"Musical, Able, Well-Made, and Bloody Gorgeous to Behold"
For big sound in smaller spaces, you can’t beat the ASW608, the most compact of the 600 Series subwoofers. Bowers & Wilkins most compact subwoofer is the perfect partner for the 600 Series or as part of a mini home theater system. It excels with multi-channel music, too, and is an ideal choice when you don't have enough space for large system.
"Fast, lively, and punchy." Reports England's What Hi-Fi? magazine. "If it's a compact, solidly built box that you're after, this remains a fine option."
In his techradar.com review, Adam Rayner calls the ASW608 "pure B&W – musical, able, well-made, and bloody gorgeous to behold."
With a compact footprint of only 10.2" by 13" including the grille and controls, the ASW608 can fit almost anywhere. Its 8" paper and aramid fiber cone driver is designed for fast, tight, and dramatic bass. An audiophile-standard, highly efficient 200-watt Class D amplifier captures every spine-tingling, breathtaking sound that you hear whether you are enjoying movies, music, or TV.
The Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series
The new 600 Series from Bowers & Wilkins transforms your home with pristine sound. Since 1966, Bowers & Wilkins has made technological advances to design the perfect loudspeaker, and its latest innovations bring that heritage to music and movie lovers alike. The 600 Series includes three subwoofers, ranging from the compact ASW608 to the powerful ASW610XP. Each subwoofer is finished to match the rest of the series, with beautiful matte black and white to seamlessly integrate with your home. With the sixth generation of the 600 Series, you can truly transform your space into a beautiful sound session.
Subwoofer Positioning and Installation
The ear poorly perceives the source location of low frequency sound, so the position of subwoofers in the listening room is generally less critical compared to full-range speakers. However, best results are usually obtained if the subwoofer is placed between the left and right speakers or in the vicinity of one of them. If two subwoofers are used, it is best to put one near the left and one near the right speaker. Placing a subwoofer behind the listening position, even in multichannel surround sound installations, generally results in inferior imaging, but may be an acceptable compromise if domestic considerations dictate.
As with all speakers, the proximity of room boundaries affects the sound of a subwoofer. Bass volume increases as more surfaces come into close proximity with the speaker. Unlike full-range speakers, however, the overall system balance can be corrected by adjusting the volume level of the subwoofer. The more boost gained from the room, the lower the volume can be set and the less hard the subwoofer has to work. But there is a downside. Subwoofers positioned near corners often generate more low-frequency room resonances, making the bass more uneven with frequency.
There is no substitute for experiment as all rooms behave differently, so the subwoofer can be tried in a variety of positions before a final decision is made.
