Focal SW 1000 Be: When Deep Bass Becomes an Artform

 

Focal is a name steeped in speaker pedigree—its portfolio spans from entry-level Theva speakers to the ultra-luxury Grand Utopia EM Evo towers. But until now, subwoofers have been a quieter chapter in their story. Enter the SW 1000 Be: a subwoofer that doesn’t just follow the Focal tradition of excellence—it redefines what we expect when merging power, finesse, and aesthetic in one unit.

Key Highlights

13-inch proprietary “W” membrane driver

600 W RMS (“BASH®”) amplifier (750 W peak)

Fully remote-controllable interface: volume, crossover, filters, phase, memory settings

Laminar front port, elegant curved cabinet, Black Lacquer finish

Night-mode for late-night listening; three user memories; digital I/O for chaining units

Design & Build: Beauty + Brains

The heart of the SW 1000 Be is its ‘W’ membrane driver—glass fiber layers sandwiching a foam core. The kind of driver you expect in Focal’s most exalted flagship lines now standing guard in a ‘more affordable’ high-end subwoofer. This isn’t simply about loudness—it’s about vivid detailing and minimal distortion.

The cabinet itself is refined: curved sides, a front laminar port (tuned to roughly 20 Hz), all wrapped in a Black Lacquer finish. There’s a visual elegance that belies the muscle inside. And while it weighs in significantly (about 42 kg / 92 lb net), it’s built with the kind of stiffness and damping you'd expect from something designed in France, for French-speaker lovers

Controls & Features

What elevates the listening experience is how much control is at your fingertips—literally. The remote is exceptionally capable, letting you tweak:

Low-pass crossover from 50 Hz to 150 Hz

Subsonic filter (20-45 Hz)

Phase adjustments in 30° steps (0-180°)

Bass boost selectable at 30, 40, or 50 Hz (up to +6 dB)

Gain offset (±6 dB) for matching to different electronics

And the inclusion of ‘night mode’ means you can enjoy dynamic content late without waking the household.

Listening / Performance

System Pairings & Impressions

Two systems were used:

1. A high-$output setup: Sonus faber Maxima Amator towers driven by a Michi stack (preamplifier, amp, DAC), with all the high-end trimmings.

2. A more lifestyle/monitor-oriented system: Focal’s Sopra N°1 stand-mounts powered by Naim’s Uniti Nova PE integrated amp/streamer.

In both settings, the SW 1000 Be proved itself not as a boom-box, but as an enhancer. It extended the bass downward, but also added texture. Swinging between tracks with heavy drums, synthesized bass, or pipe organs, it remained taut: bass notes hit with precision, transitions clean, no overhang or muddiness. When you engage it, the whole stage—depth, width, realism—gets lifted. When you turn it off, you notice what was missing.

Low-Frequency Performance

Measurements showed the SW 1000 Be holding flat down to about 23 Hz, with -6 dB around 20 Hz—very close to the claimed specification. That gives a very satisfying rumble that you don’t just hear, you feel—especially in a properly treated room or with good amplification.