This 7-Foot Soundbar Is Made for TVs That Keep Getting Bigger
Sonance has unveiled two unusual home theater solutions at CEDIA Expo 2026: the SBXL-100, a massive 2.1-meter-wide soundbar designed for giant TVs, and the PowerPipe X series of architectural subwoofers that can be hidden inside walls, ceilings, or furniture. The two products offer a different approach to large-screen home theater, combining a huge front soundstage with bass that can virtually disappear from view.
Both products are now available and have received CE Pro BEST Awards, with the SBXL-100 winning in the soundbar category and the PowerPipe X taking the award in the subwoofer category. The PowerPipe X series was first announced back in February at ISE 2026 in Barcelona.
The Sonance SBXL-100 Is Built for Giant TVs
The Sonance SBXL-100 is designed specifically for modern TVs with screen sizes of approximately 98 inches or larger. Measuring 2100 x 206 x 103 mm, it is not designed to be a conventional multi-channel Dolby Atmos soundbar. Instead, Sonance has built it as a high-end 2.0 speaker system for large-format displays.
The SBXL-100 includes a Sonance UA 2-125 ARC amplifier with a total power output of 250 watts, along with HDMI ARC/eARC and CEC support. DSP configuration is handled through the SonARC app, which provides separate modes depending on whether the soundbar is wall-mounted or placed on a shelf.
The speaker system uses 165mm anodized aluminum cone woofers, 30mm fabric dome tweeters, and passive radiators. Sonance claims a frequency response of 38Hz to 25kHz, meaning the SBXL-100 is designed to deliver substantial bass without necessarily requiring a separate subwoofer.
But if you want to take the bass even further, Sonance has another trick.
What If the Subwoofer Wasn’t Visible at All?
This is where the PowerPipe X series comes in.
Instead of placing a conventional subwoofer box beside the TV, Sonance’s PowerPipe X models are in-wall passive subwoofers featuring a bass-reflex bandpass enclosure. The enclosure can be concealed inside a wall, ceiling, or piece of furniture, while low frequencies are delivered into the room through a flexible duct and a compact grille.
That means the actual subwoofer can be hidden away while the room only needs a small grille to let the bass into the listening area.
The PowerPipe X range includes four passive models, starting with the PPX8 and extending all the way to the flagship PPX15.
Four PowerPipe X Subwoofers, Up to 15 Inches
The PPX8 uses an 8-inch driver and reaches down to a claimed 44Hz, while the PPX10 features a 10-inch driver with a low-end frequency of 39Hz.
The PPX12 moves to a 12-inch driver and reaches down to 34Hz. At the top of the range is the PPX15, which uses a 15-inch driver and is capable of reproducing frequencies down to a claimed 29Hz. The flagship model is rated for amplifiers up to 600 watts.
For people building large home theaters around giant displays, the combination is interesting because the visible part of the system can remain relatively clean while the subwoofer hardware is hidden elsewhere in the room.
Sonance SBXL-100 and PowerPipe X Prices
In the US, the Sonance SBXL-100 soundbar system with the UA 2-125 ARC amplifier costs $2,999.99.
The PowerPipe X range starts at $2,200 for the PPX8 and rises to $6,350 for the flagship PPX15.
With the SBXL-100 aimed at TVs measuring around 98 inches and larger, Sonance is clearly targeting the growing market for massive displays where a conventional soundbar can look undersized. The PowerPipe X takes the same idea further by allowing the bass system itself to largely disappear from sight.
