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Craig Chase
We are going to test it with Focal’s Sopra N°1 stand-mounted speakers along with some high-end speakers from other well-known brands to find out if it can deliver on the promise.
Focal needs no introduction to the world of high-end loudspeakers, professional monitors, and headphones. Its subwoofer line-up is not nearly as well known, but it looks on paper as if Focal intends to change this. Anchored by their renowned “W” membrane woofer driver with a 13-inch diameter, the SW 1000 BE looks as if it could be a contender in the high-end subwoofer arena. Its compact size and curved cabinet speak to the visual appeal while the included remote offers some of the best “on the fly” options in terms of system control.
The Focal SW 1000 BE stands at the second from the top of Focal’s subwoofer line-up. Featuring a 13 inch “W” membrane driver and 600-watt Bash amp, it has the potential to be a serious player in the affordable high-end subwoofer space. In an app driven world, the SW 1000 BE stands out with an excellent remote control that allows one to control volume level, bass boost of up to 6 dB at 30, 40 or 50 Hz, low-pass settings from 50 to 150 Hz and even a subsonic filter that can be set to off or on from 20 to 50 Hz in 5 Hz increments.
The remote control is an absolute joy to use, and this Focal subwoofer has the chops to make a lot of companies know there is competition in the ranks, which is great for the consumer!
The SW 1000 BE is powerful, versatile, still made in its home country of France and is going to be wrung out with some serious audio track listening along with some subwoofer torture tracks from the Dayton Audio Omni-mic system. At $5498, it has some tough competition. But don’t let its sophisticated looks fool you as it is one tough bass producing machine!
Driver:
13″ (33cm) “W” woofer
Frequency response:
(+/-3dB) 20Hz – 150Hz
Low frequency point:
(-6dB) 18Hz
Adjustable Low Pass Filter:
50Hz to 150Hz (24dB/oct.)
Adjustable subsonic filter:
Off, 20 to 50 Hz in 5 Hz increments
Amplifier power:
600W (750W max.) BASH® amplifier
Dimensions (H x W x D):
2111/16 x 1911/16 x 17″ (535 x 500 x 432mm)
Net weight:
92.4 lbs. (42kg)
Product Name:
SW 1000 BE
Product Type:
Powered subwoofer
MSRP:
$5499 (USD)
Company:
Fresh on the heels of the new Focal Diva Utopia active loudspeaker system and streamer (https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews/speaker/focal-diva-utopia-connected-loudspeaker-system-review/), the Focal SW 1000 BE subwoofer goes a different direction than does the ‘all in one’ Diva Utopia package. The SW 1000 BE is intended to be used in a more traditional home stereo or ultra high-end home theater system. Think main speakers, separate amplifiers, sources and cables and you will be on the right path.
The SW 1000 BE is a top shelf contender in a product designed to bring the bottom into one’s system. Look for our review, coming soon, to find out if it achieved its goals!