Home / Audio / Home Hi-Fi

McIntosh’s Stunning New Subwoofer Is the Envy of Bass-Loving Audiophiles

It’s designed for bass-loving audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts with deep pockets.

McIntosh PS1K subwooferMcIntosh

By Tucker Bowe

Published

·

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

McIntosh — the New York-based audio company and one of the biggest names in luxury hi-fi — has added a gorgeous new speaker to its ranks. A subwoofer, in fact, that according to the brand promises “unmatched bass precision and power.”

And at $35,000, it’s anything but cheap.

McIntosh PS1K Powered Subwoofer

McIntosh PS1K subwoofer
The McIntosh PS1K has VU meters that tell you its exact wattage.
McIntosh

Dual woofers, 1,000 watts of power

The PS1K is a smaller, more affordable version of the company’s $50,000 flagship PS2K subwoofer that was released in 2023. It looks almost identical — same high-gloss black finish, blue-glowing power meter and green illuminated logo — but stands half as tall.

While the larger PS2K packs four 13-inch woofers that are each powered by 500-watt Class D amplifiers, the PS1K halves that with two 13-inch woofers powered by the same amplifiers (but again, two instead four).

The result is that the PS1K is half as powerful as the flagship PS2K, capable of pushing out up to 1,000 watts of power instead of 2,000 watts. Granted, it’s still a ton of bass.

McIntosh PS1K subwoofer
The PS1K packs two 13-inch woofers, dual 500-watt Class D amplifiers, and tons of borrowed tech from its larger sibling.
McIntosh

Clear, tight, room-filling bass

McIntosh’s smaller subwoofer uses the same technologies as its larger sibling to deliver clear, tight bass that promises to effortlessly fill large rooms.

The PS1K features the company’s proprietary Low Distortion High Performance (LD/HP) magnetic circuit design, reduces distortion and improves power handling. The woofers feature multi-layer carbon fiber cones for “superior rigidity and sound clarity, resisting flex even at high outputs.”

And it incorporates McIntosh’s proprietary Power Guard and Sentry Monitor technologies to protect against overloading and short circuits and ensure that the PS1K has a long, long lifespan.

Price and availability

Naturally, the PS1K is designed for audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts with deep pockets — who maybe don’t want to dish out the extra dough (or don’t need the extra bass) for the PS2K.

The McIntosh PS1K powered subwoofer costs $35,000 and will be available from authorized McIntosh dealers in late October 2024.

Read More