McIntosh PS2K Subwoofer Tower of Power
McIntosh’s PS2K powered subwoofer pledges “new depths of low frequency” and 2000W of total power output.
If you like your bass big and your bottom-end taut, then McIntosh’s new PS2K powered subwoofer may be right up your alley. Thanks to four 33cm woofers and massive magnets employed in a tower design, McIntosh claims it results in “an unprecedented listening experience”.
The PS2K’s woofers are formed of multiple carbon fibre layers, as a single layer would allow the cones to flex too much. These new multi-layered carbon fibre cones are integrated into a joint with a strengthened voice coil to create extreme rigidity that prevents unwanted flexing.
Each driver is powered by a dedicated 500W Class D amp, offering a total power output of 2,000W. We are informed that these amps have been precisely calibrated to reduce distortion and produce clear, tight bass with minimal sound distortion. McIntosh says that this skillset makes the PS2K ideal for music as well as home cinema duties, perhaps paired with the American firm’s monstrous centre channel speaker.
The speaker incorporates McIntosh’s Low Distortion High Performance (LD/HP) magnetic circuit design that’s said to reduce distortion while also increasing power and efficiency.
Furthermore, McIntosh’s PS2K features several connectivity options, enabling it to suit a two-channel stereo system or multi-channel home theatre setup. You get balanced and unbalanced stereo inputs and outputs, plus balanced and unbalanced subwoofer inputs and outputs. You can also daisy chain for further connectivity for users who wish to employ more than one PS2K in their system.
Naturally, the new subwoofer tower boasts a selection of McIntosh’s protection technologies, such as Power Guard, which monitors the input signal entering the amps to make “near-speed of light adjustments to prevent harsh sounding clipping in real-time”, and Sentry Monitor, which acts as a fuse-less short-circuit protection that clears the amp’s output stage before the current exceeds safe operating levels, automatically resetting when safe operating conditions return.
The McIntosh PS2K is finished in black gloss with carbon trim and sports an aluminium base. Australian availability and pricing has not yet been announced, but overseas it will sell for £52,000/ €60,000.
Visit McIntosh for more information
Jay Garrett
StereoNET’s resident rock star, bass player, and gadget junkie. His passion for gadgets and Hi-Fi is second only to being a touring musician.
Posted in:StereoLUX! Hi-Fi Home Theatre
Tags: mcintosh synergy audio visual
JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION
Want to share your opinion or get advice from other enthusiasts? Then head into the Message Forums where thousands of other enthusiasts are communicating on a daily basis.
CLICK HERE FOR FREE MEMBERSHIP
Trending
applause awards
Each time StereoNET reviews a product, it is considered for an Applause Award. Winning one marks it out as a design of great quality and distinction – a special product in its class, on the grounds of either performance, value for money, or usually both.
Applause Awards are personally issued by StereoNET’s global Editor-in-Chief, David Price – who has over three decades of experience reviewing hi-fi products at the highest level – after consulting with our senior editorial team. They are not automatically given with all reviews, nor can manufacturers purchase them.
The StereoNET editorial team includes some of the world’s most experienced and respected hi-fi journalists with a vast wealth of knowledge. Some have edited popular English language hi-fi magazines, and others have been senior contributors to famous audio journals stretching back to the late 1970s. And we also employ professional IT and home theatre specialists who work at the cutting edge of today’s technology.
We believe that no other online hi-fi and home cinema resource offers such expert knowledge, so when StereoNET gives an Applause Award, it is a trustworthy hallmark of quality. Receiving such an award is the prerequisite to becoming eligible for our annual Product of the Year awards, awarded only to the finest designs in their respective categories. Buyers of hi-fi, home cinema, and headphones can be sure that a StereoNET Applause Award winner is worthy of your most serious attention.