Audica CS-SUB10 subwoofer test

Audica CS-SUB10 is the “senior” of the two CS series woofers of the young English Audica company.

CONSTRUCTION FEATURES: SUB10 is equipped with a 150W amplifier. The subwoofer is shaped like a cube with gracefully rounded corners. 2 cm thick MDF for the cabinet material. The cabinet rests on high conical feet that fix the distance between the floor and the 250 mm woofer pointing downward. The small phase-inverter port goes there as well. Aluminium terminal strip on the back of the cabinet. It has a standard set of controls: phase 0/180 deg. , crossover cutoff frequencies 50-150 Hz , loudspeakers are adjacent to line input mono , acoustic input stereo and Link Out output for daisy chaining multiple subwoofers. All terminals are equipped with RCA connectors. A special feature of the SUB10 setup is the special crossover control position, marked with the letters AV. This built-in low-pass filter mode is designed to work with other CS-SUB speakers.

SUB10 provides two different finishes – black graphite and anodized silver.

AUDIO QUALITY: the roll-off on the left-hand side starts at about 45 Hz and goes smoothly from there, reaching about 25 Hz down to -10dB. Linear frequency response changes its length and position depending on the crossover cutoff frequency setting. At maximum LPF bandwidth the subwoofer handles the upper-bass range up to 180Hz -6dB with confidence, although the lower octave is sacrificed. The behavior of AFC curves demonstrates a good “friendliness” of the Englishman with a variety of speakers, even teamwork with satellites is possible.

In movies, the subwoofer is neat and clear, but not terrifying with the power of explosions and fundamental low-frequency rumble. Though a considerable part of the bass SUB10 still plays. However, the relationship of the subwoofer with the first octave is complicated – there is distortion, at high volume overloading is possible. So, when tuning the device you shouldn’t turn the bass level knob till the end.

But at medium volume the bass mid-bass of the Englishman can be called rigorous, somewhere even analytical. I’m impressed by the detail of sound that is not always found with the subwoofers in this price range. You will also appreciate the musicality of the subwoofer: various instruments are reproduced recognizably, good speed of the middle and upper bass allows you to “stitch” the voice of the subwoofer with the main speakers without annoying “seams.

PRICE: $540.

SUMMARY

ASKS: detail and speed in the mid and upper bass.

DISCONDITIONS: compression of low bass dynamics in movies and music.

CONCLUSION: English subwoofer will please those who appreciate first of all the clarity and tightness of the bass, but not its quantity. SUB10 is well suited for theater sets or stereo systems consisting of shelf or satellite speakers, and is able to work in rooms up to 25-30 sq.m. m.