McIntosh PS1K Powered Subwoofer

Bass You Don't Just Hear. You Feel.

The McIntosh PS1K Powered Subwoofer is built for systems where ordinary bass simply isn't enough.

With two massive 13-inch woofers, 1,000 watts of total Class D amplification and a rigid sealed enclosure, the PS1K is designed to reproduce the deepest frequencies with the power, speed and control expected from a reference-level McIntosh system.

Whether it's anchoring a world-class two-channel music system or delivering the physical impact of a high-performance home theater, the PS1K is engineered to produce serious low-frequency energy without sacrificing definition.

This isn't about adding more bass.

It's about adding better bass.

Dual 13-Inch Woofers

The foundation of the PS1K is a pair of purpose-built 13-inch woofers engineered specifically to handle extreme low-frequency demands.

Each driver incorporates McIntosh's proprietary Low Distortion High Performance (LD/HP®) Magnetic Circuit Design, which helps reduce distortion while improving power handling and efficiency.

The drivers also use extra-long voice coils and suspension systems engineered for extended linear travel.

That ability to move significant amounts of air while maintaining control is what allows the PS1K to deliver both tremendous output and the precision necessary for high-end music reproduction.

Multi-Layer Carbon Fiber Cones

Producing deep bass at high output puts enormous stress on a woofer cone.

Any unwanted flex can introduce distortion and reduce definition.

McIntosh addresses this with multi-layer carbon fiber woofer cones designed to provide exceptional rigidity during long excursions.

The integrated voice-coil joint further strengthens the assembly, allowing the cone and motor structure to work together under demanding conditions.

The result is a driver capable of moving serious amounts of air without giving up the control required to distinguish one bass note from another.

1,000 Watts of Dedicated Power

Each 13-inch woofer is driven by its own 500-watt Class D amplifier, providing a combined 1,000 watts of total power.

Using dedicated amplification for each driver gives McIntosh precise control over the complete woofer system while providing the headroom necessary for demanding music and movie soundtracks.

The amplifiers are engineered for low distortion and high output, allowing the PS1K to maintain composure even when the system is being pushed hard.

And because this is McIntosh, you can actually watch that power being delivered.

The front-mounted McIntosh output meter displays the subwoofer's total power output in real time.

A Sealed Enclosure Built for Control

The PS1K uses a sealed enclosure rather than a ported design.

That eliminates potential port noise while supporting the tight, controlled low-frequency character McIntosh wanted from the system.

The front baffle is nearly 1.5 inches thick, providing an exceptionally rigid mounting platform for the two large woofers.

When those drivers begin moving serious amounts of air, cabinet rigidity matters.

The goal is to hear—and feel—the output of the woofers without unwanted cabinet vibration getting involved.

Built for Music and Home Theater

A great subwoofer shouldn't only be impressive during explosions.

The PS1K is designed to have the speed and control required for high-end two-channel music reproduction while possessing enough output and extension for a serious home theater.

With music, it can provide the foundation beneath a full-range loudspeaker system, reproducing the lowest frequencies while allowing the main speakers to concentrate on the rest of the spectrum.

In a theater, the same power becomes physical impact.

The PS1K was designed to complement McIntosh's own reference loudspeakers, including the XRT2.1K and XRT1.1K, but its output capability makes it equally appropriate for high-performance loudspeakers from other manufacturers.

Built-In Crossover and Room Adjustment

Getting great bass isn't simply a matter of placing a large subwoofer in the room and turning it up.

Integration matters.

The PS1K provides adjustable Low Pass and High Pass filtering, allowing the crossover point between the subwoofer and main loudspeakers to be properly configured.

Level and phase controls help blend the PS1K with the rest of the system.

McIntosh also includes two fully adjustable parametric EQ filters, providing additional control over bass performance when dealing with room acoustics and placement.

That gives us the tools necessary to make the PS1K sound like part of the loudspeaker system rather than a separate box producing bass in the corner.

Serious Connectivity

The PS1K is equally comfortable in a dedicated two-channel system or a sophisticated multichannel theater.

It includes balanced stereo inputs and outputs, along with balanced and unbalanced subwoofer connections.

Multiple PS1Ks can also be daisy-chained, allowing systems to incorporate additional subwoofers when greater output, smoother room response or coverage across multiple listening positions is required.

That flexibility becomes particularly valuable in large listening rooms and reference home theaters.

Power Guard and Sentry Monitor Protection

The PS1K incorporates two of McIntosh's established protection technologies.

Power Guard® continuously monitors the audio signal and can make near-instantaneous adjustments to help prevent amplifier clipping from producing harsh distortion.

Sentry Monitor™ provides fuse-less short-circuit protection, disconnecting the amplifier output stage if current rises beyond safe operating levels and automatically resetting when conditions return to normal.

With 1,000 watts of internal amplification driving two large-excursion woofers, that protection is more than a nice feature.

Designed to Look Like McIntosh

A subwoofer of this scale isn't going to disappear into the room, so McIntosh made sure it looks the part.

The PS1K combines a high-gloss black finish, carbon-fiber trim and aluminum base with the unmistakable McIntosh power meter.

The design visually complements McIntosh's reference loudspeakers and electronics, making the PS1K look like an intentional part of the system rather than an accessory added afterward.

McIntosh Power Control also allows compatible components to automatically turn the PS1K on and off with the rest of the system, while signal sensing provides another convenient option for automatic operation.

The Grid's Take on the McIntosh PS1K

The PS1K is exactly what we'd expect a McIntosh reference subwoofer to be: big, powerful, heavily engineered and built to integrate into systems where performance matters more than compromise.

But the most important number isn't necessarily 1,000 watts.

It's the two 13-inch drivers.

That amount of cone area combined with serious excursion capability allows the PS1K to move a tremendous volume of air. The dedicated 500-watt amplifier behind each driver then provides the control necessary to manage it.

That's what we're looking for in a subwoofer at this level: output without losing articulation.

The built-in crossover controls, phase adjustment and dual parametric EQ also give us meaningful tools for integrating it properly into the room.

And that's important because subwoofer placement and calibration can make as much difference as the subwoofer itself.

At The Grid HiFi & Home Theater, we can integrate the PS1K into a reference two-channel system or complete home theater, including placement, crossover configuration, room optimization and calibration.

For larger spaces, we can also design systems around multiple PS1K subwoofers to achieve greater output and more consistent bass throughout the listening area.