Klipsch C-Series Subwoofers Offer BIG Bass, Small Footprint

Klipsch is one of the few audio brands that can cater to old-school audiophiles and to the custom-install and home theater crowds, with great success in each area. The American loudspeaker manufacturer has recently updated its iconic Klipschorn corner speaker, which has been in continuous production since the mid-1940s. The new Klipschorn AK6 ($15,000 per pair) is still a fully horn-loaded three-way design and looks nearly identical to the original Klipschorn, which was the first speaker designed by founder Paul Klipsch. Inside, though, the Klipschorn AK6 features an all-new Tractrix horn-loaded 1-inch titanium tweeter with a neodymium magnet, a new enclosed low-frequency horn design, and an updated passive crossover wired with AudioQuest cable. While working on this very traditional audiophile design, Klipsch also continued to develop audio solutions for residential and commercial custom integration. The new C-Series IP-controlled subwoofers, which the company introduced at the CEDIA Expo in San Diego, are now shipping. The C-Series includes the C-308ASWi ($1,299) and the C-310ASWi ($1,599), both of which feature a built-in RJ-45 connector that allows for integration with popular control systems such as Control4, Crestron, Savant, and RTI.

The extremely compact C-Series subwoofers are smarter than the average sub, with the ability to adjust EQ, gain, and phase settings automatically to suit the selected source.

The new subs also feature an automatic room-correction system controlled by an iOS or Android app.

The C-Series subwoofers employ front-firing “Cerametallic” active woofers powered by BASH digital hybrid amplifiers. (In a BASH amp, a Class D amplifier is used to feed a class A/B amplifier, replacing the traditional power supply and improving overall efficiency.) In each C-Series sub, a single ultra-light, ultra-rigid, long-throw Cerametallic woofer is assisted by a pair of side-firing passive radiators made of MDF. According to Klipsch, the active woofers provide dynamic output for maximum power, while the passive radiators improve tuning and internal volume. This design allows the C-Series subwoofers to “optimize output and low-frequency extension while minimizing cabinet size.” The C-308ASWi features an 8-inch active driver and two 8-inch side-firing passive radiators.

The built-in amplifier provides 300 watts of continuous power, with a 600 watts of peak power, allowing the C-308ASWi to achieve a rated output of 110 dB SPL (at 35 Hz), and to dig down to  28 Hz (±3 dB). That’s pretty impressive for an 11-inch cube! (Actual dimensions are 11.77 x 11.22 x 11.61 inches, including feet and grille.) The larger C-310ASWi employs a 10-inch active driver and a pair of 10-inch side-firing passive radiators. The 400-watt amp in the C-310ASWi can deliver 800 watts of peak power, resulting in a rated output of 116 dB SPL (at 35 Hz), and a frequency response that reaches down to 25Hz (±3 dB). Though larger than the tiny C-308ASWi, the C-310ASWi is still relatively small for such a potent sub, measuring just 14 x 13.4 x 13.8 inches. Klipsch claims that the C-Series subs are approximately 30% smaller than competing subwoofers that deliver comparable output and low-frequency extension.

App Based Room Correction for Better Bass

Both C-Series subs work with the free “Klipsch LowControl” app for iOS and Android devices. The app offers phase, volume, and input selection control, along with sound customization via a 5-band parametric equalizer. The app also includes automatic room-correction software, which uses the smart device’s built-in microphone to take measurements in the near-field, and then again from the listening position. By comparing the two sets of measurements, the software can compensate for the room’s natural nulls or peaks, and deliver “balanced, dynamic low frequencies in any environment,” according to Klipsch. The C-Series subs’ connectivity options are extensive, including dual line-level RCA inputs, a balanced line-level XLR input, and high-level speaker inputs. The subs also have a wireless receiver chip built into their amplifier circuitry, allowing the C-Series to work with Klipsch’s optional WA-3 wireless transmitter. The user can connect one or two C-Series subwoofers with a single WA-3 transmitter. The compact C-Series subs are finished in a hand-polished piano gloss black and should be available soon.

Do Klipsch’s new subs look appealing to you, or is bigger always better? Share your thoughts in the related forum thread below.

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