{"product_id":"avaa-c20-active-bass-trap","title":"PSI Audio AVAA C20 Active Bass Trap","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003ePSI Audio AVAA C20 Active Bass Trap\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eThe Original. Fully Analog. Still the Secret Weapon.\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eSince its release in 2016, the AVAA C20 has accumulated a reputation that is unusual in acoustic treatment: it simply works, the improvement is immediate, and virtually everyone who tries it in a room with meaningful bass problems ends up keeping it. Bob Katz — mastering engineer and Stereophile contributor — described the precision, beauty, tightness, and control of bass in his mastering room as a result of the AVAA, and called it something he wished he'd had more pages to describe. A reviewer for Tape Op bought the units he was evaluating. A SonicScoop contributor moved apartments and found the C20 did even more in the new space. The pattern in the user community is consistent: people try these and don't send them back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe AVAA C20 is a fully analog active bass absorber. It contains a microphone, a perforated membrane tuned to a specific acoustic impedance, a velocity transducer, and an analog amplification circuit — no DSP, no signal processing, no latency in any sense that matters acoustically. It operates on room acoustic pressure directly, converting pressure waves into velocity waves at the boundary where it's placed, effectively functioning as an open acoustic window at that surface. PSI Audio calls it an anti-wall. The physics are real: what you hear in a room treated with the C20 is not the same room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eHow It Works — The Same Principle as the C214, Pure Analog Implementation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe AVAA technology is not phase cancellation, and it is not EQ. Both of those approaches treat the symptom — the uneven frequency response at the listening position — rather than the cause. The C20 addresses the cause: it reduces the acoustic pressure at room boundaries where modes build up, physically changing the room's behaviour rather than compensating for it downstream.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eA microphone behind the perforated front screen senses acoustic pressure at the surface. The analog amplifier drives the internal transducer with a velocity proportional to that pressure measurement, in opposition — zeroing the acoustic pressure at the wall or corner junction where the device sits. The effect is that the AVAA behaves like a much larger absorptive surface. PSI Audio's specification puts it at 25 times the unit's physical size in equivalent absorptive area. Independent reviewers and acoustic measurements have consistently validated this figure in practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe operating range is 15 to 150 Hz, covering the full span where room modes cause the most damage in domestic and professional listening spaces. The C20 absorbs across this entire range continuously — it does not need to be tuned to specific modes, and requires no calibration to set up. A rear-panel sensitivity control exists for rooms that are exceptionally reactive, but for most spaces it is set fully clockwise and left there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThere is no DSP. There is no latency. The C20 is not in the audio signal path in any sense. It operates entirely on the acoustic environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eWhat It Actually Does to a Room\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eRoom modes do two things that are both problematic. They cause certain bass frequencies to build up — the familiar boom and bloom that makes kick drums hard to define and bass guitar notes hard to resolve. But they also cause other frequencies to cancel, creating bass-suck: a loss of low-frequency energy at specific notes that makes bass sound thin and uneven. The C20 addresses both simultaneously, because it is reducing the modal pressure across the 15–150 Hz range rather than targeting specific peaks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe perceptual result is not simply less bass. It is more accurate bass — notes that decay at the rate they were recorded rather than ringing on in the room, a tighter relationship between kick drum and bass guitar, a cleaner separation of bass instruments from everything above them, and often a noticeable improvement in imaging and spatial clarity throughout the frequency range. When the room stops adding and subtracting its own character from the low end, the rest of the mix becomes easier to hear correctly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003ePlacement is straightforward. Front corners — behind or alongside the main speakers — is the most commonly effective starting position. The C20's trapezoidal form factor is optimised for corner placement. Most rooms with meaningful bass problems see substantial improvement with two units; larger rooms may benefit from more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eThe C20 and the C214 — Which One?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe AVAA C20 and the newer AVAA C214 use the same fundamental technology and deliver the same type of acoustic result. The differences are meaningful for some buyers and irrelevant for others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe C20 is 100% analog, which matters to listeners who prefer no digital processing anywhere near their system — even acoustic processing that is not in the signal path. It is the version that has been proven across a decade of professional and domestic use. It is simpler: plug in, place, done. There is no app, no firmware, no connectivity to manage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe C214 is the newer digital implementation, optimised for the consumer market. It is more compact, slightly more efficient by PSI Audio's measurements, and controllable via smartphone app — allowing on\/off switching and adjustment from the listening position, which is genuinely useful for A\/B comparison. It is the version recommended if app control, a more refined industrial design, or wall\/ceiling mounting flexibility matters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eIf you want no digital involvement whatsoever and prefer a proven analog technology, the C20 is the choice. If you want app control and the latest implementation, the C214 is the choice. Both work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003ePress Recognition\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStereophile — Full Review\u003c\/strong\u003e Bob Katz reviewed four AVAA C20 units in his mastering room with detailed measurements. \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stereophile.com\/content\/psi-audio-avaa-c20-electronic-bass-trap\"\u003eRead the review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSound on Sound — Full Review\u003c\/strong\u003e \"Highly effective and easy to use — considerably more compact and easier to install than any equivalent passive acoustic bass-trap panels.\" \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.soundonsound.com\/reviews\/psi-audio-avaa-c20\"\u003eRead the review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTape Op — Full Review\u003c\/strong\u003e \"The difference in low-frequency accuracy between having the two AVAAs powered on in my room, versus turned off, is not at all subtle — it's immediate and obvious.\" \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/tapeop.com\/reviews\/gear\/114\/avaa-c20-active-bass-absorber\"\u003eRead the review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSonicScoop — Full Review\u003c\/strong\u003e \"I'm not going back to life without it.\" \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/sonicscoop.com\/new-gear-review-avaa-c20-active-bass-trap-by-psi-audio\/\"\u003eRead the review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto w-full px-2 mb-6\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"min-w-full border-collapse text-sm leading-[1.7] whitespace-normal\"\u003e\n\u003cthead class=\"text-left\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\" class=\"text-text-100 border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/60 py-2 pr-4 align-top font-bold\"\u003e\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"col\" class=\"text-text-100 border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/60 py-2 pr-4 align-top font-bold\"\u003e\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eType\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eActive bass absorber (analog)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency Range\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e15 – 150 Hz\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEffective Absorption\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eEquivalent to 25× its physical size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eActive Surface\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e0.2 m²\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEffective Surface\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e5 m²\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTechnology\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e100% analog — no DSP, zero latency\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCalibration Required\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eNone\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eControls\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eRear-panel sensitivity potentiometer\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHousing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eMDF\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e424 mm W × 509 mm H × 300 mm D\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeight\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e13 kg\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMounting\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eFreestanding; optimised for corner placement\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignal Path\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eNot in the audio signal path\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eHandmade in Switzerland\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSold\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"border-b-0.5 border-border-300\/30 py-2 pr-4 align-top\"\u003eIndividually\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eQuestions about how many units your room needs, how the C20 compares to the C214, or where to place them for best effect? We're happy to help you think through it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"PSI Audio","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":40846073299011,"sku":"","price":3125.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White","offer_id":40846073331779,"sku":"","price":3125.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0522\/7587\/products\/psiavaac20_110025_1__08672.1665774353.600.800.png?v=1702314968","url":"https:\/\/tweekgeek.com\/products\/avaa-c20-active-bass-trap","provider":"Tweek Geek","version":"1.0","type":"link"}