Reviews

Review: Teufel S 5000 SW and T 4000 subwoofers for your home cinema

Teufel S 5000 SW and the flat T 4000
In these reviews we look at two subwoofers. We look at two completely different models of Teufel the robust and THX certified Teufel S 5000 SW and the flat T 4000.
4.4/5 - (247 votes)

In these reviews we look at two subwoofers. We look at two completely different models of Teufel the robust and THX certified Teufel S 5000 SW and the flat T 4000.

Subwoofer in the home theater

A home theater can not actually do without a subwoofer. No matter how large and good your speakers are at the front, nothing can show bass as tight and full as a good subwoofer. Moreover, it gives your front speakers some space to focus on the mid-range and high frequencies. A subwoofer replenishes the sound and, if desired, lets you vibrate from the couch during intense action scenes. Subwoofers come in all shapes and sizes, and also in various price ranges. In this review we look at two subwoofers that are around 500 euros; the Teufel S 5000 SW with a price tag of 499 euros and the Teufel T 4000 subwoofer with a price of 449 euros.

Specifications, design and settings

Below you will find the most important specifications of the two subwoofers.

Teufel S 5000 SW

  • Room size: 50 m²
  • Loudspeaker: 1x woofer 300 mm
  • Positioning: Floor
  • Power: 200 watts
  • Input: 1x cinch
  • Lowest frequency: 25Hz (-3dB)
  • Dimensions: 47.5cm (d) x 37cm (b) x 54.6cm (h)
  • Weight: 22.4 kg

The Teufel S 5000 SW is a sleek looking and completely black subwoofer. No bells and whistles; just a subwoofer as we are used to. The case is sensitive to fingerprints but gives the speaker a premium look. Thanks to the heavy weight and the rubber feet, the woofer is also perfectly in place. On the front we see a silver / white emblem with the THX logo and a standby LED.

teufel-s-5000-sw

In terms of settings, there is little to report. The subwoofer comes with a volume button, which on THX’s recommendation should be placed with the THX logo (about three quarters). You can change the phase (0/180) and set the standby to ‘auto’ so that the speaker switches itself off if it no longer receives a signal and is automatically started as soon as a signal arrives. A crossover filter is not present so you are dependent on the settings of the receiver.

teufel-s-5000-sw-1

Teufel T 4000

  • Room size: 50 m²
  • Speaker: 3x woofer 130 mm
  • Positioning: Floor
  • Power: 250 Watt (peak)
  • Input: 1x cinch
  • Lowest frequency: 35Hz (-3dB)
  • Dimensions: 30cm (d) x 95.5cm (b) x 12.5cm (h)
  • Weight: 13.2 kg

The Teufel T 4000 subwoofer is a major device but not in the way we are used to. It is a flat subwoofer. The best way of placement is therefore flat. Placing under the couch or next to / under the TV cabinet will be the best solution for most people, but it can just as easily be placed in the room. You can even hang it on the wall.

teufel-t-4000-1

This subwoofer also has a very sleek and neat design, without visible buttons or striking elements. The sides are white (or black at the black version) and the middle part is provided with a fabric cover. The back is equipped with the same features as the S 5000 SW but comes with a wireless receiver that can be switched on when you buy the optional wireless transmitter, and we also see a high-pass filter back so you can decide for yourself.

teufel-t-4000-2

Audio quality

We have placed both subwoofers in our home theater, in the back of the room and thus behind the listening position. We have tried various positions but due to the optimal acoustics of the room, a different position did not have much effect. We have tested the speakers both with music and with film (Dolby Atmos soundtracks).

Teufel S 5000 SW

The Teufel S 5000 SW is a subwoofer that feels perfectly at home in a dedicated home theater. The speaker provides a wide and deep sound, both in terms of extremely deep and accurate low. During one of the most difficult scenes for a subwoofer, the train accident in Super 8, the woofer stands perfectly. The room vibrates when the train is derailed, but at the same time explosions and explosions are accurately and tightly displayed, without being ‘troubled’. The woofer never dominates and knows precisely by continuing to add value in the background. There is a lot of finesse and resolution in the sound and the low sounds are easily spread through the space (35 square meters). The volume, the power and the finesse are the big plus points when watching films.

teufel-subwoofers-review-1

We are less impressed with music. The S 5000 SW leaves some stitches here when we look at the real accuracy; the subtle low sounds that have to be reproduced with a lot of dynamics but also tight and punctual. Granted; there are also two front speakers that can be quite low (B & W CM9 S2) and it is therefore clear that the sub is not perfect in this. Yes, he adds an extra dimension, but the lack of flexibility in stereo music makes us prefer a 2.0-view. So it is really a speaker for a home theater because he shows absolutely what he can do there.

Teufel T 4000

The Teufel T 4000 is less powerful and we actually notice that directly in the dedicated home theater. He does not get as deep as the S 5000 SW and gives you a much lesser feeling in your stomach when a train is passing by. Where you feel at the S 5000 Sw in your stomach, that feeling with the T 4000 is a piece above it. However, this does not detract from the fact that the speaker is very tight and accurate; low effects are very convincing and detailed, but the emphasis is just a bit too much on the higher (50/60 / 70hz) frequencies. That the speaker is less low does not necessarily have to be a disadvantage. We placed the woofer in the living room (under the couch) and it came out much better. Not only because we expect less penetrating low here, but also because of the acoustics, or better said; lack of. The T 4000 is also just a subwoofer that goes a step further than the standard subwoofers that we get at home cinema systems. For the somewhat smaller space where not everything is about the ultimate cinema experience with very deep low (and where you prefer not to see the speakers) this woofer is extremely suitable. Place him under the bank and the lack of very low is partially compensated by the position.

teufel subwoofers review

The music reproduction of the Teufel T 4000 is reasonable to good. If we put it together with two bookshelf speakers in the living room, the woofer can offer that little extra layer, and also with a really tight ‘punch’. If we go to the 30Hz (in the source) then the woofer can dominate with a somewhat messy sound on slightly higher frequencies, but if we stay above that, there is enough dynamics, power and volume available without it becoming too much. Do not expect high-end performance, however; looking at the space in which this woofer best comes into its own and the target audience it is aimed at is an attractive and good-sounding subwoofer. But if you put high-end speakers next to it or you’re looking for those ultimate bass in your cinema, then there are better options, but you also pay a little more.

Conclusion

As expected, the Teufel S 5000 SW and the T 4000 are very different subwoofers, each with advantages and disadvantages and each being ideal environment. The S 5000 SW is an impressive subwoofer for the small to medium-sized home cinema. Here he feels like a fish in the water, with a clean, deep and impressive view. The woofer never dominates but lets you hear subtly and therefore knows how to make an impression. As far as music is concerned, we are less big fans and for the living room we find him a little too bulky. The T 4000, on the other hand, is the ideal subwoofer for the living room, especially because of its size, but also because of its performance. No excessively low, which makes the windows in the frames vibrate but low enough to prove its value for your home cinema system. It is a subwoofer that has to feel at ease with the speakers around him and must also be able to do something for it (front speakers that play very low may play away). Place it in the right setting under the sofa or under your TV cabinet and without you seeing it your home cinema experience in the living room will be given an extra dimension.