Elemental Designs A3s-250 Subwoofer First Look

Elemental Designs (eD) does a lot of things with subwoofers - most of them large. Occasionally, though, they think about the common man and what he needs in a sub. What most of us need is a sub that will fit in a room without risking our marriage. While we've liked the move to taller (rather than wider or deeper) subs by eD of late, for many that is just not enough. What those who have to factor in the concerns of spouses need is "small". The smaller the better.

While the new A3s-250 may not be the smallest sub we've ever seen, it certainly is diminutive compared to other eD offerings. At a 14-1/4" cube, it should have a much easier time fitting into your room. The sub sports a 10" driver, a sealed design, and the proprietary eD durable matte finish. The A3s-250 has a 300 watt amp with variable crossover (35-180Hz) and phase controls. We are particularly impressed with the variable phase control as that isn't often included in subs at this price point (you generally just have a 0/180 degree switch). This can make (for the more technically inclined) a big difference when integrating the sub into your setup. Varying the phase is very similar (acoustically-speaking) to moving the sub across your wall.

Again eD is using their EFS material - an environmentally friendly alternative to MDF - for the cabinet. There are rubber feet on the bottom but no provision for carpet spikes or alternative aftermarket options. The sub is rated down to 25Hz which is fairly impressive for a sub this size with this amount of amplifier power. We'd like to get the A3s-250 into our test labs to verify that claim. At a $350 price point, that's a very impressive number.

eD has been offering their new eQ.2 manual room correction system at a discount with recent sub offerings and the A3s-250 is no different. While the unit normally retails for $100, with purchase it is only $85. Of course, you can get one for $80 if you can find a B-stock model. 

Conclusion

Building huge subs is all fine and good when you are looking to attract hardcore bass heads and gawkers, but when you actually want to make a sale, you need to think more reasonably. The A3s-250 is Elemental Design's attempt to do just that. At just a bit larger than a 14" cube and a matte black finish, this sub should have little problem disappearing into a corner or shadow. Your spouse will like that. Of course, you'll like when it starts rocking your room and shaking the pictures loose. Sounds like a win/win to us.

For more information, please visit www.edesignaudio.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.