Subwoofers — Loewe Klang Sub1

Loewe markets the klang sub1 as a compact powerhouse for small living spaces and presented it as the first subwoofer with a wireless connection to a television. The wireless bass unit is meant to turn the speakers of a TV into a 2.1 system without a cable run between screen and bass unit. It links to Loewe televisions from the SL3 series onwards and to the We. SEE range, and it also works with sets from other brands that have a regulated audio output. The finish is basalt grey, and prices of GBP 399 and about EUR 402 have been listed.

Key specs that matter

Two 4 inch woofers are driven by a Class D amplifier with 160 W total music power, and four 4 inch passive radiators share the same cabinet. Acoustic output covers 40 Hz to 100 Hz, and the electrical response of the drive stage spans 20 Hz to 300 Hz. The body is 287 mm wide, 158 mm high and 287 mm deep and weighs 4.7 kg. The part number is 60610D10. Mains input accepts 100 V to 240 V at 50 or 60 Hz, and standby draw is under 0.5 W. Operating conditions are 5 to 35 degrees C and 20 to 80 percent non-condensing humidity.

Engineering and use context

Loewe arranges the active drivers and passive radiators so that their movements offset one another, and states that the result is free of oscillation and vibration while occupying only half the space of a subwoofer with a conventional layout. The flat format is aimed at smaller living spaces. The wireless path is Bluetooth 5.0 with the A2DP and AVRCP profiles plus the aptX Low Latency codec, transmitting below 10 mW in the 2402 to 2480 MHz band, so picture and bass stay in sync. On a compatible Loewe TV the installation is plug and play with a single menu setting. For older Loewe sets and other brands, a supplied USB-powered transmitter with its own pairing button and status LED sends the TV's variable audio output to the sub. The multilingual manual, 176 pages long, also sets out ventilation and heat clearances for the cabinet.

Pairing

The sub has its own volume control and LED status indicators, and besides the wireless link the rear panel carries a 3.5 mm line input for a wired connection to a TV or other source. The Bluetooth receiver also accepts streams from services such as Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music played on a connected device.

Alternatives

The Loewe klang sub5 is the larger subwoofer of the klang range, with two active 6 inch drivers and 360 W music power.