B&W PV1D Subwoofer - Last One - Display

Step into a new era of bass with the B&W PV1D subwoofer—a reimagined icon in home audio design. With its striking, stable curved form and innovative digital platform, the PV1D doesn’t just push the boundaries of subwoofer technology—it redefines them. Building on the legacy of its predecessor, this upgraded model introduces a digital dimension that enhances both performance and flexibility, proving that when you’ve advanced technology to its limits, the next step is to keep evolving.

At the core of the PV1D is its meticulously engineered stability. The twin drive units are mounted symmetrically in a back-to-back arrangement, ensuring that the subwoofer remains perfectly balanced and anchored to the floor. This design not only eliminates unwanted rattles when the bass kicks in but also optimizes the distribution of pressure within the cabinet. Coupled with an all-new amplifier that delivers a robust 400 watts of power, the PV1D produces deep, controlled bass that fills your space with precision and clarity—big sound in a beautifully compact form.

Leveraging the digital platform originally developed for our flagship DB1 subwoofer, the PV1D allows for unprecedented fine-tuning and control. Whether you’re after the visceral, deep-bass impact for your favorite cinematic moments or prefer a more tailored, flat response to match your room’s acoustics, a comprehensive range of EQ options puts the power in your hands. The B&W PV1D is not just a subwoofer; it’s a commitment to audio excellence, offering a sophisticated blend of design, innovation, and performance that elevates your listening experience to a new level.

Pressure Vessel

The B&W PV1D isn’t your typical subwoofer—it’s a revolution in design and performance. Instead of being an oversized, passive device, the PV1D harnesses the power of its digital platform to deliver deep, controlled bass that’s both impactful and refined.

At the heart of its innovation is a brilliant “pressure vessel” concept. Traditional subwoofers require large, bulky cabinets to handle the immense, fluctuating pressures produced by boosted bass. The PV1D turns this challenge on its head with its uniquely curved, spherical design. Much like a soap bubble naturally forms a sphere to evenly distribute internal pressure, the PV1D’s enclosure is engineered to contain those powerful low-frequency forces without flexing. This means no unwanted vibrations or coloration—just pure, articulate bass.

The design doesn’t stop at just managing pressure. The symmetrical, back-to-back mounting of its twin drive units ensures that mechanical forces are transmitted directly into the plane of the spherical walls. This approach minimizes bending and distortion, allowing the cabinet to remain slim while still maximizing internal volume. And with aluminum walls that double as an efficient heat-sink for the subwoofer’s electronics, you get consistent performance even during those intense listening sessions.

In every detail—from its advanced digital controls to its pressure-optimized design—the B&W PV1D is engineered to deliver bass with finesse and precision. Whether you’re setting up a home theater or fine-tuning a high-fidelity audio system, this subwoofer proves that power can be both elegant and controlled, offering an immersive low-end experience that’s as aesthetically pleasing as it is sonically impressive.

Balanced Drive

Experience a revolution in low-end performance with the B&W PV1D subwoofer, where innovation meets precision engineering. Traditional subwoofers typically rely on a single drive unit, which can transmit subtle yet impactful reaction forces to the enclosure—often causing it to rock and diminishing that coveted sense of "slam." Conventional solutions, like spike feet, help anchor the unit but come with their own limitations.

The PV1D shatters convention with its balanced drive design. By using two identical drivers mounted back-to-back, it naturally cancels out reaction forces, ensuring that every thump is delivered with consistent, dynamic power. This ingenious approach means there's no need for spike feet—the subwoofer instead rests on a specially engineered ring of rubber-like material that not only absorbs vibrations but also isolates the unit from the surface it's on, whether that's a sturdy floor or custom furniture.

Every aspect of the PV1D is optimized for clarity and control. The balanced drive system maintains a rock-solid base, preserving the dynamic impact of the bass while eliminating unwanted movement or coloration. The result is a bass experience that is both powerful and refined, offering precise, articulate low frequencies that enrich every movie, track, and gaming session.

Discover a new standard in bass performance where engineering excellence transforms your listening space into a realm of uncompromised, immersive sound.

Drive units

In the B&W PV1D, the drive units are a testament to engineering precision. To handle the intense internal pressure changes, the diaphragm is designed to be exceptionally stiff with a three-part construction. The visible, concave aluminium front layer delivers a crisp and controlled response, while the paper/Kevlar® cone at the back offers proven reliability and performance. Sandwiched between these is a layer of expanded polystyrene, creating a constrained-layer structure that not only provides the necessary stiffness and damping but also acts as a robust acoustic barrier, keeping unwanted internal noise firmly in check.

Moreover, the drive units are built for large excursions, allowing them to generate deep, resonant low frequencies at realistic levels with minimal distortion. This combination of strength, clarity, and dynamic range ensures that every bass note is delivered with precision and impact, making the PV1D an ideal choice for those who demand both performance and finesse in their audio setup.

Efficiency

Efficiency is at the heart of the PV1D's design. The aluminium enclosure not only provides structural integrity but doubles as a heat sink, keeping the internal electronics cool even during intense sessions. Thanks to an all-new switch mode power supply paired with a Class-D amplifier, the PV1D delivers 400W of robust output with impressive voltage swing for precise bass equalisation—all while keeping power consumption remarkably low.

It might seem counterintuitive that the rated power consumption is lower than the rated output, but that's because the full 400W is only called upon in short bursts during those demanding movie moments or explosive tracks. During quieter passages, the constant low-level input from the power supply keeps the generous reservoir capacitors fully replenished, ensuring that the system is always ready to deliver a powerful punch when needed. This clever engineering means you get all the performance you expect without unnecessary energy waste—a perfect blend of power and efficiency for a refined audio experience.

Digital Signal Processing

Experience a new level of audio customization with the PV1D’s advanced Digital Signal Processing. From the moment an audio signal enters the system, the DSP works its magic, giving you unparalleled flexibility to tailor the subwoofer’s output for any application or setup. Four distinct EQ settings let you choose a perfectly flat, true-to-life response for serious music listening—or dial in a boost that gives movie special effects an extra kick, ensuring every cinematic moment feels grand and immersive.

Integration with your main speakers is a breeze. Instead of being treated as an add-on, the subwoofer becomes a fully unified part of your surround sound system. The PV1D even offers recommendations to adjust filter and delay settings, so whether you’re running a multi-channel setup or a 2.1 stereo system to add bass to small speakers, you can easily configure the low-pass filter by simply selecting your main speakers from a list.

The magic doesn’t stop there. The PV1D boasts an impressively low cut-off frequency, ensuring that even the deepest bass tones are present to create a sense of space and scale—evoking the vast acoustics of a large auditorium or the subtle openness of an outdoor setting. Thanks to dynamic bass EQ, the level of boost is constantly monitored and adjusted, preventing overload while keeping those essential low frequencies intact.

In short, the PV1D’s DSP technology offers the perfect balance between technical precision and listening pleasure, transforming your subwoofer into a seamlessly integrated, adaptable powerhouse that delivers bass with both impact and finesse.

Digital Control

Fine-tuning the PV1D’s performance is refreshingly simple, thanks to its intuitive digital control system. For many setups, the default settings work perfectly, but if you want to customize your sound, the PV1D gives you two easy ways to do it.

The first is through the built-in OLED display and navigation buttons on the front panel. The menu system is as straightforward as using a smartphone, making adjustments quick and hassle-free. Plus, the illuminated proximity-sensitive buttons fade away when not in use, maintaining the subwoofer’s sleek, uncluttered aesthetic while eliminating unnecessary distractions.

For even greater control, Bowers & Wilkins provides SubApp™, a dedicated software tool for Windows® (both 32-bit and 64-bit). By connecting the PV1D to your computer via USB—using the supplied cable—you gain access to additional settings and fine-tuning options. Originally developed for the flagship DB1 subwoofer, this version of SubApp™ is streamlined to match the PV1D’s needs while offering configuration from the comfort of your listening position.

Worried about losing your settings? No problem. SubApp™ allows you to save your complete configuration as an XML file, ensuring you can always restore your preferences if needed. Even without a computer, a few simple keystrokes on the PV1D itself let you save and recover key settings internally.

With a combination of modern digital controls and user-friendly design, the PV1D makes achieving the perfect bass response easier than ever.