Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.
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Basus
reviews
Video Review
Manufacturer details
Features
Specifications
- Weight: 130kg
- Dimensions: 450x450x800mm
- Power Amplifier: 1000W
- Power requirement: 115/230V 50/60Hz
- Frequency response: 20-250Hz
- Input impedance: 47kOhm
- Driver: Custom 15"
- Inputs: XLR and RCA
Description
The Basus subwoofer system consists of a bass driver with motional feedback in a sealed metal enclosure, a 1kW power amplifier, and an active crossover system with switch-selectable preset frequencies that allows the Basus to be used with any speaker/amplifier combination.
The Basus subwoofer system consists of a bass driver with motional feedback in a sealed metal enclosure, a 1kW power amplifier, and an active crossover system with switch-selectable preset frequencies that allows the Basus to be used with any speaker/amplifier combination. The Basus subwoofer project was started as a bass extension unit for the Lyra speaker that evolved into the ultimate universal woofer - a matching stand to mount the Lyra on top of the Basus is provided making it one system visually. The Lyra/Basus/Teres combination creates an active speaker system with unmatched synergy and visceral impact.
Undistorted bass at high enough levels creates a different perception of the music. When the group delay is very low pulses and percussive instruments become solid and with well defined body, cleaning up the murkiness in the soundstage creating a see-through effect allowing one to hear the reverb and reflections in the back of the soundstage. You don't hear more bass but more music!
BASUS AND THE NEED FOR BETTER BASS
In Music school we are taught music has three main elements; rhythm, harmony, and melody. The bass notes lay the foundation for two of these three elements - Rhythm and Harmony. Numerous studies confirm that people react to low frequency beats and can detect timing errors more accurately in the bass than in mid and high frequency ranges. Bass is not rumbli...
Undistorted bass at high enough levels creates a different perception of the music. When the group delay is very low pulses and percussive instruments become solid and with well defined body, cleaning up the murkiness in the soundstage creating a see-through effect allowing one to hear the reverb and reflections in the back of the soundstage. You don't hear more bass but more music!
BASUS AND THE NEED FOR BETTER BASS
In Music school we are taught music has three main elements; rhythm, harmony, and melody. The bass notes lay the foundation for two of these three elements - Rhythm and Harmony. Numerous studies confirm that people react to low frequency beats and can detect timing errors more accurately in the bass than in mid and high frequency ranges. Bass is not rumbli...
Release Timeline
Manufacturer Site
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- Thrax designs its products with a "total system" approach, where each component (preamplifier, amplifier, speakers) is designed to work synergistically, optimizing the overall system performance.
- The brand blends tube and solid-state technologies in unique ways, leveraging the strengths of each to achieve a sound that is both detailed and musical.
- The design and aesthetic of Thrax products are meticulously crafted with high-quality materials like milled aluminum, offering a sophisticated and modern appearance.
- Thrax amplifiers are designed to perform optimally without negative feedback, maintaining tonal purity and offering high resolution at all power levels and loads.
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St. Teres
- Positioning: Positioned as a high-performance stereo amplifier in the Thrax lineup.
- Description: Offers clarity and tone, thanks to its transformer-coupled hybrid design. Features a unique solar cell biasing technique for the output stage, which is not found in the Heros or Enyo, providing noise-free operation and dynamic sound.
Heros
- Positioning: A hybrid amplifier that combines tube sound with modern technology, positioned as a versatile option in the lineup.
- Description: Stands out with its fully differential architecture and transformer-coupled input and output, offering a compact yet powerful Class A performance. Unlike the St. Teres, it uses a single differential DC-coupled FET/Tube stage.
Enyo
- Positioning: A modular audiophile system, integrating multiple components into a single unit, positioned as a comprehensive solution in the lineup.
- Description: Excels with its modular design, combining a preamplifier, DAC, and power amplifier in one chassis, offering a clutter-free setup. Features a unique cathode feedback output stage and a fully differential architecture, unlike the Heros and St. Teres.
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Avg. Product Price
$20,001-$30,000
Used For Sale
4
Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
313
of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
15
Founding Year
2009
Our take on the brand
Thrax Audio is distinguished by its use of transformers for volume control instead of traditional potentiometers in their Dionysos preamplifier, and their Spartacus amplifier features a unique two-stage shunt regulated Directly Heated-Triodes push-pull design in pure class-A with no feedback.
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Thrax
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What if you spend more?
McIntosh
PS1K
35000
35000
/
1
Reviews
Experience bass excellence with the McIntosh PS1K Powered Subwoofer. Expertly engineered with a passion for audio excellence, the PS1K enhances your home audio system by delivering deeper, more precise low frequencies. Design and construction of the PS1K subwoofer embodies a no-compromise approach. At its core are two 13" woofers (also referred to as drivers), equipped with powerful magnets. These drivers feature our proprietary Low Distortion High Performance (LD/HP®) Magnetic Circuit Design, which significantly reduces distortion while boosting power handling and efficiency.
McIntosh is one of the most iconic amplifier brands in the world, recognizable for its signature blue LED displays and distinctive industrial design. With a legacy spanning decades, McIntosh is known to many, even outside the audiophile community, and is sold in both mass-market retailers and specialized hifi stores. Their amplifiers are characterized by a warm, tube-like sound that enriches the midrange and smooths out the overall tonal balance.
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Our summary
Product Strengths
- Two 13" drivers feature McIntosh's proprietary Low Distortion High Performance (LD/HP®) Magnetic Circuit Design, which reduces distortion and improves power handling
- Powered by two 500-watt Class D amplifiers for a total of 1,000 watts of output
- Designed to complement McIntosh speakers, but can be used with any high-end system
- Features McIntosh's Power Guard and Sentry Monitor to protect against overloading and short circuits
- Bass is tight and clear for both music and movies, filling large spaces with ease
Product Considerations
- Sheer size limits practicality, except in extremely large rooms
Takeaway: The PS1K offers undeniable performance with tight and clear bass for both music and movies. With protections against overloading, it ensures reliable, long-term performance for any high-end system
Video review
Our take on the brand
McIntosh is one of the most iconic amplifier brands in the world, recognizable for its signature blue LED displays and distinctive industrial design. With a legacy spanning decades, McIntosh is known to many, even outside the audiophile community, and is sold in both mass-market retailers and specialized hifi stores. Their amplifiers are characterized by a warm, tube-like sound that enriches the midrange and smooths out the overall tonal balance.
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What competes at this price?
JL Audio
Gotham™ v2
25000
/
Released
The beauty of the Gotham® v2 extends well beyond its exotic design and exceptional craftsmanship, aiming right at the emotional core of musical and cinematic enjoyment. This is a subwoofer system with limits that exceed the needs of the typical home theater application, delivering a weight and integrity of reproduction that can only come from a system that is always in control. Its allure lies as much in its ability to convey subtleties as in its prodigious output capabilities. It is simply devastating.
JL Audio is a hifi brand known for its subwoofer technologies, including the Automatic Room Optimization system that minimizes room-induced bass peaks and the W-Cone unit-body cone-assembly for superior bass performance. The company manufactures many of its premium loudspeakers in the U.S. and includes advanced features like the CR-1 crossover for seamless integration between subwoofers and main speakers, while their VXi amplifiers use internal DSP for extensive sound customization.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Delivers dynamic, detailed, and nuanced sound with incredible clarity and power
- Incorporates an Automatic Room Optimization (ARO) system to effectively remove room-induced bass response errors
- Impressive low-end extension, reaching down to 19Hz
Product Considerations
- Due to its huge weight (163 kg), placement requires careful consideration, and frequent relocation may not be feasible
- As a very large product, it is not recommended for smaller or medium-sized rooms
- To achieve ideal performance, it is necessary to pair it with speakers of the same power and category
Takeaway: The product provides exceptional clarity and powerful bass, making it a great choice for larger rooms where the best possible sound is desired. Its room optimization features also facilitate maximizing an audio setup.
Video review
Our take on the brand
JL Audio is a hifi brand known for its subwoofer technologies, including the Automatic Room Optimization system that minimizes room-induced bass peaks and the W-Cone unit-body cone-assembly for superior bass performance. The company manufactures many of its premium loudspeakers in the U.S. and includes advanced features like the CR-1 crossover for seamless integration between subwoofers and main speakers, while their VXi amplifiers use internal DSP for extensive sound customization.
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Wilson Audio
Submerge
29500
/
Released
2023
Found deep in the groves of your favorite LPs, and concealed in the soundtrack of the movies you can't wait to watch, is the critical low-frequency information that provides the the sense of space of the recorded music hall and the impact of the explosions the movie hero narrowly escapes. Submerge reveals the tension and sonic foundation below the surface of your audio experience.
Wilson Audio is often considered the quintessential American high-end hi-fi brand, a staple in premium audio dealerships across the country. Many reviewers use Wilson speakers in their own home systems, reflecting their reputation for outstanding dynamics, bass depth, and the ability to reproduce classical music with remarkable realism. Wilson focuses on creating an uncolored sound, aiming to replicate the experience of live, unamplified performances.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Enhances room pressurization and provides a sense of the recording's space
- Adds texture to both low-frequency and mid-range sounds, significantly enhancing the listening experience
- Improves deep bass and addresses room-related issues
- Flexibility helps to recover low octaves, ensuring the subwoofer matches the measured response
Product Considerations
- High price point
- The unit is very heavy, weighing just over 115 kilos (250 pounds)
- Requires careful setup involving the crossover, gain, and phase/delay to achieve perfect time alignment
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Builds on the success of the smaller Wilson Audio LōKē Powered Subwoofer
- Includes the same proprietary driver found in the Wilson Audio Subsonic Subwoofer
- Features a built-in crossover inspired by the Wilson ActivXO crossover
- Bigger than the Loke, with a larger cabinet and woofer, and increased amplifier power from 500 to 1,600 watts
- The WATCH Dog has a split port with a divider, but in the Submerge, the split is pushed back to improve airflow and quieten the cabinet
Takeaway: The Wilson Audio Submerge provides a more immersive listening experience by adding depth, texture, and improved bass response, making it a worthwhile addition for high-end hifi systems, especially when paired with Wilson Audio speakers. Its ability to address room acoustics and provide a balanced soundstage makes it a valuable addition.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Wilson Audio is often considered the quintessential American high-end hi-fi brand, a staple in premium audio dealerships across the country. Many reviewers use Wilson speakers in their own home systems, reflecting their reputation for outstanding dynamics, bass depth, and the ability to reproduce classical music with remarkable realism. Wilson focuses on creating an uncolored sound, aiming to replicate the experience of live, unamplified performances.
Product Page
Product Page
YG Acoustics
Basis
26648
/
Released
Basis shatters the notion that soundstage-enriching, deep and authoritative sub-bass must come from a large cabinet. Basis performs with the precision of a scalpel and the power of a sledgehammer. As a true ultra-fidelity subwoofer, Basis has huge bandwidth.
YG Acoustics makes speakers with unique DualCoherent crossover technology that ensures both perfect frequency response and phase coherence, while their BilletCore drivers are machined from solid aluminum billets for enhanced precision. Their modular design allows users to upgrade and expand their systems over time, and they use proprietary software that optimizes both frequency and phase response, capabilities not commonly found in other hifi brands.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Exceptional bass precision and control
- Features a powerful 6kW RMS amplifier
- Has a sophisticated DSP crossover system
- Achieves bass extension below 16Hz with virtually no distortion
- Has high-quality BilletCore driver technology
Product Considerations
- Premium price point
- Substantial weight (70kg) may require professional installation
Takeaway: The YG Acoustics Basis Subwoofer redefines bass performance with exceptional precision and control. The flexibility of the DSP crossover makes it easy to integrate into existing systems.
Video review
Our take on the brand
YG Acoustics makes speakers with unique DualCoherent crossover technology that ensures both perfect frequency response and phase coherence, while their BilletCore drivers are machined from solid aluminum billets for enhanced precision. Their modular design allows users to upgrade and expand their systems over time, and they use proprietary software that optimizes both frequency and phase response, capabilities not commonly found in other hifi brands.
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