CS-10 Subwoofer

Despite their inefficiency, genuine acoustic suspension speakers are in my experience the most accurate. My previous standard for great sound was my AR3a's many years ago. This NHT 10" acoustic suspension subwoofer replaces my previous older NHT SW2 subwoofer which was a vented design,—not acoustic suspension. The latter sub was not self-powered and required a separate amp just for the sub—a real pain in the ass. The CS10 is self powered, which is so much nicer, but best of all is the quality of reproduction. The SW2 could reach the really low notes but the sound to my ears was unfocused, flabby, mushy. The CS10 by contrast is very focused. You can definitely feel the low notes physically, but they are also clear, they are distinct. This is best revealed in playback of songs that feature a prominent string bass—such as the string bass solo in Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd's "Desafinado" (Jazz Samba album) or in Nina Simone's "My Baby Just Cares For Me". And for electric bass, there's purity and punch in the fabulous bass lines in James Brown's "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", or Santana's "Oye Como Va". I love this sub.

Very satisfied with it, so far. I will likely add a second one later on as part of an overall sound system upgrade, but it does add some missing lows all on its own.

Wow! Don't let the little size of this sub fool you - this thing packs a punch. It is a sonic match to the other NHT in-wall and in-ceiling speakers and completes my 7.1 system perfectly. The finish is beautiful, too. I couldn't be happier with this speaker! Bass is silky smooth pumped out from my Denon AVR-X receiver. I was a little hesitant at first because my last sub from NHT was the larger BD12 purchased in 2005, and I was worried that the 10" SS-10 wouldn't cut it. Turns out that my worry was unfounded - this sub rocks!

It's very low end is limited by its size and amp, but it's got a very musical and accurate sound. Perhaps more for music than movies compared to my SVS 2000 but it's much better looking and can hold its own in most movies. If you can get it at or under 500 as I did it's a good deal but at the 650 price there are many 10" choices that are competitive.

Meshes well with my full NHT system

I was hesitant to add a subwoofer to my system because so many subwoofers I had heard sounded boomy and unmusical. I use NHT C3 stand mount speakers, which are great but did not have enough presence when I moved them into a much larger listening room. I did not want to switch speakers because I like the accurate tonality of the C3s. So I decided to give a subwoofer a try. The CS-10 was the logical choice because it is made to be used with the NHT "C" series. I also liked the price. I am amazed by how tight, well defined, and musical the bass sounds. But at the same time, it gives the C3s the added presence they needed for my larger listening room. I am convinced now more than ever of the musical superiority of acoustic suspension over ported designs. I was also happy with how easy the CS-10 was to integrate with the C3s. I found that setting the low pass filter to 60 Hz is just about right, since this is probably where the small diameter woofer of the C3s starts to roll off. It is an understatement that I am extremely happy with the CS-10. It is one of the best audio choices I have made in the 50 years I have been pursuing this hobby.

This sub is solid. It's well built and it just generally sounds great. The high end is a little "tinny", but it's barely noticeable at high volume, much less at low volume. The value may be subjectively proportional, but overall i'd say it's worth it.

This subwoofer delivers with impressive build and sound quality. I like very bassy music that is clear, not loud.