PSI Audio AVAA C214 Active Bass Trap, White

The PSI Audio AVAA C214 is a digitally controlled active bass trap that absorbs room modes in the 15 to 160 Hz range in real time — without measurement setup and without structural intervention.

Instead of blocking half your walls with large passive absorbers, you place a slim aluminum column in the corner, plug it in — and the booming low bass disappears. Sounds like magic, but it's Swiss engineering from Yverdon. At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil we see often enough that the problem isn't the system, it's the room.

Why the AVAA C214?

Low frequencies are the divas of sound waves: long, sluggish and barely tamed by foam. A passive bass trap that actually does something at 30 Hz would be the size of a refrigerator — great if you have the space for it. The AVAA C214 takes the opposite approach: a built-in microphone measures sound pressure, two DSPs control two 14 cm drivers (hence the "214") and actively cancel out the excess pressure. That's equivalent to a passive absorber up to 45 times its size — packed into a column just over half a meter tall.

Important, because it's often misunderstood: the AVAA works purely acoustically. It's not noise cancellation, not an equalizer, and it doesn't touch your audio signal. Your speakers still sound like your speakers — just in a room that no longer distorts the bass.

What you hear

The effect is surprisingly unspectacular — in the best sense. The boom you might have mistaken for "powerful bass" gives way to a dry, well-defined low end. Voices and instruments that were previously buried in bass mud stand out clearly, the soundstage becomes wider and deeper, and your ears tire less. With two units, PSI puts the bass resonance reduction at 30 to 60 percent — and you can hear it even without a measurement microphone.

Via the app (iOS and Android) you switch the effect on and off in a direct A/B comparison. The moment you first hear what your room has been doing to your music all along is usually also the moment the question of price answers itself.

Who is the AVAA C214 for?

Ideal for anyone struggling with booming, uneven bass in a living room, listening room or studio, who has no interest — or no landlord's permission — for large-scale acoustic construction. Home theater, high-end stereo, mixing and mastering room: wherever room modes are holding back an expensive system, the AVAA shows its strength.

Plain talk, so no false expectations arise: the AVAA C214 is a pure low-bass specialist (15–160 Hz). It doesn't fix flutter echo, hard reflections in the mid and high range, or a generally too-reverberant acoustic — for that you still need classic absorbers and diffusers. And honestly: a single unit already helps, but the AVAA shows its full potential in a pair (two corners) or as a set of four. If you have a small, acoustically forgiving room to begin with, simpler measures might get you there.

Our verdict

The AVAA C214 is one of the few acoustic products that solves a real problem without compromising on looks or effort: plug & play in the literal sense, living-room friendly and measurably effective. The international trade press agrees — Stereophile awarded it the "Editors' Choice" award among the Products of 2025, and The Absolute Sound, Sound on Sound and Darko.Audio reach the same conclusion. If your room is ruining your bass, this is the most elegant answer we know.

Technical data

• Product principle: Active bass trap (Active Velocity Acoustic Absorber, AVAA), digitally DSP-controlled
• Effective range: 15–160 Hz
• Efficiency: equivalent to a passive absorber up to 45 times its size
• Drivers: 2× 140 mm, built-in microphone, two DSPs
• Latency: approx. 0.2 ms
• How it works: purely acoustic pressure absorption — no noise cancellation, no interference with the audio signal
• Control: gain buttons on the unit (−12 to +6 dB), app for iOS/Android, multiple units can be grouped
• Power supply: 100–240 V / 50–60 Hz; standby 1 W, operation 20–40 W, max. 48 W
• Enclosure: aluminum, color white (matte)
• Dimensions: height 640 mm × Ø 210 mm
• Weight: 11 kg
• Mounting: freestanding (rubber ring as base); optional wall bracket/stands available for wall, ceiling or floor mounting
• Origin: handmade in Switzerland (Yverdon-les-Bains)
• Included: AVAA C214, power cable, rubber ring/base, instruction manual

Frequently asked questions

What is an active bass trap — and how does it differ from passive absorbers?

An active bass trap absorbs low frequencies electronically instead of with material. The AVAA C214 measures sound pressure via microphone and actively cancels it out with two drivers. This lets a slim column act like a passive absorber up to 45 times its size — without meter-thick insulation.

Do I need one or two AVAA C214?

For a noticeable effect, we recommend two units. A single unit already improves the situation; two in the front corners reduce bass resonance by 30 to 60 percent according to PSI. In large or symmetrical rooms, four units provide the most even coverage. We're happy to advise on the right number for your room.

Do I need to calibrate or measure the AVAA C214?

No. The AVAA C214 works without calibration and without a measurement microphone. You place it where the bass pressure is highest — usually a room corner —, plug it in and switch it on. The effect can be fine-tuned via the iOS and Android app if needed.

Does the AVAA C214 replace the rest of your room acoustics?

No. The AVAA C214 specializes in low bass from 15 to 160 Hz. Reflections and reverberation in the mid and high range still need classic absorbers and diffusers. Both approaches complement each other — the AVAA takes on the range that's otherwise hardest to control.

Does the AVAA C214 also work in a living room or home theater?

Yes. Originally developed for recording studios, the AVAA C214 also cuts a fine figure in the living room, listening room and home theater. Its slim aluminum housing blends in unobtrusively and requires no structural measures — ideal for rental apartments or rooms that need to stay livable, too.

Why buy the PSI Audio AVAA C214 at HD Zürisee?

Because room acoustics take experience, not just a product. We listen to your situation, sort out quantity and placement, and combine the AVAA with the right remaining acoustics if needed. As an authorized dealer in Wädenswil, we support you from consultation to on-site installation — call us (044 680 22 00), write to us, or reach us on WhatsApp (076 534 22 00, text only, no calls).

Goes well with

The final touch is rarely a single unit. In Acoustics – Bass Traps & Room Optimization you'll find the rest of the room treatment, under Floorstanding Speakers the systems that benefit most from clean bass, and with Power Filters & Conditioning you give your active unit a calm power base.