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 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.

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]

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

In light of Paradigm's recent 15-inch Signature SUB 25 subwoofer, you might glance right past the PCS-80R (round) and PCS-80SQ (square) 8-inch models planned for CES release. Since they're in-wall subs, that's kind of the point, but also bear in mind that these new boomers are meant to be used in pairs; so even for the target entry-level applications, these should have decent output. Mounting speakers flush with walls has always been a problem, especially for low frequencies, but Paradigm assures us that the chassis and mounting of the PCS subs in the walls will ensure that nasty wall resonances will be tamed and these should plumb the depths quite nicely, especially when paired with a Paradigm X-300 subwoofer amplifier (with its own EQ). No prices yet, but we're sure details will come forth at the CES unveiling.

If Paradigm's Signature SUB 25 subwoofer that was shown off at CEDIA caught your eye and that dedicated electrical service you installed to take advantage of its amplifier's specified 3,000-Watt continuous output has been mocking you, it's time to close the deal. The $4,000 Signature SUB 25 is now shipping, complete with its power factor corrected supply that will take your input voltage of anywhere from 108V - 265V and give you back 3-inches of excursion on the 15-inch cone. Even though Paradigm could have gone for an eco-friendly angle with the more efficient amplifier design, this is obviously about indulgence. The companion Perfect Bass Kit which you'll eventually want to help you tune the bass to your room is still unreleased, but we figure you'll have plenty of fun just playing with this new toy in the meantime. Full details (and a few more pics) after the break.

So, you're one of those "build your own multi-channel surround system" folks, are you? If so, we'll bet you're a lot like Jeff (and you didn't even know it).

"I'm in the process of assembling a 5.1 system for my den, but I'm really concerned about making the right decision on a subwoofer. I'm putting a cap of $500 on it, but I want the most boom (and tightest boom) for my buck. I haven't purchased my towers or surrounds yet, so I'm open to any brand / model / etc."

Ah, starting with the low-end, are we? Probably not a bad place to begin, quite honestly, and we're hoping that you readers can chime in with a few recommendations for this here bass lover. Rumble away in comments below.

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