B&W (Bowers & Wilkins) ASW-850

For Sale B&W ASW-850 Active Subwoofer

Sharing the same 1000W amplifier as the smaller ASW 800, the ASW 850 provides over 50% more output with its larger cabinet and 380mm (15 in) driver, making it the ideal solution for the largest high-end installations.

Built to the same exacting standards and with similar ingredients as the smaller ASW 800, the larger Matrix-braced cabinet and 380mm (15 in) diameter driver of this prodigious performer together provide not only the greater output levels needed for the largest listening rooms, but also plumb greater depths in terms of bass extension.

So, no matter whether you want to experience the thrill of an action film or recreate then event of a live performance in a large concert hall, the ASW 850 provides the necessary bass extension and power to enable you to do it.

Description Active closed-box subwoofer system Drive units φ380mm (15 in) paper/Kevlar® cone long-throw Frequency response±3dB 18Hz - 31/110Hz adjustable (EQ at A) Amplifier Power output: 1000W continuous Rated power consumption: 150W Input impedance:33kW Signal / noise: >90dB Functions: Input level Low-pass filter frequency Low-pass filter bypass Bass roll-off alignment Auto sense on/standby Phase switch Inputs: Line In (RCA Phono) Outputs: Line Out (RCA Phono) high-passed Link Out (RCA Phono) Low-pass filter Active 2nd -order, variable cut-off frequency High-pass filter Active 3rd -order -6dB at 80Hz Dimensions Height: 529mm (not including feet) Width:562mm Depth:522mm(including grille and controls) Finishes Cabinet: Black Ash, Grille: Black cloth

Review by © 2015 KenRockwell.com.

https://kenrockwell.com/audio/b-w/asw850.htm

I'll get very technical below, but for those of you who just want a great subwoofer, I've never heard anything better than the ASW850. At this level, if it doesn't sound astounding in your own home, it's because it hasn't been placed correctly in a good room — and if that's your problem, no woofer will sound any better. The ASW850 reproduces the entire bass and musically significant subsonic range cleanly, naturally, smoothly and effortlessly. Other subwoofers can rattle windows, while the ASW850 will do it all day without breaking a sweat.

This is what most people would call a big subwoofer, but this is what a subwoofer is supposed to be. It really comes into its own when asked to reproduce music below the range of the bass guitar. 32-foot ranks of pipe organ, synthesizers and thunderous effects from 16 to 40 Hz are where the ASW850 produces huge amounts of clean output that most speakers and other subwoofers can't even dream of reproducing.

The ASW850 goes an octave below what most other common "subwoofers" can reproduce.

Also impressive is how fast and easy it is to get the ASW850 to work perfectly with main speakers. It usually takes a long time to get any given pairing of subwoofer and main speaker to work seamlessly. With the ASW850 and the B&W 802 with which I tried it, I simply ran the main speakers as usual and fed the ASW850 from the same preamplifier signal. I set the ASW850 to kick-in where the main speakers quit at 40 Hz, and voilà, perfect sound fast. Ditto for tiny desktop Monitor Audio Radius 90 speakers, I set the crossover higher so the ASW850 only fills-in where it's needed.

The B&W ASW850 is a real hundred-pound Made-in-England subwoofer which enjoys reproducing the deepest bass and infrasonics. It's not some wimpy vented-box made-in-China imitation that poops out as soon as the bass makes it into real subwoofer territory below 30 Hz.

B&W created this to pair with their exotic Nautilus series, which are already full-range speakers. This ASW850 is to let those, or other speakers, reach all the way down into subsonic territory and dig up the deepest bass you probably never knew was there. The Nautilus sold for $40,000, and this ASW850 was good enough to augment the Nautilus' bass.

The B&W ASW850 loves to get down and dirty, cleanly reproducing the lowest and loudest musical fundamentals and infrasonics you probably never knew your recordings had, all with ease.

The deeper the music gets, the louder the ASW850 plays. With the ASW850, you're always hearing the fundamentals, not just the harmonics. There is never any distortion or doubling; just powerful, deep, clean bass without any strain, ever.

The ASW850 has no resonances and just thuds where it needs to, never adding its own coloration or changing the pitch.

I prefer crossing this woofer in below 40 Hz to reproduce only the lowest bass when used with with decent full-range speakers like the B&W 802. For the ASW850, bass guitars are trivial; standard 4-string bass guitars and stand-up basses don't even play as deeply as 40 Hz; the ASW850 kicks in and gets busy below where the basses usually stop!

The ASW850 is built like a tank. Its curved sides don't vibrate at all to the touch when the woofer cone is moving a half-inch or more in and out. I can feel a tiny bit on the top, which for all I know is the entire woofer bouncing up and down on my flexing floor, but the cylindrical sides don't vibrate at all. The ASW850 uses internal Matrix bracing to prevent this, as well as using curved walls.

The woofer cone looks like paper, but it's actually paper and Kevlar. It feels more like thick cardboard or a thin sheet of wood veneer than just paper.

The 1,000 watt amplifier is silent; there's no buzz or hiss even if you stick your head to the woofer cone.

The ASW850 really does flap pants. I was running some test tones through it, and i looked down at my shorts, and they really were visibly flapping from all the sound level at very low frequencies!

Good auto power detect, just turns on relay without delay or thumps

I love this woofer. It's the first commercially available subwoofer I've heard in a long time that deserves to be called a subwoofer, as opposed to a flimsy imitation.

If you think you want one, you'll love it!

Missing accessory pack including spiked and rubber feet.

Shipping not included.