If you are looking for an exceptional pair of desktop speakers which delivers high sound quality and has music streaming capability such as Bluetooth then the KEF Egg is one of the top choices to go for. They are a pair of compact size active speakers with a built-in Twin Class D amplifier that has 50 Watts of power output. The KEF Egg was made to be part of a desktop sound system and the features which come with it further cements this.
The KEF Egg may be one of the best desktop speakers but these active speakers do have their limitations when it comes to bass performance. Fortunately for us, there is a dedicated subwoofer output where we can connect to an active sub to supplement the overall bass performance. To find the right powered subwoofer for the job, we will need to learn more about the sonic characteristics of the KEF Egg as well as your main subwoofer requirements.
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Sonic Characteristics of KEF Egg
These desktop speakers have an iconic design and a unique shape which their name implies. The KEF Egg houses a Uni-Q driver array which consists of a 4.25″ aluminum cone woofer with a 0.75″ aluminum dome tweeter. It has a frequency response of 90Hz-33kHz and this strongly indicates that the KEF Egg bass reproduction is rather limited. The compact speaker size and the small driver is another telltale sign of limited bass performance. Still, the Uni-Q driver array reproduces a cohesive sound and with pristine clean sound quality. The level of clarity is equally amazing, details and subtle nuances can be heard clearly at a nearfield listening distance. Vocals reproduction sounded natural and clean, with a nice timbre.
More Details at Amazon – KEF EGG Desktop Speaker System (Pair)
Stereo imaging is amazing and the soundstage is nicely defined. The overall sound reproduction is very balanced and well-textured. Its bass reproduction is surprisingly better than we expected but does lack the weight and punch. Deep bass reproductions are not as prominent as we want them to be. The KEF Egg will surely benefit from the support of an active subwoofer. Other than just supplementing the overall bass performance, the sub will also be delivering the very deep and subterranean bass frequencies with prominence which the Egg active speakers are not proficient at. Your subwoofer requirements will determine the type of subs that you might want to go for as well.
KEF Egg Specifications
- Amplifier Power: 50 Watts
- Frequency Response: 90Hz-33kH
- DAC: 24-bit/96kHz
- Wireless: Bluetooth (aptX)
- Inputs: 1 Aux/Optical input, 1 USB input
- Outputs: Subwoofer output
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 137mm x 274mm x 185mm | 5.4″ x 10.8″ x 7.3″
Main Subwoofer Requirements
Are you using the KEF Egg mainly as desktop speakers for nearfield music listening in a small room? If yes, a small 8″ or 10″ subwoofer should suffice. Unless you are listening to your music from midfield distance in a medium or large-sized room then a bigger and more powerful subwoofer will be a better option. KEF Egg will perform better in a small listening room though. The type of content you are listening to will affect the type of subwoofers to go for. If you also watch TV shows and movies, we will suggest going with ported subwoofer. Sealed subwoofers are better for music playbacks due to their higher accuracy and tighter bass delivery.
If you watch a lot of action movies, we will recommend getting a subwoofer that can dig deep down to 20Hz bass extension or lower. The same goes for bass-heavy soundtracks or music which contains instruments that can produce very low frequencies. Working out a budget will be very important and you should allocate a comfortable amount which you are willing to spend on a powered subwoofer. You should also check the available space of the room where you are going to place the subwoofer. If you are facing space constraints, you probably should get a compact size subwoofer.
Having enough space will be great as you can do a subwoofer crawl so as to determine the best spot for your new sub. We will highly suggest discussing with the people living together with you or will be sharing the use of the KEF Egg speakers. They may give your their own requirements especially if they are sharing the cost with you. You should also find out if you are getting any other bulky household items/furniture in the near future as the subwoofer will be taking up a permanent spot in your home. These are some of the main requirements and you should add in more of your own. Once you have finished with the subwoofer requirements checklist, you can start checking out the list of the best subwoofers which we have prepared for you.
Best Subwoofers to pair with KEF Egg
The KEF Kube8b is one of the best subwoofers to pair with your KEF Egg. Both are made by the same reputable company and we can expect similar sound signatures which will provide us with a more cohesive overall sound reproduction. The KEF Kube8b is compact in size and will be great for small listening rooms or as part of a desktop sound system. It is pretty powerful and has 300 Watts of power. The Kube8b has a frequency response of 34Hz-140Hz (-6dB) which is pretty good for an 8″ subwoofer. This sealed subwoofer not only sounds good but looks good as well.
More Information at Amazon – KEF KUBE 8b Subwoofer
The Klipsch R-100SW will be one of the best subwoofers to match with the KEF Egg active speakers. It is a 10″ ported subwoofer that has a modest price tag and up to 300 Watts of peak power. The Klipsch R-100SW is one of the more popular subwoofers at its price range, it is very highly rated and received plenty of positive reviews from its satisfied users. The frequency response is 32Hz-120Hz (-3dB), the R-100SW is able to provide us with a punchy and clean bass performance with weighty deep bass reproduction. Furthermore, the bass frequencies are quite detailed as well.
More Info at Amazon – Klipsch R-100SW Subwoofer – All-digital Amplifier
If you prefer more solid performance without breaking the bank, the SVS PB-1000 Pro will be a fine subwoofer choice to go for and partner with your KEF Egg speakers. It is a powerful ported subwoofer with a 12″ high-excursion SVS driver and has a peak power of up to 820 Watts. The SVS PB-1000 Pro is capable of digging down to 17Hz bass extension and prominently delivering them out. The low thunderous rumbling bass performance of the PB-1000 Pro subwoofer will give you an exhilarating home cinematic experience and will be more than a worthy match to your KEF Egg active speakers.
More Information at Amazon – SVS PB-1000 Pro (Black Ash)
For listeners looking for a high-quality entry-level sealed subwoofer to pair with their KEF Egg speakers. The Rythmik Audio L12 is one of the absolute best to go for. It is a powerful 12″ subwoofer with 300 Watts of RMS power and digs deep down to an 18Hz bass extension. The L12 uses Direct Servo Technology to provide its users with fast and articulate bass performance, enabling the Rythmik Audio subwoofer to keep up with music pacing, delivering tight low-end delivery. The very deep bass reproduction is taut and powerful, suitable for most music genres, and will match well with the KEF Egg speakers.
Listeners who have a very tight budget but don’t want to compromise the bass performance. You might want to check out the Klipsch R-12SW. It is a very well-regarded budget subwoofer and will be a suitable match with the KEF Egg speakers. For a subwoofer with such an affordable price tag, it is quite powerful as the R-12SW has 400 Watts of dynamic power. It has a 12″ copper-spun front-firing woofer with a rear-firing bass port which you can use the walls to reinforce the bass output to make it more pronounced. The bass reproduction is clean and tight, it will play well with both music and home theater use.
More Information at Amazon – Klipsch R-12SW Subwoofer
The Polk Audio PSW10 is another budget subwoofer for listeners who have tight budgets or do not want to invest much in a powered sub. The PSW10 is probably the highest-rated subwoofer in its price range and should do well with the KEF Egg speakers. It is a 10″ subwoofer with a front-firing bass port and up to 100 Watts of dynamic power. The frequency response is 40Hz-160Hz (-3dB) which is quite good for a budget subwoofer of this size and power. The overall bass performance of the Polk Audio PSW10 is pretty tight and accurate. For a subwoofer at this price point, we have nothing to nitpick about it.
More Information at Amazon – Polk Audio PSW10 Powered Subwoofer
To Sum It Up
These powered subwoofers are some of the best in their price range and will be a worthy subwoofer partner for your KEF Egg desktop speakers. If you need a larger and more powerful subwoofer than the ones on the list, we will suggest looking at the higher-end models made by SVS and Rythmik Audio. You should arrange an audition with these subwoofers to hear them out and see if you like their overall bass performance. Use your favorite bass-heavy music and/or action movies during the subwoofer auditions so it will be easier to tell the difference in bass quality and performance.
