Critical Mass SS102 - Subwoofer Review

The SS line of subwoofers is the more affordable part of the Critical Mass family of subs that includes the acclaimed UL Series of drivers. They're inexpensive enough that you might be able to buy two! Something that's a bit foreboding with the UL's. Considering they cost an arm and a leg - a good example of getting what you pay for - bass fanatics no doubt will welcome the SS models as an alternative. Critical Mass' intent was to take some of the revolutionary technology in the UL series and incorporate it into an entry-level design to maximize the performance-to-cost ratio. As the saying goes, more bang for the buck. Let's see if that's true.

DescriptionI had already been anticipating the arrival of the SS102 on my doorstep, so when I saw the package at the front door I knew, or at least I thought I knew, what it was. But when I picked up the box, it was so light that I couldn't imagine that it actually contained a subwoofer.

But sure enough, it certainly looked like a subwoofer, even if it didn't exactly weigh like one. The sub didn't come with an instruction manual; instead all the instructions and description of the subwoofer seem to have been written on the side of the carton. It explained that Critical Mass used portions of the new technology incorporated in their UL series of subwoofers. The description explained that by combining engineering with technological advances in materials they have been able to create a high performing subwoofer that weighs around 14 lbs. It seems unbelievable, but it's why the box was so light!

To keep things at a minimal poundage, the frame on the SS102 resorts to a standard stamp steel variety with a couple of vents below the spider mount and coated with a gray, texture paint. The cone is made a sheet-molded polymica and is attached to the frame via a compressed foam surround. In the center of the cone is an inverted polymica dome with a slightly gaudy looking Critical Mass logo boasting the sub's power handling at 1,000 watts.

With the woofer flipped over, the large push terminals hanging onto the side of the frame on a plastic plate are visible. The tinsel leads are jacketed to help maintain a stiff posture and use of foam padding to keep them from smacking the back of the cone under high excursion. The motor is covered by a rubber boot, as is the mounting edge of the frame; the latter acts as a gasket. Below the gasket is a generic looking motor that uses a ferrite magnet and a vented pole piece. All in all, the SS102 doesn't show itself as being a visual performer, just like its $2,000 brother.

InstallationI've been interested in Critical Mass drivers for some time, so I was excited to get down to business. Looking to cut up some MDF, I looked for the enclosure specification on the carton and was surprised that the subwoofer called for an enclosure with a 0.47ft3 internal volume. Taking this internal volume into account, I wasn't sure if I would get the low-end frequency extension that I like. The first enclosure I built was a tad small, resulting in horrible performance from the subwoofer. Not good. This time I made the calculations myself and had the box created again. Voila! It was exactly 0.5ft3 for a much better performing product (more on that later). More than that, I found it kind of crazy how a box of this size could weigh almost the same as the subwoofer. With the proper enclosure, I loaded the subwoofer into the trunk of a 2001 Honda Accord and prepped for amplification.

To power the SS102 I used a Crossfire VR600d. Feeding the woofer's 2-ohm load, this amp should make in the vicinity of 500 watts. This is on par with the sub' s rated RMS power handling of 500 watts and peak capacity of 1,000 watts. The subsonic filter on the amplifier was bypassed and a low-pass crossover point of around 65Hz at a 12dB slope was used.

ListeningJoss Stone " Snakes & Ladders"I started off with Joss Stone, a new favorite. The SS102 immediately took to the R&B star's music, displaying effortless reproduction of the bass notes throughout the scale. The bass notes were audible, rhythmic and soothing. The SS102 actually made me raise my brow in curious astonishment when it reached down and captured a low note. Although not thunderous, this was entirely unexpected from a 10" driver in such a small box. The feeling of cabin pressure is usually a desired asset from subwoofers, but typically unexpected from drivers of this size in this price range. Kudos to Critical Mass.Score: 8/10

Nickelback "Animals"Kick drums, kick drums, kick drums. Hey, this track opens with kick drums! Quickness, impact and decay were attributes tested with this track. The notes were fast and distinguishable throughout the passage, inviting me to listen to this track multiple times. The decay of the kick drums was nice, although the initial attack lacked refinement as notes bloomed before settling. The impact of the kick drums was forceful, but not chest pounding, leaving something to be desired.Score: 6/10

Outkast "E.T."I like to use this track to really test the low frequency response of subwoofers. The track is a constant reel of low notes scaling up and down while Andre 3000 laces the track with his out-of-this-world flavor. The bottom octave of the bass line is an X-max tester for sure. Taking into account that the SS102 is a 10" subwoofer, I didn't have lofty expectations when I popped in the CD. To say the least, the SS10 was linear throughout, keeping up with every track thrown at it, but it succumbed to its lack of cone area in the output department. I will say this: For a 0.5ft3 enclosure, and a 10" at that, it was definitely respectable.Score: 7/10

JM Lab " Mprovisation"The SS102 really shined on this track. The subwoofer really stepped up to the plate with a nice overall sound presentation. The driver was accurate and quick, preventing the sound stage from being pulled to the rear of the car. Percussion instruments were completed with a fullness that brought them to life. As the drum session traveled from left to right in the recording, the presentation of the SS10 was transparent, not interfering with the imaging cues.Score: 8/10

ConclusionAfter a thorough listening evaluation, I have to say that the Critical Mass SS102 is an outstanding performer for the price. And for enthusiasts who don't want to load down their cars with the huge amount of weight some subwoofers/enclosures unavoidably add to the trunk, this sub from Critical Mass is definitely worth multiple looks and listens. Packing performance in such a small package is the icing on the cake. It isn't an SPL champ by any means, but has enough punch to get any system rocking. I must commend Critical Mass for putting the consumer first on this one. The SS10 is an example that big things sometimes do come in lightweight, inexpensive packages.

Subjective Score Chart