What Hi Fi Sound and Vision 28 MAR 2006

Quad L-ite sub

£ 550 5

* * * * *

An excellent all-rounder: demands an audition

For
Comparatively compact yet very muscular; quick and potent sound plays music and movies well; well-made and well-equipped
Against
Nothing much, although it’s not quite the biggest sound around

The L-ite subwoofer retains the hefty 300-watt amp of its larger sibling, the Award-winning Quad L, and apes that £700 model’s sturdy sealed-box design, giving it ample potential for a pacy, potent sound. It also boasts a remote control, which usefully helps you preset up to four audio modes – giving you rapid access to specific states of ‘tune’ to suit different needs. For example, you might set one preset with extra bass for movie use, another with much less output for late-night listening.

Sonically? This is a cracking design: it’s fast, articulate and expressive, and couples that agile presentation with genuine weight. It powers through the stomping beats of Eminem and the stupefying dynamics of King Kong with equal poise, seldom sounding stressed even at high volumes in a big room. This Quad makes a compelling case for itself.