We first saw (and more importantly heard) Trinnov’s WaveForming technology at last year’s CEDIA Expo and were blown away by how well the system could reproduce bass frequencies. Not only was the depth of bass response improved, but so was the consistency, impact, clarity and detail of the bass. And no matter where I sat in the demo room, the results were the same.
However, at last year’s Expo, WaveForming was still available in limited quantities and projects were approved by the company on a case-by-case basis. Now, anyone who owns one of the company’s Altitude series A/V processors can access WaveForming technology for free by contacting their Trinnov dealer for a free upgrade. In addition to the upgrade for existing customers, Trinnov says WaveForming will be a standard feature on all future Altitude A/V processors.
The basic concept of WaveForming is that it uses advanced proprietary software to drive multiple subwoofers in the front and rear of a room. The front subwoofers transmit the bass, while the rear subwoofers absorb or cancel that bass. This prevents the bass frequencies from bouncing off the walls, floor and ceiling, which would wreak havoc on the sound in general.
Unimpeded propagation of bass frequencies through a room typically causes room modes and standing waves, which result in very uneven bass frequencies in different parts of the listening room. Sitting in the sweet spot, you may get decent bass response, but moving a seat to the left or right can result in exaggerated boomy bass or virtually no bass, depending on where and how the bass waves interact with each other in your specific room. This uneven bass response is virtually eliminated by WaveForming.
While the first system we heard at CEDIA Expo used a whopping 24 subwoofers—12 in the front and 12 in the back—the company also demonstrated that the technology can work with just five subwoofers: three on the front wall and two on the back. Additionally, this year Trinnov showed a newer version of WaveForming (Cylindrical WaveForming) that can produce great results with just four subwoofers, as long as the listening room dimensions and ceiling reflection are manageable. Cylindrical WaveForming allows subwoofers to be placed on the floor, while the alternative method—Spherical WaveForming—requires subwoofers to be mounted on or in the walls.
Spherical WaveForming is still the preferred method for optimal results, but can result in higher equipment and installation costs. Even though Spherical WaveForming works well with acoustically transparent projection screens, it is not as suitable for home theaters with large flat panel displays such as OLED, MiniLED or MicroLED TVs. When placing the subwoofer at floor level with Cylindrical WaveForming, the screen does not block the subwoofers.
The company tells us it took more than seven years of research and development to bring WaveForming to market, culminating in an 18-month Early Access program that allowed Trinnov to gather real-world results and feedback in actual customer home theaters using a range of different speakers and subwoofers. As that program nears its end, the company believes the technology is ready for wider public use.
Arnaud Laborie, CEO of Trinnov Audio, says: “Far more rooms are compatible with WaveForming than many people realize. If you have at least four subwoofers, WaveForming will enhance your audio experience. Trinnov looks forward to seeing this technology used in private rooms of all types and sizes.”
To support the public release of the software, the company has also released free design tools and tutorials to support WaveForming implementations. The tools listed below are just a few of the resources available to the public, custom installers, and any current or prospective customer on the company’s WaveForming resources page.
WaveForming tools and resources
- Guidelines for placing WaveForming subwoofers – detailed design guidelines to validate device positioning or to check whether an existing system is compatible with WaveForming.
- WaveForming design tool – web-based software to assist with subwoofer placement in new installations.
- Trinnov Audio – Explanation of WaveForming Guidelines – a comprehensive on-demand webinar explaining the technology and guidelines for WaveForming implementations.
Trinnov recommends that current Altitude owners with compatible audio systems contact their dealer to enable WaveForming on their existing system and schedule calibration services. If your system is not currently compatible, it may only require a small additional investment to bring it up to date.
If you’re heading to the CEDIA Expo in Denver, Colorado in September, be sure to try WaveForming in person. Expo attendees can experience WaveForming at Trinnov’s booth #2938. Trinnov is collaborating with Perlisten, Barco, Officina Acustica, madVR, and Kaleidescape to create a 33-channel home theater system. This system will include thirteen surround speakers, fourteen powered subwoofers, and six height channel speakers, all from high-end speaker manufacturer Perlisten, providing a fully immersive surround experience. The visual effects should be just as impressive with madVR’s video processing and Barco’s Nerthus projector, which puts out a whopping 32,000 lumens. Don’t forget to bring sunglasses.
The conclusion
Just over a year after its first public demonstration, Trinnov’s WaveForming technology is now being introduced to potentially thousands of customers worldwide. From what we’ve heard so far at both CEDIA Expo and Trinnov’s US headquarters in Connecticut, the technology is capable of delivering some of the best bass response we’ve ever heard in a home theater system. In fact, we’ve rarely heard anything that comes close in commercial theaters. The cost of entry is still high, as Trinnov’s “entry-level” Altitude 16 processor alone sells for $19,500 (MSRP) and you still have to add sources, speakers, at least four subwoofers, a display (projector/screen or flat panel), and installation costs. But if you have the means and are looking for a custom home theater, you should ask your favorite installer about Trinnov WaveForming.
Further reading:
CEDIA Expo’s craziest demo includes 43 speakers and over 125,000 watts of power
Trinnov brings WaveForming technology to more affordable home theater systems
What the hell is WaveForming?
