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REVOLUTIONREVOLUTION
E
QUIPMENT
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EVIEWS
Definitive Technology SuperCube
Trinity Signature Subwoofer
“the most articulate and dramatically
energetic sub that I have auditioned”
By Bryan Southard
April 2007
IInnttrroodduuccttiioon
There are few mor
than selecting and setting up a subwoofer in your system. What
makes a subwoofer such a challenging selection is perhaps best
explained by its name. The operative section of the wor
which refers to subsonic frequencies that are defined by being for
the most part inaudible. Although subwoofers also handle higher
audible fr
than heard.
The Defi
incarnation developed specifically for the Trinity Church in
New Y
challenge of amplifying and accurately reproducing the church’s
massive pipe organs, Definitive rose to the occasion. Providing a
single bi-polar tower for each organ pipe, the Trinity Sub has been
designed to become the cor
of the most challenging instr
the mighty pipe organ.
n
e challenging tasks in the spor
equencies, the meat and potatoes of a sub are better felt
nitive Technology SuperCube T
ork. When Definitive Technology was approached with the
nerstone and low-end r
ument in the world to r
rinity Subwoofer is an
t of home theater
d is “sub,”
cement
einfor
oduce —
epr
“the Definitive Trinity would be considered
a killer at double its price. At $3,000, this
subwoofer is a steal.”
The SuperCube T
om the gr
fr
to hide from your view than to provide uncompromised sub bass
mance. Although many of the mini-cubes pr
for
per
amount of bass perfor
benefits achieved in larger packages — and a larger package the
Trinity is.
The Trinity sub is styled in typical Definitive Technology fashion,
with its black fabric covering and your choice of superbly fi
piano black or cherry top cap. Measuring 18 inches by 18 inches
rinity Subwoofer is a necessar
owing tr
end of miniatur
mance for their size, ther
e subwoofers designed mor
ture
y depar
ovide a fantastic
e is no ar
guing the
e
nished
Definitive Technology’s SuperCube Trinity
Signature Subwoofer
and a remarkable 31-and-three-quarters inches tall, this sub
. With a mass weight of
does anything but hide in a cor
175 pounds, this sub begs to be positioned and left alone.
The SuperCube Trinity Subwoofer has a rated frequency response
ner
of 10Hz–200Hz. As a reference, 10Hz is most often reserved for
e
arthquakes and late-night mortar attacks. The Trinity uses two
14-inch long-throw SuperCube drivers coupled to four infrasonic
p
assive radiators. Behind its speaker complement is a massive
2,000-watt digitally coupled Class D amplifier, with plenty of
juice to spare.
Connections are typical for the SuperCube line, with a
continuously adjustable low-pass crossover capable of 40Hz–
150Hz via an unfiltered LFE direct-coupled input. It provides
a high-pass crossover of the same frequencies and variable 180degree phase adjustment, an essential feature for optimal set-up.
“there is more to this sub than brawn ...
The Trinity Subwoofer has a rare agility
that transcends its massive shape.”
p
SSeett--uup
I connected the Trinity Sub through its LFE input. Initially,
I mimicked both position and settings of my reference Linn
Sizmik subwoofer, which was professionally set up by renowned
acoustician Bob Hodas. I set the low-pass crossover to 80Hz, the
phase to 100 degrees and set the volume with my analog SPL
meter to match my front loudspeakers. I then installed the spikes
to keep the Trinity from vibrating across the room and reducing
me to a pancake.
MMuussiicc AAnndd MMoovviiees
As this is a subwoofer review,
I lined up a couple of solid
action films rather than dialing
up such Oscar hopefuls as, say,
Little Miss Sunshine, which
wouldn’t exactly provide the
thump needed to really test
a top of the line subwoofer
2006’s
16 Blocks (Warner
Home V
as a typical Bruce Willis
saga equipped with whimsical
one-liners and plenty of gunfire
and car wrecks to exercise
the Trinity’s low-frequency
prowess. In this simple plot, NYPD Detective Jack Moseley
(Willis) is assigned to transport petty criminals to their court
appointments, a simple job for an old and tired officer who’s a
stone’s throw from retirement. In Willis-flick fashion, the plan
goes awry and guns are drawn. Although the action is mediocre
at best, there is plenty of “bang” for my buck. The Trinity Sub
produced an abundance of low frequency energy I had not yet felt
in my theater. It took some minor calibration and adjustment to
get the Trinity to blend with my Revel Salon loudspeakers.
However, once tweaked, my low-frequency information became
seamless and the SuperCube Trinity literally disappeared.
ideo) surprised few
s
.
“Looking to jump-start your pacemaker?
The Trinity Sub might just be the most
powerful and energetic sub to grace
the sub-$5,000 market.”
I found this to be a tremendous early indication that there is more
t
o this sub than brawn. It can be difficult to blend slower low-
frequency drivers to ultra-fast loudspeakers. Although many
“The Trinity Sub provided flawless low-
frequency support that made me constantly
want to turn it up. I remained enamored
by the previously missing information that
I was now hearing.”
suggest that any sub can be blended well with knowledge and
patience, this is simply not true. I have had some of the better
subs produced and have been unable to integrate them
seamlessly. The Trinity subwoofer has a rare agility that
transcends its massive shape. Gunshots had a percussive ring that
was as convincing as I have heard. Being that my Revel Salon
loudspeakers have been measured down to 18Hz at -3dB in my
room, my patience for reduced performance in order to achieve a
few lower frequencies is nonexistent. Because of this, I often
reduce the volume of the subwoofer in order to not pollute my
more pure bass information. The Trinity Sub provided flawless
low-frequency support that made me constantly want to turn it up.
I remained enamored by the previously missing information that I
was now hearing.
“What was most impressive was the Trinity’s
ability to provide earthquake-like thunder
without over-saturation.”
I upped the ante with some
of my favorite war footage
from
We Were Soldiers
(Paramount). Although this
movie has its shar
corniness from its director,
esident anti-Semitic
our r
poster boy Mel Gibson, it
also has some of the best
shoot ‘em up footage since
Saving Private Ryan.
Soldiers is set in the early
days of the Vietnam War
and has a plethora of flying
bullets, mortar and air
attacks. I first played this
flick without the use of the
SuperCube Trinity Sub, then added its might, and might it was.
It made the difference between watching the war and actively
dodging bullets as a live observer. What was most impressive
was the Trinity’s ability to provide earthquake-like thunder
without over-saturation. Large subwoofers often overcome my
room. Once properly set up, saturation and overabundance were
not a problem in the least.
The Terminator trilogy is perhaps one of the greatest action series
of all time.
dishes out a low-frequency pounding like few can. In the scene
where the Terminator walks into the bar to acquire some much-
e of
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Warner Home Video)
needed clothes, the impending
fi
ghts had huge impact.
Although a subwoofer doesn’t
p
rovide much of the audible
information, it does provide
the bottom end, and when the
bottom doesn’t mach the top,
sloppiness prevails. The Trinity
Sub was having no part of any
sloppiness and rocked with
authority. As the Harley fires up
and begins to idle, there was so
much thump that I could almost
smell exhaust fumes. Wow, this
subwoofer can move some air.
Looking to jump-start your
pacemaker? The Trinity Sub might just be the most powerful
and energetic sub to grace the sub-$5,000 market. It is in fact
the most articulate and dramatically energetic sub that I
have auditioned.
“huge impact ... Wow, this subwoofer
can really move some air ... the Trinity
Subwoofer blew the house down with
tight and articulate bass.”
Many subwoofers shake the rafters during movies, but bass that is
agile and articulate enough to properly reinforce music is a whole
y. In lower-priced systems, this is a breeze, yet trying
ent stor
differ
to complement higher-performing speakers is anything but. It’s
simply not easy to get a low-frequency driver to move masses of
ficient
ock r
e ef
eleases of
air quickly enough to catch up with smaller and mor
bass drivers found in the better loudspeakers.
Metallica’
DVD-Audio is one the more
bombastic r
past decades. Definitely overplayed on “alternative” radio,
this recording still serves as
a great reference for lowfrequency extension and overall
cohesiveness. “Sad But True”
has enormously powerful bass
that dips to the lowest octaves
in solid fashion. I played this
cut without the use of the
SuperCube Trinity to get a good reference. I then added the
Trinity Sub and was surprised with the results. With my Revel
Salons reaching down to a flat 20Hz, the audition without the
s
Black Album on
“Once you hear a top-performing woofer
do its magic, you will not want to live
without one.”
sub in the system was tight and very deep, leaving me to wonder
where improvement could come from. With the Trinity sub in
the rig, the bass had the same quickness and snap, but with tons
more energy. The kick drum had so much power that it felt like
I
was being squeezed. Even the higher ranges of the Trinity Sub
(20–40Hz) sounded clean and nimble — in many ways better
t
han what you will hear at a Metallica show live. The intro to “The
Unforgiven” has proven difficult in the past for my system, thanks
to its beefy bass notes. My fear was that standing waves could
easily saturate my limited room size of 12 feet by 20 feet. There
was some room resonance, but overall, there was great control at
high volumes. Better yet, the low frequencies didn’t overburden
the lush, higher-frequency information. The recording remained
detailed and percussive.
“a very impressive audition... I listened to this
cut at greater than 100 dB and it sounded
tight, with gigantically percussive bass.”
Continuing on, I went with one of
the early 1980s’ more successful
classic rock releases,
DVD-Audio (Atlantic). There are
few who graduated high school
in the ‘80s who didn’t dance
awkwardly to this record at one
or more of their proms. This album
is a complete assault on the average
guy’s manhood. Like the moped
joke, I think this record is best
reserved for private moments.
The song “Jukebox Hero” has a lot of very heavy bass information
that can be particularly pr
systems. It’s no surprise that the SuperCube Trinity had the
quickness to make this piece thunderous without congestion and
bloating of the bass. I listened to this cut at gr
and it sounded tight, with gigantically percussive bass. I found
this particularly impressive, because it’s been a long time since
this cut moved me. The T
with the combination of mighty snare strikes and bass guitar. I
again found myself looking for the r
As powerful as the sub frequencies felt and sounded, the Trinity
blended seamlessly with my Revel Salons and never stepped
forward in my soundstage — a very impressive audition.
Foreigner 4,
oblematic at high volumes in some
eater than 100 dB
rinity sub came up big. “Urgent” starts
emote to tur
n up the volume.
“The Trinity subwoofer has a rare agility
that transcends its massive shape.”
As a final test, I grabbed
an old test favorite with
the band Yello and their
1989 release
(Mercury). This is an
electronic, synthesized
high-energy recording that
has tight bass and drums
that can really get the
blood flowing. In this cut,
the Trinity Subwoofer
“huffed and puffed ad
blew the house down” with
tight and articulate bass.
Flag
This was an old favorite of mine that got lost in relative obscurity
o
ver the years and the Trinity has brought it back with a bang.
I forgot how powerful and engaging this recording could be.
“The Trinity is incredibly tight-sounding
and a great complement to any highperforming entertainment system. It is
deep enough to transport you to depths
you’ve never been before, yet can stay
agile enough to satisfy the most
discerning music enthusiasts.”
DDoowwnnssiidde
With its noteworthy performance, the Trinity Sub has few
downsides. One glaring consideration is the size of this sub.
Although this subwoofer produces a tremendous amount of
thunder, it comes in a physically large package. Although I have
never had space constraints that necessitated a mini-cube style
sub, the Trinity Sub sits in my theater like an oak tree stump.
I personally liked the size, because it played a dual role as an
end-table, yet those who yearn to conceal their subs may find
frustration. The fact is, if you want really big bass, you need
a really big subwoofer.
Due to its sheer mass and extreme low frequencies, the Trinity
Subwoofer, like all subs, performs best on a solid floor. This sub
can turn your suspended wood floor into a rolling platform. To get
the most out of this product, as I did, I recommend solid flooring
beneath it.
e
CCoonncclluussiioon
S
ubwoofers live a fairly thankless life. They sit in the background,
n
often concealed under coffee tables and in corners that are
seldom seen. Once they are set up, they are often forgotten about.
We consider the best performing subs ones that blend so well you
can hardly tell they’re on. To add insult to injury, they don’t even
get a whole number, as they are merely the “point one” in a 5.1
system. Subs are like the Rodney Dangerfields of the loudspeaker
world, but once you hear a top-performing woofer do its magic,
you will not want to live without one. Without question, the
Definitive Technology Trinity subwoofer must be considered in
an elite class of subwoofers at the absolute performance level.
“the Definitive Technology Trinity
subwoofer must be considered in an elite
class of subwoofers at the absolute
performance level”
The Trinity is incredibly tight-sounding and a great complement
to any high-performing entertainment system. It is deep enough to
transport you to depths you’ve never been before, yet can stay
agile enough to satisfy the most discerning music enthusiasts. At
$3,000, it’s not inexpensive when you look at the overall
subwoofer market, yet with regard to performance, the Definitive
Trinity would be considered a killer at double its price. At
$3,000, this subwoofer is a steal.
reference • 16 Blocks (DVD)
manufacturer: Definitive Technology
dress:
ad
phone: (410) 363-7148
website: http://www
•
We Were Soldiers (DVD)
erminator 2: Judgment Day
T
•
• Metallica – Black Album (DVD-Audio)
• Foreigner –
ello –
Y
•
11433 Cr
Owings Mills,
Foreigner 4 (DVD-Audi9o
Flag (CD)
e Drive
onridg
MD 21117
.definitivetech.com
(DVD)
videorevolution.com, April 2007.
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