Looks that Kill, and Sound that Thrills
"Ooo, what's that?"
It's a question I hear more than a few times as guests first notice the KEF HTB2SE-W Wireless Subwoofer sitting in the corner of my media room.
"New wireless subwoofer I'm reviewing."
"No, this thing. The round thing. What's it? It's pretty!"
You can understand their confusion. The HTB2SE-W definitely doesn't look like any subwoofer you've ever seen (unless, of course, you've seen its wired brethren, the HTB2SE). If anything, with its gleaming stygian shell and monocular bent, the HTB2SE-W sort of looks like the genetically fortunate offspring of the Eye of Sauron and a baby grand piano. And I mean that as the highest of compliments. It's a singular, eye-catching design, and I think this may well be the first subwoofer I've ever seen for which aesthetics may outweigh acoustical concerns in terms of placement in many homes, not because people are trying to hide it, but because they want it to be seen.
Yeah, but...
I'm interested in how it sounds, though, so after unpacking the subwoofer and wireless transmitter, I go through the ridiculously easy setup process (run the LFE output from my processor into the wireless transmitter, plug the subwoofer into a power outlet, congratulate self for job well done), place the HTB2SE-W in my main listening position, cue up some low frequency sweeps from the AVIA Guide to Home Theater DVD, and walk around the room with my Radio Shack SPL meter looking for a spot with pretty even frequency response that doesn't happen to be currently occupied by a lamp, couch, or rug that really ties the room together.
I find such a spot near (but not in) the front right corner of the room, switch places with the subwoofer, and get down to the business of adjusting levels and setting crossovers. This is all done through my Anthem D2v processor, since the HTB2SE-W has no volume or crossover controls. Its only controls are a +6dB or +12dB level boost (at 40Hz) and a 0°/180° phase switch. The subwoofer (like the wireless transmitter, for that matter) also lacks high level speaker inputs and outputs, so if that's your connection of choice for your subwoofer, the HTB2SE-W isn't for you. For most people, the single LFE input on the wireless transmitter (or bottom of the HTB2SE-W if you ever decide to run it in wired mode), along with the reliance on the crossover and volume control capabilities of your surround processor or receiver, is ideal anyway.
But it's during the level adjustment that my first real concern with the HTB2SE-W comes to light: even with the subwoofer level cranked to 12 ("That's two more, isn't it?"), I simply can't attain the same sound pressure levels as the other speakers in my system. I fiddle around with speaker placement a little more, but the results are the same: no matter where I place the subwoofer, its output is simply devoured by my 19-by-17-foot media room and adjacent kitchen. I pop in The Incredible Hulk on Blu-ray and skip to one of my recent go-to LFE demos, the climactic battle between Hulk and the Abomination at the film's climax, and I'm disappointed to find that the Hulk is now merely a bit unbelievable. "Rods and Cones," from Blue Man Group's Audio release -- one of my all-time favorite butt-shakers -- does absolutely nothing to the seat of my pants. What bass there is sounds good; there merely isn't enough of it.
Honestly, this comes as no great surprise, given that it normally takes two 1700-watt Paradigm Reference Studio SUB 12s to fill my media room with sufficient oomph. Expecting the same out of one 250-watt 10-inch subwoofer with one active driver and one passive radiator is simply asking far too much.
To the Bedroom, Robin!
As it turns out, though, I've been looking for the perfect subwoofer for a system I'm putting together in the master bedroom, and the HTB2SE-W is more than oomphy enough for those smaller confines. And the wireless connectivity ends up being far more useful in the bedroom, where ideal subwoofer placement just happens to be at the rear of the room, about as far away from that room's Denon receiver as could be.
With fewer cubic feet of space to contend with, the HTB2SE-W pumps out plenty of pleasing bottom end. There's a bit of a bump in response in the neighborhood of 80Hz (right at the crossover point), but that aside, frequency response is surprisingly smooth down to near 30Hz (the bottom end of the subwoofer's range). "Rods and Cones" positively thumps. The Hulk? Incredible again. The sub actually pumps out deeper, richer bass than one would expect in the 10-inch range, and with more melodic DVD-Audio discs like Beatles: LOVE, it proves itself to be very musical, exhibiting none of the one-note bloat one might expect.
Although the system operates on a 2.4 gigahertz wireless frequency, I never ran into any interference with the wirelessly connected TiVo nearby, my wireless phones, the laptop on my wireless network, or my iPod touch. KEF uses frequency hopping technology to avoid any such interference, and as best I can tell from all of my testing, it works like a champ.
The wireless connectivity also makes tinkering with subwoofer placement ridiculously easy. Just for kicks, I decide to turn the HTB2SE-W on its side, attach the three included feet, and see if it will slide under the bed. It won't, so I remove the feet, orient it vertically again, and put it back against the wall. But I suspect many will see the sub's thin profile and try the same, or perhaps even place one under seating platform for a bit of tactile bass. There's really no reason not to experiment with unorthodox placement options just for giggles. If there's a power outlet nearby, you can place the HTB2SE-W there, with no need to worry about running RCA cables through the walls or under the floor or what have you.
With connections and controls at a minimum, setup is easy, to say the least
Turn Ons
Turn Offs
Final Thoughts
At 1200 clams, it isn't the cheapest 10-inch subwoofer on the block. It isn't even the cheapest 10-inch wireless subwoofer on the block. But let's face it: the rest of those wireless subwoofers look like the boring black boxes they are. The HTB2SE-W is a gorgeous little looker that promises to complement all but the most traditional of interiors. And given its unusual vertical stance, it's liable to fit in nooks where no other subwoofer would. If you're décor-conscious and in need of a low-frequency fix, and your room isn't too cavernous, the HTB2SE-W is definitely worth a look. And a listen.
Where to Buy:
Specs from the Manufacturer:
Manufacturer's Contact Information:
GP Acoustics (US) Ltd
10 Timber Lane
Marlboro, New Jersey 07746
Phone: 732.683.2356
Web: kef.com
Where to Buy:
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