OK, take that image you have of a big black subwoofer box that hogs space in your media room, and chuck it out the window. Just as loudspeakers have migrated into our walls and ceilings, subwoofers are changing with the times, too.

One of the coolest examples I’ve seen in this area is the BGX-4850 in-wall subwoofer system from BG Radia, which I had the good fortune of hearing at the CEDIA Expo 2008.

The design is unlike anything I’d seen (or heard, I guess)—it’s made up of four separate in-wall bass modules whose radiating area is equal to two 18-inch drivers. However, these fit in a standard 2x4-inch stud wall, and the bass module has 12 micro-precision woofers that are each sealed in an airtight enclosure, and arranged in six balanced pairs.

Without the grille attached, it looks like something more suited to your car engine—with similar horsepower, to boot.

You can use the BGX-4850 as an in-wall, or as an in-room model as well. At CEDIA, the listening conditions were less than stellar, but our seats were still shaking like Shakira as we watched her concert DVD, along with a cut from Transformers that felt like the robots were going after us.

Not to be overlooked, the BGX-4850 is the first in-wall subwoofer to earn the THX Ultra2 certification, and the first audio product to include the THX Balanced Bass-line, according to BG Radia. The BGA-2104 Subwoofer amplifier pumps it with more than 2,000 watts of power.

MSRP is $6,995, and it’ll start shipping to dealers next month.

About the Author:
Arlen Schweiger - Managing editor of Electronic House Magazine

Arlen contributes product news items to electronichouse.com along with his role on the print publication. Got a tip? Send it along!