduces sound in the range of 18 – 200 Hz, as well as an amplifier with a nominal (RMS) power of 180 watts and a peak 360 watts. All this provides the subwoofer with excellent macro dynamics, so it easily handles with voicing rooms up to 30 m². without any overload.

The sound of the system is rated at the highest score, the subwoofer perfectly solves the problem of playing music with a pronounced rhythm section, as well as movies and video games replete with sound effects. In fairness, however, it is worth noting that the model slightly tends to the theatrical manner of performance. Bass peaks are reproduced clearly and legibly, but more complex low-frequency transitions sound a little blurry. Ideally, the subwoofer should be tuned to the lowest woofer level, and used in a mix with satellites in which the midrange and treble component is well implemented.

The subwoofer can be connected both according to the standard scheme (to the corresponding output of an external receiver) and to high-level outputs, which allows you to turn almost any X.0 speaker system into an X.1 system.

The AUTO STANDBY mode enables the device to be switched on and off depending on the signal coming to it. If no signal is received, the subwoofer goes into standby mode, consuming only 1 watt per hour.

The Magnat Quantum Sub 731A model is an excellent choice for fans of sound carefully worked out at all frequency levels, which, however, will have to fork out a lot. The price of the subwoofer exceeds expectations.