Dali E-9 F Subwoofer Black

Product Information

The SVS SB-1000 Pro is a fantastic entry-level subwoofer that not only delivers deep and powerful bass at an affordable price, but also includes a host of features usually only found on more expensive mid-range models. Electrical power is measured in watts (W) and the more wattage available, the louder the sub and the harder you can drive it without distorting, but the higher the price tag. A continuous output of 500W should be more than enough for most people, but if you have the budget you can go higher. This brings us to one of the most intimidating aspects of installing a subwoofer – the best place to position it. We touched on this when discussing the orientation of a subwoofer’s driver, but it’s also important to consider how the shape and dimensions of a particular space affect a sub’s overall bass response. The benefit of a sealed design is that performance is tighter and more controlled, but at the expense of overall output and extension. Conversely, a ported sub will deliver increased volume and deeper bass extension, while sacrificing a degree of subtlety and definition.

Dali Sub C-8 D is equipped with an 8” down-firing woofer. The cone is constructed from high-quality paper pulp resulting in a rigid cone with excellent breakup characteristics while at the same time being very lightweight and agile. The woofer engine is built around an ‘over-sized’ ferrite magnet and optimised for maximum flux within the voice coil gap. Always look for the RMS (continuous) power output, because this reflects the normal performance of the sub. The peak or dynamic power numbers relate to the maximum output over a short period of time, which can be very deceptive in terms of actual performance.If you don’t like the idea of running subwoofer cables all over your living room, some brands offer optional wireless modules that pass the full-range audio signal with no latency, thus eliminating clutter. Other subs are designed to be used only as part of a wireless system. This smaller footprint makes installation easier and more discreet, plus it’s relatively flexible in terms of positioning. The inclusion of a smartphone app is also a major benefit, allowing you to set up, adjust, optimise and control the sub without ever leaving the sofa. The SB-1000 Pro offers great value, and you won’t find a better sub for movies, music and gaming at this price. If you have a smaller room, or are thinking of using multiple subs, then a sealed design is probably best because it’s able to deliver a more nuanced performance. If you’ve got a bigger room or plan on using a single sub, a ported model will energise a larger space. What’s the difference between passive and active subwoofers?

Adhering to Dali’s low-loss sound design principle, the surround of the 8” down-firing woofer is built to allow long and linear excursion. The integrated 170 Watt RMS Class D amplifier enables the Dali Sub C-8 D to follow and render the required signal with an absolute minimum of bias. The regular Sub is better suited to larger rooms and remains the superior choice for those who own larger, more powerful Sonos devices like the Sonos Arc. But for those with small to medium sized listening environments, the Sonos Sub Mini is an exceptional device offering most of the same features as its bigger sibling for significantly less money. Fitted with controls for gain, cut-off frequency, and phase, the Dali Sub C-8 D will adapt to any front speaker and room acoustics. And with a choice of LFE and LINE inputs it can be connected to almost any amplifier, receiver or processor. The switch mode power supply is part of the reason for very low power consumption - only 0.4W in standby mode. And the amplifier displays an impressive efficiency of 70%. In unison, the high-efficiency amplifier section and power supply construction generate an absolute minimum of heat loss. For that reason, you will find no external heat sink on the Sub C-8 D. The Oberon 3s have a sound that I would describe as articulate, especially with human voices, with a mid-range that is a bit more tilted forward in sound compared to my Revel F26 towers. When toed in, the treble seemed a bit aggressive and taking the grilles off heightened the effect. I would recommend leaving the grilles on and doing as suggested by the manufacturer, set them up pointing straight out into the room. Though they sound bigger than their size suggests, they really don’t dig deep in the bass department. Having a sub helped fill in the bottom octave made them sound bolder and more authoritative.A number of factors determine whether a subwoofer is any good or not, but the most important metric is how it sounds, so we spend a great deal of time testing audio quality. We expose the sub to a variety of different content, including films, music and video games, at varying volume levels, assessing its ability to reproduce low-end frequencies with power, accuracy and clarity. This classy model combines a 13in high-excursion driver with powerful Class D amplification to create an uncompromising subwoofer that can generate exceptional amounts of bass with pinpoint control and flawless tonal accuracy. The result is an exciting and muscular performer that often feels like an iron fist inside a velvet glove. And yes, this Dali sub really does reach down into infra bass – you can more sense the low frequencies than hear them, it is like the presence of an approaching thunderstorm, you are very aware of it. But the other plus point of this sub is that it is very musical, it is not the one note variety of sub that just pushes out a boom, boom sort of sound, this is an accurate and musical sub. Finally, there are subs that combine a forward-firing driver with a downward-firing driver, often in a push-pull configuration where the two drivers are out of phase with each other. This approach can eliminate harmonic distortions and increase the output of the subwoofer. Should I buy a sealed or ported subwoofer?