Janis W-3

About the Janis W-3

The Janis W-3 is a slot-loaded subwoofer featuring a 12-inch woofer that fires into a 2"x12" slot, with the pressure generated flowing out through a horizontal slot. The rear wave of the woofer is absorbed within the enclosure, which is designed to minimize enclosure resonances and provide a sonic speed compatible with electrostatic loudspeakers. It is noted for its musical quality rather than high SPL or home theater impact, making it suitable primarily for music listening rather than high-action movie scenes. The enclosure is typically finished in American walnut or white oak veneer. The W-3 has been used in systems with MartinLogan electrostatic speakers and paired with the Interphase 1A crossover amplifier. It is a sealed box subwoofer with a resistive aperture into a wide slot, designed to achieve a flat response down to around 30 Hz, with room gain extending to about 23 Hz. The woofer uses a stamped frame with an accordion non-rubber surround suspension, contributing to low distortion at low frequencies. The system requires a high-order crossover to address some frequency peaks around 400 Hz. The Janis W-3 is no longer widely manufactured and is considered a vintage or legacy product.