The Yamaha HS7 is the 6.5″ studio monitor model of the popular HS-Series and it packs plenty of sonic performance. The accuracy and sound quality you are getting from this talented HS7 studio monitor are well worth the asking price and it is not expensive to begin with. What it needs will be a matching subwoofer to help with supplementing the bass performance.
Yamaha HS7 is a brilliant nearfield monitor for professionals and analytical audio enthusiasts but it is still a stand-mounter and will lack the subsonic bass performance of bigger and more expensive studio monitors. To find the right subwoofer for the job, we must first find out more about the Yamaha HS7 sonic characteristics and also your subwoofer requirements. We will also be planning to share with you the list of the best subwoofers to pair with the Yamaha HS7 nearfield monitors.
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Sonic Characteristics of Yamaha HS7 Studio Monitor
It is a bi-amplified studio monitor where its 1″ (25mm) dome tweeter is being driven with 35 Watts of power and the 6.5″ (165mm) cone woofer is driven with 60 Watts of amplification. The Yamaha HS7 has a rear-firing bass port and placing them near to the walls will reinforce the bass output. You can use the control settings to acoustically adjust the HS7 studio monitors and optimize their sonic performance within your studio/listening room. The frequency response of the Yamaha HS7 will be from 43Hz-30kHz (-10dB) which is really impressive for a studio monitor of this size and price.
The accuracy of the Yamaha HS7 is superb and it will be amazing for listeners who require pinpoint precision for their audio mixing/mastering work. The high accuracy is accompanied by crystal clear sound quality, music details are been reproduced clearly and you don’t even need to strain your ears to hear them. Its stereo imaging is equally impressive and projects a convincingly large soundstage. Bass performance is remarkable and accurate as well, it can punch hard when it needs to but is always tightly controlled. There are also plenty of details in its bass reproduction, giving us a rich and agile low-end performance.
More Details at Amazon – Yamaha HS7 Studio Monitor, Black
Overall bass performance is as accurate as you can get from a studio monitor of this size and price. The subterranean bass reproductions are lacking which is expected and as mentioned, adding an active subwoofer into the mix will help. The Yamaha HS7 is a neutral and flat-sounding nearfield monitor, you probably might want to go for a studio-grade subwoofer to match its neutrality and precision. It is time for us to start looking at some of the usual subwoofer requirements which you should seriously consider as they will influence the type of subwoofers to go for.
Yamaha HS7 Specifications
- Speaker Type: 2-Way (Rear-ported)
- Drive Units: 1″ (25mm) Dome Tweeter, 6.5″ (165mm) Cone Woofer
- Frequency Range: 43Hz-30kHz (-10dB)
- Built-in Amplifier Power: 35 Watts HF, 60 Watts LF
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 332mm x 210mm x 284mm | 13.1″ x 8.3″ x 11.2″
- Weight: 8.2kg (18.1lbs)
Your Subwoofer Requirements
You might want to check if you have ample room space to accommodate an active subwoofer, the more the merrier as you can do the subwoofer crawl and find the most optimal spot for the newly added sub. You can go for smaller subwoofers if there isn’t enough space but if you have a large studio or listening room, you probably would need a bigger subwoofer in order to fill up the room with bass. There are subwoofers that use the height of the cabinet to produce higher bass outputs while maintaining smaller footprints which is ideal for listeners who are facing space constraints. Another requirement which you might want to consider will be the subwoofer’s frequency response.
Powerful subwoofers that can deliver subterranean bass frequencies usually are more expensive and so you might want to work on your budget to see if you could afford such active subs. The higher your budget, the more subwoofer choices you can aim for. If you require a more impactful midbass punch, you probably should go for a midbass module instead. These are just some of the potential subwoofer requirements to consider. We will recommend taking some time to consider all the possible requirements first and once you are firm with what you want from an active sub, please check out the best matching subwoofer list below.
Best Subwoofers to match with Yamaha HS7
The Adam Audio T10S is one of the best subwoofers to match with the Yamaha HS7. It is a 10″ downward-firing subwoofer with a rear-firing bass port which you can use the corner walls to reinforce the bass reproduction and make it sound more pronounced. The bass performance is clean and tight which matches well with Yamaha HS7 studio monitors. Furthermore, the Adam Audio T10S is very accurate and agile enough to provide a nice music presence in the room without overwhelming the upper registers. T10S frequency response is 28Hz-120Hz (-6 dB) and also it is definitely loud enough for nearfield listening.
More Info at Amazon – Adam Audio T10S Compact Subwoofer
Yamaha HS8S will be one of the best subwoofers to pair up with the Yamaha HS7 nearfield monitors. This is an 8″ studio subwoofer designed and made by the same company Yamaha. Furthermore, it is under the same HS Series which means we can expect seamless integration between the HS8S studio subwoofer and HS7 studio monitors. The Yamaha HS8S is capable of delivering clean and tight bass performance with amazing accuracy. Its frequency range of 22Hz-150Hz is equally remarkable and well worth the price it is asking for. The overall sound reproductions of the Yamaha HS8S and HS7 are incredibly cohesive too.
More Information at Amazon – Yamaha HS8S
For listeners who want to fill the room with more bass but without sacrificing space, might want to take a look at Rythmik Audio FM8. It is a powered subwoofer with dual 8″ drivers located at the front of the cabinet. These are high excursion drivers using the patented Direct Servo technology, allowing both drivers to work seamlessly together and produce an articulate bass performance. The Rythmik Audio FM8 has a frequency response of 18Hz-250Hz and has a setting that can change it into a mid-bass module. It is a well-suited subwoofer/MBM to match with the Yamaha HS7 studio monitors.
Looking for a powerful mid-bass subwoofer? Then the HSU Research ULS-15 MK2 sealed subwoofer will be an ideal choice for you. You can switch between regular or mid-bass module operating mode, giving you more flexibility when pairing with your Yamaha HS7 nearfield monitors. As mentioned earlier, the ULS-15 MK2 is extremely powerful, it is a 15″ sealed subwoofer with up to 2000 Watts of power (short-term) and the frequency response of 20Hz-200Hz is equally impressive. HSU Research ULS-15 MK2 is capable of providing authoritative bass performance without compromising precision.
If you are not sure to go for either ported or sealed subwoofer, you might want to take a look at the SVS PB-2000 Pro. This is a 12″ ported subwoofer with up to 1500 Watts of peak power and has a frequency response of 16Hz-290Hz (+/-3dB). Switch the PB-2000 Pro to sealed mode and the frequency response changes to 17Hz-290Hz (+/-3dB). In this mode, the agility and transient speed are slightly improved which we find is more suitable to be used with the Yamaha HS7 nearfield monitors. It won’t be as accurate and detailed as other studio subwoofers but the bass output is tremendous and will be ideal for HT use.
More Info at Amazon – SVS PB-2000 Pro Ported Subwoofer
The PreSonus Eris Sub 8 is one of the best studio subwoofers to partner with the Yamaha HS7 studio monitors. It has a very modest price tag which will fit most listeners’ budgets and the compact size will be great for a studio/listening room with limited space. The Eris Sub 8 uses a Class AB amplifier and has an 8″ front-firing paper-composite transducer. Overall bass performance is very clean and precise, the PreSonus Eris Sub 8 is able to land quite an impactful low end when it is needed which belies the active subwoofer size. It may not be able to deliver as deep and powerful bass like some other subwoofers listed here but at this price point and the accuracy it possesses, makes the Eris Sub 8 well worth your time to check it out.
More Info at Amazon – PreSonus Eris Sub 8 Compact Subwoofer
To Conclude
We will suggest shortlisting one or more subwoofers based on your requirements such as budget, frequency response, etc., and arranging an audition at your own studio/listening room. Auditioning the shortlisted subwoofers at your own place will provide a more accurate result and if you like what you are hearing in your own studio, then more than likely that’s the subwoofer you want to get. Feel free to use this list of subwoofers as a reference when sourcing for other subwoofer models or brands.
