GR Research's New Series of Servo Subwoofers

Filed under: Home Audio > Subwoofers



GR Research is a company known for designing some pretty awesome DIY kits at very affordable prices. Specifically, GR Research has earned a lot of praise for their Alpha LS line source kits, their Open Baffle series and their value-oriented drivers (some featuring the patented XBL^2 topology). In keeping with the high value approach, GR Research has unveiled their SW series of subwoofers, all of which use the patented Direct Servo technology for outstanding and controlled bass.

The general idea behind Direct Servo is that a thin “sensing coil” is placed near the normal voice coil. This sensing coil sends a correction signal back to the amplifier and then the corrected signal is sent through to the driver. You can read more about Direct Servo at the Rythmik Audio website. The result is excellent control of the subwoofer and extremely clean bass. Take this technology and put it in a package priced at only $149... well, you’ve got a winner.

There are currently three models available, including a 4 ohm version, an 8 ohm version, and a high Q model designed for IB, Dipole, or large sealed applications. All models are rated with 200 watts power handling and 16mm of Xmax. At under $150, you could string a few of these together and get reference quality output within almost anyone’s budget. Rhythmik Audio currently has servo amplifiers starting at $229, and the newly updated servo amplifiers should be available shortly for about $300. The GR Research subwoofers are expected to ship next week.