McIntosh’s PS2K Powered Subwoofer is a Tower of Power: CEDIA 2023

The high-end subwoofer market has become very competitive and that’s a very good thing for consumers; brands such as RSL, SVS, Klipsch, KEF, and REL have flooded the market with affordable options that allow consumers to add high-end bass performance to their 2-channel and home theater systems.

The CI market has given us innovative in-wall subwoofer options like the Theory Audio Design iws12-6 and iws12-9 and SVS 3000 In-wall.

And then there is the McIntosh PS2K Powered Subwoofer which is now available for $50,000 USD.

Before bemoaning the price tag, understand that the McIntosh PS2K is aimed at a very specific customer; primarily owners of the McIntosh XCS1.5K ($40,000) XRT2.1K ($130,000/pair) and XRT1.1K ($60,000/pair) Loudspeakers.

Having experienced both loudspeakers at the WoM townhouse in Manhattan and factory in Binghamton, we understand the target audience for the subwoofer. These rather enormous loudspeakers are being used in very large listening spaces where some additional bass reinforcement is probably necessary.

The main showroom at WoM in NYC was an enlarged living room with 30′ ceilings and was the equivalent of an entire floor in many large homes.

The McIntosh PS2K is 25-5/16″ (64.3cm) x 78-5/8″ (199.7cm) x 28-7/16″ (72.2cm) and weighs 458 pounds; do not attempt to install this without the assistance of a dealer unless you want to end up in the hospital.

Tower of Power

The PS2K Powered Subwoofer is powerful to say the least. With four 13″ woofers and massive magnets at the heart of the subwoofer, the system uses McIntosh’s patented Low Distortion High Performance (LD/HP) Magnetic Circuit Design to significantly reduce distortion while increasing the driver’s power handling and efficiency.

Each of the four woofers is driven by a dedicated 500 Watt class D amplifier, which unite together to unleash a total power output of up to 2,000 Watts.

The amplifiers are calibrated to minimize distortion and produce clear, tight bass with astonishingly low distortion in even the most expansive listening spaces.

More than just a tool to deepen the bass of sound, the PS2K Powered Subwoofer further pushes the pinnacle of McIntosh craftsmanship with its innovative multi-layer carbon fiber cones.

Previously, carbon fiber cones were made from a single layer of carbon fiber that had a bit of flexibility that could negatively impact sound. The new multi-layered carbon fiber cones are now integrated into a joint with a voice coil that are very strong and can resist long extended excursion travel and creates extreme rigidity that forbids unwanted flexing. 

“McIntosh has always prioritized top of the line sound quality, innovation, versatility, and longevity within its products,” said McIntosh President Charlie Randall. “The PS2K Powered Subwoofer is a true testament to all of the brand’s core principles. We are incredibly excited to see consumers’ reactions as they transform their listening spaces with this premium subwoofer.”

In addition to its breathtaking design, the PS2K features a variety of connection options that are compatible with virtually any installation. Whether you have a two-channel stereo system or a multi-channel home theater setup, the PS2K offers balanced and unbalanced stereo inputs and outputs, as well as balanced and unbalanced subwoofer inputs and outputs.

Its daisy-chaining abilities allow for further connectivity for users who prefer to use more than one PS2K in a singular system.

The woofers are stacked atop the amplifier module, which features a power output meter that shows  the total output of the PS2K. The enclosure baffle is nearly 1-1/2″ (3.8cm) thick to ensure ultimate  rigidity and low vibration, and has a sealed box design to eliminate any potential port noises. 

Big Performance

The PS2K is designed to effortlessly keep up with the output levels that can be obtained with our Reference Two-Channel and Reference Home Theater systems. These systems are powered by our 2,000 Watt tri-chassis MC2KW monoblock amplifiers and feature our large XRT2.1K and XRT1.1K speakers (or the previous generation XRT2K and XRT1K speakers); the PS2K will be a perfect match.

Flexibility

Once connected to your preamplifier, integrated amplifier, or home theater processor, a variety of built in filtering controls makes it so you can precisely tailor the PS2K to your listening preferences. 

Adjustable Low Pass and High Pass filters let you set the crossover frequency. Two fully adjustable parametric EQ filters help compensate for unwanted effects caused by the room, furniture, or loudspeaker placement. Finally, Level Control and Phase adjustment knobs allow you to harmoniously blend the PS2K’s acoustic output with your existing audio system. 

The PS2K also comes with two indispensable McIntosh protection technologies. The first is Power Guard, a feature created to monitor the audio input signal coming into the amplifiers to make near speed of light adjustments to prevent harsh sounding clipping in real time.

The second, Sentry Monitor, is a fuse-less short-circuit protection circuit that disengages the amplifier’s output stage before the current exceeds safe operating levels and automatically resets when operating conditions return to normal.

The PS2K’s high black gloss finish, carbon trim, and aluminum base, along with its included glide feet for hard floors and spikes for carpeting will be unveiled for the first time at the world renowned CEDIA Expo on September 7, 2023.

Price & Availability

The PS2K Powered Subwoofer will be available at Authorized McIntosh Dealers starting in October 2023 with an MSRP of $50,000 USD.

For more information: mcintoshlabs.com

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