Review: Monitor Audio ASW-110 Subwoofer


Category: Speakers

This is a small subwoofer, with a 10 inch magnesium cone, and 2 rear ports. It has level, phase, and crossover controls, and nice binding posts.

Subwoofers are a funny thing. People seem to always buy the biggest one they can afford. I've listened to many large subs, and they often are very sloppy sounding. Once I listened to this sub, I knew it was the one for me. Very fast and tight, this little 10 inch can really put the hurt on while maintaining control where other subs just burp. It doesn't go as low as some, but the tightness and impact that this little box can exert more than makes up for it. It is very attractive with the grill off, the gold color of the driver is very slick, and semi-futuristic. It does very well with all program sources, and I've never heard it run out of steam. Someone who drives their HT at 100 dB wouldn't like this sub, as it isn't the deepest or loudest, but in a system which is often used for music, this sub mates easily with the Paradigms, or Polk monitor JR 5s, for that matter. It doesn't really draw attention to itself, it just seems to help reproduce the deep bass where the main speakers tend to lose level and control. Highly recommended, or else I wouldn't own it. If you want TONs of boom, the Velodyne subs are good, but not fast like the ASW-110 by any means.

Associated gear
Pioneer Elite VSX-24 tx receiver
Paradigm Monitor 9, cc-350
Optimus LX-5
Toshiba SD-3109

Similar products
Many larger subs, including ones from Velodyne and Paradigm. These two are the only ones the ASW-110 was compared directly to.
badman