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JVC intros cord-free TH-BA3 and TH-BS7 soundbar audio systems
JVC's never been much on using wires to hook up its home theater systems, and for those not looking for mind-blowing 7.1 surround, these soon-available wireless soundbar setups might just satisfy your aural cravings without forcing you to run ungodly lengths of cabling around your den. The TS-BA3 ($549.95) is a dual wireless soundbar system that consists of a 280-watt amplifier, 5.1-channel surround rig (including a soundbar, wireless subwoofer and wireless rear speaker kit) and built-in surround decoding. You'll also find a single analog input, two optical digital inputs and support for Dolby Digital, DTS and Dolby ProLogic II surround signals. The TH-BS7 ($599.95) is engineered to mount alongside flat-panel HDTVs, with a 1.4-inch tall, ultrathin soundbar, an even slimmer wall-mountable amplifier / control unit and a wireless subwoofer. This one's packing 180-watts of teeth-rattling oomph and promises 4.1 sound with minimal consumption of floor space. Hop on past the break for the full release and detailed specifications. %Gallery-80245%
Twelve South's BassJump subwoofer improves your MacBook experience via USB, not parachute
The speakers on the MacBook line are generally quite good -- for a laptop. Rock your world they won't, but Twelve South's BassJump might just add that low-frequency kick your unibody workhorse has been missing. The solitary speaker connects via USB and, through an analog-styled tuning app, augments the built-in speakers of the laptop with much-needed bass. If the styling didn't clue you in this is only for MacBooks and, at $80, seems to come at quite a premium over your average set of portable speakers. It's certainly nicer looking.
Altec Lansing FX3021 Expressionist Plus reviewed, deemed good value
Speakers might be among the worst hardware to assess online. What do 36 watts of power output and a 40Hz to 20kHz response range tell you about the actual audio quality? A kindly soul over at Macworld has tried to clear that up for us with a review of Altec Lansing's prettified Expressionist Plus 2.1 setup. The tiltable satellites score design points for their looks, though that all-important sound output was deemed only middle of the road. Real bass response begins at somewhere around 70Hz and the midrange is, well, middling, though treble definition is considered rich and well detailed. The reviewer also notes that while the design is attractive, the positioning of the power button and extra audio input on the subwoofer makes for awkward day-to-day use. On the whole, with online prices in the vicinity of $75, this looks like a decent value, so hit up the full review if your interest has been piqued.
Paradigm SUB 1 and SUB 2 subwoofers -- six drivers on three sides for buzz-free bass
Paradigm doesn't move models in and out of its Reference Signature lineup very often, and the SUB 25 was introduced less than a year ago. Progress never stops, though, and the SUB 25 has been displaced as top dog by the SUB 2 and its "little" brother SUB 1. These new designs feature six drivers (10-inches in the SUB 2, 8-inches for the SUB 1) arranged in three radially symmetric stacked pairs -- the end result being a lot of effective radiating area with in-cabinet forces that balance each other out. In the real world, that means more boom and less buzz, especially with the kilowatt range Class D amps Paradigm includes in these subs. Yeah, we want one too, but even with just six drivers this isn't going to come cheap. The $3,500 price tag on the SUB 1 is comparable to the outgoing SUB 25, but the SUB 2 will sink your wallet to a $7,500 crush depth. Pick yourself up off the floor and read the full release after the break if you're interested.
KEF lands its wireless HTB2SE-W subwoofer
Don't get us wrong -- we love subwoofers -- but honestly we've been pretty satisfied with the formula that combines a driver, strong box and large amplifier into a more or less (we prefer less) inconspicuous cube. Changing the physical design always looks kind of strange, even when the results are great. Horses for courses, however, as KEF has introduced its HTB2SE-W subwoofer that has us thinking of one George Jetson. That impression is only enhanced by the wireless connection (hey, it was futuristic a few years ago) that promises "CD-quality sound," which is probably more than sufficient for even lossless LFE tracks. If you don't like the flying saucer look, simply put the HTB2SE-W on its side -- the 10-inch driver and 250-Watt amp promise to deliver bass so non-directional that you won't be able to tell the difference. Available next month for $1,200 -- head below the fold for one more pic if you're not sure if this is the look for you.
Atlantic Technology's FS-7.0 soundbar leaves nothing behind, crams all 7 surround audio channels into one cabinet
We were so intrigued to hear how much bass Atlantic Technology could squeeze from a small speaker with its H-PAS technology that we overlooked the company's passive FS-7.0 soundbar. That's right -- passive -- for the person who needs the compact footprint of a soundbar, but can't let go of the processing, signal switching and performance of a separate AV receiver. Atlantic Technology managed to squeeze enough drivers (and we assume speaker taps) into the 40-inch soundbar to handle all 7 audio channels; which might explain why there was no room left for a built-in amplifier. LCR audio is handled by three 1-inch tweets and a pair of 4x6-inch woofers along the front face, and the surround and rear surround audio is handled by the triple voice coil, 3.25-inch drivers on each side of the cabinet. The company PR assures that this arrangement creates spacious audio, and with all the surround audio coming from the front of the room, we're sure that's true -- but not necessarily good. More channels isn't necessarily better, but anyone with FS-7.0's $800 asking price (and maybe even $300 for the companion SB-800 sub) and an open mind is free to give us their impressions below.
B&W dives deep with its ASW 12 CM subwoofer
For those craving just a little more bass -- or, let's face it, bragging rights -- than afforded by the 10-inch ASW 10 CM subwoofer, Bowers and Wilkins has gone ahead and added the ASW 12 CM. Guess what? It's a 12-inch model. Going along with the B&W calling card of a cone with Kevlar, the ASW 12 CM adds a 500-Watt switching amp and a three-way switch for selecting between the 18, 23 and 28-Hz low frequency cutoffs. Insecure audiophiles may never consider dialing things back from the 18-Hz rating they paid $2,000 for, but sensible folk will heed our advice -- if your room can't handle really low bass, don't even try to make it work; definitely go for bass quality and not just quantity. B&W agrees, and has added controls for low-pass frequency, roll-off alignment, and phase so you can tweak to your ears' content.
Harman Specialty Group shows off new gear to bust your wallet
When most people with sub-seven figure incomes hear "Harman," they think "Kardon." High-enders with more... advantageous... economic situations might think of names like Mark Levinson, Revel and Lexicon. For them, the Harman Specialty Group is rolling out some appropriately over-the-top gear to go along with the Lexicon BD-30 Blu-ray deck. The Mark Levinson No. 500H-series amplifiers continue with the familiar tower design, but tout new circuit topology -- we're assuming Class H -- into the various multichannel models, with the top-dog 535H punching out 1,000-Watts. On the speaker side of the house, Revel is bringing the Ultima Rhythm2 and Performa B150 powered subwoofers to the party. Revel considerately throws in amplifiers (2,400-Watts for the Ultima and 1,200 for the Performa) rather than forcing you to pick up another Mark Levinson amp. Pricing undetermined, but you can look to other offerings from these brands for suitably stratospheric guidance.
Wisdom Audio packs a new SCS subwoofer in its CEDIA baggage
Wisdom Audio is going to use CEDIA to debut its new Sage Series SCS "suitcase" subwoofer. Despite the fact that the press release shreds any secrecy, it sounds like something right out of Connery-era Q's lab -- the little beast packs a 300-Watt amp and dual 5x7.5-inch woofers into a modest 37x22x6-inch package that can crank out 22Hz bass. How was it that Bond took his martinis again? Don't be fooled by the "suitcase" nickname, take the 300-Watt amp as a clue that this design isn't about portable audio. Rather, the svelte (by subwoofer standards) profile and selectable porting of the SCS will allow integrators to put the sub into creative places when it ships later this year for $4,000.
Bag End's IDS12-I subwoofer -- small but mighty
Bag End is one of those brands that's fairly well known in pro circles, but almost unheard of by general consumers. The no-frills enclosures would definitely be a hard sell in most domiciles -- unless you live in the Bat Cave or something -- but the bass performance is nothing to sneeze at. The latest IDS12-I mates a 12-inch INFRA cone to a 220-Watt onboard amp to deliver flat response all the way down to 18Hz. Pretty impressive for a little 15x18x15-inch box, and more than enough to rock the Shire, eh? Just make sure you've got XLR cabling or at least an adapter -- balanced inputs only need apply.
Axiom Audio's mighty EP800 subwoofer gets reviewed in Israel
When a new flagship subwoofer gets reviewed, enduring a little machine translation is totally worthwhile. Actually, mister roboto did a pretty good job with Israeli site hometheater.co.il's review of Axiom Audio's EP800, but even if it hadn't you could have guessed that the dual 12-inch drivers, 800-Watt amp and sealed cabinet of the tower-sub goes way low, way loud. The brave reviewer went way beyond the well-appointed connection/adjustment panel of this sub and really dove into the guts -- we just hope that they securely tightened down the drivers upon reassembly! Other highlights of the review include the EP800 box overshadowing a small child and a video clip of Axiom's 90-foot measuring tower. Hit the link for the fun stuff -- trust us, the giddy joy of a big sub survives translation. [Via Audioholics]
BG Radia's BGX-4850 in-wall subwoofer shakes loose a rave review
It's been a while since we heard about BG Radia's THX Ultra2-certified in-wall subwoofers, the BGX-4850, so we were pretty happy to see that AVGuide put them to a review. Word to the wise -- don't scoff at the small 4-inch drivers used in this subwoofer; by packing 48 of those little cones into each module in a kind of boxer style layout (Porsche and Subaru fans take note), the BGX-4850 (combined with a 2,200-Watt amp and a healthy dollop of DSP) turned loose sub-20Hz response that the reviewer ate up. No smudgy, slow, plodding bass here -- quite the opposite, actually. The reviewer said the transient response may outpace some of the primary speakers with which it's paired; something good is going on here. Good enough, in fact, to net perfect 10s for everything but the "value" portion of the competition; somehow you just knew that $7,000 tag would catch a snag somewhere along the way.
Hertz so good -- Paradigm Signature SUB 25 subwoofer review
We've had Paradigm's top-end Signature SUB 25 in our room for quite a while now, but trust us, coming to grips with how this beast performs has been truly challenging. Obviously, it goes really low, really loud -- the combination of a 15-inch front-mounted driver, an amp capable of cranking out 3,000-Watts (if your electrical service is up to snuff), and Paradigm's design and engineering chops pretty much guarantees that much. But after the novelty of cranking up the bass and making everything in the room rattle wears off, you've got to integrate the bass with the rest of your system. How well a sub can pull off this disappearing act is the true test of its worth. Read on to find out how well Paradigm's big dog pulled off this stunt.
Paradigm SUB 25 subwoofer hands-on
The Paradigm Signature SUB 25 looked small enough in the back of the freight truck, but by the time it was at our front door, all 150-pounds of it seemed appropriately intimidating. If you're fortunate enough to have one of these $4,000 beasts delivered to you, we recommend you get a friend to help with setup. All the better if that friend happens to be an electrician -- have them install 15A, 250V service to the living room so you can make use of that other power cord and test out the 3,000-Watt amplifier spec. The SUB 25 is menacingly handsome in glossy black and built like a tank; unfortunately, the grille is also fixed, so no pics of the 15-inch driver. Around back are RCA and XLR inputs and adjustment controls, but we'd recommend you spring an extra $300 for the Perfect Bass Kit and automatically get your SUB 25 dialed in via its USB port. Even though it's nowhere near cheap, that doesn't mean the SUB 25 can't present value to well-heeled bassheads, and we'll try to suss that out over the coming weeks. Feel free to peruse the photos after the break while we grab some ibuprofen for our aching backs and alert the neighbors (not necessarily in that order).
Aperion Audio rolls its new Bravus 8A Subwoofer into a sub-$1000 speaker system
Aperion Audio just took the wraps off its new budget-priced Bravus 8A subwoofer, a $319 model featuring a ported 8-inch aluminum cone backed by a 100-Watt amplifier and a adjustable (40 - 160Hz) crossover that promises to deliver quality bass for your bucks. That's a tough price point for standalone subs, but luckily Aperion has another way to get the new model into living rooms -- incorporating it into the Intimus 4B Harmony SA 5.1-channel speaker system. Take one Bravus 8A (in either cherry or gloss black), mix in four Intimus 4B satellite speakers and top it all off with a 4C center channel, put it on the menu for $999 and let people take a taste test in their own home. Sounds good to us, so let us know if you take the plunge. Full press release after the break.
Elemental Designs' A7S-450 subwoofer is Audioholics tested, basshead approved
Physics being what they are, getting seriously low bass out of a speaker requires either a large driver/enclosure backed by a lot of power or a smaller driver/enclosure with a ridiculous amount of power; either approach tends to get expensive as things dip below 30Hz. But maybe not as expensive as you feared -- Audioholics put the circa $800 (exact price varies depending on options) A7S-450 subwoofer from Elemental Designs and found a lot to like for both music and movie lovers. The large basic black box may not be easy to hide, but it will probably match your decor better than the company's 12-sided contraption. Quit your snickering over the unfortunate references to Elemental Designs' self-imposed "eD" moniker, the 18-inch driver teamed up with the 1,300-Watt amp to deliver serious bass. Hit the link for the review, but if you buy one, be sure to leave it on -- at least until Elemental Designs adds "soft-start" circuitry that will keep your circuit breaker from tripping when you cycle power.
Paradigm's SUB 12 and SUB 15 subwoofers promise to dive deep, make a big splash
Replacing the well-regarded Servo-15 and Seismic 12 subwoofers, Paradigm has brought in the SUB 12 and SUB 15 to bring joy to your HT room. Borrowing some tech from the positively scary Signature SUB 25, the two new models are able to do away with the servo feedback-control while posting better performance across the "three Ls" -- louder, lower-frequency and lower-distortion. How does extension to 12-Hz on the SUB 15 and 16-Hz for the SUB 12 sound to you? Yeah, we thought so. Still, those last few hertz cost some money -- $1,999 and $2,799 for the Sub 12 and SUB 15, respectively. Still, few things in your HT will put a stupid grin on your face like bass you feel in your gut. Check the press release after the break and alert the neighbors before you pick one up.
Polk snips the cord on PSWi225 portable wireless subwoofer
Haven't you heard? Wireless subwoofers are all the rage right now, man. Polk Audio is following the lead of Infinity and a gaggle of others by introducing the PSWi225, a "portable" cord-free subwoofer that can be added in to any home theater / stereo setup with utmost ease. The earth-shaker supports RF wireless signal transmission and delivers a 40Hz to 180Hz frequency response from the floor-firing enclosure. The unit itself measures in at 12- x 13- x 12-inches and houses a rugged long-throw Dynamic Balance co-polymer driver with Butyl Rubber surround. Curiously, there's no mention of the speaker size, though we are told that an active crossover system is included for those who like to fiddle. Check it this March for $399 (MSRP).
Polk SurroundBar SDA IHT gets reviewed, lives up to its name
It sure didn't take long for Polk's SurroundBar SDA Instant Home Theater (IHT) to find its way into the hands of the review crew at Gaming Nexus, and it sounds like it lived up to the billing. The "instant" bit certainly came through, as the kit was set up inside of five minutes; as far as "home theater," the virtual surround did a good job of putting at least the "sweet spot" listener in a soundfield that was convincing. The 2.4GHz wireless subwoofer connection held up just fine, and the boom from the little box was satisfactory. All said, it sounds like a candidate for the short list if you're shopping all-in-one speaker systems.
Polk adds some oomph to its SurroundBar SDA Instant Home Theater
Getting bass out of a soundbar that conveys proper theater impact is asking for a bit much, so Polk Audio has wisely chosen to add a standalone subwoofer and name the package the SurroundBar SDA Instant Home Theater (IHT). Of course, soundbar shoppers are likely concerned about stringing wires across the living room floor, ceiling, or what have you, so Polk has added a wireless connection between the SurroundBar and the 6.5-inch subwoofer. Nice and tidy, and it'll ship this month for a buck under $600 $500.