is required for all new subwoofer installations. At first, the
sub information was directional and boomy. Through trial
and error and a few hours of playing, I managed to dial
the phase so that the SuperCube sounded integral to the
rest of the speaker system. The song "Sick of Life" was
powerful and had deep plentiful sub bass, yet I heard no
undesirable fatness.
In a rock ‘n’ roll mood, I went for the heavy beats
of System of a Down from their DVD-V
Toxicity
(Sony Music). I played the opening cut "Toxicity," a
studio video performance, at extreme volumes. This
performance is very high energy with enormous bass
information. This is not a multi-channel release,
so I played with a couple of DSP modes as well as
two-channel. What I found was that the reproduced low
frequencies were tight and extended, no matter what
matrix I chose. If a subwoofer is not quick and accurate,
extended sessions of sustained bass can saturate the
room, turning your room into a rumbling mess of low
frequency. The SuperCube maintained control and
provided rock-solid bass support.
Mellowing out a tad and stepping back a couple
decades in its origin, I loaded Sammy Hagar & the
Waboritas live DVD concert (Image Entertainment)
and chose the song "Rock Candy," originally released
on Montose's 1975 debut LP. The drum intro was
physically moving. The SuperCube can really slam
you. I remained very excited about this performance,
even after repeating it a half dozen times during my
evaluation. Set-up played a big role in the performance,
yet there was no questioning the SuperCube's quickness
and agile reproduction. What makes this even more
impressive is that the SuperCube maintains its control
even at the lowest frequencies, which at 14 Hz is
amongst the lowest available at any reasonable price
point. The fact that it blended so well with my $20,000
Revel Salons is ample testimony for its accuracy.
Yearning to feel the sonic and physical impact of a war
film produced to virtual perfection, I went with
Saving
Private Ryan
(DreamWorks). This Steven Spielberg
classic, which earned him 1998's Best Director Oscar, is
home to some bone-crushing low-frequency thrills. In the
scene where the Americans attempt to save the coveted
bridge, tanks were as real as life. This provided the best
sub integration that I have heard in my system. Having
spent three years of my life stationed in Europe in a
peacetime combat battalion, the sound of squeaking
tracks provided a chilling memory. The Definitive
SuperCube made the tanks sound almost too real.
Let’s play with some
multi-channel music from
Don Henley’s
The End of
The Innocence
release
(DTS Entertainment). I lis-
tened to the tune “Give Me
What You Got” and found
the SuperCube to again
provide a pleasing blend of
power and nimbleness. The
sub bass information was abundant, yet not overbearing
or fat in any way. It’s a subwoofer’s ability to slam you
like an undersized hockey forward, and then seductively
draw you in, that makes a subwoofer good. The Definitive
Technology SuperCube I did both very well. In the title
track, “End of Innocence,” there was no real need for
abundance yet in a credit to the folks at DTS, the sub
information was accurately placed and the SuperCube
handled it well.
The Downside
Is there a downside to a piece performing at the very
top of its price class and the one above? The SuperCube
I provides great flexibility with its infinitely variable
“The SuperCube is very small and looks
great, making it a welcome addition to
practically every home décor.”
“The SuperCube I provides great
flexibility with its infinitely variable
phase control and high and low pass
adjustment features.”
“This subwoofer has a very low frequency
response of 14 Hz to 150 Hz … The
SuperCube I simply made me excited
about my music and movies.”
