DALI Fazon Sub 1, Small but mighty

OPTIMAL SETUP

• The smallest subwoofer made by Dali surprises with its ability to complement a set of monitors perfectly

• Price: €349

• Specialists' rating: 5

• Text: Josep ARMENGOL

The Danish loudspeaker manufacturer DALI is well known to our readers, as at CEC we have had the pleasure of reviewing several of its creations, floorstanders and monitors of great musicality. This month we bring a new speaker from the company to our pages, but a very particular one: an active subwoofer, that is, a loudspeaker dedicated to reproducing the lowest frequencies (below 200 Hz) with its own internal amplification, so that it can be integrated into a system of compact monitors (with little bass) or, better still, used in a multichannel system, dedicated to the low-frequency effects channel (the ".1" or LFE).

DALI's Fazon line is its most affordable offering and consists of compact two-way monitors or satellites with, given their size, little bass capability, which are complemented precisely by this subwoofer (or its sibling with remote control and two drivers instead of one, the Sub 2).

WHAT IT'S LIKE

The size of the DALI Fazon Sub1 is startling. It measures under a foot on each side, with an impeccable high-gloss lacquer finish (black on our unit) and fairly long rubber feet that let the driver, which is on the underside of the cube, move freely. On the back we find the usual connections for this type of unit, and a sizable heat sink that tells us we are dealing with traditional amplification (not a cold Class D). The connections include two line inputs, a knob for the crossover filter (between 50 and 150 Hz) and a switch to use it in that mode or as an effects channel (a single connection that passes straight through without crossover frequency control, since that will have been handled in the AV processor). A level (volume) potentiometer, a phase switch (0 or 180 degrees) and an automatic or manual power switch complete that compact and easy-to-understand rear panel. In the box there is nothing but the subwoofer, the power cord and a manual that is more complete than usual (but not in Spanish). In other words, we do not get the luxury of a remote control, although to be honest the price is too tight to be demanding in this respect. We like the fact that it does without the connectivity that crowds the backs of many subwoofers but that nobody uses. The usual filtered line or speaker outputs do not usually offer the quality that the potential customer (who would need a preamp and power amp to use them) would demand, for example. It would have been nice, though, to have a high-level (speaker) input for using it in parallel with the speakers in a stereo system. The line inputs require a preamp, or an integrated amplifier with a preamp output (that is, one regulated by its volume control).

TEST

I have owned and tested many active subwoofers, and the first thing that tells me what I am dealing with is the simplest: connect it and turn up the volume to see if any noise appears. Some far-from-affordable models have surprised me (negatively) with notable noise levels (even without turning up the volume), and given a subwoofer's ability to reproduce low frequencies, I assure you it is very unpleasant to walk into a room and immediately hear the 50Hz hum of our mains supply. The DALI is one of the good ones: not a single stray noise and certainly no background hum, even with its volume at maximum.

My other technical test is to try to reproduce the tones of a test CD, going down in frequency to see how far it reproduces something audible and whether it has any subsonic cutoff. According to DALI, this Sub1 goes down to 37Hz, and it does not lie: the 35 Hz tone was reproduced clearly and with energy, and even at 30 Hz there was a significant level of bass in the room (the room always helps at these frequencies), while 25 Hz was out of reach; however, the driver kept moving down to 10 Hz, which means there is no subsonic filter (some models have one for safety, but it can impair fidelity). Frankly, getting a real 30 Hz from a subwoofer of less than a cubic foot with a 6.5-inch driver is a feat.

The second step is to check its musical performance, that is, how well it complements a pair of monitors by helping them out in the low frequencies. For this I installed the Fazon in a minimalist system (two compact two-way monitors), and the result was very good. The monitors use 6-inch mid/bass drivers in a sealed enclosure, but the Sub1's driver (specialized in low frequencies) added a considerable amount of energy in the lower octaves, and did so without muddying or getting in the way. A track with a good double bass player is enough to appreciate both things: the double bass gains presence and body, but we still notice the nuances of the bass, the fingers on the strings, and our feet will start tapping to the rhythm of the music. With symphonic or chamber pieces, the extra low frequencies allow a wider soundstage to be appreciated. It is curious how bass helps to give air, and of course, with more modern tracks we can appreciate, for example, the excellent production of Madonna's albums, with synthetic bass that goes far deeper than the general public usually notices, or can notice.

The final, definitive test is in the multichannel system, that is, putting it through our favorite low-frequency action and thrill scenes. If we don't shudder when the Tyrannosaurus Rex is on the prowl (Jurassic Park), the subwoofer is not up to the job, and believe me, I was surprised to find how thrilling it was to watch that scene again with the DALI hitting hard.

Only a direct comparison with an absolute reference will reveal that we can have even more infrasonic extension, or that it is possible to feel stronger and more startling impacts, but going back to the DALI to revisit the first few minutes of Transformers II or the opening scene of Episode III (Star Wars) surprised me again. Looking through my notebook now (always at hand during listening sessions), I see a lot of capital-letter OKs, and I don't consider myself given to exaggeration.

What's more, even in these scenes with a great deal of bass and at anything but moderate listening levels, the Sub1 stayed planted on the floor giving its all, even reaching its limits, but I never noticed any misbehavior on its part; at the limit, there was just a natural compression that is welcome, since most AV processors have no control of any kind (or apply excessive, artificial compression).

CONCLUSION

I got a pleasant surprise when I received and unpacked such a compact subwoofer, but the surprise was even greater when I tested it and discovered its capabilities. It can be an excellent, discreet companion with music, and it can hold its head high in the most energetic scenes of our favorite movie soundtracks. For rooms of up to 30 square meters and even more, what this little one can do is revealing. And all of this comes from a tiny object of desire whose price makes it very affordable. Highly recommended.

WE LIKE

- Build finish.

- Clean, trouble-free bass.

- Excellent extension and impact, especially considering its size.

- No operating noise.

- Price.

COULD BE IMPROVED

- Remote control.

- Manual in Spanish.

David Carrasco and Gustavo Roales-Nieto, of Sound & Pixel Planet.



An excellent feature and detailed testing, once again from CEC. With this product, DALI will make it possible to tighten the budgets of home theater setups for the FAZON and MOTIF series even further, without giving up design and finishes in line with what the market demands. Likewise, it meets an increasingly strong demand from male and FEMALE customers alike: a minimalist speaker that delivers acoustic quality without pretense, combined with the limits imposed by the space available, ideal for flat-screen setups in the living room or for stereo, its natural habitat.

OPTIMAL SETUP

To get the most out of a subwoofer like this one, miniature though it may be, with a set of monitors, there are two ways to go about it: through its own features or by using a processor.

In a stereo system, the first is the only option. We will have our speakers (possibly small bookshelf monitors with little ability to reproduce bass) connected directly to the amplifier, and we will add the subwoofer to the system, connected to that amplifier's pre-out (preamp output), so that the audio signal we play reaches the subwoofer and the amplifier's volume control regulates its level. We will use the frequency knob to set the cutoff for the bass the subwoofer will reproduce (going down to where the monitors reach, to avoid duplicated frequencies) and the volume knob to set it at the right level (just noticeable, without standing out too much). For example, if we have monitors whose manufacturer tells us they reach down to 60 Hz, we can lower the cutoff to just above the minimum (50 Hz), and with the subwoofer's volume we will soon see how much is too much and how much is just right; we should always stay at just right.

For a home theater system, everything goes through the audiovisual processor. We will configure it with all the speakers present set to small and choose a crossover frequency (bass from that frequency down will go to the subwoofer) in keeping with the size of those speakers (the THX standard, and the most common setting, is 80 Hz). The processor's digital circuitry will separate the frequencies and send each speaker what it should receive; in the case of the subwoofer, the bass (which other speakers would reproduce with difficulty or simply could not reproduce) plus the signals (also low-frequency) of the effects channel (rumbles, explosions, etc.).

DALI Fazon Sub 1, Small but mighty

Specifications

Dedicated active subwoofer in a sealed enclosure. ACTIVE DRIVER 6.5-inch long-throw, not magnetically shielded. LINE INPUTS (STEREO RCA) 22k Ohm impedance. LEVEL ADJUSTMENT by potentiometer, and two-position phase switch (0 or 180 degrees). FILTER selectable by potentiometer from 50 to 150 Hz. FREQUENCY RESPONSE 37-200Hz (+-3dB). BUILT-IN AMPLIFIER 90W (maximum power consumption 195W). MAXIMUM SOUND LEVEL 103 dB SPL. POWER CONSUMPTION OFF 1W (idle 11W). DIMENSIONS 255 x 230 x 255 mm. WEIGHT 7.5 kg. DISTRIBUTOR Sound & Pixel Planet (91825 9954).

Price: €349