PSI Audio have recently introduced the AVAA C214, an active bass trap capable of tackling room modes between 15 and 160Hz without the need for any tuning or calibration. Based on the technology used in the company’s analogue C20 unit (reviewed in the SOS August 2016 issue), this latest offering makes use of digital technology and smaller membranes to offer an even more compact footprint, as well as being controllable from a mobile or tablet application.
The company’s AVAA systems are described as behaving like a “hole in the wall”, essentially replicating the effect of low-frequency sounds passing through and leaving the room. As with the original unit, the latest version can simply be placed on a studio floor, as well as being attached to a wall or ceiling using an optional mounting system.
The system is aimed at a variety of applications including professional audio, home audio/cinema and industrial use, and is said to be a particularly effective solution for smaller spaces where the amount of physical treatment needed to effectively tackle low-frequency room modes would be impractical or impossible.
The AVAA C214 replaces the single membrane found in the C20 with a pair of smaller alternatives, resulting in a more compact footprint and aesthetically pleasing design. Despite the reduction in size, the unit’s effective range extends 10Hz higher than its predecessor, and the company say that the amount of absorption it is capable of providing is equal to a traditional physical bass trap of 45 times its size.
Other benefits of the digital processing used in the AVAA C214 include a wider sensitivity adjustment range for ensuring the best possible performance for each room, and remote control of the system’s settings from a mobile or tablet application.
Pricing & Availability
The AVAA C214 will be available from the middle of May 2023, with exact pricing details yet to be confirmed.
