The Hegel H190 is a high-powered integrated amplifier and a solid performer when it comes to music playbacks. The H190 amp has received plenty of accolades and garnered high praises from critics for its exceptional sound quality. As a powerful integrated amplifier, it is able to drive most stand-mounters with ease, including floor-standers that are not difficult to drive. All thanks to its power output of 150W per channel into 8 Ohms (minimum 2 Ohms).
Its frequency response is extremely wide which is from 5Hz to 100kHz and this shows that the Hegel H190 can reach really deep into the bass extension. Most loudspeakers especially stand-mounters are unable to reach down to 20Hz and floor-standers which are capable of doing so are usually very expensive. Furthermore, the Hegel H190 may not have enough power to really drive such full-range floor-standing speakers. Producing very deep bass frequencies requires a lot of power and this is why subwoofers are usually the better option. Active subs have their own amplifiers built into them, allowing them to draw power from their own amp instead of H190 which is great as you can protect the integrated amplifier from clipping.
It is also more affordable to integrate an active subwoofer into your sound system and improve the overall bass performance than getting a pair of high-end full-range speakers. There are subwoofers with a modest price tag that can reach below 20Hz and deliver these subterranean low frequencies prominently. Now the question is, which subwoofer is best suited for you and your Hegel H190 amplifier. To find out, we need to learn more about the H190 and also your subwoofer requirements. Once these are done, we will then be able to list out the best subwoofers you can go for and partner them with the Hegel H190.
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Sonic Characteristics of Hegel H190
The music handling and overall control of the Hegel H190 are superb, the sonic delivery is always well-organized and cohesive. The same goes for the H190 bass performance, it is tight and very well handled. It is articulate and agile, able to keep pace with the rest of the higher frequencies. The Hegel H190 can dig deep and produce solid sub-bass frequencies cleanly with prominence as well as not being overbearing. These are musical bass quality, it is rhythmic and very accurate, providing us with authentic sound reproduction of percussion instruments. It will work really well with bass-heavy music genres unless you prefer more punch and impact.
Hegel H190 is an energetic performer and will bring out the emotion of any music, making it very entertaining to listen to this integrated amp. We probably wouldn’t want to ruin it by introducing flabby bass performances from a decent-quality subwoofer. It will be wise to go for higher quality sealed subwoofers that have the articulation, agility, and speed to keep pace with the sonic performance of the Hegel H190. The overall sound reproduction of the Hegel H190 is neutral and it leans towards the warm side. When compared to its predecessors, the H190 has slightly higher bass output, and this also indicates we should really invest in a higher quality powered subwoofer so as to have a better grip.
Subwoofer Main Requirements
It is very important to work on your budget first as this will greatly determine the choices of subwoofer you can go for. We will suggest allocating a comfortable amount with a bit of headroom, just in case you need to increase the budget by a little. As mentioned earlier, the Hegel H190 is a musical amplifier with exceptionally tight control and it will be great to go with a sealed subwoofer. Sealed subs are usually better when it comes to music playbacks, they are more articulate, accurate, and agile than ported subwoofers. If you are also using your sound system to watch movies and play video games then a ported subwoofer will be more ideal in this case but we still recommend going for a sealed cabinet subwoofer though.
The size of your listening room will influence the subwoofer you should go for, the larger the room, the bigger and more powerful of a sub you should get. But if is for nearfield listening then you probably would just need a compact size subwoofer. The music you are listening to, if they usually have very deep bass responses such as 20Hz and below, it will be wise to get a subwoofer that can efficiently deliver these low frequencies. Allocating space for your subwoofer will be important too especially if you have space constraints. When you are limited by space, you can either go for smaller subs or in-wall subwoofers. There are also subwoofers that are tall but have small footprints which will be ideal for tight spaces.
We will also suggest checking with your spouse or loved ones to see what are their opinions as they might need some space for themselves since the bulky subwoofer will permanently take up space in your house. These are some of the main requirements you might want to consider. You should add in a few more requirements of your own and take some time to see if there is anything else you might overlook. When you are sure of what you want for a subwoofer then please take a look at the list we have prepared for you. It is a list of the best subwoofers which you can aim for and pair them with your Hegel H190.
Best Subwoofers to pair with Hegel H190
The Ken Kreisel DXD-808 is one of the best subwoofers to pair with your Hegel H190. This is a powerful sealed subwoofer that excels in both music and home theater use. The DXD-808 uses dual 8″ drivers and has up to 2,200 Watts of peak power. You can stack 1 more Ken Kreisel DXD-808 on top of your current one which instantly doubles the peak power, covering more area in your listening room and reproducing 3-dimensional bass frequencies. The speed and agility of the Ken Kreisel subwoofers are superb, they will always keep up with the pacing of your Hegel H190 and deliver exceptionally high-quality bass.
The JL Audio Fathom f110 is a high-end sealed subwoofer and will match really well with the Hegel H190 amplifier. It is a 10″ subwoofer that comes with Digital Automatic Room Optimization (D.A.R.O.) which will help you to automatically optimize the f110’s in-room frequency response so it could deliver the best bass quality in any given listening room. Since the Hegel H190 does not have any DSP or software to optimize the subwoofer’s performance, the D.A.R.O. will be a great help, enabling the JL Audio Fathom f110 to integrate with your speakers and perform together seamlessly.
More Details at Amazon – JL Audio F110 Fathom 10″ Gloss Finish Subwoofer
The Rythmik Audio F12 Signature Edition will be another amazing sealed subwoofer to go with your Hegel H190. This is an award-winning 12″ subwoofer designed and built for audiophiles, providing highly accurate and articulate bass performance. The F12SE uses a Class A/B amplifier as well as Rythmik Audio’s patented Direct Servo technology, to provide its users with a high-end bass performance at a modest price. The bass frequencies delivered by Rythmik Audio F12SE have depth and details, not to mention, able to reach down to 14Hz bass extension and deliver them out with prominence.
If you do not wish to invest too much in a subwoofer then perhaps the SVS SB-1000 Pro will be an exemplary choice to go for. It is an upgraded version of the very popular SB-1000, with more power and higher bass performance. This is a 12″ sealed subwoofer with a frequency response of 20Hz-270Hz (+/-3dB) and has 325 Watts of RMS power (up to 820W peak). For a sealed subwoofer at this price point, you will be getting tons of value and performance. The SVS SB-1000 Pro is definitely one of the best subwoofers to match with your Hegel H190 especially at this price range.
More Information at Amazon – SVS SB-1000 Pro
The Rythmik Audio E22 will be an ideal powered subwoofer for listeners who want more bass output but do not want to compromise accuracy. The E22 is a dual 12″ driver audiophile sealed subwoofer with 800 Watts RMS power and is capable of delivering down to 14Hz bass frequencies. The Rythmik Audio E22 is certainly a worthy match to your Hegel H190 as it can deliver deep powerful clean and accurate bass which is fast enough to keep pace with the music. You should also feel more musical presence in the room which will be great for live music performance playbacks, providing you with an exciting music listening experience.
For listeners who have limited space and do not want to compromise power, the SVS PC-2000 Pro will be an excellent choice for you and your Hegel H190. The PC-2000 Pro uses cabinet height to reduce its footprint where you can still get to enjoy room-shaking bass. The SVS PC-2000 Pro is a 12″ ported cylinder subwoofer with up to 1500 Watts of peak power. If you need a bigger version, then you might want to check out the SVS PC-4000 which uses a 13.5″ driver and has up to 4000+ Watts of peak power. It is more than powerful enough to handle all sorts of bass demands. They may not be as articulate as sealed subwoofers but they do have excellent bass outputs.
More Info at Amazon – SVS PC-2000 Pro 12″ Ported Cylinder Subwoofer
More Info at Amazon – SVS PC-4000 13.5″ Cylinder Subwoofer
To Conclude
These are amazing subwoofers and will work really well with your Hegel H190 integrated amplifier especially the sealed cabinet models. It will be worth your time and effort to audition these brilliant active subwoofers. If possible, you might want to test them out in your own listening room. Auditioning subwoofers can be a really fun process so do take your time and enjoy the moment. When testing the bass performance of a powered sub, you might want to use a wide variety of music with different degrees of bass response so as to get a better idea of how well each subwoofer performs.
