Thiel is ending the year on a low note. However, in the world of subwoofers, low is good.

The company just announced the Thiel SmartSub USS and the SS2.2, which promise detailed bass response down to 20Hz. Both are being billed as “intelligent subwoofer systems.” Sadly, that doesn’t mean they can make toast. They can, however, convert subwoofer and companion loudspeakers into a unified system, using SmartSub’s real-time integration circuitry.

That’s a pretty big deal. Of course, it’s also nice that each unit has patented Thiel engineering. This promises to virtually eliminate unbalanced response due to room surroundings, as well as thermal compression distortion that’s common in other subwoofer designs.

The USS has a 550-watt amp and a 10-inch aluminum woofer. The SS2.2 adds a second one of those woofers and is powered by 1,000 watts. There also a PXO5 module that allows users to blend the SmartSub with any Thiel speaker system.

“The most important design goal for these subwoofers was to achieve perfect synergy between the main speakers and subwoofer, as if they were a single system engineered together,” says Kathy Gornik, Thiel’s president and co-founder. “The culmination of everything we have sought to achieve in the subwoofer category has been brought to bear with tremendous success in these two completely unique products.”

Thiel will make the USS available in natural and dark cherry finishes, as well as black ash, with an MSRP of $3,490. The SS2.2 will be available in all of Thiel’s standard and custom hardwood veneers and has both stainless steel hardware and heavy duty spikes. That will be listed at $6,390. The PXO5 will run you another $500.

All of the new SmartSubs will start shipping to dealers on January 16, 2012.

Rachel Cericola - Contributing Writer

Over the past 15 years, Rachel Cericola has covered entertainment, web and technology trends. Check her out at www.rachelcericola.com.