The Shallow Mount Subwoofer Showdown: The Heavyweights

Not all vehicles have a lot of space for a subwoofer, and my 2017 Nissan Titan King Cab is a perfect example. This is why shallow mount subwoofers were invented: to get bass out of tight spaces. But early iterations left much to be desired. Thanks to advancement in technology, they can now provide excursion, power handling and output similar to a standard subwoofer. Yet it’s still not common.

 

While it’s not common for shallow mount subwoofers to have this massive performance, they are available from a limited number of manufacturers. So we have decided to take subwoofers from a few of these manufacturers and have a subwoofer showdown. The requirements: they needed to be a heavyweight. Meaning they needed to handle at least 500 watts, play deep, and move a lot of air (Play loud). It’s The Shallow Mount Subwoofer Showdown: The Heavyweights. The challengers are Sundown Audio: SML-12, American Bass ES-12, and Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS 300 S4.

 

For the showdown they will all be tested in the same environment, with the same amount of power. The design of the enclosure, size of the enclosure, and where it is located in the vehicle, can all effect how the subwoofer performs.  The test will feature a pair of subs from each manufacturer, mounted in a sealed enclosure with 0.9 cu feet for each subwoofer. They will be fed 1,000 watts RMS (500 to each sub). They will be sitting under the back seat of my 2017 Nissan Titan, down firing.  This setup may not be ideal for all subwoofers, but it’s the reality for a lot of vehicle owners.  All of the subwoofers will be tested in the exact same setup, for a true apples to apples comparison.  The testing will include measurements for response and output, and listening for sound quality. We’ll start with the Sundown Audio SML-12, followed by the American Bass ES-12, and finish with the Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS 300 S4.

 

First up is the Sundown Audio SML-12. Sundown Audio started just shy of 20 years ago with high quality amps, and soon thereafter added high quality subs. Now they have multiple lines of amps and subs, including multiple shallow mount subs. The Sundown Audio SML-12 is their entry level shallow mount, with an MSRP of only $210. Yet when compared to the entry level of most competitors, it is far from entry level quality!

 

Features and specs:

RMS 500 watts

Dual 2 or 4 ohm voice coils

Black Aluminum 2.5” voice coil former for superior heat dissipation

High temperature 4-layer copper voice coil wire

Stitched-on “Mini-XL” tinsel leads to prevent fatigue and failure

Vented pole-piece and multi-vented magnetic gap

Dual-magnet design for smooth acoustic response

Custom tooled cone shape for reduced mechanical noise over high excursion

Bolt-through motor design to ensure maximum longevity and ruggedness

 

The Sundown Audio SML-12 came in a standard brown box (no big deal as they are sold at online retailers). Opening the box revealed a well secured woofer held in place by custom Styrofoam. Materials used in the construction was mostly aluminum for the cast basket, and copper 2.5” voice coil, thick fabric for the spider, pressed paper cone, and rubber/foam for the surround. Quality of materials used was very good, as was the fit and finish. It’s a very beefy driver designed to play loud.

 

I love the design of the Sundown Audio SML-12. But first, let’s talk about typical subwoofer design. On top is the cone and surround which is mounted to the basket top. The magnet or motor is mounted to the bottom of the basket. In-between the cone and motor you’ll find the spider and voice coil. And the more power it can handle, the bigger the magnet will be.

 

To reduce mounting depth, the shallow mount was developed. Instead of mounting the motor at the bottom of the basket, it was mounted inside the basket with the cone being flat so it would not take up space in the basket. And to reduce the needed space, smaller motors were used. But this also reduced the power handling. As designs improved, not only did the magnets manage to get a little bigger allowing for more power handling, the cones also managed to get more concave.

 

This is the design that Sundown Audio uses with the SML-12. Not only is the Sundown Audio SML-12 really shallow at around 4.5”, the cone has some depth to it. Motor structure is also improved, handling 500 watts RMS. They even employ a strong cast aluminum basket. Pole piece is vented, to help with cooling, as well as the back plate. Surround is double stitched and of good size for excursion. Cone is a really stiff pressed paper, and tinsel leads are sewn into the spider. The Sundown Audio is a beefy subwoofer that is very well made. Now let’s see how it sounds.

 

Queen: Another One Bites The Dust-  bass beats were really tight, and super clean.  And it hit so hard, like a punch to the chest. 

Branden Beal: Drop The Booty Down Low-  bass beats were super clean, extremely deep, and played with a lot of authority.  And when the booty got dropped down low, it was to a whole new level. It was like an earthquake.

Techmaster PB: Activate-  my old school subwoofer torture track. It played extremely deep, with a ton of authority! It really got my rear-view mirror dancing.  And my whole truck shook!  Yet it was really clean doing so, without any muddiness.

Also Sprach Zarathustra- this is a track I like to use to test for sound quality, resolution, and how musical a subwoofer can be.  It starts with a constant rumble as the bows are run across the strings of the huge contra bass.  And it had very good sound quality so you can hear the mallets beating on the big tympani.  They played really deep, playing down into the 20’s hertz range. 

 

I was impressed with the sound quality of the Sundown Audio SML-12.  They played deep, played loud, yet played really clean.  And they also were more musical than expected.  Sundown Audio is known for their high SPL subs, but I wasn’t expecting the amount of resolution they also provided.   For output I managed to hit 123db.

 

Next up is the American Bass.  The American Bass ES-12 came in a color printed box, with photos and specs of the subwoofer. Opening the box showed it held in place by custom cardboard. Materials used in the construction is aluminum for the cast basket and voice coil, former, copper for the voice coil, thick fabric for the spider, a combination of pressed paper and carbon fiber and fiberglass for the cone and cap, and rubber for the surround. Quality of materials used and fit and finish was very good. Also included was the manual.  MSRP is only $215.

 

Features and specs:

RMS POWER      800W

MAX POWER      1500W

IMPEDANCE (OHMS)      D4

SENSITIVITY DB 84

MOUNTING DEPTH (IN) 4.3

CUTOUT SIZE (IN)            10.79

PORTED BOX (FT3)          0.75

MAGNET SIZE (OZ)          65

VOICE COIL SIZE   2.5

BASKET TYPE      CAST

 

The American Bass ES-12 employs a similar design as the Sundown Audio. The basket is strong cast aluminum. The motor is in the middle of basket, and uses a vented pole place for cooling. Also like the Sundown Audio, the small tip of the cone meets in the very center and is glued to the spider. The spider is quite wide, at around 2.5” radius with the tinsel leads sewn in. The cone is multiple layers with custom fiberglass over pressed paper. The American Bass ES-12 also handles even more power, rated at 800 watts RMS. It looks impressive, and feels extremely solid in hand. Now let’s see how it sounds.

 

Queen: Another One Bites The Dust-  bass beats were super clean, and really tight.  It hit so hard it felt like a punch to the chest.

Branden Beal: Drop That Booty Down Low-  bass beats were super clean, and played extremely deep.  They also played with a ton of authority that made my rearview mirror really dance.  When the booty got dropped down low, it was a whole new level and felt like an earthquake.

Techmaster PB: Activate-  it played extremely deep, and so loud with so much authority!  It really got my rearview mirror dancing and hard to use.  More than that, my whole truck shook like an earthquake.  Yet it was really clean doing so!

Also Sprach Zarathustra-  the constant sustained rumble of extremely deep bass from the bows being run across the strings of the huge contra bass, was extremely clean.  And there was enough resolution and musicality hear the mallets beating on the huge pad of the tympani.  It was a tad muddy, but you could still hear the mallets hitting the pad.

 

I was really impressed with the performance and sound quality of the American Bass ES-12.  Not only did they play extremely deep, they were extremely loud doing so!  They played down to 20hz, and they were extremely loud being able to hit 130db.  Yet they also managed to be musical and provide good resolution as well.

 

Last but not least is the Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS 300 S4. The Hertz Audio came in a color printed box with photos of the subwoofer and its specs. Opening the box revealed a well-protected subwoofer held in place with custom cardboard. Materials used in the construction was aluminum for the cast basket, copper voice coil, cloth spider, polypropylene woofer, and rubber surround. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good.  Also included was the manual, grille, grille removal tool, allen head screws and bit, and speed clips.  MSRP is $550.

 

Features and specs:

Size mm (in.)      300 (12)

Power Handling - Continuous W 500

Power Handling - Peak W             1000

Impedance Ohm             4

Depth mm (in.) 88 (3.46)

Voice Coil Type  single

No Filter Component     Subwoofers

Voice Coil Ø       38 (1.5)

Frequency Response Hz 25 - 400

Magnet size D x d x h mm (in.)    156 x 60 x 36 (6.14 x 2.36 x 1.42)

Weight of one component kg (lb.)            6.64 (14.64)

Magnet High density flux ferrite

Cone     Polypropylene

Xmech mm (in.) 20 (0.79)

Technical Specs

D mm    262.59

Xmax mm           16.80

Re Ohm 3,4

Fs Hz     23

Le mH   3,75

Vas I      62,13

Mms g  320

Cms mm/N         0.15

BL T*m 18.7

Qts        0.42

Qes       0.45

Qms      6.3

Spl dB   85

 

The Hertz Audio uses a design very similar to the Sundown Audio and American Bass. Only it’s squished even thinner for an even shallower mounting depth of only 3.5 inches!  It’s also just a single voice coil.  The cone is concave with the center cap sticking up and the space of the cavity behind the cap is filled by the magnet as the cone moves back and forth with the music. So when the cone moves back and forth with the suspension, the magnet fills the space right behind the cap.  This allows for very little space needed between the magnet and the top of the cone.  Yet thanks to its smart suspension design, it’s polypropylene cone squeezes out 16.8mm of Xmax! With an Fs of only 23Hz, this woofer is not only designed to move a lot of air, it’ll also play really deep! I can’t wait to see how it performs. Let’s see how it sounds.

 

Queen: Another One Bites The Dust-  bass beats were super clean, and really tight.  It hit really hard, and felt like a punch to the chest.

Branden Beal: Drop That Booty Down Low-  bass beats were so super clean, and played extremely deep.  They played with such a massive amount of authority.  My rearview mirrors really got dancing.  And when they dropped the booty down low, it was so massive like an earthquake in my truck!

Techmaster PB: Activate-  it played so so deep, and so loud doing so!  It really got my rearview mirror dancing.  My whole truck shook, like an earthquake it was so loud and deep.  I could even feel the SPL pressure build in the cabin.

Also Sprach Zarathustra-  it starts with a constant rumble of super deep bass, from the bows being run across the strings of the massive contra bass.  It was extremely clean. And there was enough resolution that you could actually hear the mallets beating on the pad of the big tympani.  This was the musicality and resolution I was looking to hear from Hertz!  And they didn’t disappoint.

 

The Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS 300 S4 was an excellent performer!  No matter what kind of bass was asked to be played, it was true to the source material.  As quick beats were extremely dynamic with great punch, yet deep sustained beats were also well sustained and shook the truck.  Its response was also very linear and had excellent output and flat response down to under 25hz!  And while I was extremely impressed with its output that I got to hit 130db, it was also very musical with great resolution.  After all, if you could get a subwoofer that was excellent in both output and sound quality, why wouldn’t you?

 

I was impressed with the competitors.  Shallow mount subwoofers have come a long way!  These three were very well made.  And with cast aluminum baskets, they were built like tanks!  At 500 watts RMS or more, they could handle a lot of power.  There are a lot of standard subwoofers that can’t handle that much power.  And thanks at least partially to their high-power handling, all three had excellent motors that controlled the cone extremely well.  Even very fast beats played extremely well without any signs of muddiness, which can be hard for a 12 inch subwoofer.  While the Sundown Audio wasn’t the loudest, I was surprised at its sound quality and how musical it was. And considering it is their entry level shallow mount, its even more impressive. The American Bass SB-12 didn’t quite have the same level of sound quality as the Sundown Audio, but it made up for it in output.  We fed it 500 watts, so with a power handling of 800 watts the American Bass SB-12 has the capability to be even louder!  The Hertz Audio takes things to an even higher level, giving us similar output as the American Bass, yet with higher sound quality and impressing us with its musicality.  It has a much higher price, but it’s worth it. 

 

All of these subwoofers are great products.  They hit really hard, and sound great doing so.  And they are very well made to provide years of use.  Sundown Audio with their really musical and high resolution SML-12 provides a great bang for the buck.  The American Bass SB-12, with its slightly lower resolution but huge output is an even bigger bang for the buck.  But if you want killer sound quality with high output, the Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS 300 S4 is worth the higher price of admission.  Based on their design, features, quality, and performance, the Sundown Audio SML-12 has earned our Highly Recommended Award, and the American Bass SB-12 and Hertz Audio Mille Pro MPS 300 S4 has earned our Editor’s Choice Award.  For more info and complete specs, check out their websites at www.sundownaudio.com, www.americanbassusa.com, and www.hertz-audio.com.

Reference gear used: Kenwood Excelon Reference DNR-1007XR Receiver, Nakamichi NDST500A 12 Channel DSP 10 Channel amplifier, Wavetech Link 1000.1mini Subwoofer Amp, German Maestro M-Line 3-Way Component System, Alpine Type-X 2-Way Component System, SoundSkins Dual 12 inch sealed enclosure.

SnapSafe® Trunk Safe II: Security Made for Vehicles

SnapSafe® Trunk Safe II: Security Made for Vehicles

Grand Island, NE (January 21, 2025) - Transporting firearms and valuables presents unique challenges, which SnapSafe® has thoroughly addressed to ensure the safety and security of those on the move. The SnapSafe® Trunk Safe II is designed to meet the highest standards, offering peace of mind on the road.   A mobile safe built to the highest quality without sacrificing dependability or secure access is needed by anyone who travels with firearms, tools, important documents, or other valuables. The SnapSafe Trunk Safe II is built with a heavy-duty 13-gauge steel exterior and a robust six gauge steel door with eight interlocking lugs. Made to be right at home in the trunk of a car, the cargo area of an SUV, or an RV, the SnapSafe Trunk Safe II utilizes internal hinges and premium gas shocks for smooth operation and access. The digital lock has a keyed backup and can be programmed with a 3 to 8-digit access code.  The need for quality security doesn’t go away when leaving the driveway. Having safe, secure, and dependable storage on the road is just as critical as in the home. Put the SnapSafe Trunk Safe II to work and solve the unique challenges of transporting firearms and valuables by keeping belongings out of sight while maintaining easy access.  Trunk Safe II Features Large storage capacity for tools, firearms, equipment, documents, and more. Theft protection for your SUV, car trunk, RV, or home. Heavy-duty 13-gauge steel exterior with rugged 6-gauge steel door featuring eight interior locking lugs. Internal hinges and premium gas shocks provide smooth operation. Digital lock with key backup can be programmed with a 3 to 8-digit access code. Pry resistant door. Includes a 3-foot cable for added security when anchored to a stationary object. Integrated handles assist with transport in and out of the vehicle. Padded floor mat and four pre-drilled holes on the bottom panel for permanent installation. Trunk Safe II Specifications External Dimensions: 42”W x 7”H x 13”D Weight: 69 lbs

About SnapSafe® SnapSafe® is owned by Hornady® Manufacturing, a family-owned, third-generation business that has been designing, machining and producing bullets, ammunition, reloading products and security products since 1949.

For more information, please visit WWW.SNAPSAFE.COM

OPPO Find X8 and Find X8 Pro Achieve DXOMARK Gold Battery Label, Setting New Standards for Battery Life

SHENZHEN, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 17 January 2025 - OPPO Find X8 and Find X8 Pro have both earned DXOMARK's Gold Battery Label 2025, recognising their class-leading battery performance in autonomy, charging, and efficiency. In autonomy tests, which measure a device's battery life by conducting a series of real-life and lab tests, Find X8 Pro and Find X8 ranked first and second respectively in DXOMARK's Ultra-Premium category, showcasing Find X8 Series' industry-leading battery performance. Find X8 Series: A World of Possibilities in a Single Charge DXOMARK found Find X8 Pro demonstrates outstanding autonomy performance, with both phones receiving strong results across each testing subscore: Home/office, On the go, and Calibrated. Home/office represents the environments smartphone users typically spend most of their time. On the go testing sees DXOMARK Battery experts take the phone outdoors and perform a precisely defined set of activities, including walking, and taking the bus and subway while performing typical tasks such as streaming music, capturing photos, and recording videos. Calibrated testing involves a set of automated tasks, including making calls, playing music and video, and gaming in a controlled environment and on a fixed set of parameters. Both the OPPO Find X8 and Find X8 Pro demonstrated excellent autonomy across all tested scenarios, consistently lasting more than 3 days under moderate use. This performance reflects the rigorous testing protocol, which simulates everyday usage, alternating between static environments, such as at home or in the office, and dynamic settings, like commuting or performing outdoor activities. A phone's overall autonomy score reflects how long the phone's charge lasts, with Find X8 Pro's high-capacity 5910mAh battery laying a strong foundation for excellent single-charge performance. Excelling at extended video playback, gaming, and streaming, tasks that typically result in battery anxiety, Find X8 Pro is perfect for those who demand more from their smartphone. Find X8 also achieved DXOMARK's Gold Battery Label 2025, demonstrating impressive battery performance in all testing categories. Its high-capacity 5630 mAh cell is particularly impressive considering how thin and light it is, besting the compact flagship competition in battery capacity and performance. With breakthrough silicon-carbon battery technology and cutting-edge MediaTek Dimensity 9400 power, Find X8 Series combines maximum efficiency and minimal heat generation with an exquisitely slim, elegant design. In addition to delivering long-lasting flagship power, Find X8 Series offers versatile fast charging solutions. Both phones feature OPPO SUPERVOOCTM 80W wired charging and AIRVOOCTM 50W wireless charging, ensuring minimal downtime and maximum convenience for users, verified by DXOMARK tests. Perfectly designed to meet the needs of today's users, whether they need a thin and light all-rounder with flagship power, or a world-class, powerhouse camera phone, Find X8 and Find X8 Pro unlock hours of entertainment, connectedness and productivity free from battery anxiety. Discover how OPPO Find X8 Series is redefining smartphone battery performance at oppo.com, and learn more about DXOMARK's rigorous testing standards and Find X8 Series' battery results at dxomark.com. About OPPO OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone - "Smiley Face" - in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO also provides its users with ColorOS operating system and internet services. OPPO has footprints in more than 70 countries and regions, with more than 40,000 employees dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.

2024 Annual Editor's Choice Awards

2024 has been a great year of great products from some excellent manufacturers.  There have been many that have come across my desk this year.  Only the best earn our Editor’s Choice Award.  This is a recap of all of those great products that have earned the award this year.  Below are links to their reviews. 

Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX Ice Motherboard

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/05/gigabyte-z790-aorus-elite-ax-ice.html

 

JBL Charge 5

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/08/jbl-charge-5-review.html

 

JBL PartyBox Club 120

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/09/jbl-partybox-club-120-review.html

 

JBL Tour Pro 2

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/03/2024-annual-headphone-shootout-part-2.html

 

JBL Tour One M2

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/03/2024-annual-headphone-shootout-part-2.html

 

Kenwood DVR-A610WDP GPS Dual Camera Dashcam

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/08/kenwood-dvr-a610wdp-gps-integrated-dual.html

 

Kicker 51KSS365 3-Way Component Speaker System

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/05/kicker-51kss365-65-inch-3-way-component.html

 

Master & Dynamic MW09 True Wireless IEM

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/03/2024-annual-headphone-shootout-part-2.html

 

PSB M4U 9 In Ear Monitor

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/03/2024-annual-headphone-shootout-part-2.html

 

RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr Reference Series Soundbar

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/12/rbh-sound-impression-5600-iwr-reference.html

 

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/03/2024-annual-headphone-shootout-part-2.html

 

Thermaltake Argent E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/06/thermaltake-argent-e700-real-leather.html

 

Torres Coolify 3 Wearable Air Conditioner

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2024/02/torras-coolify-3-wearable-air.html

 

It’s been an amazing year, with some great products.  Some of them have been fairly unique.  We look forward to what 2025 will bring.  Thanks for your support.  Stay tuned to more reviews to come in the new year.  And from our family to yours, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!

RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr Reference Series Soundbar Review

Whether it’s a movie, or one of my favorite sitcoms, I enjoy my shows. What I don’t enjoy are the speakers built-in to the TV’s. If you really want to enjoy your shows, you need good sound as well. Good sound also does not need to surround you, with a bunch of speakers that need to be mounted. This is where soundbars come in. Up for review today is the RBH Sound Impressions 5600-iwr soundbar.

 

RBH Sound has been around for decades. They are a one stop shop for all your home theater needs, when it comes to sound. No matter if you are looking for bookshelves, tower speakers, subwoofers, even in-wall and in-ceiling, RBH has you covered. They even do soundbars. So if you want good sound but don’t need the fancy surround sound with all the speakers all over the room, a soundbar is what you need. And the RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr is one of the best.

 

Features and specs:

SYSTEM TYPE:  Impression On-wall Speaker Bar

DRIVE UNITS:  (6) 5-1/4" (133mm) cast aluminum basket, black anodized cone with solid metal phase plug  (3) 1.38" X 1" (35mm x 25mm) AMT tweeter

FREQUENCY RESPONSE:  75-40k Hz (+/- 3 dB)

SENSITIVITY:  90dB-per channel, 92dB-Combined (2.83V @ 1 Meter)

RECOMMENDED POWER:  50-200 Watts / Channel

IMPEDANCE:  6 Ohms / Channel

CROSSOVER FREQUENCY:  3000 Hz

CROSSOVER SLOPE:  24 dB/Octave

CABINET DETAILS:  High Density Fiberboard (HDF), Black or White Satin Paint

GRILLE DETAILS:  Magnetic Grille w/ white or black fabric

FINISHED DIMENSIONS:  57" x 6-3/4" x 3-3/4"  (1448 x 171 x 95mm)

WEIGHT:  27.85 lbs+ (12.63 kg)

WARRANTY:  *10 year limited

 

The RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr soundbar came in a standard brown box, which is fine as they are sold through authorized dealers. Opening the box showed a well-protected speaker, held in place by custom foam. Materials used in the construction was mostly HDF for the enclosure, as well as aluminum for the drivers, NBR for the surrounds, and cast aluminum for the baskets. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was excellent. This is one of their Signature Reference Series soundbars, their top of the line, and it shows!  Also included was an aluminum mounting bar, with screws.  That way you can mount it on your wall under the TV.

 

RBH Sound employed an excellent design with the RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr. At first glance, you see how big it is, and you get a feeling this is not your typical soundbar. When I pulled off the grill, I realized it was held on by magnets. Ok, that’s cool. Then I saw the drivers: six 5-1/4” woofers, and three AMT tweeters. It’s a three channel soundbar with two woofers and a tweeter for each channel. This just got really cool! And it’s definitely not your typical soundbar!!

 

We’ve reviewed many soundbars over the years. Most, if not all, of these soundbars have been made in China. And the typical design is a plastic enclosure, with cheap poly woofers and tweeters, protected by a metal grill. And there are internal electronic components for amps and processing. They are a big jump in sound quality from the speakers built into your TV, but still does so on a cheap budget.

 

Now enter the RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr. I’m sure you’ve seen the cheap soundbars found at your local Walmart or Best Buy. Remember those models. Now take a look at the RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr with the grill off, and pick it up. You know you’ve got something special. It’s a lot like car shopping at the local Chevy dealership, and then taking a test drive in a Bently. The difference in quality from your typical electronics store, and the RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr is that dramatic.

 

The RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr is a great example of synergy. It starts with an excellent solid and well-made HDF enclosure. Then the drivers are also well made with aluminum cones and rubber surrounds. The AMT tweeters are of similar quality. The drivers all look great mounted in the enclosure. The finished product gives an elegant look.

 

Unlike most soundbars, the RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr is a passive design. This means there is no built-in amplifier, nor processing. So you will need a receiver to do the processing and provide the power. This works though, because with the high-quality components, you’ll also want quality amplification. Connecting the sound bar to my receiver was very straightforward. The wire terminals on the back of the cabinet are well labeled. Now that it’s connected, let’s see how it sounds.

 

For movies, I turned to Top Gun: Maverick. Vocals came out not only easy to clearly hear, but excellent quality as well. Vocals were silky smooth, with excellent resolution to hear the texture of the timbre. And no matter if it was missiles or gun fire, they were life like in aural details with excellent dynamics. Something I don’t look for in cheap soundbars, but was easy to hear, was the soundstage. Having heard these drivers before in other versions of their reference series speakers, I was pleasantly not surprised. Soundstage was very deep, and at times was almost holographic. What did surprise me was the width of the soundstage. The 5600-iwr is designed for high output and power handling. To do so, they employ an AMT tweeter and two large midrange drivers. But by doing so, there isn’t that much space between the center channel drivers, and those for the left and right channels. The left and right channel speakers are also mounted so they fire straight forward and not at an angle outward. In this aspect I was pleasantly surprised, as I heard material a couple feet to the left and right of the speaker, as jets were flying all around the sky.

 

For music, being the Holiday Season, I turned to some of my favorites from Manheim Steamroller: Pat A  Pan - Wood block had excellent texture of the wood, shakers beads were really crisp, the flute was smoother than a Dove bar with excellent air and tonguing technique that easily came through. Violin provided excellent texture of the bow across the strings. Snare drums and tom drums were crisp with good midrange pitch definition and excellent dynamics.

 

Mannheim Steamroller: God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, Rock – the tambourine was really crisp and clean. Horns were as smooth as honey with excellent harmonics. Piano sounded extremely natural, Hi-hat and Cymbal were really crisp with good resolution of the contact of the stick on the metal. The multiple tom drums had excellent pitch definition, dynamics, and low-end extension. Strings had very good tone and texture of the bow across the strings. This is a difficult piece with so many instruments, but they were all resolved with excellent detail. Soundstage was excellent, with not only a very wide and deep soundstage and a bit holographic, the imaging was also on a dime!

 

The RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr proved to be an excellent soundbar. They continue the decades long tradition of RBH Sound providing excellent sounding products. The RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr is an elite soundbar. It has the price tag to go along with it, so it’s not for everyone. But if you have the means, it is highly recommended. Keep in mind also, that while the 5-1/4” woofers had good extension, it would still greatly benefit from a subwoofer like the previously reviewed RHB Sound Impression 12-i.  Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the RBH Sound Impression 5600-iwr has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.rbhsound.com.