Drop the Money And Don't Look Back!
Written: Nov 17 '00 (Updated Nov 17 '00)
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Pros: Great build, Great sound, Power Handling, Enclosure Size, Easy to find
Cons: Inefficient, Expensive
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| Michelle107's Full Review: Boston Acoustics ProSeries 10.5LF Car Subwoofer Dr... |
Build Quality and Installation
On first impression these subwoofers are quite beefy. Screw-down terminals, large magnets, and a sturdy coated cone. These small things can usually all determine the time that researchers spent on developing such a sturdy product. And they have. The very simple (but classy) looks are all important when choosing a product for your car.
Like ALL woofers, Boston's require a sealed box with certain internal dimensions and airspace. These subs are great in particular for those of you who do not have a lot of trunk space to sacrifice. The recommended enclosure for the 10" pro's are 0.5 cubic foot boxes. These are TINY enclosures relative to other woofers. However, this also means that more power will be required to create a good sound out of these drivers. In my evaluation, the amplifier used was a Precision Power A600.2 running 300 watts to each of the two Pro 10.5's. (2 Ohm Stereo Load)
Sound Quality
In my opinion, this is one of the best sound-quality based subwoofers on the market. There are a few types of bass -- Tight, Smooth, or Boomy. If I could describe the sound with one word, I would describe them as SMOOTH sounding. They seemed to integrate marvelously with the Boston 6.53 component set. Awesome deep, clear bass is what you should expect from these excellent subwoofers. However, this type of sound is not for everybody. In fact, these subwoofers remind me very much of my Dynaudio MW190 12" subwoofer. It sounds a bit less "airy" than my Dynaudio but it has all the components of a great woofer.
As far as "loudness" goes, given enough watts and these woofers can be impressive in this field. However, most sound-quality woofers are designed to be relatively loud at LOW frequencies. "Louder" subwoofers usually refers to those that reach their peak at frequencies between 55-75Hz.
Overall Impression and Downsides
This subwoofer is not for everyone. First and foremost, the downside is the price. The Boston Pro 10.5 is very sound-quality based and you will be paying a premium for this. $250 is not something a 10" woofer usually costs. In fact it is outrageous. However, if you desire an audiophile sound in your car you can pick one or two of these at your local Good Guys. Another bittersweet downside is the inefficiency. Although the power handling is wonderful and the enclosure size is tiny, a lot of watts is needed to drive the subwoofer well. For a single 10" subwoofer, you will need to use at least 250 clean watts from a reputable amplifier company. Anything less and you may be disappointed. Remember that if you spend $250 on a subwoofer you should expect to spend money on a decent amplifier to get the most out of your system.
Comparable Products
If you prefer a subwoofer that demonstrates a tighter, punchier sound then I would recommend the Solobaric and CompVR by Kicker, or the IDQ series by Image Dynamics. Other smoother sounding woofers that I would suggest are the W6 by JL Audio, the XMAX by Phoenix Gold, and the aforementioned Dynaudio MW190. Each of these woofers I have either owned or listened to extensively. There are many other great products out there as well. Remember that it must sound good TO YOU. All of woofers that I have listed sound great to me. Unfortunately, the only brand out of all of these subwoofers that are carried by "chain-stores" is the Boston Pro 10.5 itself. You can audition or purchase the others at specialized car audio shops.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 250
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Epinions.com ID:
Michelle107
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Location: Irvine, CA
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 18 members
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