Infinity introduced an unusual subwoofer during CES, joined by a number of new–and some unusual– products from both Infinity and JBL.
A new OEM replacement subwoofer from Infinity has a removable outer ring so installers can adjust the depth of the subwoofer to fit the car.
The depth is changeable by sliding a cylinder up and down then clamping it and mounting the outer ring. This allows the 8-inch woofer to fit a wide variety of cars. It will be available this summer in two versions, one for a sealed enclosure and one for free air installs. It is expected to carry a price of about $150, well below the cost to repair a woofer from a brand such as BMW, said Infinity.
Another new product is a JBL Bass Pro Micro that won a Innovation Award. It is a powered subwoofer that lets you permanently bolt the amp section to the trunk floor, but the woofer and enclosure can be easily removed for when you need more trunk space. The amp serves as a snap in base so you don’t have to unhook wires to remove the woofer. The rounded subwoofer enclosure is finished in leatherette to match high end cars. Retail price is $299.95.
Infinity is also relaunching its Kappa Perfect line with a modular component system that makes inventory management simpler for retailers. It is offering 5 ¼- and 6 ½-inch two-way drivers that each come with a tweeter and crossover at $499 each. Then if the customer wants to add a mid-range driver later, the crossover may be reset and the consumer can buy an optional 3 1/2 inch driver at $150. The system also works with a 6 x 9 2-way that can accept the 3 1/2 inch mid-range.
For 2016, the new Infinity Reference Series and the new JBL Club line now fit about twice as many vehicles. The earlier Reference series speakers fit about 50 percent of car models and the new line now fits 85 percent. The JBL Club line fits even more, said the company.
Finally all new JBL and Infinity amplifiers have an ADAS input. It will allow advanced driver safety products that issue audible warnings to come through the amplifier and the stereo system. For example, a blind spot system could issue an audible warning through the left speaker or the right, depending on where the the blind spot threat is located. There are no products to work with the feature today, said Infinity, a Harman brand.
Caption: Glenn Ihrke of Infinity (Harman) shows a new 8-inch woofer with removable outer ring.
