In this Pioneer SW-8MK2 review you’ll find out that the company employed renowned audio engineer Andrew Jones to design several decent but inexpensive loudspeakers, including their now flagship SW-8MK2 subwoofer, which remains a very popular budget subwoofer despite being several years old.
Pioneer SW-8MK2 Review
Features
As for the Pioneer SW-8MK2 specs, 100 W peak power subwoofer will augment a similar budget-tier pair of main speakers (Pioneer makes those too, some of which are actually quite good), but anything higher grade, or a bigger room, and the SW-8MK2 will likely underwhelm. The response floor of 38 Hz is just not that great either – we see actual speakers that go lower than that. While you’re inevitably going to have to compromise on budget speakers, we do like to see a sub go to at least 25 hz or lower. It is driven by an internal 100-watt amplifier with a downward-firing eight-inch woofer cone and a port located on the front.
Design and build
The design is pretty plain, boilerplate to most budget-tier subwoofers – a washed-wood cube with the port on the side. It’s a down firing sub, which means you’ll need to place it on a hard surface so that the driver can function optimally. It is quite light at 20lbs and relatively small, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to move/place. A Pioneer logo sits underneath the port, and a blue LED indicator lights up when the sub is powered on. Behind the panel of the SW-8MK2 are the controls for setting the crossover point, volume, phase, and power. On the back is a black control panel that fits organically into the overall ash black design of the subwoofer and includes some red and yellow outputs that are used to distinguish connectivity possibilities. This subwoofer believes that due to its rigid design, it can fit perfectly in any room or studio without ruining the interior.
Connectivity
The SW-8MK2 can be driven either by your amplifier/receiver directly into an RCA connection or by tapping into speaker connectors that are also located on the back.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- The design of the front glass of the subwoofer makes it easy to find a suitable place
- Controls provide seamless connectivity
- The subwoofer's low-frequency output is excellent, deep enough for most applications, and loud enough in a small/medium-sized room
Cons
- It began to vibrate loudly, even without load and without connecting to the receiver
Common features
Product
Model
Brand
Reviews
General
Amplification type
Wireless
Detachable grilles
Enclosure type
Power
Nominal output power (RMS), W
Maximal output power (RMS), W
Audio performance
Sensitivity, dB
Impedance, Ohm
Frequency response, Hz
Crossover frequency, Hz
Driver
Driver quantity
Driver size, in
Driver placement
Port placement
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
Extensive connection
RCA LFE inputs
RCA stereo line level inputs (pair)
RCA outputs
XLR inputs (pair)
XLR outputs (pair)
Speaker level output (pair)
Speaker level input (pair)
Control
Volume
Subwoofer phase
Low-pass filter
Main power switch
App control
Desing
Body material
Woofer composition
Colors
User manual
Manual
Dimensions
Dimensions (W x H x D), cm/in
Weight, kg/pounds
Other
Release year
