The most common misconception is that it doesn't matter where you place a subwoofer. But placement affects performance in substantial ways, and the quality of the bass response and sound pressure level resulting from being placed against a wall can be higher than when freestanding. The 10 CSB subwoofer takes that into account and to its advantage because it's made specifically to fit into the corner of a room. So, it can be unobtrusive while still kicking out the jams with a heavy foot.

Now You Hear Me
The sub, which comes in basic black but can be painted to match the décor, comes with a self-contained 180 RMS amp. That creates a whole lot of shakin', yet still doesn't generate an overabundance of heat. It doesn't have to be butted right up against the wall to work either, but with 35 pounds working, once you set it down, your aching back will probably want it left where it is (don't forget to first add either the pads or carpet spikes). The curved shape creates some nice lines, but it's really designed more to disappear than stand out--though the sound it makes is commanding.

Behind the Scene
The back of the sub has every possible control you could ask for: from Variable level to Frequency to Phase controls, plus low-level and high-level inputs for integrating with most any amplification and satellite speaker combo. A Standby Switch automatically activates the sub when needed. Now at first, all of this might be a bit daunting to take in, but you will be rewarded for taking the time to work through the controls so that the sub matches your system.

Setup
The manual is clear and concise and includes examples and helpful diagrams. We connected the sub to a Denon AVR-3805 amplifier and followed recommendations to use a sound meter to adjust the bass independently, rather than using an amp's built-in auto equalization. Comparing the two methods though, we didn't find any significant differences, but your result may vary. A bit of fiddling was also needed with the bass management control so it would better integrate with the sub. Atlantic's recommendations for setting speaker sizes are valid, and better sounding satellites result when listening--especially to CDs. While it took about two days before the bass sounded smooth throughout the sound field, redoing the settings for movies only took about an hour--giving us easy switching between our two most-used settings.

So How's it Sound?
Good. Loud. Like someone squeezing your heart--so we lowered the volume considerably after having cranked it up for the first half of Terminator 2 (good thing we're on the ground floor with just a garage below us, or else there'd be a lot of loud complaining from neighbors). Moving to the operatic scene from the The Fifth Element DVD--the singer might be otherworldly, but her chops sound fine even though moments later massive explosions take over, with the 10-inch down-firing woofer pounding through our bodies. Switching to Blondie: Greatest Hits in DVD-Audio, it was a pleasure just how smooth and mellow-sounding the enveloping bass became. It doesn't just blow away our old subwoofer for sheer power; it also provides a tighter, more controlled kind of bass that we weren't hearing before.
Aesthetics plays a part in any home theater, and the design of this sub certainly affords an alternative to the usual choice of location. A lot of power, enhanced by a smart design and a plethora of controls, makes this sub a winner.

10 CSB Corner Subwoofer
MSRP: $899

Specifications:
Type: Sealed enclosure, down-firing
Bass Ddriver: 10" long-throw
Frequency Rresponse: 30-250 Hz. +/- 3 dB
Amplifier Ppower: 180 RMS
Peak Ooutput: 106 dB in 2,000 cu. ft.
22 x 19 1/2 x 12 inches"
35 lbs.