BlueSound PULSE SUB (SW200) white

Two 165 mm drivers facing each other, 350 W of amplification and a 33 cm-high enclosure: the ratio between footprint and available power is the first selling point of this wireless subwoofer. It succeeds the PULSE SUB+ in the Bluesound range and changes acoustic principles in the process, replacing the single 20 cm driver with a pair of opposing transducers.

Two bass drivers that cancel each other out

The opposing configuration consists of placing two drivers on opposite sides of the enclosure, with their cones facing outward and wired to move in acoustic phase. The mechanical forces that each motor exerts on the enclosure are then directed in opposite directions and largely cancel each other out. The intended result: fewer vibrations transmitted to the cabinet walls, therefore fewer resonances that muddy the bass, and a subwoofer that stays put on a wooden floor when the soundtrack gets intense.

Bluesound announces 350 W of total power, compared with 150 W for the PULSE SUB+, in a volume that remains that of a 292 × 330 × 315 mm cube weighing 10 kg. Distributing the load across two 6.5-inch cones rather than a single 8-inch cone provides more radiating surface without requiring the enclosure depth that a large transducer would impose. The trade-off is dictated by physics: two 165 mm drivers do not reach as low as a well-housed 12-inch driver, and the SW200 targets the foundation and weight of the low-mid bass rather than demonstration-level infrabass. Amplification is handled by the in-house Smart DSP Amp technology, with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A55 processor clocked at 1.8 GHz per core.

Integration into the BluOS network

The subwoofer is not simply a proprietary wireless receiver. It joins the home network via Wi-Fi 5 or the RJ45 Ethernet port, and registers as a BluOS component in the same way as a speaker or amplifier from the brand. Pairing is carried out through the BluOS Controller app, available on iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, with no handling required at the rear of the unit.

Compatible Bluesound products include the PULSE CINEMA soundbar family, as well as the POWERNODE, PULSE M and PULSE FLEX. Paired with a soundbar and a pair of rear PULSE FLEX speakers, the SW200 completes a multichannel system with no wired connection between components, each speaker requiring only its mains outlet. With a POWERNODE and two passive speakers, it adds bass to a stereo setup.

The low-level analog input broadens its scope: an amplifier equipped with a conventional subwoofer output can feed the SW200 via an RCA cable, outside any Bluesound ecosystem. The network connection remains the preferred route, but this input prevents the subwoofer from being limited to a single brand if the system changes.

The settings that really matter

Three parameters can be controlled from the app: level, crossover frequency and phase. These are exactly the settings an installer adjusts on a wired subwoofer, except that they are not set by trial and error behind a piece of furniture, but from a phone at the listening position.

The variable crossover frequency determines the handover point with the main speakers. A compact soundbar requires a high crossover, around 100 or 120 Hz, whereas floorstanding speakers that already extend low prefer 60 or 80 Hz. Variable phase addresses the timing offset between the subwoofer and the speakers, an offset that depends on their respective positions in the room: if incorrectly adjusted, it creates a dip at the crossover instead of reinforcing it, making it seem as though bass is lacking when it is actually being cancelled out.

The onboard processing power far exceeds what a low-pass filter requires, leaving room for software developments on the BluOS platform. The status LED brightness can be adjusted, a useful detail in a living room kept dark during a film.

An enclosure designed for the living room

The grilles attach magnetically, can be removed without tools and are interchangeable. The enclosure features rounded corners, a matte satin finish and is available in black or beige-tinted white, with a cable-routing system at the rear. A 33 cm-high subwoofer slips alongside furniture or into a corner without taking over the space, but the acoustic rule remains: a corner reinforces the bass and can make it boomy, while placement along a wall often delivers a cleaner result. Remote adjustment of settings makes testing different positions far less tedious.

The mains cable is removable and connects to a two-pin inlet, with the unit accepting 100-240 V at 50 or 60 Hz. Network standby consumption reaches 8 W, a figure that corresponds to maintaining the connection and immediate availability, with no wake-up delay when starting a film. The permitted operating temperature ranges from 0 to 40 °C.

Technical specifications

Type and design

• Wireless active subwoofer
• Configuration: dual 165 mm (6.5”) woofers in opposed arrangement
• Removable magnetic grilles
• Available finishes: black, white
• Dimensions (W × H × D): 292 × 330 × 315 mm
• Weight: 10 kg

Amplification and audio processing

• Total power: 350 W
• Amplification technology: Smart DSP Amp
• Processor: ARM Cortex-A55 Quad-Core, 1.8 GHz per core

Platform and compatibility

• Platform: BluOS
• Compatible Bluesound products: POWERNODE, PULSE M, PULSE FLEX
• Compatible applications: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS

Connectivity

• Wireless connection: Wi-Fi 5
• Network connection: Ethernet RJ45
• Wired input: analog low-level / line input

Settings and control

• Settings accessible via the app
  • Volume
  • Variable crossover frequency
  • Variable phase
• Status indicator: adjustable LED

Power supply

• Voltage: 100–240 V AC, 50 / 60 Hz
• Network standby power consumption: 8 W