LAS VEGAS — As the professional audio industry descends upon the Las Vegas Convention Center for InfoComm 2026, HARMAN Professional Solutions has once again seized the spotlight. In a significant expansion of its flagship VTX Series, the company unveiled the VTX B35 and VTX B35G, a pair of high-performance, compact cardioid subwoofers engineered to solve one of the most persistent challenges in live sound reinforcement: controlling low-frequency energy in acoustically sensitive or space-constrained environments.
This latest announcement marks a strategic evolution for the VTX line, which has long been a workhorse for touring professionals and high-end fixed installations. By focusing on the physics of cardioid directivity, HARMAN aims to provide system designers with a tool that delivers high-impact bass without the logistical nightmares often associated with traditional, complex subwoofer array configurations.
The Core Challenge: Managing the Low-End
In the world of large-scale sound reinforcement, low-frequency control is often considered the "holy grail." Traditional subwoofers are omnidirectional, meaning they radiate sound in all directions. While this creates a powerful feeling of bass, it also creates significant energy on stage and behind the arrays, often leading to muddy mixes, feedback, and structural resonance that can degrade the clarity of the primary sound system.
To combat this, engineers typically employ "cardioid arrays"—complex configurations where multiple subwoofers are spaced, delayed, and inverted in polarity to cancel out rearward energy. While effective, these arrays are physically massive, require significant floor space, and demand hours of precise measurement and rigging.
The VTX B35 and B35G have been designed specifically to bypass these hurdles. By integrating the cardioid behavior directly into a single, cohesive enclosure, JBL Professional has effectively "pre-engineered" the physics of the array, allowing for a cardioid response out of the box without the need for manual, field-built configuration.
Technical Specifications and Engineering Philosophy
At the heart of the VTX B35 system is a sophisticated tri-driver arrangement. The cabinet houses three JBL Differential Drive 15-inch woofers. Unlike conventional single-driver subwoofers, the B35 utilizes a front-rear configuration: two drivers face forward, while one driver is oriented toward the rear.
This configuration is powered by independent amplifier channels, each managed by optimized DSP presets. This allows the system to achieve highly predictable cardioid directivity, extending down to a remarkable 32 Hz. By utilizing JBL’s proprietary Differential Drive technology—which employs dual voice coils and dual magnetic gaps—the B35 maintains high output and low distortion even when pushed to the limits of its excursion.
Mechanical Integration and Ecosystem
A standout feature of the B35 is its mechanical compatibility with the VTX A12 line array. This compatibility is not merely a courtesy; it is a fundamental design choice. The B35 can be suspended directly above VTX A12 arrays without the need for cumbersome adapter frames, creating a seamless, "plug-and-play" aesthetic and rigging workflow.
For rental houses and integrators, this means faster load-ins and load-outs. The rigging accessories for the B35 are fully cross-compatible with the VTX A12, including the A12 Array Frame and the A12 Suspension Bar. This enables a variety of deployment scenarios, ranging from fully flown systems to hybrid ground-stack configurations.
The "G" variant, the B35G, provides an identical acoustic engine but is specifically tailored for ground-stacking or fixed-installation applications. By omitting the touring-grade rigging hardware, the B35G offers a more cost-effective and streamlined solution for permanent installations in theaters, houses of worship, and performance venues where the subwoofers will not be suspended.
Official Perspective: Simplifying the Workflow
During the product unveiling at InfoComm, George Georgallis, the Director of Product Management for Performance Audio at HARMAN Professional Solutions, emphasized that the B35 was born out of direct feedback from the field.
"The B35 gives system designers and rental providers a more practical way to achieve low-frequency control in environments where conventional cardioid arrays are difficult to deploy," Georgallis noted. "We recognized that while the industry understands the benefits of cardioid setups, the time and space required to execute them correctly were often prohibitive. With the B35, we’ve effectively removed the barrier to entry for high-end low-frequency directivity."
Georgallis further highlighted the flexibility the system offers for touring applications. "The ability to fly the B35 directly above VTX A12 arrays provides new deployment flexibility, particularly in applications where space for ground-stacked subwoofers is limited or completely unavailable. We aren’t just providing a new cabinet; we are providing a new way to design a sound system."
Software-Driven Optimization
Modern sound reinforcement is as much about software as it is about hardware. JBL has ensured that the VTX B35 series is fully integrated into its comprehensive software ecosystem.
System designers can utilize Venue Synthesis for detailed acoustic modeling, Array Link for calculating rigging parameters, and Performance Manager for overall system control and monitoring. These tools allow for a unified workflow where the subwoofer’s performance can be predicted and optimized before a single piece of equipment is flown.
A particularly powerful feature included in the software suite is the Electronic Delay Steering (EDS) calculator. This tool allows for the rapid optimization of large, distributed subwoofer arrays, ensuring that the B35’s cardioid energy is precisely steered to hit the target audience area while minimizing spill.
Implications for the Industry
The introduction of the VTX B35 series represents a broader trend in the professional audio industry: the shift toward "system-based" solutions. Instead of selling individual components, manufacturers are now focused on selling integrated ecosystems where the speaker, the rigging, the amplification, and the software work as a single, symbiotic unit.
Impact on Touring Production
For touring production, the B35’s ability to provide cardioid performance in a single box means that production managers can now achieve better sound quality in venues that were previously considered "acoustically hostile." By reducing rearward energy, the B35 prevents the buildup of low-frequency standing waves that can make a mix feel muddy. It also significantly improves the working environment for performers on stage by reducing the amount of low-frequency sound pressure levels (SPL) directed toward the back of the house.
Impact on Fixed Installations
For fixed installations, such as modern houses of worship or multipurpose auditoriums, the B35G offers a permanent solution to the common problem of bass-heavy stage areas. By focusing the energy into the room and away from the stage, church worship leaders and theater directors can achieve a much cleaner stage mix, allowing for better monitoring and less interference with vocal microphones.
Conclusion: A New Standard for Low-Frequency Control
As InfoComm 2026 continues, the JBL VTX B35 and B35G serve as a reminder of how far professional audio has come. The days of trial-and-error subwoofer configurations are slowly being replaced by sophisticated, software-backed hardware solutions that prioritize efficiency without compromising on performance.
By bridging the gap between high-output, low-frequency performance and ease of deployment, HARMAN Professional Solutions has provided a timely addition to the VTX family. Whether for a stadium tour or a permanent theater installation, the B35 provides a robust, predictable, and—most importantly—controllable foundation for the modern live sound mix.
For those attending InfoComm, the VTX B35 series can be examined in detail at the JBL Professional exhibits. It is a testament to the fact that, even in the mature market of professional audio, there is always room for innovation that makes the engineer’s life easier and the audience’s experience better.
