Earthquake SUPERNOVA - The Audiophile Bass Machine
Written: Jan 22 '04 (Updated Jan 25 '04)
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Pros: Price, Performance, Clarity, Accuracy
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: The Earthquake SUPERNOVA series subwoofers are excellent hi-fi subwoofers, very comparable to M&K.
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| soupcraze's Full Review: Earthquake Sound SUPERNOVA Subwoofer Speaker |
The Earthquake SUPERNOVA is actually a series of different SUPERNOVA subwoofer variants that come from Earthquake. They come in 10", 12", and 15" configurations. Earthquake like M&K makes some of the most expensive subwoofers on the market, costing over a thousand dollars per subwoofer. I'm a major M&K fanatic, and one of my close friends at Sound Living (Located in Chicago at 1400 N. Milwaukee) told me he had a 12" Earthquake SUPERNOVA MKIV subwoofer in there and that it had a $1,000 price tag. So I decided to hear one of these things out in a listening room. Here's what I found.
-Price-
*The Earthquake SUPERNOVA subwoofers are some of the most expensive subwoofers that you'll ever find. They start around under $500 for the 10" drivers and head up and above $1,500 for the 15" variant. They sport a configuration similar to that of many M&K subwoofers. M&K uses dual drivers, one firing to the side, and one to the floor, and they call it a "push & pull" configuration which allows for a detailed, powerful, and accurate bass response. The Earthquake SUPERNOVA doesn't have a floor-firing driver, but instead has two drivers that fire to the side. They take up two of the sides of the subwoofer, and aren't both located on the same side. For those who need the most powerful and accurate bass, then you should check out the Earthquake SUPERNOVA subwoofers. Also, M&K subwoofers are other market-leaders that you should compare the Earthquake's to. But overall, you get what you pay for, a very high end subwoofer that delivers "audiophile quality" bass in a hi-fi set-up.
-Performance-
*The Earthquake SUPERNOVA uses a dual-driver configuration. The one that I used had two 12" drivers. This included a 580 Watt powered 12" driver on one side, and then a passive 12" radiator on the other. This means that the 580 Watts coming from the internal amplifier goes directly into one driver, while the other driver relies on the other driver to give it power. Well, this means that you need a pretty damn strong amplifier to get most of this subwoofer! However, the 580 Watts offered into a 12" drivers provides significantly more power than a lot of other subwoofers that range from 125-300 Watts for a 12" driver. If you need an extreme amount of power for let's say a large room, then the Earthquake SUPERNOVA will definitely give you enough power. The 15" variant sports the same 580 Watt amplifier. When it comes to the quality of the bass, the Earthquake SUPERNOVA gives you everything that its got. By using two drivers, you receive stronger bass without the sacrifice of clarity. This allows you to get an extreme amount of bass without distortion. Also, the dual drivers results in more accurate bass. No matter what kind of music you listen to, the Earthquake SUPERNOVA will provide the bass you need. I heard different types of music, from classical to... yes... rap, and the Earthquake SUPERNOVA performed well.
-Specifications-
*Different finishes are available
*Magma-1# amplified driver (Can be 10", 12", or 15")
*Slaps-1# passive driver (Can be 10", 12", or 15")
*580 Watt powered internal amplifier
*Multi-Position remote & sensor
-The Verdict-
*The Earthquake SUPERNOVA subwoofers are some of the finest bass machines available in the audiophile market. They are typically more expensive than many other hi-fi subs that can usually be found under $1,000, but you have dual high-quality woofers for the extra money. The Earthquake SUPERNOVA subwoofers are comparable to M&K "push & pull" subwoofers. Both brands have high-quality products, and you should hear them out to see which ones you like more. If you need incredibly strong and accurate bass to fill a large room, yet be gentle enough for the softest of music, then the Earthquake SUPERNOVA subwoofers are a fine choice.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 500-1500
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