The PSI Audio AVAA C214 is a compact digitally controlled active bass trap designed to reduce unwanted low-frequency room resonances in studios, mastering rooms, control rooms and high-end listening spaces. It addresses standing waves and excessive bass decay from 15 Hz to 160 Hz, helping create more accurate low-frequency behaviour without requiring large passive bass traps, DSP-based signal correction or complex room-specific calibration.
 
Low-frequency room modes can make bass notes sound uneven, boomy, slow or missing altogether. They can obscure the timing and pitch of kick drums and bass instruments, make it difficult to judge tonal balance and compression, and reduce the clarity of stereo imaging and musical detail. In a listening room, the same physical effects can cause certain bass notes to dominate while others are weakened, reducing the natural scale, pace and transparency of music reproduction.
 
The AVAA C214, short for Active Velocity Acoustic Absorber, works directly in the acoustic environment rather than processing the audio signal. It is not a loudspeaker, does not reproduce music and does not use conventional anti-noise. Internal microphones, specialised actuators and digital control continuously monitor and absorb excessive low-frequency acoustic energy. The system operates as an active pressure-based absorber, reducing the decay time of room modes across its working range instead of correcting only a few manually selected frequencies.
 
The AVAA C214 is designed for broad operation between 15 Hz and 160 Hz. It requires no calibration or tuning to individual room modes and continuously reacts to the low-frequency acoustic conditions at its placement position. PSI Audio specifies an equivalent absorption efficiency of up to 45 times the unit’s physical size, making the C214 particularly practical in rooms where large passive bass traps would consume too much floor area or conflict with the desired studio or interior design.
Its compact cylindrical aluminium enclosure measures 640 mm in height and 210 mm in diameter. At approximately 11 kg, the AVAA C214 can be placed on the floor, used horizontally where appropriate, or installed using the optional C214 Feet wall-mount accessory. Its discreet Black or White finish options support both technical studio installations and visually refined living-room systems.
Unlike the fully analogue AVAA C20, the AVAA C214 uses digital/DSP control. It can be operated in Standalone Mode for simple plug-and-play use or in Remote Mode using the PSI Audio control app. The app requires a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network and provides access to intensity adjustment and further functions. The C214 works without a time-consuming measurement or calibration procedure, but placement still matters: it should be positioned where modal pressure is significant, generally near room boundaries, corners or other locations identified through listening and room-acoustic assessment.
 
The AVAA C214 is specifically intended for deep-bass control and complements, rather than replaces, conventional acoustic treatment. Passive absorbers, acoustic panels and diffusers remain appropriate for reflections, reverberation and diffusion at middle and high frequencies. For best results, use the C214 as part of a balanced room-acoustic strategy in rooms where those higher-frequency aspects have also been addressed.
 
The PSI Audio AVAA C214 is suitable for recording, mixing, mastering, post-production, broadcast, critical listening and high-end HiFi applications. One unit can improve a focused low-frequency problem, while two or more units may be appropriate for larger or more acoustically challenging rooms. The correct quantity and placement depend on room volume, dimensions, loudspeaker and listener positions, boundary construction, the distribution of room modes and the required degree of bass control.