Minx X201-200 Watt Active Subwoofer Featuring Twin Auxiliary Bass Drivers and Fully Adjustable Sound - White

It seems odd to be praising a subwoofer for filling a room with deep, rich bass - after all, that’s the subwoofer’s one and only job. But in most cases, the device responsible for producing that bass is a big, unwieldy box, which takes up more space than it really should, and is an eyesore. Cambridge Audio has figured out how to scale down that big ugly box, and still deliver very pleasing bass performance. I had a particularly challenging sonic “problem” to solve, as you can see from the photos… It is a large but not gigantic space (my living room / dining room area, with the vaulted ceiling, and loft above). I have a pair of built-in main speakers, about 1 story up from the floor. Being so high off the floor, the physically small mid-bass drivers in the wall speakers just weren’t cutting it, in terms of bass. To make it even more challenging, the layout of the room only presented a few very small places where I could potentially tuck in a sub discretely; the sub would need to be tiny, compared to other subs, but still deliver a big enough sound to fill the space. Definitely a challenge. Being an acoustic suspension design, the Minx X201 can get away with using a much smaller cabinet than the ported subs, which is definitely heading in the right direction for my particular use case. Because the cabinet is sealed air tight, the Minx X201 produces bass that is “tight” and well controlled, rather than the rumbling, imprecise bass you tend to get from many ported subs. The best part about that sealed cabinet design, however, is that it allows the Minx X201 to employ a pair of 6.5” passive radiators, in addition to its 6.5” powered driver. The end result is bass frequencies that emanate across a wide, 270 degree field, from this tiny sub, giving you a nice mix of both direct and reflected bass, that fills the room. My sub is not optimally placed, because I wanted to keep it as concealed from view as possible. Yes, it’s along a wall, but it’s not very close to the corner (subs tend to deliver the most bass when you put them in a corner). Still, despite the less-than-ideal placement, it sounds great. You just wouldn’t think such big bass could come from such a small box. But when you add up the total surface area of all 3 of its cones, it makes sense - the Minx X201 is capable of moving a surprisingly large amount of air, for its tiny size. It definitely punches above its weight. I added the Minx X201 to my existing 2 channel, music-only system, which I play at low to moderate volume levels. This system provides soft background music when I entertain or when I’m lounging around on the main level of my home. For TV and movies, I have a big home theater system in my basement. So, the Minx X201’s frequency response, which “only” hits 36hz at the bottom end, is still very ample for this kind of light duty. My main speakers in the room (Polk Audio 265RT) are moderately sized, and the Minx X201 produces bass that blends well and is “in character” with the sound from those wall speakers. If you paired the Minx X201 with giant reference quality tower speakers, it would probably be quite deficient. Similarly, if I put a big, brutish 12” or 15” sub in my living room, with bass that goes down to 18hz (below the range that the human ear can even hear), it too would probably be way out of character for those modest wall speakers. Before you buy, you really need to give thought to the main speakers, with which you will be pairing the Minx X201; both the sub and the main speakers should be comparable, and of the same general caliber or class. If one seriously out-performs the other, the result will be a mismatch, and sound that just isn’t smooth. The goal is to seamlessly blend the sub with your main speakers, without any telltale (audible) signs that you’re even using a sub. When set properly, the continuously variable crossover, phase, and level adjustments on the Minx X201 will keep its location within the room sonically “hidden” from the listener. The one area for improvement I would suggest to Cambridge Audio is offering a wireless version for the Minx X201. My receiver and sub are on two different levels of my home, so a wired installation was not an option here. There aren’t a ton of choices, when it comes to ultra-compact, wireless subs at this time. Fortunately, there are aftermarket wireless subwoofer kits, which can be had. I read a lot of reviews on various kits, and quickly deduced that if you intend to use one of these, don’t go cheap! I ended up getting the SVS SoundPath Wireless Audio Adapter, which was very easy to install and the sub has worked perfectly. Yes, it would have been nice to get a sub with this capability already embedded, but it really is a standout in so many other ways, that having to add the wireless capability after-the-fact was not the end of the world for me - it’s just one more piece I had to try and hide, since space is at a premium. Despite the unique challenges of my environment (both acoustically and in terms of limited space to hide a sub), I am pleasantly surprised by how well the Minx X201 has performed for me… And that enables me to confidently say the following to you: if you have a more “normal” size/shape room than I do, with similar grade (bookshelf or built-in) main speakers, the Minx X201 is going to perform superbly for you. It is a delightful little sub!

Why I bought it: this was the only compact high-end subwoofer that would fit in the cabinet I have. Why I love it: the control and sound is absolutely amazing for a 6.5" sub. More details: I have this paired with two Monitor Audio Radis 45 front speakers. They're tiny and really need bass support. The subwoofer itself is connected to the "sub out" connection on my receiver. I have the phase set to 0 and I have the crossover cutoff aligned with the Radius 45 (they have little icons to help you make a good estimate if you aren't familiar with cross-over frequencies). I've found the volume has to be turned up a bit on the high side. I LOVE that this package comes with this level of control to customize the sound if you need/want to. I have the sub sitting inside a cabinet - doors open when using it. The sound is deep and punchy. It really fills out a room and performs very well with small main speakers. It of course won't make your windows rattle or your clothes vibrate - it's not like a club speaker. But it will make music and movies (and TV in general) sound rich and full. Smooth and not boomy. Bottom line - if you are looking to add deep depth to smaller main speakers - look no further.

Delivered on time. Light weight, small footprint able to put on a shelf and put a smile on the wife's face as I took the old big clunker woofer away. Has a clean black mirror finish and dials and switches all feel very well constructed. All adjustment dials turn with incremental clicks. One complaint I have is the device was delivered from a U.S. company to a U.S. customer with a European power cord. I called Cambridge Audio and once giving the service rep upc code she mailed me the proper power cord. Cambridge Audio had great customer service. Subwoofer sounds good and meets my modest needs in a family room

Excellent subwoofer for a near-field desktop setup where space is at a premium. The tiny ~8 inch cube will fit almost anywhere. Works well paired with my Audioengine P4 speakers. Line level stereo input/output allows connection to my Schiit Asgard 3 pre-amp/headphone-amp, and Schiit Gjallerhorn power-amp without the need for a dedicated subwoofer output. Sound quality is great with a low enough frequency response for music, though it might be lacking on some movie soundtracks (which I don't use if for). If you're not short on space, there are many other subwoofers in this price range that will reach deeper for movies and larger rooms. Though, for a small space/room, this little Cambridge Audio has a lot going for it.

Sadly, I will be the dissenting opinion - two gripes- one not so important, the other one is meaningful however- product is not child or pet proof due to the open side passive radiators. And when it comes to music, no matter how it was placed, how the volume was adjusted, how the low pass set or the phase tweaked, the slightest bass thump would kill it- you can hear it choking. Pity, I really wanted to like this, given its diminutive size.

Does not produce deep bass. Suitable if you're limited on space only.

The small footprint and elegant design contribute to its overall excellence. The subwoofer has all the necessary controls to seamless blend into the harmonic range of your music system. The additional low frequency gives classical music in the lowest registers a clearer definition, without overwhelming the fundamental sonority of the music. Cellos sound mellower, a bottom is heard in large orchestral pieces like a Bruckner symphony, or a Russian chorus. I think this unit achieves its aims admirably, epecially for those with limited space.

I've been frustrated with modern Home Theater audio systems for a very long time. I hate the thin bright sound they produce and the missing bass that everyone tells me I need a subwoofer to add back. I've tried Klipsch, Martin Logan, JBL, many brands and sizes of subs and all of them give me too much deep deep bass and not enough of what I call musical bass that I miss. My latest sub was the Rel T9i. Even that was a disappointment. I saw this sub and thought maybe this is the answer. I immediately loved the old-school sound it gives me. It has a strong output in the 50 - 200 Hz range meaning I can focus it on 50 -100 Hz and get back what I call bass without getting overwhelmed with < 50 Hz sound that i'd rather do without at the levels most modern subs produce. The sound from this sub is tight and musical. I've replaced what was a bass knob with a sub level control that achieves the same thing. I have it paired with Krell gear and Sonus Faber tower speakers. I'm feeding it 100 Hz and under - volume at around half and the sub blends well with the system. I'm considering buying another just wondering how i'd get it a signal.