Big, Slamming Bass from an In-Wall Subwoofer
Need big sound, slamming bass and audiophile bass extension, but don’t want to see where it comes from? Then the Bowers & Wilkins ISW-4 in-wall subwoofer is the product for you.
The ISW-4 has two long-throw 8” drivers, allowing it to move large volumes of air needed for high-quality low-frequency output. But is nicely hidden away inside a wall. Powered by a separate audiophile-standard 250W Class D amplifier (mandatory for operation, sold separately), the SA250 Mk2, the system keeps its cool even when the music movie action is whipping up a storm.
In-wall subwoofers have become an important segment of custom installation projects, as homeowners and/or their interior designers often don’t want speakers or electronics “detracting” from the interior design. However, they can be sold on good sound, especially where it matters most, in a home theater or main music room. Unfortunately, most in-wall subwoofers under perform due to inadequate driver design (what works in a conventional enclosure is not ideal for the requirements of an in-wall subwoofer) or from a lack of optimized EQ/amplification or from a substandard enclosure.
Enter B&W’s ISW-4. This project was led by Dr. John Dibb—designer of many of B&W’s flagship products such as the Signature Diamond and the Signature 8NT in-wall—at the renowned Steyning Research Establishment in the UK.
Compact and Versatile
There are several reasons for the incredible performance of the ISW-4. First, the ISW-4 features dual B&W designed long-throw, eight-inch bass drivers utilizing Kevlar®/paper cones which are many times the cost of ordinary cones. Kevlar has long been a B&W hallmark for its superb distortion-reducing qualities. For bass applications, the combination of Kevlar and paper fibers creates a non-resonant cone that is also extremely stiff and light weight, ideal for fast, deep, clean bass performance. In fact, the ISW-4 produces substantial bass down to a very low 17 Hz (-6dB EQ at A setting on the SA-250.) Just as importantly, the solidly braced BB-ISW-4 MDF backbox prevents wall shake and cabinet distortions that plague other designs. This is an in-wall sub that can be played hard and yet doesn’t cry. Nothing is more annoying than a sub that rattles!
The ISW-4’s superior sound quality is also due to the dedicated SA250 mono power amplifier/crossover. The SA250 is the perfect match to achieve the utmost performance from the ISW-4, with its 250 watts of power and an audiophile grade electronic crossover built in. The crossover is a 4th order Linkwitz-Riley with adjustable increments from 40Hz – 140Hz. Features also include a low-pass filter defeat, 0/180 degree phase switch, 3-position bass extension switch, movie/music EQ switch, and an On/Auto/Standby switch. Amplifier inputs and outputs include XLR and RCA line in and link out. There is also a 3.5 mm jack for 12 V trigger on/standby, equalization, and movie/music. The cabinet is a 2U height (3.5”) for standard rack mounting.
The ISW-4 is finished in a semi-matt white suitable for custom painting. The grille is the same size as the CWM-8180 (cut-out dimensions 19.1” H x 10” W), which is to say quite compact for a high performance in-wall sub.
Note: The SA250 Mk2 power amplifier (sold separately) is mandatory for operation of this subwoofer system
