Audio Video News

Always seeking cost-effective improvements in home theater sound, Norwood, MA-based Atlantic Technology has introduced a subwoofer controller that the manufacturer claims "can dramatically improve the sound quality of any subwoofer by fine-tuning its interaction with the acoustic characteristics of the listening room."

The new Atlantic Technology SP-8000 is a standalone processor based upon circuitry developed to control the subwoofers used in the company's flagship $23,000 System 8200 THX Ultra2 home theater system. Employing a combination of parametric equalization, precision level trim adjustments, phase correction, and crossover controls, the SP-8000 allows consumers and professional installers to optimize any subwoofer's output so it complements the acoustic characteristics of the room itself, by eliminating objectionable room resonances caused by standing waves.

The SP-8000's comprehensive, flexible controls allow the subwoofer and room to function together as a system, instead of working against each other. Use of the included diagnostic test disc (developed in conjunction with Sencore, the world-renowned test instrument company) will accurately identify the dominant objectionable room mode. Once this frequency is identified, the SP-8000's parametric equalizer can be adjusted to attenuate the problem frequency. The center frequency, "Q", or width of the EQ band, and degree of attenuation can all be adjusted to produce markedly cleaner sound without the "one note" resonant boom that plagues most real-world installations.

Because subwoofer settings appropriate to special-effects laden films almost never sound right with music-only recordings, the SP-8000 has four pre-set EQ curves that have been carefully chosen to enhance the reproduction of both music and movies. One is designed to enhance low level listening by gently boosting the mid-bass to compensate for the ear's relative insensitivity to low bass at low volumes. The others are optimized for music, movies, and movies with extensive special effects.

In addition, there's a dedicated Level Trim that can be adjusted +/-10dB in 1dB increments. Both the preset EQs and the Level Trim can be easily adjusted from the listening position with the included handheld IR remote control. The SP-8000's 18dB/octave low-pass crossover is continuously adjustable from 50Hz to 150Hz using a front panel control. A four-position phase control (0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees), can further deal with interactions between sub-woofer(s), satellite speakers, and the room.

The SP-8000 includes both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA low-level inputs and outputs, for ideal compatibility with nearly any equipment. In addition, there are rear-panel inputs and outputs for 3.5mm IR connectors, as well as command ports for external IR receivers or whole-home control systems. The Atlantic Technology SP-8000 is available now. Suggested retail price is $600.