Aiwa TS-W50 Subwoofers
Aiwa TS-W50 Subwoofers
[Jan 18, 2000]
Rob
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Low Price!!
Weakness:
Little boomy when vol. turn up Great bargain if you can get your hand one...Although it is refurbished, I got mine for $41 + $25 shipping from Onsale.com. Great addition to bookshelf speakers - at low volume it significantly enhance my B&W LM1 speaker - great match! |
[Jul 31, 2001]
Sean
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Low cost with very good performance-- excellent addition to a system without a sub. Run your normal speaker wires through the built-in crossover, and it filters out the sub signals (great if your receiver doesn't have a sub out.)
Weakness:
None that seem to matter to me. Actually, it's kinda heavy, but that only matters if you're moving up three flights of stairs on a hot summer day. Listening preferences (in case you care): rock (classic/modern), techno, ska, rap, pop. Similar Products Used: none-- my first sub |
[Aug 23, 2001]
Tom Phile
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Maybe looks... Sounds Half Decent
Weakness:
Amplifier Quality After about 6 months of use, this sub went completely dead. The problem was with the amp itself which died out. When it was working, the sound was decent. But, you do get what you pay for. For people who have this sub, if you put speaker stuffing it will make it much more tighter and the low end response will be very much improved. Like someone else mentioned, the porting is pretty pathetic. Similar Products Used: Yamaha, Technics, AR |
[Feb 18, 2001]
Matt
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
For the money, decent bass (see my review)
Weakness:
low power, unable to reproduce lower frequencies with any form of accuracy. At loud volumes, sub chirps from a poorly designed port system. I bought this sub to boost an aiwa mini-system. In my opinion, if your audio needs only call for the sound quality which comes from an all-in-one mini system, then you probably will never have any complaints from this sub. As always, the old saying stands true: You get what you pay for. As stated in my weakness section, the sub is underpowered. If you have invested any money into a decent amp and speakers...don't fool yourself, this sub is NOT a bargain. It will ruin the sound of an otherwise clean system. This sub will reproduce respectable high frequencies with only minor distortion, but lows cut off way too short. At high volumes, it won't shake, it won't rumble, it won't peel the skin off your face, it won't make the neighbors call and complain. It will chirp and whine. I guess to make the sub small and stylish, aiwa decided not to follow any of the general rules of port design. Remove to front panel to see what I mean. The entire front of the sub is formed plastic. The port system is so riddled with plastic that even with a really nice speaker, and a 150 watt amp, this box will destroy the sound....but hey, it looks great right? At any rate, they did throw in a few goodies for the price...front mounted on/off, low pass selector(which by the way, has only three settings), volume control, auto on feature, and phase switch. And yes, the sub is stylish looking. But in all, it is a toy. |
[Oct 18, 2001]
Tony Bird
Casual Listener
Strength:
Very good sound, with impressive low end - for the price
Weakness:
None for price This is a very good sub. It sounds nearly as good as my $300 Yamaha sub. I use it in my home office with $400 cambridge Soundworks speakers. It really makes a hugh differnce in ths overall sound. This sub is truly competent. I got it as an opened item for $75 at a Target department store. Similar Products Used: yamaha 175 watt sub |
[Oct 07, 2001]
Jim bullpitt
Audiophile
Strength:
Nice looks, compact design, excellent bass with a digital preamp
Weakness:
cabinet material too thin. I have had this sub in my system for about 2 to three years..it has excellent bass reproduction, I recommend using this amp with some type of preamp sub processor....this sub rocks in my system.....I can shake the hell out of my walls with it....but you have to have the right setup....my home theater section is as follows....I have 2 dolby digital and DTS amps 1 is a Poineer with 110watts x 5 channels. the second Dolby digital receiver is a Technics 120watts x 5 which is linked to a Technics preamp digital surround processor....I run the sub off of the preamp...i am able to boost the signal signigantly off of the amp and it sounds beautiful. The secret of my sound is that i take the audio signal off of my Pioneer dvd player and split it off too the 2 receivers....which in turn power the 18 speakers in my home theater setup....I can literally shake my couch up and down with this setup....i love this sub inthis setup!!! Similar Products Used: none |
[Jan 31, 2001]
Eric Nyhof
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Crossover, auto power, speaker lever inputs and RCA input
Weakness:
not deep enough, needs more power I bought this subwoofer for use with my kenwood mini-system. It is a great sub for the money. I use it for watching movies, CDs, DVDs and video games. It provides a decent low frequency and is perfect for a dorm room or other small room. I only with it had more power, another 50 watts would do it some good. I wish the speaker had a more convention look to it, but that doesn't affect the sound. |
[Jun 07, 1999]
ROBERT G
an Audio Enthusiast
This is the first powered sub I bought about 4 years ago for $100 at one of those "sale of the century" venues at the local collosium event center. Mine had a 50W amp instead. This thing had auto-on, phase, and front volume (gain level)/crossover (3 stages 40/80/120). It used spring clips for high level inputs/outputs and just one RCA input for sub input. Though not very loud or very low (claimed 30hz but more likely about 40hz) it was quite clean and very musical with very minimal cabinet resonance and didn't shut-off as fast as most subs that I have encountered. This matched up to my Pioneer 455, Pioneer CSG 104 for front mains A, Pyramid HSG-15 for front mains B(removed the RCA connectors/in-line crossover capacitor and added 16g wire/RS crossover 40-1296/spring clip cup for connection to AVR), and Fisher 424 for center/rear for my first HT setup (a very budget oriented system). The funny thing is that this setup actually sounded better than a friend of mines BOSE AM-10 hooked up to Pioneer 906 AVR (he noticed this before I did and upgraded almost immediately after being wiped-out from this ultra generic setup). For a budget system this isn't bad or for like a kitchen, bedroom, or small apartment or hooked to a mini system (as stated by the previous reviewer) but I honestly believe that when you build a HT setup buy a very good sub as this is one of the few components that is rarely replaced as long as it functions. By the way this was replaced by an AudioSource SW-8X sub which played lower and louder but will soon be replaced. For the performance and price I will give it a 3, but for nostalga and sentimentallity of it being my first sub I will give it a 4. |
[Jul 09, 1999]
Adam
an Audio Enthusiast
I have just recently purchased this Subwoofer, and i must say that it is probably the best deal for a subwoofer that size and of its capabilities. My "system" is somewhat weird. I have 2 (very old, say 17 years old) Jbl 3-way floorspeakers, and i have yet to buy a center speaker, and some Sony bookshelf speakers as my surround speakers. So, to make my piont clear, it is hard to hear a subwoofer that doesnt cost over $400, exept this one. I can hear this thing even when i crank up my reciever while watching one of my favorite movies in surround sound "Armageddon" and still hear my subwoofer loud and clear. Lets not forget about music. It gives good bass to those Rock songs and Rap (if youre into that kind of stuff). And with its volume control and with its volume control, 3 tunover settings, auto on/off, a phase switch, and multiple inputs and even an output it makes this subwoofer a great deal for those 16 year olds that dont have too much money to spend on home theater equipment, this is the purchase for you/me. |
[Nov 19, 1999]
Alan Yee
Audiophile
Strength:
Very nice for the price
Weakness:
Edge is a bit tender to bo be distroyed The power is good when down end volume. It delivers very low effect as what subwoofer should do. The problem is when we set high end volumes thats the time this thing connot handle which I always have wanted to do. The 12" ala B&W does that for me. I used both most of the time & I drive it with the Pioneer integrated amp. Buy the small budget this is already good enought but for high ends, this is not your subw. your looking for. Theres a lot to choices.....Goodluck! Similar Products Used: Custominzed B&W with Lanzar passive subwoofer 12" |