PSB Digs Deep w SubSeries BP7 and BP12 Powered Subwoofers

Last year, the launch of the PSB SubSeries BP8 ($1,900 adjusted for tariffs) marked the start of a new generation of premium subwoofers from the Canadian brand. (See our article PSB SubSeries BP8 Packs Dual 8" Drivers into Compact Subwoofer.) Now PSB is back with two new models in the growing BP subwoofer family: the tiny SubSeries BP7 ($1,199), which uses a pair of 6.5-inch drivers, and the flagship SubSeries BP12 ($4,199), which is packing a pair of 12-inch drivers, making it the most formidable PSB subwoofer in recent memory.

PSB SubSeries BP7 Overview

 

The new BP7 aims to maintain the accuracy, control, and musical clarity that made last year’s BP8 a hit, while shrinking the footprint even further. Like its larger sibling, the BP7 uses a bipolar driver array in a sealed cabinet, though the smaller drivers of the BP7 are powered by a 350-watt Class D amplifier — a reasonable step down from the 500-watt Hypex nCore amp used in the more expensive BP8. PSB reckons this amp can still deliver “deep, distortion-free low frequencies… offering the output of a full-size subwoofer in a sleek, space-saving form.” The small size of the BP7 will be one of the sub’s biggest draws — it’s less than a cubic foot in volume — and this is made possible by the use of two 6.5-inch drivers in the place of one larger driver. Because the side-firing woven carbon-fiber woofers are arranged in a bipolar configuration, cabinet vibration and distortion are naturally minimized. The woofer design features a high-density rubber surround, a 1.5-inch voice coil, a sizable 36-ounce magnet, and a steel basket. 

The 350-watt Texas Instruments Universal Class D (UCD) amplifier is aided by an Analog Devices DSP. According to PSB, this configuration converts amplifier power directly into “clean, controlled energy with impressive depth and precision, (with) effortless dynamic range and speed, capturing every nuance from subtle acoustic passages to explosive cinematic moments with remarkable fidelity.”

PSB BP7: Performance and Competition

The BP7’s sealed cabinet design avoids the port noise and resonances that can sometimes plague ported designs, ensuring “smooth, accurate response and consistent performance in virtually any room,” according to PSB. Measuring just 10.6 by 11.4 by 10.6 inches, the BP7 is one of the smallest subs out there, but it still promises to produce impressive bass, with a claimed frequency response of 28 Hz – 150 Hz (±3 dB). 

Although subs this small are few, the BP7 will face competition from one of the most popular micro-subwoofers on the market: the KEF KC62 ($1,700). The KC62 also uses dual opposed 6.5-inch drivers in a sealed cabinet, and it is about the same size as the BP7. But the KC62 is powered by a beefier 1,000-watt Class D amplifier, and its curved, extruded aluminum cabinet surely contributes to the KEF’s higher price. The KEF also promises to dig much deeper into the bottom octave and beyond, albeit at reduced volumes. The more traditional-looking cabinet of the PSB is available in Satin Black or Satin White finishes with polished aluminum trim rings. Buyers in this ultra-compact category might also be considering the less expensive SVS 3000 Micro ($899), which uses a pair of 8-inch drivers in a cabinet measuring 10.9 by 11.7 by 10.7 inches. Powered by an 800-watt RMS amp, the SVS promises extension down to 23 Hz (±3 dB).

PSB SubSeries BP12 Overview

 

As the new flagship in PSB’s subwoofer lineup, the BP12 reportedly sets a new standard for high-performance bass from the brand, combining advanced engineering with cutting-edge amplifier technology from Purifi. Premium features include intelligent app-based control, balanced XLR inputs, built-in IsoAcoustics isolation feet, and automotive-grade finishes that are a clear upgrade compared to the more pedestrian finishes on the BP7 and BP8. Designed for both home theater and 2-channel systems, the BP12 is a natural companion to PSB’s flagship Synchrony speakers. (See James Larson’s PSB Synchrony B600 Bookshelf Speaker Review.) But I think these new PSB subs might have a wide enough appeal to attract buyers from outside PSB’s existing customer base. The proprietary dual-driver system in the BP12 is said to deliver articulate bass with remarkable clarity — one of the benefits of using two smaller drivers instead of a single larger one. And of course, the bipolar configuration sees the two 12-inch drivers operating in perfect opposition, cancelling internal vibrations and virtually eliminating enclosure resonance, resulting in minimal cabinet coloration. PSB claims that it’s a highly efficient design “resulting in tighter, more controlled bass performance with reduced distortion.” The woofer itself is a 12-inch carbon-fiber cone with a high-density rubber surround, an impressive 3.5-inch voice-coil, a massive 150-oz magnet, and a steel basket. This sub is no lightweight at 132lbs, so use caution when moving it if you're fortunate to buy one.

PSB BP12: Performance and Competition

 

These beefy woofers are the first in a PSB sub to be powered by Purifi’s acclaimed amplifier technology. The BP12’s amp delivers 2 x 500 watts of continuous power in a dual-mono configuration. The Purifi amp provides immense dynamic headroom, exceptional damping, and extremely low noise and distortion, according to PSB. The result is said to be “a subwoofer with both explosive output and nuanced finesse — equally at home in action-packed cinema and delicate acoustic soundscapes.” A true subwoofer, the BP12 promises usable bass extension down to 17 Hz, with a -3dB point at 20 Hz. Room-induced vibrations are always a concern, especially for subs with output down low. The BP12 tackles this issue with built-in isolation feet designed in partnership with IsoAcoustics. These decoupling feet reportedly minimize vibrations while maintaining a clean, modern look that aftermarket isolators can’t match.

At the $4,200 price point, it must be said that the BP12 will have to be an exceptional performer in order to compete. It’s impossible to ignore that the outrageously good Perlisten R212s is currently on sale for $4,495 at the time of writing, putting it within spitting distance of the PSB BP12. (See James Larson’s Perlisten R212s Powered Subwoofer Review.) PSB’s engineering team certainly knows what it’s doing, so I will be interested to see and hear whether the BP12 is up to the challenge. Also, brands that sell direct-to-consumer can usually offer more bang for your buck than brands that sell through traditional dealer networks. Shoppers looking to save might be cross-shopping the BP12 against something like the Arendal 1723 2S subwoofer, which uses a pair of opposing 13.8-inch drivers in a larger cabinet, but sells for substantially less than the BP12 at $2,800. For $3K you can take home the powerful SVS PB17-Ultra subwoofer, also sold direct-to-consumer. For $3,800, you can also take home the JTR Kallos subwoofer which has a robust 12" driver with 36mm XMax and 2000 watt amp.The PSB BP12 does have a definite advantage in its relatively reasonable cabinet size over some of the alternatives listed here, which makes it easier to accommodate in more spaces, and easier to get the go-ahead from the non-audio-obsessed spouses or co-inhabitants in your life. 

With meticulously engineered components, flagship-level amplification, and PSB’s proprietary bipolar driver design, the BP12 embodies the pinnacle of PSB subwoofer engineering. Built for discerning listeners who demand the deepest lows and the highest standards, it delivers uncompromised output, control, and clarity in every respect.

— PSB

PSB SubSeries BP7 and BP12: Final Thoughts

Audiophiles shopping for subwoofers are spoiled for choice these days. Some gravitate toward specialty brands like REL, JL Audio, and Rythmik Audio. The only home audio products they make are subwoofers, and there’s something to be said for sticking to one thing and doing it well. (I would include Hsu Research in this category; although HSU also makes speakers, it is still mainly a subwoofer brand.) Then you have loudspeaker brands that make full lines of speakers along with subwoofers. There are countless examples: Bowers & Wilkins, Monitor Audio, Focal, Sonus faber, Klipsch, Dynaudio. They all make good subs, but the people who buy their subs tend to use speakers from the same brand. These companies make subwoofers so that when their existing customers are looking for a sub, there’s an appropriate and aesthetically-matched model ready and waiting. But at every price category, there are some loudspeaker brands that make subwoofers that are so good that even people with speakers made by other brands end up buying their subs. Perlisten, SVS, RBH Sound, M&K Sound, KEF, Martin Logan, Paradigm, and RSL all fall into this category. And this is the category that speaker companies want to be in — where their subwoofers aren’t just aimed at existing loudspeaker customers, but instead are actually bringing in a whole new group of customers who may not already have experience with (or loyalty to) the brand. I would say that DALI has entered the chat with its new $5K flagship V-16 F 16-inch subwoofer, making it the newest member of this club. (See our article DALI Speakers Launches New Flagship V-16 F 16" Subwoofer). The same goes for ELAC and its $3,200 dual-12 Varro DS1200-GB sub. I think that PSB is now poised to join this elite club with its new subs — I have already seen more than one audiophile using a pair of BP8 subwoofers in a system using non-PSB speakers. Will the BP7 and BP12 be good enough to secure PSB’s place alongside such illustrious members of the Great Sub Club? Share your thoughts in the related forum thread below.

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