In this review, we will be comparing NS-SW050 and SUB6, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Yamaha and Kanto. Being Powered subwoofers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features of Yamaha NS-SW050 and Kanto SUB6 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
The sections below take each area in turn: driver and amplifier, frequency response, physical size and connectivity.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both Yamaha NS-SW050and Kanto SUB6 have a single woofer setup however the Yamaha NS-SW050's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Kanto SUB6 features a 6-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
NS-SW050 has a frequency range of 28-200 Hz whereas SUB6 has a frequency range of 35-165 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the NS-SW050 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SUB6's min frequency of 35Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Yamaha NS-SW050's and Kanto SUB6's external dimensions. Yamaha NS-SW050 has external dimensions of 292.1 x 292.1 x 339.7mm (11.5 x 11.5 x 13.375inch) whereas Kanto SUB6 has external dimensions of 241.3 x 222.3 x 266.7mm ().
Yamaha NS-SW050 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 69.8mm wider, 50.8mm taller and 73mm deeper than Kanto SUB6.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Yamaha NS-SW050 needs about 67% more floor or shelf area. Yamaha NS-SW050 is 73mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Yamaha NS-SW050 is 51mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Yamaha NS-SW050 is approximately 992.3cm2 / 153.8inch2 and base area of the Kanto SUB6 is approximately 592.9cm2 / 91.9inch2. The NS-SW050 requires 67% more surface area than the SUB6 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a subwoofer may become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often to find the optimal positioning, also known as 'Subwoofer Crawling'. The Yamaha NS-SW050 weighs 8.48kg / 18.7lbs and the Kanto SUB6 weighs 5.31kg / 11.7lbs. This makes the NS-SW050 60% heavier than the SUB6.
Here is a comparison of how NS-SW050 and SUB6's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
165 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
220USD
vs
300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
241mm
vs
292mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
592cm2
vs
992cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
Size, drawn to scale
Both subwoofers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same floor and pushed back to the same wall, so the bigger one visibly takes more of the room.
Yamaha NS-SW050 needs about 67% more floor area. Yamaha NS-SW050 stands 73mm further into the room. Yamaha NS-SW050 is 51mm taller.
| General |
Yamaha NS-SW050 |
Kanto SUB6 |
| Brand |
Yamaha |
Kanto |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
28-200 Hz |
35-165 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
50-watt RMS |
100-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
100-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cone |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
292.1mm (11.5") |
241.3mm (9.5") |
| Width |
292.1mm (11.5") |
222.3mm (8.8") |
| Depth |
339.7mm (13.4") |
266.7mm (10.5") |
| Weight |
8.48kg (18.7lbs) |
5.31kg (11.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
|
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Years |
A ported subwoofer against a sealed one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | Yamaha NS-SW050 goes deeper - 28Hz against 35Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 35Hz. |
| Amplifier power | B | Kanto SUB6 has the bigger amplifier - 100W against 50W RMS, about 3dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Yamaha NS-SW050 moves more air: 8" against 6" is 1.78x the cone area, not the 1.33x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | Yamaha NS-SW050 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning; Kanto SUB6 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Kanto SUB6 is about 51% smaller by volume. In a subwoofer that is a real trade rather than a preference: box volume is how you get output low down without a bigger amplifier. |
| Price | A | Yamaha NS-SW050 costs less - $220 against $300, about 27% less. |
A Yamaha NS-SW050 B Kanto SUB6
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both subwoofers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Yamaha NS-SW050 has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Yamaha NS-SW050 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Kanto SUB6 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Kanto SUB6 is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
One thing outweighs everything above: where the subwoofer stands. Room modes can add or remove 10dB or more at a given seat, which is far larger than any difference on this page. Before spending more, try the sub in two or three positions - the crawl test, where you put it in the listening seat and crawl the room to find where the bass sounds best, costs nothing and usually beats an upgrade.