Sunfire Atmos Subwoofer First Look

So, if you're read any of my first looks on subs you've heard the mantra - It is either a larger box or a large amp. Welcome, friends, to the large amp. There is a market, and a large one, for the small sub. Subs the size of coffee tables may impress your fellow Audioholics but don't think, for a minute, that people leave your house with their wives saying, "Honey, we have GOT to get one of those!" Instead, your friend is probably getting "the look" with "the finger" shoved in their face and their wife saying, "Don't even THINK about it!"

Face it, the vast majority of the population just doesn't get (understand) bass. They think it is nothing but that bumping sound they hear emanating from kid's cars. They don't know how much visceral impact and enjoyment a movie can actually convey through a subwoofer. They don't understand that an explosion in a movie can not only sound like an explosion but feel like one too. They understand that they like the sound in the theaters but they don't think that the wall of subs they have in such places is one of the main reasons.

You can break them down, slowly, but first, you have to get a sub into the home. And that sub better be small. If you are a smart Audioholics (and we know you are), you'll make sure that small sub sounds good. Because if it doesn't, the better half will just use it as an excuse why you don't ever need another sub. If the small sub is good but the one you're trying to convince her to upgrade to is "better" (as you describe it), then she'll understand. If the small one sounds like a pig farting in the corner, no amount of "better" is going to convince her.

Sunfire has been making subs that home theater nuts have be coveting for years. Now they've announced their smallest sub yet - the Atmos. Featuring a custom 6.5" woofer paired with a new asymmetrical cardiod surround, Sunfire claims the Atmos will outperform many 10" and 12" subs. Just not one of theirs we're guessing.

The asymmetrical cardiod surround allows over 1.5" of excursion on the driver. It is going to need it as there is a 1400 (you're reading that right) amp backing it. With all that power, they had to design the cabinet out of aluminum (freaking ALUMINUM!!!) to combat the internal pressure the driver will create. We're thinking Atmos is a pretty apt name.

The footprint of the sub is less than 10" square (the picture above shows just how small) which will please even the pickiest spouses. There is a newly designed (but not described) foot which will allow the Atmos to stay in place even at high volumes (and movement). Sunfire says the foot was inspired by the tire industry so we're guessing it is some sort rubber surround? Either that or a set of knobby tires but probably the former. 

The Sunfire Atmos features an automatic room equalizer circuit which, according to Sunfire, adjusts the sub's response to best suit the room. We're not sure if this is some sort of parametric EQ with an external mic or if it is a servo system. Either way, the sub is where most of your room problems happen so including some room correction is always a bonus. Sunfire has included a master/slave connections so that two Atmos' can be connected with a single cable. Because if you can't have one big sub, two small ones make sense right?

Conclusion

Of course the question you have is price. Subs this small with this much technology tend to be pricey. Well, we don't know yet. The Atmos will begin shipping in quarter two (limited availability i.e. dealers only) of this year so we'll have to wait. But don't expect it to be cheap. We don't. But when you want small, you have to pay. Big is cheap. All it takes is a modeling program, a big driver, and a bunch of MDF. Small takes knowledge, technology, and know how. Sunfire definitely has all that. All you need to do is pay for it.

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

The Atmos will begin shipping in Q2 2011 on a limited availability basis.

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