Velodyne Impact-12 review

Velodyne's Impact-12 is good enough to earn five stars and is ideal for many buyers Tested at £365.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Good enough to earn five stars and ideal for many buyers – but not a true all-rounder

Pros

  • +

    Formidable bass depth for its price

  • +

    well-equipped

Cons

  • -

    Musically, not the best in this test

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There ain't no substitute for cubic inches, or so our American cousins would have it – and in subwoofer terms, here's your proof.

American brand Velodyne can readily deliver great bass from a small enclosure, but with its Impact-12, it's adopted a more traditional approach.

This is a big ol'box designed to deliver big ol' bass, the cabinet being some 12cm deeper than the Tannoy TS-12, even though it's fitted with a similarly hefty 30cm drive unit.

In action, the Velodyne sounds reminiscent of one of its forebears, the CHT-12R. It serves up no-fuss, max-fun bass, its extension and sheer sofa-shuddering weight eclipsing even the excellent B&W ASW610.

However, switch to music listening, and there's a subtle lack of fluidity to its approach, a tangible slowness that hinders the attacking drive of Audioslave's Revelations.

That makes this fine sub more of a movie than a music classic.

What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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