Simon Fellows gets big bass tones from a sub that punches way above its size
CONTACT WHO: Kali Audio WEB: kaliaudio.com KEY FEATURES Powered subwoofer with two 6.5 inch drivers AMP CLASS: D CONTINUOUS POWER: 400W, PEAK POWER: 1000W, DRIVER COMPLEMENT: 2 x 6.5-Inch High Excursion Woofers, FREQ RESPONSE (-10 DB): 27-200Hz, FREQ RANGE (+/-3 DB): 31.5-180Hz
Investing in a sub that can properly reveal low frequencies, with little distortion and plenty of definition, can be ruinously expensive. The best units can be huge too, as when it comes to bass, bigger is better right? Acoustic engineering is, of course, a bit more complex than that. That explains how Kali Audio has managed to wring such exceptional bass tone from its WS-6.2 sub, an inexpensive, powered, compact unit with modest, horizontally-opposed 6.5” drivers.
The little WS-6.2 really does perform surprisingly well for its size. First off, it has a frequency response (-10dB) of 27Hz to 200Hz and a frequency range (+/-3dB) of 31.5-180Hz, giving it more low end than similarly priced but considerably larger competitors, such as the Behringer B1500XP and ALTO Professional TS12S X.
Firing a variety of test tones from Logic Pro, I can confirm that the WS-6.2 is as smooth if not smoother at around the 30Hz mark than the Yamaha HS8s that usually sits beneath my desk. It also has ample oomph on tap, with continuous power rated at 400W and peak power 1000W. It takes up a little less space too at just 12.2” x 11”, welcome news for those of us who work in studios where room is tight.
To find out how the engineers at Kali Audio have managed to generate such a full-sounding tone from relatively small drivers in such a bijou enclosure, I turned to Kali Audio co-founder Nate Baglyos. Not surprisingly, the ample power output is a key component of the sound.
It really does perform surprisingly well for its size
“Good bass is the result of strong power delivery to the appropriate transducer,” says Nate. “You could think of our duo of side-firing 6.5-inchers as being the same surface area as one 10-incher but the other important factor in power handling is excursion, which is how far the driver can move back and forth from its resting position.
“High excursion drivers are an excellent way to drive heavy bass, with the caveat that you need a lot o
