Сабвуферы — M&K X12+

The X12+ is the middle model of the X+ Series of subwoofers from M&K Sound, placed between the dual 10 inch X10+ and the dual 15 inch X15+. The brand dates back to the 1960s, when Ken Kreisel designed a woofer to extend electrostatic speakers sold by his partner Jonas Miller, and in 1973 that unit was used in the studio for the Steely Dan album Pretzel Logic. Today the name belongs to a Danish-owned company. The X12+ appeared in 2022 as the successor to the X12, with a UK list price of GBP 3,995.

Key specs that matter

Two 12 inch extra-long-throw woofers with carbon-fibre composite cones fill a sealed cabinet. An ICEpower Class D amplifier delivers 600 W RMS and 1,200 W peak, up from 400 W and 700 W in the X12. Average in-room response is 18 Hz to 200 Hz within 3 dB. THX Ultra certification means the sub reaches reference level of 115 dB at a viewing distance of about 3.7 m in a room of up to about 85 m3. The cabinet stands 72.8 cm tall, 45 cm wide and only 38.5 cm deep, and weighs 45.9 kg in satin black.

Engineering and use context

One driver faces forward while its identical partner sits at the bottom facing into the cabinet. The two are wired electrically out of phase, so the lower one radiates into the room through the rear of its cone, a push-pull layout in which the distortion products of each cone cancel, and M&K states that this doubles efficiency compared with a single driver. Combined cone area is close to that of one 17 inch unit. The redesigned cones sandwich a foam core between carbon-fibre skins and are stiffer and lighter than those of the X Series, while CNC-machined extruded aluminium shorting rings stabilise the magnet field. Walls of 25 mm MDF with extensive bracing limit panel vibration, and extra venting at the base of the woofers cuts air turbulence. The shallow depth was chosen so the sub fits behind screen walls or under mixing consoles. A magnetic grille and rounded edges separate it visually from the older model.

Pairing

Balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs and outputs connect to an AV processor, receiver or stereo preamplifier. A variable low-pass filter covers 40 Hz to 125 Hz or can be bypassed in THX mode when the processor handles bass management, phase turns from 0 to 180 degrees, and level is either fixed at THX reference or variable. THX Bass EQ rolls off 6 dB at 20 Hz, while Anechoic M&K EQ is 12 dB down there for smaller rooms. There is no app control.

Alternatives

The M&K X15+ is the larger model of the X+ Series, using bigger woofers in the same push-pull sealed arrangement.