Cinema Series SUB 1X12 and 3X12 Subwoofers
Given that both the M6 LCR and S5 surround speakers roll off around 80Hz, it’s not a surprise that XTZ is offering a subwoofer (or two!) with the Cinema Series lineup. The subs in question are the 1X12 and 3X12. For those unable to crack the meaning behind those model numbers, we’ll elaborate. The SUB 1X12 is a vented subwoofer boasting a single 12” driver motivated by a 500W RMS amplifier (900W peak). The SUB 3X12 offers … wait for it …. three 12” drivers powered by a trio of the aforementioned 500W RMS amps. Like the M6 and S5 speakers, the subwoofers offer a trapezoidal cabinet to set them apart from the multitude of ordinary black boxes on the market.
On the technical side of the equation, the SUB 1X12 offers a frequency response of 19Hz-160Hz. A sealed mode is also supported, which offers a response of 24Hz-160Hz. The SUB 3X12 offers marginally better extension, down to 16Hz and 22Hz in ported and sealed modes respectively. Looking at the product page, one will also find XTZ proudly boasting that the SUB 3X12 offers up to 120dB of output. Unlike some manufacturers who corner load their subwoofers in a concrete bunker and measure output from a foot away, XTZ’s figure was arrived at with ground plane testing at 2 meters, using a 40Hz sine wave. Want more? XTZ was kind enough to provide us with their internal CEA2010 test results for both the SUB 3X12 and SUB 1X12:
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Given the data above, it appears that the SUB 3X12 meets our Bassaholic Extreme room rating with headroom to spare, which means that it is recommended as being capable of working for very large spaces (>5,000 cubic feet) and/or users that just plain like an extra helping of bass. The smaller SUB 1X12 on the other hand looks to fall into our Bassaholic Large category, meaning we recommend it for spaces from 3,000-5,000 cubic feet in volume and/or for users who usually listen at moderate volume levels with occasional high volume playback.