What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Compact and solidly built box which turns in a fast, lively and punchy delivery. It's a fine option
Pros
- +
Fast, lively and punchy
Cons
- -
Can't dig really deep
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The ASW608 is a fine choice of subwoofer if you're really pushed for space.
This seriously compact B&W measures a bijou 26 x 26 x 33cm. Unsurprisingly, considering its provenance, this is also a rather natty-looking design, and it comes complete with lots of tweaking potential.
We looked at this tiny troublemaker's bigger brother, the ASW610XP and for £700, that bass box offers something rather different – but undeniably impressive. Can this sub make a similarly strong impression?
There are also two EQ settings – usually nominally for music and movies – and low-pass filter frequency settings.
Small but beautifully formed
Dinky this box may be, but there's still a 200-Watt amplifier inside this forward-firing, solidly made, sealed cabinet.
It's not unheard of for comparatively small boxes to pump out fairly large amounts of bass, but producing really low bass notes usually requires a large driver to move large amounts of air.
So we're interested to see how the '608 fares.
Sure enough, the relatively small driver does fall a little short compared with others when it comes to digging really deep. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans provides plenty of opportunities for the sub to stretch its muscles, and the ASW608 turns in a fast, lively and punchy delivery.
There are undoubtedly shortcomings where deep basslines are concerned, but if it's a compact, solidly built box that you're after, this remains a fine option.
