B&W ISW-8

A 12 inch Aerofoil driver within the wall

ISW-8 combines a very tall enclosure with vibration-isolated mounting.

The single Bowers & Wilkins ISW-8 subwoofer uses a sealed 1640 × 350 × 84 mm back box. It is slim enough for a 2 × 4 inch stud wall but more than 1.6 metres long. The front baffle measures 400 × 400 mm and is 8.5 mm thick. The complete box assembly reaches 1782 mm in height: reserve the whole area between structural members before fixing grille position.

Key features

• 1640 × 350 × 84 mm back box; 400 × 400 × 8.5 mm baffle.
• 12 inch Aerofoil Profile woofer; integral vibration-isolation mounts.
• 8 ohms; 1000 W power handling; external CDA-2HD.
• 16–200 Hz response at -3 dB; 30-litre sealed volume.

Driver, isolation and power

Its 12 inch, approximately 300 mm Aerofoil Profile woofer uses neodymium magnets. The braced 30-litre MDF enclosure hangs from integrated vibration-isolation mounts to reduce energy transfer into the wall. This passive system is paired with external CDA-2HD amplification for the installation. Compared with ISW-6, both radiating area and the scale of the whole structure increase.

Electrical and response figures

Impedance is 8 ohms and power handling 1000 W. Response at -3 dB extends from 16 to 200 Hz, with a -6 dB range of 12 to 260 Hz. The box itself is 84 mm deep, but mounts and grille mean the complete wall assembly must be checked. It is aimed at cinema and stereo installations with CI700 or CI800 custom speakers: plan amplification, placement and structural support together.

The integral vibration mounts are part of the fitting plan, rather than ordinary rigid fixings. A 30-litre cabinet and 12 inch driver are on a different scale from ISW-6's 6-litre enclosure and small opposed racetrack units. Slim depth does not mean a small installation: the long back box affects the entire wall bay. Confirm the external amplifier and loudspeaker wiring before the wall surface is closed.