Big televisions have created a slightly ridiculous home theater problem.
A 98-inch display can dominate an entire wall, while the conventional soundbar beneath it suddenly looks like somebody left a ruler on the furniture. Move toward proper architectural audio and another battle begins: the homeowner wants serious bass, while the architect would prefer that the subwoofer cease to exist.
Sonance showed two rather different solutions to those problems at CEDIA Expo 2026.
The SBXL-100 is an enormous 82.68-inch-wide powered soundbar designed specifically to look proportional beneath large-format televisions. The PowerPipe X Series takes the opposite visual approach, hiding the subwoofer enclosure inside a wall, ceiling or cabinet and allowing only its bass port to enter the room.
One wants to look like it belongs beneath a giant television. The other would prefer that you never see it at all.
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- Theory Audio Design 5.2.2 Surround Sound System: Review
The Soundbar Has Finally Caught Up With the Television
At nearly seven feet wide, the Sonance SBXL-100 is not competing with the average $700 Dolby Atmos soundbar.
The 2.0-channel design measures 82.68 x 8.11 x 4.05 inches and uses a 6.5-inch anodized aluminum woofer, 1.2-inch cloth-dome tweeter and integrated passive radiators. Sonance specifies a 38Hz to 25kHz ±3dB frequency response, 87dB sensitivity and 4-ohm nominal impedance.
The package includes Sonance’s UA 2-125 ARC amplifier, providing 250 watts RMS of total system output. HDMI ARC/eARC and CEC allow the television to handle audio and volume control through a single HDMI connection.
Sonance says the SBXL-100 can operate without a separate subwoofer. A claimed 38Hz lower limit makes that plausible for television, music and many media rooms, although anyone building a dedicated theater will probably still want considerably more happening below 40Hz.
Physics has not been removed from the installation manual.
Sonance SBXL-100 Specifications
- Configuration: 2.0-channel soundbar
- Woofer: 6.5-inch anodized aluminum cone
- Tweeter: 1.2-inch ferrofluid-cooled cloth dome
- Frequency response: 38Hz to 25kHz ±3dB
- Sensitivity: 87dB SPL
- Nominal impedance: 4 ohms
- Amplification: Sonance UA 2-125 ARC included
- System output: 250W RMS
- HDMI: ARC/eARC with CEC through amplifier
- Dimensions: 82.68 x 8.11 x 4.05 inches
- Installation: Wall or tabletop
PowerPipe X Puts the Subwoofer Somewhere Else
The PowerPipe X Series approaches bass from a completely different direction.
Sonance introduced the redesigned range earlier in 2026, replacing its previous PowerPipe models with 8, 10, 12 and 15-inch versions. Each uses a ported bandpass enclosure connected to the listening room through a tube, allowing the actual subwoofer cabinet to be concealed above the ceiling, inside a wall cavity, in cabinetry or in another suitable installation space.
The visible opening can then be integrated through several grille and architectural options instead of leaving a conventional subwoofer sitting beside the television.
The four MDF Sonance models are joined by James PowerPipe X-M versions constructed from marine-grade aluminum, extending the concept to more demanding indoor and outdoor installations.
PowerPipe X Specifications
- PPX8: 8-inch woofer, 44Hz–130Hz ±3dB, 91dB sensitivity, 300W recommended power
- PPX10: 10-inch woofer, 39Hz–115Hz ±3dB, 92dB sensitivity, 400W recommended power
- PPX12: 12-inch woofer, 34Hz–100Hz ±3dB, 93dB sensitivity, 500W recommended power
- PPX15: 15-inch woofer, 29Hz–90Hz ±3dB, 94dB sensitivity, 600W recommended power
- Impedance: 4 ohms
- Architecture: Ported bandpass
- Standard enclosures: MDF
- James X-M versions: Marine-grade aluminum
Why Are These Different?
The SBXL-100 addresses a problem that became more obvious when 85, 98 and 100-inch televisions stopped being exotic.
Most conventional soundbars were never designed to visually balance screens that large. Sonance simply made the speaker wide enough to belong there and paired it with dedicated external amplification rather than trying to cram every piece of electronics into an increasingly thin enclosure.
PowerPipe X solves a harder architectural problem.
Instead of disguising a conventional subwoofer with paint, furniture or increasingly creative excuses, Sonance separates the woofer enclosure from the point where bass enters the room. That gives custom integrators far more freedom when the design brief includes substantial low-frequency output but absolutely no black boxes on the floor.
Alternatives We Have Covered
For large-format television installations, the Leon Speakers FrameBar Ultima is the obvious alternative we have already covered at eCoustics. Leon takes customization considerably further: each FrameBar Ultima can be built to match the width and finish of a specific display and uses 5-inch woofers derived from its Ultima platform. Pricing starts at $5,750.
The Sonance takes a different route with its fixed 82.68-inch width and included amplifier at a substantially lower price.
Theory Audio Design’s sb85 is the performance-first alternative and is specifically proportioned for 85-inch televisions. The passive three-channel design uses six 5-inch carbon-fiber low-frequency drivers and three 1.4-inch compression drivers, with Theory specifying more than 124dB maximum output with all three channels driven. It requires three channels of a Theory loudspeaker controller and the company’s model-specific DSP processing.
We have extensive firsthand experience with Theory’s soundbar platform, including our review of the sb75-based 5.2.2 system, which delivered dynamics and scale far beyond conventional soundbars. The sb85 applies the same basic architecture in a wider enclosure designed for larger displays.
CANVAS L goes in the opposite direction by integrating amplification, DSP, room correction and TV mounting into a single system. It uses 1,500 watts of peak amplification, BACCH 3D+ spatial processing and supports televisions from 65 to 115 inches. European pricing is €5,999, but it’s not shipping in the U.S. yet. However, we’ve also heard and highly recommend the original CANVAS for TVs up to 85-inches, which is available now starting at $4,999.
For hidden bass, the JL Audio Fathom IWSv2 remains one of the strongest in-wall subwoofers we have covered. Its 13.5-inch driver installs inside the wall and uses a dedicated amplifier, with a single-sub system costing approximately $7,200.
PowerPipe X differs by locating the enclosure remotely and routing its output into the room, which can make it easier to preserve the visual design of the space.
Price & Availability
The Sonance SBXL-100 is available now for $2,999.99 at Best Buy, including the UA 2-125 ARC amplifier.
The PPX8, PPX10, PPX12 and PPX15 are also shipping now, but Sonance does not publish U.S. retail pricing on its current product pages and directs customers to local representatives for purchasing information. Installed cost will also depend on amplification, grille configuration and the complexity of the installation.
The Bottom Line
The SBXL-100 and PowerPipe X exist because premium residential audio is increasingly being asked to deliver more performance while occupying less visual space.
The SBXL-100 gives enormous televisions a soundbar that does not look comically undersized beneath them. PowerPipe X allows integrators to put the actual subwoofer somewhere the homeowner never has to look at it.
Neither idea rewrites the laws of acoustics.
They simply make those laws considerably easier to live with.
Related Reading:
- Leon Speakers FrameBar Ultima Soundbar Brings Reference Grade Audio To Framed TVs
- Theory Audio Design Introduces First In-Wall Subwoofer Models
- Best Architectural Speakers & Subwoofers: Editors’ Choice
- More CEDIA 2026 Coverage
