Canton Sub 601 Active Subwoofer, White (Each)

The Canton Sub 601 is a compact active subwoofer that lays the low-end foundation under stereo and home cinema systems with a 213 mm downfire driver in a sealed enclosure and 200 watts rated power.

Here in gloss white: a cube with 27 cm edges that keeps a low profile in bright rooms – at least visually. Acoustically, it doesn't hold back quite as much.

Why the Canton Sub 601?

Because it takes over exactly the octave that compact bookshelf and floorstanding speakers struggle with. The sealed enclosure works without a bass-reflex port: that costs a few hertz of low-end extension, but delivers tight, impulse-accurate bass instead of soft boominess. The 213 mm cellulose-graphite woofer fires downward, spreading the bass evenly through the room and making placement forgiving. The built-in amplifier delivers 200 watts rated power and 280 watts music power; SC technology (Speaker Control) keeps the driver within safe limits even at higher levels.

What you get

• Active subwoofer with built-in amplifier: 200 W rated power, 280 W music power
• 213 mm cellulose-graphite woofer, downward-firing (downfire)
• Sealed enclosure for tight, precise bass down to 30 Hz
• Crossover frequency steplessly adjustable from 50 to 200 Hz
• Phase and level controls to match the room and main speakers
• High-level and low-level inputs – fits practically any amplifier
• Automatic on/off switching, feet prepared for spikes

Who is the Canton Sub 601 for?

For stereo systems and home cinema setups in living rooms up to around 30 square metres that are missing the low-end foundation. Straight talk: with its 8-inch driver the Sub 601 is a compact all-rounder, not a deep-bass monster for a basement cinema. If you're filling a 50 square metre room or regularly push levels beyond what the neighbours will tolerate, talk to us about going one size up – we'd rather tell you that now than later.

Our verdict

A forgiving, honest compact subwoofer that gives music a foundation and films weight, without taking up half the room. In gloss white it blends into bright living rooms instead of standing out as a black block. Which size fits your room is something we're happy to work out with you in advance at HD Zürisee in Wädenswil.

Technical data

• Type: active subwoofer with built-in amplifier
• Acoustic principle: sealed enclosure, downfire
• Rated power (RMS): 200 watts
• Music power: 280 watts
• Woofer: 1× 213 mm (8″), cellulose/graphite, wave surround, downfire
• Frequency range: 30–200 Hz
• Crossover frequency: 50–200 Hz, steplessly adjustable
• Phase: adjustable
• Level: adjustable
• Connections: 2× high-level input (speaker cable), 2× low-level input (RCA); no low-level output
• Protection circuit: SC technology (Speaker Control)
• Switching: automatic on/off
• Placement: feet prepared for spikes
• Finish: gloss white
• Dimensions (W × H × D): 27 × 33.3 × 29.5 cm
• Weight: 8.5 kg
• Included: Sub 601, power cable, instruction manual

Frequently asked questions

Does the Sub 601 match my speakers?

In most cases, yes. With a crossover frequency adjustable from 50 to 200 Hz plus high- and low-level inputs, it fits practically any stereo or home cinema system, whether bookshelf or floorstanding speakers are in front. Tell us what you have, and we'll tell you whether the combination makes sense.

How big can the room be?

The Sub 601 feels at home up to around 30 square metres. The sealed 213 mm driver delivers tight bass with headroom there. For notably larger rooms we recommend a bigger model – better a bit more cone area than a subwoofer that's constantly working at its limit.

Where's the best place to put the subwoofer?

Thanks to the downfire principle, placement isn't critical. Near a wall or in a room corner reinforces the bass, freestanding it becomes tighter. Moving it a few centimetres often does more than any tone control, so it's worth experimenting – or give us a call and we'll go through it together.

Do I need special cables?

For the low-level connection, an RCA subwoofer cable; for high-level, ordinary speaker cable. Which variant is right depends on the amplifier: if it has a sub-out, use low-level; if not, high-level is the clean route. We carry both.

Why buy the Canton Sub 601 in White at HD Zürisee?

Because advice is worth more than a spec sheet: we tell you whether eight inches is enough for your room and how to dial in the sub cleanly. Our own technician handles delivery and setup on request. Just tell us what your room looks like.

Goes well with

This pairs with bookshelf speakers or floorstanding speakers taking the lead up front, the matching subwoofer cable for the low-level connection, and more home cinema speakers if stereo is to grow into more.