The
AST Model 'Q'
Sub
Woofer
Our Model 'Q' Sub Woofer is an attractive piece of furniture. For your information, low frequencies below 150 Hz are essentially omni-directional in nature. Stated more clearly, one cannot discern where the sound is coming from. As a result, placement is not a critical factor. If this is true, why not make it a usable piece of furniture - -- instead of a large but necessary piece that only 'takes up room'? We have designed our Model 'Q' Sub Woofer so that it may be placed anywhere and can be utilized as an attractive end table and could be used to place lamps, etc., on it. It is a functional piece of furniture.
The Model 'Q' Sub Woofer features a 1 2" driver in a bass-reflex enclosure that is matched for maximum performance and goes smoothly down to below 28 Hz and create a listening experience that, in concert with your other speakers, is truly 'awesome'.
About Crossovers --
While there may be consumer cost factors that make consideration of passive subwoofer systems desirable -- we must point out that this avenue should be one of 'last resort'. To properly function, we feel the crossover must be an active one. The audible effects justify our position. Whatever Crossover is used, we strongly recommend you use at least a Third Order (1 8 db per octave) network.
Why a 'round' subwoofer?
There are several reasons. The main reason is because it is better. A conventional large enclosure with flat sides will suffe ' r vibration and resonations by flexing, no matter how well braced, that induce undesirable distortions. Acylindrical enclosure is extremely rigid and, by law of physics, cannot flex. By not flexing, it not only does not induce unwanted resonations, but projects more energy into your listening environment. Also, a 'down' firing subwoofer couples with the room better than a forward or rear facing driver. Another reason is that it occupies less space than square or cube shapes. Arid, finally, it is generally accepted as more cosmetically pleasing.
Less vibration and distortion. More energy. Better looking. More flexible placement.
The Critical Area for Sub Woofers
The critical area in optimum sub woofer performance lies in the area of efficiency and the amount of energy (over-all SPL - Sound Pressure Level). To be efficient, the enclosure must be large -- a small enclosure may produce low frequencies but will be necessarily inefficient and produce very little energy. This is why some manufacturers suggest or recommend the use of a pair of subwoofers. Our Model 'Q' features an enclosure with almost 4.5 cubic feet volume with a highly efficient woofer that goes below 28 Hz with an efficiency of 92 db.