Few things are as hated and necessary as taxes and subwoofers. But subwoofers, at least, are becoming easier to live with. Ten years ago, every good-sounding subwoofer took the form of a massive, ugly black box. Given the science of the time, the big box was necessary if you wanted deep bass. But thanks to a technological breakthrough or two, you can now buy an excellent miniature subwoofer that takes up less than a cubic foot of space.

Engineers have also reshaped subwoofers so they fit into a broader variety of rooms. The result is the diverse collection of exotic subs you see here. We have one that mounts almost flush in a wall. Another that hides in a beautifully crafted corner table. One that looks like something you’d roll down a bowling alley. And still another that fits in the palm of your hand … if you happen to be Shaquille O’Neal.

Although we like most minisubs, we were unsure how these radically reshaped new models would sound. So of course, we decide to give them a listen. Our process is simple: We hook them up in a system with the Infinity TSS-4000 speakers reviewed in this issue, evaluate each subwoofer to find the best place for it in our listening room, then let it rip with our favorite bass-heavy DVDs and CDs.

Let us see and hear how today’s most creative audio manufacturers are bringing big bass to any space ...

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