Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. Legacy Archives

Velodyne’s Wi-Q brings the wireless rumble without busting your wallet

Add as a preferred source on Google

“The Smart Sub” made its debut early last month at the 2014 International CES in Las Vegas, and with the ability to sit up to 50 feet away from your entertainment system, a sub-$1000 price-point, and Velodyne’s signature power and plethora of features, the Wi-Q series looks hard to beat.

The series includes a 10-inch sub at $800 and a 12-inch at $900. Considering the company’s top-of-the-line subs go for upwards of $3300, these new additions will likely have the ears of home theater enthusiasts on a budget perking right up.

Recommended Videos

The new Wi-Q line is not Velodyne’s first or even least expensive wireless subwoofer offering, but it is certainly the most feature-rich and high performance-oriented. The sub comes with some of the company’s best tech, including an automatic EQ which  instantly tweaks the sub’s settings to optimally match any main speakers via an exclusive, built-in processor.

You’ll still need to set up the sub in a location where its power cable can reach an outlet, but other stand-alone subs (near the Wi-Q’s price-point) with “wireless” technology are in the same boat, and many of them aren’t natively wireless — they require (often expensive) add-on accessories to achieve the same level of freedom from the main speakers. 

Other notable features include Velodyne’s exclusive distortion-limiting system and dual-layer large copper voice coils, specifically matched with 7.40-lb. magnets for what we’re confident will be some hard hitting bass with plenty of finesse.

Velodyne’s Wi-Q line is available now, and you can find out more at the company’s site right here.

Alex Tretbar
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Alex Tretbar, audio/video intern, is a writer, editor, musician, gamer and sci-fi nerd raised on EverQuest and Magic: The…
Samsung’s Freestyle+ AI Smart Projector turns any wall into your next movie screen
This $1,200 Samsung projector uses AI to fix your picture automatically.
samsung-Freestyle-AI-Smart-Projector

Movie night no longer needs a blank white wall or a complicated projector setup. Samsung has launched the Freestyle+ AI Smart Projector for $1,200 in the US, and its biggest trick is making almost any surface work as your screen.

Whether you're projecting onto patterned wallpaper, a colored wall, or even a space with shelves and picture frames, the projector uses AI to automatically adjust the image so you can start watching with minimal effort. The portable projector can create a Full HD picture up to 100 inches, making it an easy companion for everything from backyard movies to bedroom binge sessions.

Read more
Apple Music just got pricier
The subscription fee has climbed for student, family, and individual plans in the US, UK, and the rest of Europe.
Apple Music App

Apple just raised the subscription fee for its eponymous music streaming service. For individual plans, the price has climbed by a dollar, and so has the affordable student tier. The fee for the family plan has gone up by $3, and it now costs $19.99 in the US. The benefits associated with each plan remain unchanged.

How much do I pay now?

Read more
Sonos owners are finally getting a less frustrating app, but the rollout comes with a catch
Improved navigation, speaker sorting, and new iOS volume controls are arriving gradually and must initially be enabled manually
Furniture, Electronics, Speaker

The Sonos app is getting a substantial usability overhaul. Familiar bottom tabs should make it easier to move around, while customizable speaker ordering could take some friction out of managing a multiroom system.

Sonos community manager ShaunFromSonos announced that the release may take up to two weeks to reach everyone. Once it arrives, users must switch on Enable Improved Navigation in the app’s settings to unlock the new layout and sorting tools.

Read more