When I think of Blaupunkt, I don't only think of Teutonic car audio, but I also think vacation destination. With product names like Monterrey, Bermuda and Long Beach (when you work for peanuts like us, Long Beach is a vacation destination), it's no wonder I'll be requesting time off after I write this. But these names are apparently exclusive only to the company's head units. Instead, this PC Series dual 12" subwoofer enclosure, our subject for this review, comes with a less dreamy PCb1200 Dual nameplate
While the name does not have me envisioning the littered beaches of the LBC, it certainly is not what I was expecting for a loaded enclosure enlisting a pair of 12" subwoofers that retails for $129.95. Let me clarify: It FAR exceeded my expectations! Everything from the packing box to the exterior materials is well thought out - this thing even includes a pair of stylish custom grilles and a huge sewn-in Blaupunkt logo over black carpet that complements the package. Heck, I'm almost sold just looking at it!
The PCb1200 Dual uses a somewhat large, wedge-shaped enclosure measuring 38" across with a height and maximum depth of 15.3" and 14.9" respectively, yielding a total internal volume of about 2.5ft3. While not particularly space friendly, the enclosure is much lighter than anticipated, weighing roughly 50 pounds. Removing a sub and recalling my wood-working days, I noted the construction material to be of the particle board variety. Thickness measured in at a barely adequate 1/2", thus the lightweight enclosure - what do you expect for 130 bucks? Thankfully a center divider adds some integrity and additional wood rings behind the drivers help with mounting. Speaking of drivers, the subs are of the economical variety using stamped frames, 2" voice coils and 20-ounce ferrite magnets. Their cone material is spun paper coated with a semi-gloss titanium color that uses a compressed foam surround.
The manual is written in nine languages and gives brief setup instructions and a vague description of how to use the mounting straps. Power handling on the packing box is given as 2 x 600 watts max with a "Rated Capacity" of 200 watts a sub. The warranty is one year.
Installation
Setup was easy. The PCb1200 Dual was placed in the cavernous cargo area of my '99 4Runner and connected to my existing, conservatively rated 1,000-watt Class D amp. The dual terminal cup on the side of the enclosure already comes set with jumper plates in place for parallel connection of the two subs (nice). I inserted the wires and cinched down the binding post nuts, consequently introducing a 2-ohm load to my amp (good for a measured 750 watts at this impedance).
Listening
I would be lying if I told you that I wasn't a bit apprehensive when it came to the audition, but the PCb1200 Dual performed beyond my expectations. I started with a little R&B from Usher to see what this duo could muster up. Output was decent, and I noted it to be a bit overpowering in the upper bass lines while the booty bass was a little short on the decay. I encountered a similar sound with Ziggy Marley's "Gone Away." The upper/mid-band response was aggressive and there was a slight overtone to the bass drum (possibly 2nd or 3rd order harmonics), while the timbre of the electric bass guitar was pretty flat. The definition between the overlapping bass instruments was good except at high volume where there was some notable cone breakup
Playing a song by byob off of the Boston Bass Collection 2, I tempted fate and ramped up the power a bit. Output from the PCb1200 Dual was pretty substantial, but the subs reached their limit before the amp hit full stride. Still, this system is only $130, the price of an entry level 12" without a box.
Taking it down a notch, I plugged in Diana Krall and Claire Marlo. Again, I noted that there was a bit of resonance near the upper range of output that disrupted some of the details. However, the overall performance on these tracks was quite satisfying as I found myself thinking how impressive they were for the price.
Conclusion
Blaupunkt has come up with an excellent solution for anyone on a budget looking to add a little bass to their system. The PCb1200 Dual doesn't require a ton of power and looks spectacular. Certainly it does have some minor flaws in its musical reproduction, but it was far better sounding than I could have imagined. If you are in dire need of some low end for your system and don't want to break the bank, check this out. For $129.95 you can't go wrong.