A major problem in the past with small and compact subwoofers was their inability to deliver strong and deep low-end to the average soundstage. Outlaw Audio's design team was well aware of this challenge when they started developing the ECS-10 subwoofer. They made sure that the ECS-10 maintained a compact footprint yet packed the punch that fans of Outlaw subwoofers have come to expect, courtesy of a long throw 10-inch woofer.

Assisted by this subwoofer's eight-inch piston that drives the audio signal to the woofer cone, Outlaw Audio is standing by their assertion that the ESC-10 will destroy the negative image that the compact subwoofer currently has, as this small but powerful subwoofer is designed to deliver as much deep bass as any other subwoofer twice its size.

The relatively low cost of this subwoofer's $850 MSRP results in a price range that the average audiophile can really get behind. The ESC-10 also contains dynamic design elements such as a 1000 Watt RMS amplifier, 180-degree phase control for quick audio signal response and a sealed design that allows for a highly impactful low-end.

This subwoofer weighs in at 46-pounds and has a very modern-looking design that conveys its overall power once you get a good look at the jet-black veneer casing and the black speaker grille that does a great job of eliminating noise blur while playing back any audio CD. The ESC-10 stands thirteen-inches tall, twelve-inches deep and is around thirteen-inches wide.

Looking at the rear panel, this attractive subwoofer has easily accessible controls such as a main volume knob, low-pass crossover control, R/L outputs, four speaker level inputs and an automatic on/off, inactive/active switch. These connections and inputs are perfectly designed so that any consumer can integrate their other audio components directly into the subwoofer with very little effort.

When listening to various rock bands and rap vocals using the ECS-10 as the main speaker component delivering the musical low-end, I noticed that this subwoofer was more than capable of dispersing powerful bass throughout the entire room, providing vibrant low-end that was clean and precise at the same time. Even though the ECS-10 is a lot smaller than most subwoofers I had demo'ed in the past, this fact did not seem to impair the amazing amount of adroit bass audio that I was experiencing during my demo of the ECS-10.

Moving the subwoofer around the room, playing with open air and corner placement did not totally change the sound of nor impact the depths reached by the ECS-10. That type of placement experimentation speaks volumes about how a subwoofer can either excel at sound displacement or fail, and the ECS-10 passed this test with flying colors. While watching movies with the subwoofer, I was amazed at how accurately this smallish subwoofer was able to replicate the bombs and explosions associated with the average Hollywood action movie. All in all, I had a very good demonstration of what a compact, yet powerful subwoofer can bring to overall soundstage.

High Points
• Outlaw Audio's latest subwoofer delivers low-end very powerfully, yet does not overwhelm the listener at any time.
• The ECS-10 perfectly compliments any audio receiver it is hooked up with and is easily integrated with most other subwoofers and speaker components.
• This subwoofer's overall design in nice and compact while still giving off a feeling of raw power.

Low Points
• This subwoofer, while being very powerful for its size, will not fill up a larger room with enough low-end audio that many consumers may have a need for. Then again if your room is larger, the ECS-10 is so affordable you could easily purchase two and set them up in a stereo configuration for better integration and bass response.
• The fact that the subwoofer only comes in jet black might not sit well with some consumers who desire choice with other color schemes to match their own audio system.

Conclusion
With the introduction of the ECS-10 compact subwoofer, Outlaw Audio has done a fine job in changing my mind: that when it comes to big, powerful bass, size doesn't always matter. The ECS-10 is an affordable, compact and easy to use subwoofer that is as much at home in a lifestyle oriented home theater or media room as it is in a discriminating enthusiast's system.