Monitor Audio Anthra W15
The Anthra W15 delivers deep, controlled bass with the speed and texture to elevate both cinema and stereo. Its 1,400W sealed design supplies thunderous LFE without sacrificing seamless musical integration, while MaestroUnite offers exceptionally granular tuning. Steve May admired its smooth, agile authority; Mike Prager found its bass and ambience blend naturally into revealing systems.
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Deliciously Crispy
Bass
94/100
Integration
93/100
Dynamics
94/100
Build Quality
91/100
Features Usability
94/100
Value for Money
91/100
Pros
Deep, powerful yet controlled bass delivers formidable cinematic slam while retaining detail and natural musical texture.
Integrates seamlessly with stereo systems, adding ambience, weight and extension without overhang or drawing attention to itself.
MaestroUnite provides extensive, easy-to-use adjustment of phase, crossover, level and sophisticated custom EQ.
Premium sealed cabinet construction, refined finish and comprehensive RCA/XLR connectivity support high-end installations.
Cons
No speaker-level input, which can complicate connection to systems without a dedicated subwoofer output.
The app cannot back up or restore settings to external storage.
Not quite the tightest or fastest performer in the lowest octaves, despite its impressive articulation and output.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Bass
94/100
Reviewers consistently praise the W15's deep, controlled and highly detailed low-end output. It delivers formidable slam and room-filling LFE, while music retains the natural plucked texture of bass instruments; one reviewer notes it is not quite the tightest or fastest in the very lowest octaves.
Integration
93/100
The W15 was described as blending seamlessly with revealing speakers, reinforcing bass and ambience without drawing attention to itself. Reviewers also report no overhang or residual bass, and found its EQ controls made it simple to add depth and weight to a stereo system.
Dynamics
94/100
There is substantial evidence of high output and impact: reviewers describe floor-shaking bass, room-shaking booms, formidable slam and powerful transient attack. Explosive movie effects have force and weight, but the sub also handles subtler rumbles and rhythmic music with agility.
Build Quality
91/100
The cabinet's thick MDF panels, substantial front baffle and extensive bracing are repeatedly noted, alongside an imposing but refined appearance. Reviewers praise the lush gloss finish, magnetic grille and bespoke-looking amplifier implementation, though there is little long-term durability commentary.
Features Usability
94/100
MaestroUnite is widely praised for its easy, glitch-free setup and unusually deep control over phase, crossover, level and eight-band user PEQ profiles. RCA and balanced XLR inputs and outputs, daisy-chaining, on-unit controls and firmware updates make this a flexible system, although it lacks speaker-level inputs and settings cannot be backed up externally.
Value for Money
91/100
At around £2,500 in the UK and $3,900 in the US, this is clearly a premium subwoofer rather than an entry-level purchase. Even so, reviewers call it one of the best stereo-music subwoofers heard around its price and praise its blend of features, appearance, value and clean bass power.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
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Specifications
- System Format
- Active - Sealed Cabinet
- Drive Unit Complement
- 1x 15" (381 mm) High Linear-Excusion Triple Suspension Driver
- Amplifier Classification
- High-Efficiency Class-D
- Lower Frequency Limit
- -6dB @16Hz
- Upper Frequency Limit
- (LPF Off) -6dB @400Hz
- Driver Excursion (pk-pk)
- 50 mm
- DSP
- 28 Bit 50 MIPS Configuratable through MaestroUnite
- Analogue Digital Conversion
- Autoranging Input which combines a 10Vrms maximum input with low signal to noise for small signals
- Amplifier Output Power, 240Vac
- Instantaneous: 2500 W* Continuous short-term: 1400 W**
- Amplifier Output Power, 120Vac
- Instantaneous: 2500 W Continuous short-term: 1400 W
- LED UI Control
- Brightness, On-Off
- Phase Control
- 0-360 Degrees measured at LPF Crossover
- Low Pass Filter
- 20-200Hz LPF with Roll off Adjustable from -3 to -48dB/Oct
- Custom EQ
- Configurable through MaestroUnite;3 pre-defined EQ curves plus 3 custom EQ curves each with 8 band custom EQ supporting (Peaking, High Shelf, Low Shelf, High Pass)
- Volume Level
- Wide adjustable input gain to allow maximum output from a wide range of input signals
- Inputs
- Stereo Unbalanced RCA (or mono/LFE using only connector marked LFE) Mono/LFE Balanced XLR
- Outputs
- Stereo unbalanced outputs with unbuffered throughput from RCA Inputs Mono/LFE Balaned XLR outputs with unbuffered throughput from XLR Input
- Mains Input Voltage
- Universal Mains, 85-265VAC
- External Dimensions (without feet) (HxWxD)
- 439 x 439 x 439 mm
- Power Consumption
- 550 W
- Cabinet Construction
- Braced 25 mm thick MDF with 36 mm front baffle
- Grille
- Cloth covered magnetically attached Grilles
- Weight
- 35.41 kg (78 lb 1 oz)
- Warranty
- 5 years
Manufacturer's Description — Monitor Audio
The W15 is the largest subwoofer within the Anthra subwoofer series. It features a 15” (38 cm) Rigid Surface Technology II (RST II) C-CAM high-excursion driver powered by a Class-D 2,500 Watt amplifier, housed within a comprehensively internally braced, sealed-box cabinet.
The latest firmware is V1.0.434. Click here for more information.
Features at a glance:
15” Rigid Surface Technology II | C-CAM high-excursion driver | Class-D 2500 Watt amplifier | Full-colour LCD display | RCA outputs | Massive motor assembles | Compatible with MaestroUnite | XLR inputs | XLR outputs | MaestroUnite Setup
Deep, Controlled Bass. Simply.
Engineered to deliver the deepest bass in the largest of spaces, the Anthra W15 subwoofer features a massively powerful 2,500 Watt Class-D amplifier driving a 15” (38cm) Rigid Surface Technology II (RST II) C-CAM high-excursion driver. The W15 can be used on its own or linked with up to three other Anthra subwoofers for a truly immersive, ultra-dynamic listening experience.
A full-colour LCD display and rotatory dial are located on the back panel to allow for basic subwoofer setup and EQ preset selection, while advanced features including DSP configuration and multi-sub connectivity setup are available via the MaestroUnite app.
Subwoofers and Their Ideal Placement
Forget simply finding a spot that fits—proper subwoofer placement is a crucial element in the art and science of audio, requiring a touch of knowledge and a willingness to experiment.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Monitor Audio Anthra W15
- Absolute Audio - Canada — in-store — Calgary, Alberta, Canada (website)
- Acton Gate Audio — online and in-store — Cymru, United Kingdom (website)
- Advance Audio — in-store — Wichita, Kansas, United States (website)
- AES — in-store — Mitte, Hessen, Germany (website)
- Alen Audio — in-store — Extramurs, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Alex Audio Video — in-store — Sofia, Sofia City Province, Bulgaria (website)
- All Elite Audio — online and in-store — Perry Hall, Maryland, United States (website)
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- Alpha Stereo — in-store — Plattsburgh, New York, United States (website)
- Ambiance Concert — in-store — Angers, Pays de la Loire, France (website)
and 180 more verified dealers