B&W PV1

At one time, subwoofers that had any pretentions to good performance were big and ugly. Later, as engineers got to grips with designing robust drivers that could withstand high levels of electronic equalisation, they became small and a little less ugly. Yes, there were subwoofers that paid lip service to styling, but generally their performance was compromised.

The PV1, although elegant and stylish, owes its curved shape to sound engineering principles, those of a pressure vessel, from which the initials in the name derive. From a simple bubble to a sophisticated deep sea diving bell, a spherical form is the ideal shape to accommodate pressure differences between the inside and outside of the enclosure; and there can be considerable pressures generated inside compact subwoofers. The intrinsic strength of the form enables a relatively thin wall construction to the aluminium enclosure, maximising the internal volume.

Twin drivers operate back to back to minimise pressure differences throughout the internal volume, which increases the spherical form's ability to withstand vibration and reduce coloration. The driver diaphragms too are built to withstand pressure, being a three layer construction of mica cone, expanded polystyrene filler and concave aluminium outer skin.

Coupled to 500 watts of ICEpower® amplification, the drivers have the dynamics and control to deliver all a subwoofer should, from the loudest movie effect to the delicate portrayal of the acoustic of a large concert hall. For the largest installations, multiple subwoofers can be daisy chained for higher output levels.

The subwoofer accepts both line level and speaker level inputs, the input panel being hidden discreetly in the base, the flush controls at the side provide the flexibility to marry the subwoofer to a wide variety of speakers, from our FPM Series to more conventional designs.

The PV1 is available in a choice of finishes: gloss black with anthracite trim, gloss silver with grey trim, and gloss white with chrome trim.