Subwoofers — Monitor Audio Silver W-12 6G

The Silver W-12 6G is the subwoofer of Monitor Audio's sixth-generation Silver series, the British company's mid-range loudspeaker line. It was developed to extend the bass of Silver stereo pairs and home cinema systems, and uses the brand's C-CAM cone technology, found across Monitor Audio's speakers, in a 12-inch long-throw driver.

Key specs that matter

The Silver W-12 6G uses one 12-inch C-CAM driver with a dished cone, triple suspension and an oversized 3-inch long-throw voice coil, driven by a 500W continuous Class D amplifier with a switched-mode power supply. The lower frequency limit is 20Hz in a typical IEC room, and the upper limit is variable from 40Hz to 120Hz through a fourth-order (24dB/octave) active low-pass filter. Phase is switchable between 0 and 180 degrees. Power consumption is 400W in use and 0.5W in standby. The cabinet measures 340 x 340 x 380mm without grille and terminals, or 370 x 340 x 410mm overall, and weighs 20.1kg.

Engineering and use context

C-CAM (Ceramic-Coated Aluminium/Magnesium) combines a light metal alloy with a ceramic surface layer for high stiffness at low mass, and the dished profile adds further rigidity to the 12-inch cone so it moves as a piston at high excursion. The triple suspension keeps the cone centred and its movement linear when it travels far at high power, and the large 3-inch voice coil handles high power with low distortion. The Class D amplifier with switched-mode supply can deliver large current instantly for bass transients while running efficiently, and all crossover and control functions are performed digitally in DSP. A steep fourth-order low-pass filter reduces overlap with the main speakers above the chosen crossover point. The subwoofer senses a line-level signal above 2mV and switches on automatically, returning to standby after 20 minutes without signal. A USB port allows firmware updates, and a 5 to 12V trigger input lets an amplifier or AV receiver switch it on.

Pairing

The Silver W-12 6G takes its feed from a receiver's LFE socket or an amplifier's pre-out, and its variable filter covers main speakers from compact Silver stand-mounts to the larger floorstanders. A single unit covers a medium to large room, and automatic standby lets it stay connected without being switched on by hand. Finishes match the Silver 6G loudspeakers.

Alternatives

Monitor Audio's own Vestra W10 is a compact 10-inch subwoofer for smaller rooms and budgets.