Subwoofers — Proficient Audio FRS-12

The FRS-12 tops the size range of the Proficient Audio Systems Signature FRS family, a set of powered subwoofers with 8, 10 and 12 inch drivers that share one amplifier platform. Proficient links the series to Sunfire, the bass specialist it traces back to 1994, and lists the updates over earlier Sunfire models as a higher amplifier rating, softened cabinet corners and control through a mobile app. In Australia the FRS-12 is priced at AUD 3,295.

Key specs that matter

A single 12 inch, or 300 mm, fiberglass cone built for high excursion is fitted, and a Class D amplifier with a peak rating of 1000 W drives it. Within plus or minus 3 dB the response covers 20 Hz to 200 Hz, 4 Hz lower than the figure given for the 8 and 10 inch Signature models. External dimensions are 350.5 x 360.7 x 370.8 mm, and the unit weighs 19 kg, which is 3.3 kg more than the FRS-10. Line-level RCA connections handle input, with buffered RCA outputs alongside. The mains stage is selectable from 100 to 240 V, and coverage is a limited two-year warranty.

Engineering and use context

Proficient calls the driver concept high back EMF, a technique taken from Sunfire in which a very rigid fiberglass diaphragm is paired with a strong magnet motor. The high motor force is meant to overcome the pressure that builds up in a small box, so a cabinet of about 36 cm per side can produce deep output with control over cone motion. The enclosure walls are 1 inch MDF finished in five layers of piano black high-gloss lacquer, and the edges are rounded rather than square. Tuning is handled in software - the Sub Station app talks to the DSP inside the subwoofer via Bluetooth Low Energy from a phone. For cable-free installation, an optional wireless audio kit plugs into the integrated 5 V USB socket, so the only lead the cabinet needs is its power cord.

Pairing

Any source with a line-level sub output works with the RCA inputs, from an AV receiver's LFE jack to the pre-out of a stereo amplifier. Where one subwoofer is not enough, the buffered outputs relay the signal to another Signature unit, a combination Proficient promotes for its subwoofers. With its deep extension, the FRS-12 suits film soundtracks and music systems whose main speakers roll off well above that point.

Alternatives

The Proficient Reference FTEQ-12 uses two force-cancelling 12 inch Kevlar drivers, each with its own 1000 W amplifier, and reaches 17 Hz.