Near Introduces In-Ground Subwoofer

Near, the Maine-based company known for its indestructible outdoor speakers, has introduced a weatherproof subwoofer designed to be installed in or on the ground.

The latest addition to the company’s In-Ground (IG) Series, the IGS212 ($1,999) uses two 12-inch woofers to produce bass output and extension comparable to a 15-inch woofer from a much smaller enclosure — in this case, one made of polyethylene and measuring 23.75 inches at its base standing 24 inches tall. When partially buried, the exposed dome is 22 inches round and 12 inches high.

Like all IG series models, the enclosure is designed to meet or exceed the stringent Mil-Std-810 (Humidity, Salt Air, Heat, Cold, Immersion) and IEC IPX5 durability standards, making them “totally weatherproof not just weather resistant.” Near says the enclosure color will not fade even after years of direct sun exposure.

Based on Near’s UDIO (upside down/inside out) low-frequency driver technology, each woofer is a “spiderless” design with an inverted metal-diaphragm cone driven by voice coils wound inside and outside the former. The drivers are mounted face-to-face in a sealed bandpass enclosure and use magnetic fluid to draw heat away from the voice coil, a performance enhancing design the company patented in 1993.

“Outdoor theater systems are in great demand these days, driving the need for speakers that can fill outdoor spaces with high impact sound,” said company founder and general manager Bill Kieltyka. “Without the benefit of confining walls, it is very difficult to produce loud and low frequency bass. We designed the IGS212 to work in tandem with our DSP-equipped 3XL and 7XL amplifiers to achieve a level of performance that rivals the finest indoor home theater systems.”

While the IGS212 is intended for in-ground installation and offers the best performance when so installed, it can be used as a freestanding subwoofer camouflaged in landscaping.

With an efficient 94 dB rated sensitivity, the system is spec’d to play down to 28 Hz (+/-3 dB) with a maximum SPL of 120 dB (at 1 meter) and can handle up to 500 watts RMS.

For more information, visit nearspeakers.com.

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