Elac Varro PS500 Powered Subwoofer (15-inch, 1000W)

ELAC Varro Premium PS500 Powered Subwoofer

The ELAC Varro PS500 is the 15-inch model in ELAC’s Varro Premium subwoofer series. A 15-inch treated-paper woofer is driven by a BASH amplifier rated at 500 watts RMS (1,000 watts peak) in a bass-reflex cabinet, giving a rated response of 20 Hz to 150 Hz anechoic and a maximum output of 115 dB. Setup is handled through ELAC’s Sub Control 3.0 app, which includes Auto EQ room correction measured with the phone’s microphone — the feature that most improves real-world subwoofer performance.

Key features

• 15-inch treated-paper woofer
• BASH amplifier: 500 W RMS, 1,000 W peak
• Frequency response 20 Hz to 150 Hz (anechoic)
• Maximum SPL 115 dB
• Sub Control 3.0 app with Auto EQ room correction
• Adjustable low-pass filter, 40 to 150 Hz
• RCA line-level and speaker-level inputs

Driver and amplifier

The 15-inch cone is treated paper — light, stiff and well damped — in a bass-reflex enclosure tuned for the bottom octave of film soundtracks. BASH (Bridged Amplifier Switching Hybrid) amplification combines a Class AB output stage with a tracking switch-mode supply, delivering the current a large woofer demands with better efficiency than a conventional linear supply. The ratings to note are 500 W continuous RMS; the 1,000 W figure sometimes used in headlines is the peak rating.

Auto EQ via the app

Room modes, not specifications, decide how a subwoofer sounds in a home. ELAC’s Sub Control 3.0 app measures the subwoofer’s in-room response through the phone microphone and applies Auto EQ correction, while also exposing volume, low-pass frequency, phase and presets remotely over Bluetooth Low Energy. This replaces the rear-panel-only adjustment of older designs and makes placement experiments quick enough to actually perform.

Integration

The low-pass filter adjusts from 40 to 150 Hz to blend with anything from compact satellites to large floorstanders. Inputs include stereo RCA line-level and speaker-level terminals for amplifiers without a subwoofer output, and a USB port handles firmware updates. Auto power modes switch the amplifier with the signal.

Cabinet

The PS500 measures 480 x 460 x 460 mm and weighs 25.9 kg in a black vinyl finish. It is the largest of the Varro Premium trio (PS250, PS350, PS500), specified for medium to large cinema rooms where a single subwoofer must pressurise the space alone.

Placement and setup notes

A 15-inch driver moves enough air to excite every room mode in a typical room, so placement is worth an experiment: start with the subwoofer in a front corner for maximum boundary gain, run the Auto EQ, then compare against a mid-wall position where response is usually flatter but output lower. Because correction and level are set from the listening seat through the app, comparing positions takes minutes rather than an afternoon. Allow ventilation space around the rear amplifier panel in any position.

Specifications

ELAC’s full manufacturer specification for the Varro PS500 is listed in the Additional Information tab.