Thunder SW-12 "BEST BUY"
"hificlass" awards our Thunder SW-12 subwoofer with the "BEST BUY" award and 5 stars!
SOFT, EXTENDED AND FINESSE
Actually these three words could have been used to describe the sound of Thunder SW-12 but it would a bit unfair because this subwoofer deserves much more attention...
I started listening from several scenes of various action movies and the Thunder SW-12 showed itself from a very good side presenting a typical cinema-like dynamics and impact strength which was adequate to striking action scenes.
On the other hand, in the multichannel music (I mainly used DVD-Audio and SACD discs with Depeche Mode music and carefully mastered recordings of Lars Danielsson) the tested subwoofer was able to charm with a softly played, extended but also rich sound in the bass range...
The timbre of the bass is important, and the AB class constructions can reproduce it very nicely, even if it is a speaker designed only for the bass reproduction. Naturally, as I mentioned earlier, the Thunder has a great potential in terms of power and dynamics which is especially important for movie soundtracks. But here too is much more finesse in the timbre presentation and this charming softness and the delicate warmth in the bass which strongly diversify the sound generated in the bass range. Such sound characteristics were even more emphasized in the stereo system, because what the Thunder SW-12 was doing with the two-channel music other active subwoofers in this price range are usually not able to achieve.
The bass in the recordings of Marek Bilinski or Mike Oldfield pulsated vividly offering surprisingly good dynamics. And when the need arose it ventured low and added more weight to individual recordings, while maintaining the proper tonal balance. On the other hand, the bass range was reproduced in a distinct and balanced way ...
SUMMARY
Thunder SW-12 is wisely built and I have to admit that so far I have not heard such a good sound among active subwoofers at this price.
Therefore, granting it with the Best Buy award is basically a formality.
This active subwoofer presents such a high level of sound that it meets the requirements of audio and home cinema enthusiasts without any deficiency.