Wireless connection
The presence of a
wireless connection in a subwoofer is most often Bluetooth: this standard is practically generally accepted in modern electronics, it is supported by the vast majority of smartphones, tablets and laptops. Note that we can talk about connecting an audio signal, as well as connecting to a device like a smartphone or tablet to manage settings. However, the latter option is not common — mainly in concert models, based on the ability to reconfigure the subwoofer even in a situation where there is no direct access to it.
If we talk about wireless sound transmission, then this option is convenient primarily from the point of view of choosing the optimal installation location: moving the subwoofer around the room, you do not need to mess with wires, and the Bluetooth range reaches 10 m. However, the quality of sound transmission with a wireless connection may be lower than with wired, but for bass this point is not as noticeable as for other frequency bands.
Level adjustment
The subwoofer has its own
level control, in other words, a volume control. Adjusting the bass with such a control is often easier than digging into the settings of an amplifier or other external device.
Passive speaker connection
Ability
to connect a passive speaker system directly to the subwoofer.
Only active models equipped with a built-in amplifier have this possibility (see "Type"). Such an amplifier in this case operates over the entire frequency range and is equipped with a crossover that separates the signal into a “bass” and main range. Bass is fed to the subwoofer's own speaker, and the rest of the frequencies are sent to the outputs for connecting passive acoustics. The role of the latter can be played by high-level terminals or Speakon connectors (see below), depending on the class and purpose of the subwoofer.
Anyway, this function allows you to do without an external amplifier for passive speakers, which is sometimes very convenient.
