KRK Systems S12.4 Subwoofer Review

Have you been waiting to revitalize your existing monitors, studio, or DJ setup? Are you looking for a transformational upgrade in sound? Well, wait no longer, the S class of KRK subwoofer has landed. 

KRK Systems have long been a preferred home and studio recording monitors for many DJs and producers globally.

Their standout yellow and black color scheme is an instantly recognizable beacon of premium quality sonic accuracy referencing, bringing a rich feature set and high-definition sound across an impressive range of frequencies with commendable longevity.

Video Review

Overview

Alongside undeniable quality in KRK products, there is also welcoming affordability to their units – often squashing the competition on price and sacrificing little in the way of specification and features. 

One of their biggest USPs is a wealth of offerings for many different levels, presenting as little or as much as you need to suit your needs – at a price that won’t leave you eating baked beans until payday rolls around.

One of the most often understated products is the KRK subwoofer setting range. The S12.4 KRK-powered studio subwoofer is the big brother to the KRK s10.4.

The KRK subwoofer range offers an impressive spec and is a more than worthy adversary to their championed range of monitors.

Although the S12.4 KRK powered studio subwoofer has been available for a little while now, you can pick one up for anything in the range of £699 – £799; secondhand KRK subwoofer units are available online at considerably lower prices, depending on the seller and condition. 

Tech Specs

Features

Deepened Frequency Response

One of the single most important features when searching for a good subwoofer is the wealth of range it offers, especially when you are aiming for a setup that emulates the same full range audio and potency as a club setup. 

Huge speaker stacks cost many thousands of pounds and aren’t a realistic choice for your home or studio, but it doesn’t mean that you can aim to get as close to that as possible with a much smaller setup.

Frequency response is an area in which the S12.4 KRK-powered studio subwoofer truly excels. Most nearfield existing monitors will tend to cap off at around 40Hz, with some options even giving a little lower reach.

But how much quality are they compromising in simply being able to hit that lower shelf? 

The answer is simple, nowhere near as clear or rich as the S12.4 KRK subwoofer does – flawlessly. Quite like most cars, just because they can hit a certain top speed, it doesn’t mean you should continually push them to the limit. 

That’s where the KRK subwoofer range differs as the S12.4 KRK subwoofer, in particular, offers a comfortable and sustainable depth of up to 26Hz – giving you that real enjoyable resonation in the pit of your stomach.

System Integration

One of the hardest parts of attaining good and balanced audio is perfecting the setup. It can take ages to hit the sweet spot and get it tweaked just right for the space that holds your system. 

You may think that adding a robust subwoofer into that mix may throw everything way off-kilter – whilst becoming unbearably loud for your neighbors.

That’s where the S12.4 KRK subwoofer offers another pleasant rise of the brow and nod of the head. 

Providing you have fairly sized studio monitors to go with it that won’t be overpowered by the unwavering competence of the S12.4, its dedicated sub and crossover filter footswitch, and optional High-pass crossover filter exclusive bypass control feature makes it the perfect addition to your setup. 

If you’re looking for defined bass to bolster your mixing, mastering, sound design, broadcast, or production work, then this is an undeniably premier choice. 

Look & Feel of the S12.4

Visually, the S12.4 KRK subwoofer is identifiable as a signature KRK Systems piece from a mile away.

The sleek curvature of its reinforced MDF enclosure, complemented by the trademark yellow woofer (impressively made from Kevlar), means that it blends like a chameleon into existing KRK Systems setups and is the ideal aesthetic big brother to the Rokit monitors. 

You may want to get someone to give you a hand with the setup, as the S12.4 KRK subwoofer weighs in just shy of a whopping 30kg (62.5 lbs, to be precise). Although it’s way up on the mammoth end in terms of weight, you quickly see why once you get it set up and firing. 

Last but not least, it also comes with a front firing bass port, which will help boost low-frequency extension without giving your walls too much of a hammering whilst brightening the mix.

KRK Subwoofer S12.4 : The Verdict

If you’re looking to use the S12.4 KRK powered studio subwoofer for dance music purposes, this is one of the best KRK subwoofers available on the market – under £1000.

Just as the KRK s10.4 and s8 models, marry it up with proportionate powered monitors & you have yourself a more than capable rig with insane levels of defined bass.

These studio monitors delivers the goods! Perfect for performance or production purposes, the S12.4 KRK subwoofer is ideal for giving you those deeper frequencies at really high quality without too much boom or muddiness.