B&W ASW608 review

This B&W ASW608 dinky subwoofer turns in a fast, lively and punchy delivery Tested at £300.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Compact and solidly built box which turns in a fast, lively and punchy delivery. It's a fine option

Pros

  • +

    Fast, lively and punchy

Cons

  • -

    Can't dig really deep

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The ASW608 is a fine choice of subwoofer if you're really pushed for space.

This seriously compact B&W measures a bijou 26 x 26 x 33cm. Unsurprisingly, considering its provenance, this is also a rather natty-looking design, and it comes complete with lots of tweaking potential.

We looked at this tiny troublemaker's bigger brother, the ASW610XP and for £700, that bass box offers something rather different – but undeniably impressive. Can this sub make a similarly strong impression?

There are also two EQ settings – usually nominally for music and movies – and low-pass filter frequency settings.

Small but beautifully formed
Dinky this box may be, but there's still a 200-Watt amplifier inside this forward-firing, solidly made, sealed cabinet.

It's not unheard of for comparatively small boxes to pump out fairly large amounts of bass, but producing really low bass notes usually requires a large driver to move large amounts of air.

So we're interested to see how the '608 fares.

Sure enough, the relatively small driver does fall a little short compared with others when it comes to digging really deep. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans provides plenty of opportunities for the sub to stretch its muscles, and the ASW608 turns in a fast, lively and punchy delivery.

There are undoubtedly shortcomings where deep basslines are concerned, but if it's a compact, solidly built box that you're after, this remains a fine option.

What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.


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