Anyone Tried Kali Audio WS-6.2 Subwoofer?

[Cool Runnings]

Getting a pair recently of the Kali LP-UNFs has made me interested in their subs for a small space.

Any feedback on this? If it performs in the same way as the LP-UNFs that would make them pretty superb value for the specs. 1000 watts. 27khz.

Kali Audio — Watts WS-6.2 Subwoofer

www.kaliaudio.com

 

[staticV3]

Erin has tested and measured it: https://youtu.be/QdblDuX1JDg

 

[Cool Runnings]

Erin has tested and measured it: https://youtu.be/QdblDuX1JDg

Thanks somehow I missed this review. Very helpful. Sounds like a very decent sub. Very tempted to get it.

 

[jed1]

I pair a Kali WS6.2 with a pair of Kali IN-8 V2. Below is my recent post in ASR.

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...msl-do100-pro-hdmi-arc-dac.53361/post-1968546

WS6.2 is more than enough to match a pair of Kali IN-8 V2 - I need to lower subwoofer volume to balance with left and right speakers.

Signal flow is straightforward from DAC to WS6.2 and to IN-8 V2. But, I don't know how LP-UNF can be connected with WS6.2.

 

[dafreaking]

I don't know how LP-UNF can be connected with WS6.2.

Wouldn't an XLR to 1/4" line cable work?
XLR out on the WS 6.2 and Line In on the LP-UNF

 

[Miguelón]

I pair a Kali WS6.2 with a pair of Kali IN-8 V2. Below is my recent post in ASR.

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...msl-do100-pro-hdmi-arc-dac.53361/post-1968546

WS6.2 is more than enough to match a pair of Kali IN-8 V2 - I need to lower subwoofer volume to balance with left and right speakers.

Signal flow is straightforward from DAC to WS6.2 and to IN-8 V2. But, I don't know how LP-UNF can be connected with WS6.2.

I have a WiiM Ultra with mono RCA dedicated sub output, I suppose need for a Y splitter to connect it to both RCA inputs in the subwoofer side, I’m right?

 

[staticV3]

The WS6.2 has an LFE mode, as well as an "external crossover" mode, so presumably it was designed with single channel sub outputs in mind.

Strangely though the manual does not mention anything about connecting those to the sub's Stereo RCA inputs, so I'd just buy a splitter and try a few configurations.

If when set to LFE or ext. Crossover, one of the RCA ins doesn't play, then it's clear that the splitter is not required.

If you connect the sub via a splitter and the volume drops when you plug out one leg of the splitter, then I'd leave it connected (and also shake my head at the design decision).

 

[Dobber]

The WS6.2 has an LFE mode, as well as an "external crossover" mode, so presumably it was designed with single channel sub outputs in mind.

Strangely though the manual does not mention anything about connecting those to the sub's Stereo RCA inputs, so I'd just buy a splitter and try a few configurations.

If when set to LFE or ext. Crossover, one of the RCA ins doesn't play, then it's clear that the splitter is not required.

If you connect the sub via a splitter and the volume drops when you plug out one leg of the splitter, then I'd leave it connected (and also shake my head at the design decision).

I have a 6.2 and a WiiM Ultra. I set the 6.2 to LFE using the Ultra's bass manegement and just plug the mono RCA sub cable from the Ultra into the 6.2's left RCA input and all plays well. Pretty nice sub too.

 

[Miguelón]

I have a 6.2 and a WiiM Ultra. I set the 6.2 to LFE using the Ultra's bass manegement and just plug the mono RCA sub cable from the Ultra into the 6.2's left RCA input and all plays well. Pretty nice sub too.

Thanks for your answer, I'm reading more and more good critics about the sub.
@staticV3 was answering to my question.

I'm curious about your main speakers, mines are Genelecs G Three. I suppose a good integration with 5 inch stereo monitors given the SPL and FR

 

[Dobber]

Thanks for your answer, I'm reading more and more good critics about the sub.
@staticV3 was answering to my question.

I'm curious about your main speakers, mines are Genelecs G Three. I suppose a good integration with 5 inch stereo monitors given the SPL and FR

I use the sub with a number of configurations, active monitors, acitve speakers, and passive speakers. The sub sounds great with all of them. My smallest room is probably 12'x12' and the largest is 20'x20', the Kali pressurizes all of them at moderate levels.

 

[pehu63]

I bought one. Great addition to my Genelec 8030. Also noticeable at lower volume levels.
Bit depending on the music, some music does not have that deep bass.
Max volume is insane now, way beyond what is enjoyable, I have 35m2.
I use the cinch input to the kali sub, and connect the genelec's with XLR.

Meaurement with REW/umik indicated a trough at 85Hz. So I reversed polarity, trough gone.
I already used the DSP in my arylic streamer for some room mode compensation.
Measurements indicates a sharp drop off at ~32Hz.

Home Assistant can detect if my streamer is actually producing output.
Using that to switch the power of this sub. A few seconds delay, no plops.

Even though the genelec 8030 is insanely good already, adding this sub is a noticeable improvement.

 

[Miguelón]

The WS6.2 has an LFE mode, as well as an "external crossover" mode, so presumably it was designed with single channel sub outputs in mind.

Strangely though the manual does not mention anything about connecting those to the sub's Stereo RCA inputs, so I'd just buy a splitter and try a few configurations.

If when set to LFE or ext. Crossover, one of the RCA ins doesn't play, then it's clear that the splitter is not required.

If you connect the sub via a splitter and the volume drops when you plug out one leg of the splitter, then I'd leave it connected (and also shake my head at the design decision).

Would be the SVS 1000 pro (12 inches) be preferable to the Kali?

Is now available at barely the same price. I tend to prefer purely analog active monitors to avoid unnecessary AD - DA conversion, but maybe a good alternative.

 

[pehu63]

Would be the SVS 1000 pro (12 inches) be preferable to the Kali?

Is now available at barely the same price. I tend to prefer purely analog active monitors to avoid unnecessary AD - DA conversion, but maybe a good alternative.

I am sure you do not want the SVS pro, as it misses out on the high/low pass filters needed for active speakers like the genelec 8030. Needs an external 85Hz crossover filter. Some older SVS models do have those high/low filters for active speakers. Not sure if even more additional power makes any sense with the genelec 8030. The kali goes insanely loud, while staying "clean". Check Erin's review.

Moral of the story, almost no regular consumer sub has that, you need studio subs with integrated filters for usage with active speakers. At Genelec, the entry level SAM sub also does not have analog high-pass. The more expensive one might work with analog active speakers, as it does have the analog 85Hz high pass. Previously I had the ADAM T10s, downfiring, neighbours next door didn't appreciate, contact sound. Also, the auto-power-off on the adam is no good for home usage, switches off way too fast at low levels. Cannot do a comparison, ADAM T10s at daughter now, the kali appears to sound cleaner. But hey, I did not take the effort to a REW optimize back then with the ADAM. Now I did, and really happy with the result. Could not hear any difference, but REW detected the narrow and deep 85Hz trough, funny actually, and some logic in it. Switched polarity, trough gone. Using the footswitch, I can check sound with sub on/off. Fun to hear that for lots of music it does not make a real difference.

Other option for me would be the genelec 7050, about 1050 euros in NL. The Kali goes for 580 euro. The genelec goes a bit deeper than the kali, yet less SPL. I wanted the symmetrical set up to avoid contact sound as much as possible.

 

[Miguelón]

I am sure you do not want the SVS pro, as it misses out on the high/low pass filters needed for active speakers like the genelec 8030. Needs an external 85Hz crossover filter. Some older SVS models do have those high/low filters for active speakers. Not sure if even more additional power makes any sense with the genelec 8030. The kali goes insanely loud, while staying "clean". Check Erin's review.

Moral of the story, almost no regular consumer sub has that, you need studio subs with integrated filters for usage with active speakers. At Genelec, the entry level SAM sub also does not have analog high-pass. The more expensive one might work with analog active speakers, as it does have the analog 85Hz high pass. Previously I had the ADAM T10s, downfiring, neighbours next door didn't appreciate, contact sound. Also, the auto-power-off on the adam is no good for home usage, switches off way too fast at low levels. Cannot do a comparison, ADAM T10s at daughter now, the kali appears to sound cleaner. But hey, I did not take the effort to a REW optimize back then with the ADAM. Now I did, and really happy with the result. Could not hear any difference, but REW detected the narrow and deep 85Hz trough, funny actually, and some logic in it. Switched polarity, trough gone. Using the footswitch, I can check sound with sub on/off. Fun to hear that for lots of music it does not make a real difference.

Other option for me would be the genelec 7050, about 1050 euros in NL. The Kali goes for 580 euro. The genelec goes a bit deeper than the kali, yet less SPL. I wanted the symmetrical set up to avoid contact sound as much as possible.

Thanks! I considered the 7050 also, but is beyond my budget.

The crossover is not a problem since I have the Genelecs connected to a streamer with a dedicated sub output and can send to LFE input with chosen high pass filter.

But yes, in case of connecting to an audio interface the Kali would be more versatile.

 

[pehu63]

Guess you have the WiiM Ultra. Can you configure high/low pass filters, and also do some room mode corrections?

Now, I use the el-cheapo Arylic S10+, previously used the DIY arylic streamer with separate Burr Brown DAC on I2S.
These arylic players provide for DSP corrections with the optional Arylic ACP workbench tool, 20 dollar. I use the MiniDSP Umik-1 with REW.

For the real afficionados, the arylic optical output can be fed into a high-end DAC.
I cannot hear the difference between the Burr Brown DAC and the "low end" DAC inside the arylic S10+.
So I settled for simple and nice package.

Thanks! I considered the 7050 also, but is beyond my budget.

The crossover is not a problem since I have the Genelecs connected to a streamer with a dedicated sub output and can send to LFE input with chosen high pass filter.

But yes, in case of connecting to an audio interface the Kali would be more versatile.

 

[Miguelón]

Guess you have the WiiM Ultra. Can you configure high/low pass filters, and also do some room mode corrections?

Now, I use the el-cheapo Arylic S10+, previously used the DIY arylic streamer with separate Burr Brown DAC on I2S.
These arylic players provide for DSP corrections with the optional Arylic ACP workbench tool, 20 dollar. I use the MiniDSP Umik-1 with REW.

For the real afficionados, the arylic optical output can be fed into a high-end DAC.
I cannot hear the difference between the Burr Brown DAC and the "low end" DAC inside the arylic S10+.
So I settled for simple and nice package.

Yes, in the WiiM Home app you can determine the crossover frequency of the sub output, but not setting any particular filter (I'm not taking about the include 10 bands PEQ, there you can configure filters but limited to 12 Q factor).

You can also select the phase (0 or 180), the volume of the sub output, send full signal or not to the sub, send full signal or not to the speakers, the delay which can be detected with a room test.

I'm very Happy with the Ultra sub output, It opens possibilities to a bunch of active subs or amps + subs.

I'm too lazy to DIY devices, but totally sure that one should learn a lot from them...

To learn a little bit on equalization and room compensation was one of the reasons I preferred to don't go to Genelecs SAM line (well, the main was my budget), I enjoy doing calibrations when I move my setup, or even to some personal preferences changing the FQ target curve.

 

[pehu63]

Yes, in the WiiM Home app you can determine the crossover frequency of the sub output, but not setting any particular filter (I'm not taking about the include 10 bands PEQ, there you can configure filters but limited to 12 Q factor).

You can also select the phase (0 or 180), the volume of the sub output, send full signal or not to the sub, send full signal or not to the speakers, the delay which can be detected with a room test.

I'm very Happy with the Ultra sub output, It opens possibilities to a bunch of active subs or amps + subs.

I'm too lazy to DIY devices, but totally sure that one should learn a lot from them...

To learn a little bit on equalization and room compensation was one of the reasons I preferred to don't go to Genelecs SAM line (well, the main was my budget), I enjoy doing calibrations when I move my setup, or even to some personal preferences changing the FQ target curve.

I prefer to avoid DIY as well. But I do want room mode corrections. For that I use the DSP in the arylic.
Alternative is the more expensive MiniDSP stuff, with/without dirac. Yet another piece of equipment....
I use the el-cheapo arylic DSP. As a side effect, I need a sub with the filters, as no dedicated sub out.
As far as I know, the WiiM uses exactly the same Linkplay modules.

In my perception, _some_ room mode correction is a nice improvement. IIRC, forum member Tang Band has nice advise.
Do not fully compensate, only "half of it". I can correlate my room dimensions with the specific corrections.
Mostly, the height of the room, as it is the smallest size. Correlates to 60 Hz in my case.

 

[Miguelón]

I prefer to avoid DIY as well. But I do want room mode corrections. For that I use the DSP in the arylic.
Alternative is the more expensive MiniDSP stuff, with/without dirac. Yet another piece of equipment....
I use the el-cheapo arylic DSP. As a side effect, I need a sub with the filters, as no dedicated sub out.
As far as I know, the WiiM uses exactly the same Linkplay modules.

In my perception, _some_ room mode correction is a nice improvement. IIRC, forum member Tang Band has nice advise.
Do not fully compensate, only "half of it". I can correlate my room dimensions with the specific corrections.
Mostly, the height of the room, as it is the smallest size. Correlates to 60 Hz in my case.

I just do that: around half of what room measurements show: +8 dB at 70 Hz is the main room mode, and another +4 dB bump over 145 Hz.

But I find my best by ear when correcting -4 dB at 70Hz and -2 dB at 145 Hz.

Perhaps because most of time I move away from measurement point, so full correction tends to sound too dry and lack of bass... Probably better for editing.