Cambridge Audio MSX Sub 200 Subwoofer

The Cambridge Audio MSX Sub 200 is a compact active subwoofer that drives a 6.5-inch woofer and two passive radiators with a dedicated 200-watt amplifier, reaching down to 36Hz from a cabinet barely eight inches square. It is tuned to add weight and impact beneath the MSX satellites without overwhelming a room, with onboard DSP keeping the low end tight at any volume.

Key Features of the MSX Sub 200

• Dedicated 200W Amplifier: Built-in power tuned to the driver for consistent, controlled output rather than the soft, one-note bass small subwoofers often settle for.
• 6.5-Inch Active Driver with Dual Passive Radiators: One powered driver works with two passive radiators to move more air and reach lower than the cabinet size suggests.
• Reaches 36Hz: Deep enough to underpin music and carry the low end of movie and TV soundtracks.
• Onboard DSP: Manages output and frequency response to keep bass stable as the level climbs.
• Variable Crossover: Adjustable from 50 to 200Hz so the Sub 200 picks up exactly where your main speakers leave off.
• Variable Phase: 0 to 180 degree control aligns the subwoofer with your speakers for tighter, more connected bass.
• Auto-On: Wakes with signal and sleeps when idle, so it can live out of reach.
• Compact Cabinet: Roughly eight inches on a side, small enough to tuck beside furniture.
• RCA Input and Pass-Through: Connects to any subwoofer or preamp output and forwards the signal on if needed.
• Two Matte Finishes: Matte black or matte white, finished to match the MSX speakers and Cambridge Audio's L/R active range.

200 Watts of Controlled Low End

The MSX Sub 200 pairs a 6.5-inch active driver with a dedicated 200-watt amplifier built into the cabinet, a combination Cambridge Audio voices for impact without bloat. Because the amplifier is matched to the driver, the Sub 200 holds its composure as you push the volume instead of going soft and one-note the way many small subwoofers do. The point is not raw loudness. It is to add the bottom octaves the compact MSX satellites cannot reach on their own, in a way that stays musical and in step with the rest of the system.

Active Driver with Dual Passive Radiators

Instead of a port, the Sub 200 teams its powered driver with two passive radiators. A passive radiator is an undriven cone that the active driver excites through the air inside the cabinet, reinforcing the lowest frequencies and extending output without the chuffing and turbulence a port can introduce at high levels. Using two of them spreads that work across more cone area, which is how a cabinet this small reaches down to 36Hz cleanly. The trade is a sub that loads the room evenly and stays tight on transients, the kind of bass that starts and stops with the music rather than lagging behind it.

DSP Keeps Deep Bass in Check

Digital signal processing sits between the input and the amplifier, watching the driver and shaping its response in real time. As the level rises, DSP manages excursion and frequency response so the Sub 200 stays controlled instead of distorting or booming at its limits. The result is a small subwoofer that behaves predictably across volumes, which matters most in the compact rooms and shared spaces the MSX system is built for.

Blending the Sub 200 With the MSX Speakers

A subwoofer only disappears into a system when it hands off cleanly to the main speakers, and the Sub 200 gives you the controls to get there. The variable crossover, adjustable from 50 to 200Hz, sets the point where the sub takes over from the satellites, so you can match it to the natural roll-off of an MSX10 or MSX20. The variable phase control, sweeping 0 to 180 degrees, time-aligns the subwoofer with your speakers depending on where each one sits in the room. Dialed in, the bass feels like it comes from the speakers themselves rather than a separate box in the corner.

A Compact Cabinet in Two Finishes

At roughly eight inches on every side, the Sub 200 is easy to place where a full-size subwoofer would not fit, whether that is beside a media unit, under a desk, or tucked against a wall. The matte black and matte white finishes are chosen to match the MSX satellites and Cambridge Audio's L/R active speakers, so the subwoofer reads as part of the system rather than an afterthought bolted on later.

Connections and Setup

A low-level RCA input feeds the Sub 200 from a subwoofer output, an AV receiver's sub pre-out, or a stereo preamp, and an RCA pass-through sends the signal on to another component when you need it. Auto-on handles power, bringing the subwoofer up when it senses a signal and dropping it back to standby when the music stops. In practice, setup comes down to one cable and a few minutes spent dialing in level and crossover, then phase.

More in the Cambridge Audio MSX Series

The MSX Sub 200 is the compact subwoofer in Cambridge Audio's MSX modular range.

• MSX Sub 300 - The larger sub, with a 300-watt amplifier and an 8-inch driver for bigger rooms.
• MSX10 - The compact satellite the Sub 200 is tuned to partner.
• MSX20 - The larger dual-driver satellite for more scale up top.

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Cambridge Audio MSX Sub 200 Specifications