It's not a regular catalog item, but Sound Lab does build electrostatic subwoofers that are probably the most accurate subs ever made.
This because of their figure-8 dipole radiation pattern, if nothing else - you see, for the same sound pressure level, a monopole sub puts out 5 db more into exciting the room's resonant modes. And it's the room's resonant modes that keep the bass notes from decaying properly, even with an ultra-fast driver. So the room's sonic signature inevitably muddies the bass. All other subs are inherently compromised in this area by their omnidirectional radiation pattern.
And when it comes to fast drivers, how many subwoofers out there use a driver that can also accurately trace a 25 kHz signal? Not many, I'll bet. You know how a good electrostat can let you hear every fiber in the brush as it caresses the cymbal? The Sound Lab subs can bring this kind of articulation down into the ultradeep bass.
Ultimately, it's all about tradeoffs, and the big Sound Lab subs aren't going to play as loud or as deep, dollar-for-dollar, as a state-of-the-art box sub. They are not the ultimate dinosaur-footfall sub. But they do music second to none, because of their room-friendly radiation pattern, their inherent absolute freedom from boxy colorations, and their ultrafast drivers.
Well if this sounds like the ravings of a proud owner, I can only say, I wish! My showroom doesn't have room for these beasts. Maybe some day...
This because of their figure-8 dipole radiation pattern, if nothing else - you see, for the same sound pressure level, a monopole sub puts out 5 db more into exciting the room's resonant modes. And it's the room's resonant modes that keep the bass notes from decaying properly, even with an ultra-fast driver. So the room's sonic signature inevitably muddies the bass. All other subs are inherently compromised in this area by their omnidirectional radiation pattern.
And when it comes to fast drivers, how many subwoofers out there use a driver that can also accurately trace a 25 kHz signal? Not many, I'll bet. You know how a good electrostat can let you hear every fiber in the brush as it caresses the cymbal? The Sound Lab subs can bring this kind of articulation down into the ultradeep bass.
Ultimately, it's all about tradeoffs, and the big Sound Lab subs aren't going to play as loud or as deep, dollar-for-dollar, as a state-of-the-art box sub. They are not the ultimate dinosaur-footfall sub. But they do music second to none, because of their room-friendly radiation pattern, their inherent absolute freedom from boxy colorations, and their ultrafast drivers.
Well if this sounds like the ravings of a proud owner, I can only say, I wish! My showroom doesn't have room for these beasts. Maybe some day...