Is the difference significant?
Proficient speakers have been around for 15 years. Known as one of the best-sounding architectural brands in the residential custom installation business, the company continues to impress us with its ongoing commitment to improve their product line. Their floor-standing powered subwoofers are an excellent example.
The original, single-drive line is known as the PS series, recognized for great sound and tonality. But their engineers thought that by beefing up the drivers and roughly doubling the amplifier power, they could deliver a lot more muscle. The result is the Proficient Protege FS series, available in 12″, 10″ and 8″ woofer sizes.
FS vs PS
FS is not a re-tweak; it represents a complete rethinking. The PS series uses Class AB amps and ported cabinets. The FS series uses higher-watt Class D amps, a passive radiator and a beefed-up driver. The result is a line of subs that deliver as much as +14dB more deep bass output than typical subs of their size. That’s a bigger deep-bass boost than you’d get by adding a second sub!
The FS structure
Proficient Protege FS subs feature powerful Class D amps and tough, high-excursion composite-cone woofers. They use one front-firing active driver and one down-firing passive driver. That passive radiator really brings out the ultra-deep bass notes without taking up more space, so the FS powered subwoofers are compact enough to fit almost anywhere. Use of a traditional ported enclosure would have demanded a larger enclosure.
The use of a much wider surround (the half-rolled section that connects the cone to the speaker’s metal frame) in the Proficient Protege FS woofers allows the cone to move further forward and backward, so the woofers can put out more volume and handle more power without sacrificing reliability. This helps keep the overall size down too.
Even though the amplifiers in the FS series are much more powerful than the amps in the older PS line, their Class D design keeps them running cool without concerns about overheating. Nor do they require special connectors. With line and LFE in, high-pass line out, and volume, crossover and phase controls, the FS subs will interface with almost any kind of system.
The proof is in the testing
Engineers at Proficient conducted tests between a PS10 and the Protege FS10. Both had 10-inch woofers, but that’s about all they had in common. The FS10 utilized an amp with 250 watts RMS, while PS10’s was 120. The FS10’s response curve had much more response in the critical area between 30Hz and 60Hz. Overall frequency response was 33Hz–147Hz. In contrast, the PS10’s strongest response was between 70Hz and 100Hz and had an overall frequency response of 55Hz–170Hz.
So the difference in those special room-rattling, low bass output effects was quite audible. In music, that means hearing the realistic impact of a kick drum. In movies, an explosion really creates a visceral impact.
And a final comparison between the two—the FS10 is actually eight percent smaller in size than its older counterpart!
Proficient really stands behind these FS woofers. While the PS series come with a two-year warranty, the FS subs have a three-year warranty.
The bottom line for powered subwoofers?
The Proficient Protege FS series dual-drive powered subwoofers are roughly the same size and price as the previous PS line but deliver dramatically more deep-bass output and much more compelling sound quality. And they have fresh engineering that incorporates the very latest technology. So be sure to offer this more compact yet much more powerful line of powered subs to your contractors. Whether they are installing a two-channel stereo system or a home theater surround-sound system, these subs will provide enhanced reliability, a longer warranty and a lot more power.