Premiere Design

Magico QSub-18 Subwoofer

Bob Ankosko  |  Dec 24, 2013

It’s not every day you come across a $36,000 subwoofer. That’s right, thirty-six big ones. That’s about as rare as finding a submonster with dual 18-inch drivers and a 6,000-watt digital amplifier housed in an enclosure made of aircraft-grade aluminum so robust that it can withstand internal sound-pressure levels of up to 175 decibels (akin to standing on the tarmac while a commercial jet takes off) with less than 1 percent the displacement of an ordinary enclosure. In other words, unlike cabinets made of MDF or phenolic resin, this enclosure does not flex. At all.

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I’ve just described the Magico QSub-18, which may well be the subwoofer to end all subwoofers. It’s true—the beast weighs 570 pounds, but its size and appearance are anything but beastly, with a reasonable 25 x 37-inch footprint and a flawless anodized finish (available in a range of satin colors). OK, you won’t necessarily want to put the QSub on display, but you don’t have to hide it away, either.

Ready for a few specs? The QSub is capable of delivering a 136-dB sound-pressure level with less than 1 percent total harmonic distortion at 20 hertz and will literally rock your world down to a subterranean 15 Hz. And those mammoth drivers—they’re mounted in 2-inch-thick baffles (one per side) and are each capable of 1.3 inches of linear excursion.

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“The most important distinction is the enclosure,” explains Irv Gross, Magico’s director of sales. “The vast majority of subwoofers are manufactured using MDF. But when the woofers move, they cause the cabinet to flex or warp. Those pliable walls absorb a tremendous amount of energy, which leads to distortion and massive group delay, which the listener perceives as a smearing of the sound. This is a subwoofer that delivers controlled low-frequency output with tone and texture to match. For the individual who wants the ultimate subwoofer, this is it.” We’re not going to argue. But if you want to save a little coin, Magico also offers the QSub-15, which can be yours for only $22k.

Magico: (510) 649-9700 • magico.net

COMMENTS
dnoonie's picture
Submitted by dnoonie on December 26, 2013 - 7:38pm

I've been waiting for others to comment on this but no one has so...

Is there such a thing a too perfect? Don't get me wrong I've DIY'd some amazing subs using the opposing woofer design incorporated here and the result was amazing, I also reinforced the box...not as much as these folks but quit a bit. This speaker may seem overpriced but considering the materials and effort (design, NC machining, etc.) involved it's likely priced about right. Since I could never afford something like this I really don't want to knock it or put it down, I'm sure it sounds amazing.

The closest I'll get to sound this perfect is the real thing, that's why I go to orchestral concerts. And if I think about it no performance will be exactly the same, music is inherently "imperfect" in that respect since the exact conditions can't be reasonable reproduced (cooling air, warming air, humidity, number of and body type of the people in the audience, etc.) So...is there such a thing as a speaker that is too perfect? Some day (15 years from now) a speaker like this could be accessible to people that can't afford it now through the technology of 3D printing or inexpensive DIY NC machining or a combination. What then?

Would I get something like this? Even the smaller one would be too much for my home, I'd need a proper space for it, a space larger than I could afford and purpose built, so unlikely. But it would be fun to try, like those monster subs I built, tried and sold.

Cheers
dnoonie

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