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Abstract
So put that on the wish list for next year, Onkyo. The SBX-300, meanwhile, is a significant upgrade from the typical less-than-$200 speaker dock. The "iOnly Bass" name might be nothing more than a come-on to headbangers who have never heard of Onkyo - and just to be sure, the company affixes a "Powerful Bass" sticker to the SBX-300's bass.
When an LED indicator light shines green, it's Super Bass 1. Next stage, orange, is Super Bass 2. With most music, the SBX-300 away from a wall, Super Bass Lite sounds emaciated. Super Bass 1 is better, though sometimes boomy. Super Bass 2 is even better, though occasionally overbaked depending on the music.
Bass, as measured using a test tone, reached about 55 hertz - comparable to a small bookshelf speaker - and even lower with Super Bass 2 engaged. The SBX-300 has two full-frequency drivers, each 41/8 inches, no tweeter dedicated to higher frequencies. Yet backed by 20-watt Class D amplification and some Super Bass, the SBX-300 sounded full-bodied, at least by speaker-dock standards.