Yverdon-les-Bains, 14th December 2022 - Immersive audio is capturing the world, and PSI Audio is a central part of it, with many studios around the globe relying on the Swiss precision studio monitors. With a new optional module, the already popular Sub A225-M subwoofer can be turned into a proper LFE speaker - in concordance with Dolby Atmos standards.

Fit for full immersion: the new LFE Module
Subwoofers are not a new topic for PSI Audio, as A125-M and A225-M have been available for years. However, in immersive setups, the LFE channel has special requirements. With a new add-on module for the Sub A225-M, PSI Audio can now fully support immersive audio environments. For all Sub A225-M built from September 2022, the LFE Module can simply be installed in place of the blank panel on the speaker. For older versions, an upgrade is possible but does require modification by the specialists at PSI Audio. With a frequency range of 24 to 160 Hz and output levels adjustable from -10 dB to +10 dB, the Sub A225-M with the LFE Module is the perfect low-frequency companion for Dolby Atmos and other immersive formats.

Power and control: Sub A225-M
One thing that remains unchanged by the LFE Module is the acoustic performance of the Sub A225-M. Low-frequency playback is more than just moving a lot of air; it is about capturing fine details down to the fundamental frequencies. Especially in immersive setups, a crisp and tight low end is paramount, as it is all about spatiality, sound location and imaging to create that effect of immersion. PSI Audio excels at reproducing the low spectrum. The flat frequency response and linear phase response recreate a very natural sound stage - just what you want in an immersive setup. The Sub A225-M with its LFE Module can add range and power to the bass, but its main focus is to bring out the low frequencies more transparently, to convey all the information in the bass spectrum with the precision and fidelity that you would expect of a studio monitor - especially one from PSI Audio. The Sub A225-M delivers a robust low end that still shows all the contour and delicate detail of the signal, and with the new LFE Module it complies with Dolby Atmos LFE requirements.

Low-frequency effects meet low-frequency extension
There are two popular explications of the acronym LFE: “low-frequency effects” and “low-frequency extension”. While these two terms seem very similar at first, they are indeed quite different in their function: the extension enhances a number of other speakers in the bass spectrum, essentially being fed by the same signal. “Low-frequency effects”, on the other hand, suggests an independent channel that receives its own signal and is separate from what is happening on the other speakers. In immersive setups, this effects application is the actual role of the subwoofer, as a full-range spectrum is assumed for the other speakers. Considering the outstanding sound quality of the Sub A225-M, however, it would be understandable if people wanted to use it both for the effects channel and as an extension of the low range of the other speakers - which is why both is possible simultaneously. Connecting a source to the LFE input on the LFE Module does not shut off the normal subwoofer input.