Low bass: Dayton Audio MKSX4 - Passive subwoofer

This article was originally published in the issue of AVPlus magazine 4/2024 (#228).

Text Teppo HirviKunnas Photos Teppo HirviKunnas & The Producer

The Dayton Audio low-pass passive subwoofer allows you to subtly expand the bass output of the small speakers, and at a reasonable price.

Subbar is easy to improve the playback of small speakers, but placing it discreetly can be difficult. The most natural “hidden place” could be under the sofa or behind a curtain against the wall. There aren’t many subbar models on the market that are low in shape (or narrow, depending on the viewing angle), which would fit under the sofa, for example.

One such model is the Dayton Audio MKSX4, a slightly less well-known brand from Finland.

This is therefore a low-profile passive subwoofer designed specifically for spaces where space is limited. The subwoofer measures 406 x 150 x 356 mm on the floor (l x w x h). The subwoofer can also be placed upright by moving the feet from the bottom to the end. In this case, the narrow subwoofer blends in seamlessly wherever it is placed. The finish is an “invisible” black film (it can of course be painted white if desired). The price of the subwoofer is reasonable at 178 euros (Soundimports.eu).

The Dayton Audio design is somewhat unusual compared to the norm. The bass is produced by a 4-inch bass driver located in a square space in the center of the enclosure (the Dayton Audio own). The enclosure itself is a reflex-tuned one and implemented with a reflex tunnel opening on the two sides of the enclosure. The tuning frequency is approximately 50 Hz.

So it’s a passive subwoofer, which means it needs a separate amplifier to provide the subwoofer output with the subwoofer crossover filter. Or a 2.1 channel amplifier with its own subwoofer output channel.

This of course raises costs and also makes the setup a bit more complicated compared to an active subwoofer equipped with a built-in amplifier.

The subwoofer’s frequency range is stated as 40–500 Hz, which, according to the measurements, was quite accurate in terms of the lower limit frequency. The lower limit frequency was measured at approximately 42 Hz. So the bass isn’t really extended very far, but with these small speakers you can get a significant increase in bass and the sound is also crisp and accurate. Assuming of course that the subwoofer’s filtering is in order. The placement of the subwoofer also has a significant impact on its performance. In its overall and price range, the sound quality can be considered very good and above all balanced.

The power rating is stated as 160 watts (RMS) and the sensitivity as 88 dB. So this is not a bass speaker at all.

The impedance is 4 ohms, which produces slightly higher power from the amplifiers.