Сабвуферы — ELAC Varro PS500-BK

The Varro PS500-BK is the 15-inch model of ELAC's PS series, the first tier of the Varro family that ELAC launched in March 2023. It sold for USD 999.98 in the United States and EUR 1,049 in Europe. Engineering of the Varro programme was directed by ELAC's chief technology officer Joe Riggi.

Key specs that matter

The 15-inch treated paper woofer works in a vented cabinet, powered by a BASH amplifier with 500 W RMS into 4 ohm and 1,000 W on peaks. ELAC measures the response at 20 to 150 Hz anechoic and 16 to 150 Hz in a room. Maximum SPL is 115 dB at 1 m, which equals the dual 10-inch DS1000-GB from the upper Varro series. The low-pass filter is adjustable between 40 and 150 Hz. It stands 480 mm tall on a 460 x 460 mm base and weighs 25.9 kg net. The box is covered in black vinyl, and standby consumption is below 0.5 W.

Engineering and use context

ELAC reaches that extension with a large cone and a bass reflex port rather than a sealed box and very high power, the approach taken by the Reference models. The voice coil measures 2 inches, and the 30 mm MDF walls are tied together by internal cross-braces against resonance. Only a few controls sit on the back plate - a volume dial, RCA line inputs, a reset button, a power switch and a USB socket that loads firmware from a FAT32 flash drive. Crossover frequency, phase, delay and listening presets are set with the ELAC Sub Control 3.0 app for iOS and Android over Bluetooth LE, and the same app can manage more than one subwoofer. New units start with the level at 75 percent, a 70 Hz low-pass slope of 12 dB and the Music preset. Included are a grille, a power lead and a set of four carpet spikes, which ELAC says should not be fitted directly onto hard floors.

Pairing

That extension and output suit home cinemas and larger stereo systems. An AV receiver connects with one RCA cable to the right LFE input, and a preamp or integrated amplifier with variable pre-outs uses both RCA inputs. Because line level is the only input type, an amplifier without pre-outs or a sub output cannot be connected directly. In the United States and Canada, ELAC Americas covers the unit with a one-year warranty for home use within the stated power rating.

Alternatives

The ELAC Varro PS350-BK sits one step lower in the PS line, pairing a 12-inch paper cone with 350 W RMS in a 437 mm cabinet.