The Audio Video Show in Warsaw, held 23–25 October, is now one of the biggest hi-fi shows in the world. Much of the attention went to high-end electronics, but a handful of speakers on show are worth a look from a bass point of view, either because they reach unusually low or because they’re crying out for a good subwoofer.
- JBL used the show for the world debut of the L150 Classic, a 15-inch three-way that JBL rates to 30.5 Hz.
- Perlisten premiered an upgraded S4b Black Edition standmount; full specs and prices are still to come.
- Amphion demonstrated its A15 active speaker, rated to 55 Hz (−6 dB): a natural candidate for a sub.
- Linea Audio’s slim Illusion columns are rated −3 dB at 50 Hz.
At a glance
| Speaker | Type | Bass drivers | Rated low end | Price (launch coverage) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JBL L150 Classic | Passive 3-way floorstander | 15-inch woofer, two ports | 30.5 Hz (LF +2 dB) | €10,000/pair |
| Amphion A15 | Active 2-way | 15 cm woofer + passive radiator | 55 Hz (−6 dB) | €1,250 each |
| Perlisten S4b Black Edition | Passive standmount | Revised bass driver (size TBC) | Not published | TBC |
| Linea Audio Illusion | Passive slim column | Two 5-inch woofers | 50 Hz (−3 dB, claimed) | €8,400/pair |
JBL L150 Classic
The headline for bass fans. JBL’s revival of its 1970s L150 pairs a 15-inch woofer with a 6.5-inch midrange and titanium tweeter, and quotes 33 Hz, or 30.5 Hz with its bass control turned up. We’ve covered it in detail in our L150 Classic news post, including whether you’d still want a sub.
Amphion A15
Finnish brand Amphion announced the A15 in August and was demonstrating it in Warsaw. It’s an active speaker with a 15 cm aluminum woofer, a matching passive radiator and a titanium tweeter. Each speaker has its own 125 W bass and 22 W treble amplifiers. Amphion rates it to 55 Hz at −6 dB, which is honest for its size, and it’s exactly the kind of speaker that gains a lot from a sub. It has a single balanced XLR input and no sub output is mentioned, so the sub feed has to come from your source or preamp, before the speakers; our guide to connecting a sub without a sub output covers the workarounds. Amphion quotes €1,250 per speaker; US pricing hasn’t been confirmed. It also showed an Amp300 power amp (180 W per channel) and an optional wireless receiver.
Perlisten S4b Black Edition
Perlisten, which also makes THX-certified subwoofers, premiered an upgraded version of its S4b standmount. It keeps the brand’s three-dome tweeter array, with a beryllium dome flanked by two 28 mm domes, and gets a revised bass driver from the company’s flagship. Perlisten hasn’t published full specs or prices yet; its next public appearance is Capital Audiofest in Maryland on 13–15 November.
Linea Audio Illusion
On show from Linea Audio was the Illusion, the entry point to its range: a slim column with two 5-inch woofers, designed with DearWolf Audio. The designer claims −3 dB at 50 Hz in anechoic measurements, which is good for such a narrow cabinet, but it still leaves the bottom octave to a subwoofer.
What it means for you
If you own or are eyeing slim floorstanders or compact active speakers like these, a sub is the most cost-effective upgrade you can make. Cross over low, around 50–60 Hz, to keep the speakers’ character; our crossover finder gives you a starting point, and our best subwoofers for music list focuses on fast, tight subs that blend well.
Our take
Warsaw is mostly a high-end show, so most of these are aspirational. The useful lesson for everyday buyers is that even expensive, beautifully engineered speakers usually stop around 50 Hz. The JBL is the exception, and it needs a very big cabinet to do it.
Sources
- SoundStage! Global: JBL L150 Classic at AVS 2026 (25 October 2026)
- StereoNET: Amphion A15 and Amp300 at the Warsaw show (23 October 2026)
- Amphion: New Amphion A15 (6 August 2026)
- StereoNET: Perlisten S4b Black Edition (26 October 2026)
- SoundStage! Global: Linea Audio Illusion at AVS 2026 (25 October 2026)