You can refer to any cliché you like—“Don’t judge a book by its cover” or “the best things come in small packages”—but what you can’t say is the OSD Black TreVoce 12-inch sub doesn’t deliver the goods.
With its unique multi-woofer array and built-in digital amplifier that live in its small footprint cabinet, the TreVoce 12-inch sub packs a punch for reasonable money.
Trying the sub in my 7.4.2 immersive audio system as a standalone solution and as part of a quartet of subs, I found the sub to provide a nice level of extension and output without falling into the trap of one-note solutions.
OSD Black TreVoce 12 Features and Setup
Sliding the subwoofer from its box the first thing that surprised is the subwoofer is light.
Taking a look at the TreVoce, the company says it developed the line of products, which also includes a 10-inch woofer model for installations that were ergonomically challenged … or more simply, situations where there is not much room for a subwoofer to reside.
Like most subwoofers, it’s pretty much a plug-and-play device in terms of its physical setup.
OSD Black specifies the sub’s dimensions to be 16 inches wide, by 15.4 inches tall and 15 inches deep. Internally, the subwoofer incorporates a digital Class D amplifier that’s capable of producing up to 800 watts of power.
That digital amplifier drives a 12-inch woofer. The woofer’s capabilities are augmented by a pair of 12-inch passive drivers, and the subwoofer’s rear panel includes speaker and line-level inputs.
CE Pro Specs:
- The TreVoce 12 incorporates a 12-inch active woofer and a pair of 12 passive woofers
- An amplifier that produces up to 800 watts of power drives the sub’s active woofer
- The drivers reside in a sealed enclosure that also offers homeowners a small footprint
- Rear panel controls include 24k-gold plated inputs
- Synthetic leather finish
Aesthetically, the sub features a modern but conservative appearance and sturdy rubber feet that really help to keep the TreVoce 12-inch model planted to the ground.
Moving onto the setup of the subwoofer, it was pretty standard in my 12 x 23-foot space. Since I use multiple subwoofers within my live end/dead end room design, I removed a 12-inch sub from a location underneath my Stewart Phantom HALR screen. This location is about 1/3 of the way down the wall from the corner and I simply plugged in an RCA subwoofer cable to the LFE input of the TreVoce 12.
Using the OSD Black sub across from another 12-inch sub, I created a “mirrored” alignment to minimize standing waves. Next, I set the volume at noon to finish my installation.
Performance and Final Thoughts
I want to point out that ideally in a multiple subwoofer system you would want to use the same subwoofer models in order to utilize similar performance characteristics. That wasn’t possible in my setup, but the mirrored subs in my alignment both included 12-inch woofers.
I also want to note that I used the sub as a single subwoofer and as part of the multi-sub setup to get an idea of how the sub performed as a standalone solution.
Before I get into the specifics of my listening, I found the sub to provide a lot of value. In my room I thought the sub provided a nice level of output and low-frequency extension without any rattles or unwanted noises emanating for the enclosure to distract from the listening experience of the sub. Realistically, it’s not going to deliver the same level of performance as a Meyer Sound 1100-LFC or some big sub from an audiophile brand, but that’s an entirely separate conversation.
In my room I found the TreVoce 12 to provide a smooth response and usable bass down to 31.5Hz.
Listening to music, including songs such as “Back in Black” which features an impeccable mix, as well as great groove and lots of space for dynamics (which is why front of house engineers will use this song to evaluate sound reinforcement systems), I thought the TreVoce 12 added depth to the song’s mid-bass without sounding sloppy.
Shifting gears onto the live recording of Fleetwood Mac’s “Silver Springs,” the sub added more weight to Mick Fleetwood’s drum kit and more presence to John McVie’s bass line without sounding tubby.
With electronic-based music on songs like “Fireflies” from Owl City the sub responded really well to transients such as the dynamics within the song’s bridge and chorus sections to help make the song a more visceral listening experience.
Getting into some home theater content and some low-frequency test tones such as chapter seven from the “Spider-Man: Far from Home” UltraHD Blu ray the sub supported Spider-Man and Mysterios’ battle against the volcano creature with firm bass that was balanced within the movie’s surround mix.
Playing stereo low-frequency sweep test tones from 20Hz to 130Hz from the Nordost “Solutions Disc” my listening confirmed the measurements I recorded using the Audio Tools app when I first set the sub up: In my room the sub plays down smoothly with nice output to the area of 30Hz. Adding additional subs provided a few decibels (dB) of output to provide my system with more thump and a more involving listening experience.
As you can tell from reading this review, I am an advocate of multi-subwoofer systems because they provide advantages in terms of acoustic integration within a room and a more omnipresent listening experience.
Between the cost, physical size and performance of the TreVoce 12, the OSD Black subwoofer offers integrators a number of compelling reasons to consider using the product.
Yes, there are of course subwoofers that will give users more output and greater extension, but the cost of those products will in all likelihood exceed many homeowners’ budgets and they may not match the collective performance of multiple TreVoce 12s.
Smaller, single subwoofer systems will also perform well with the TreVoce 12 providing the bottom end. The sub, through its solid construction, won’t rattle; it won’t make funny port noises or sound sloppy trying to play lower frequencies. These are important traits for a subwoofer, along with its room placement to minimize the possibility of listeners localizing the sub’s location.
All-in-all, the OSD Black TreVoce checks a lot of boxes in terms of looks, performance, costs and room friendliness. If you don’t believe me, it’s highly recommended to check out the product line for yourself.
CE Pro Verdict
Pros:
- A nice amount of output and extension from a small footprint subwoofer
- Room-friendly size and understated looks helps the sub to blend into home spaces
- Small details like the rubberized feet are nice touches that contribute to the sub’s appearance of quality
Cons:
- More finish choices
- XLR input would be a nice connectivity option
MRSP is not available. This is a product line that is exclusive to the custom installation market
