EdgeMax EM90
A two-way installation loudspeaker combining PhaseGuide coverage from room edges and corners with an 8-inch LF driver, HF compression driver, and 70/100V or 8-ohm operation.
- Drivers
- 8in LF + compression HF
- Coverage
- 90° × 75° asymmetrical
- Connection
- 70V/100V + 8Ω
Product Overview
The EdgeMax EM90 is a two-way passive in-ceiling loudspeaker introduced by Bose Professional in 2017. It combines an 8-inch LF driver with an HF compression driver using a 1.3-inch voice coil, while the proprietary PhaseGuide creates a 90° horizontal × 75° vertical asymmetrical coverage pattern. It is intended for installation near room edges and corners rather than in the centre of the ceiling.
An integrated 70V/100V transformer can be bypassed for 8-ohm operation. Installation features include four QuickHold spring-loaded arms, a front-accessible six-pin Euroblock connector and tap selector, a magnetic grille and an adjustable tile bridge. The EM90 is UL 1480A listed and UL 2043 compliant for plenum-space installation, with applications including restaurants, fitness centres, hospitality, houses of worship and commercial spaces.
Specifications
- System
- Two-way passive in-ceiling installation loudspeaker
- Drivers
- LF: 8in (203mm); HF: compression driver with 1.3in (33mm) voice coil
- Frequency response
- 50Hz–18kHz (-3dB, one-eighth-space corner loading with recommended EQ)
- Frequency range
- 45Hz–20kHz (-10dB, one-eighth-space corner loading with recommended EQ)
- Coverage
- 90° horizontal × 75° vertical (asymmetrical, 0°–75° referenced to wall)
- Sensitivity
- 96dB SPL (1W at 1m, one-eighth-space corner loading with recommended EQ)
- Calculated maximum SPL
- 117dB continuous, 123dB peak at 1m (Bose Professional extended-lifecycle rating)
- Power handling
- 125W continuous, 500W peak (Bose Professional extended-lifecycle rating)
- Crossover
- 1kHz, two-way passive
- Connection
- 70V/100V, or 8Ω with transformer bypassed
- Transformer taps
- 70V: 2.5/5/10/20/40/80W; 100V: 5/10/20/40/80W; bypass
- Nominal impedance
- 8Ω with transformer bypassed
- Recommended high-pass protection
- 55Hz, minimum 12dB/octave
- Connector
- Six-pin Euroblock with loop-through, front accessible
- Recommended ceiling height
- 2.7–6.1m, or higher
- Enclosure dimensions
- 339 × 339 × 249mm (L × W × overall depth)
- Ceiling cutout and mounting depth
- 345 × 345mm cutout, 236mm mounting depth, ceiling up to 80mm thick
- Weight
- 10.0kg per loudspeaker including grille
- Mounting
- Four QuickHold spring-loaded arms, four safety-cable tabs and included tile bridge
- Enclosure
- Engineered-plastics front baffle, steel backcan and paintable magnetic steel grille
- Safety compliance
- UL 1480A, UL 2043 for plenum spaces, indoor use only
Design & Technology
Two-way passive configuration
The two-way system combines a 203mm LF driver with an HF compression driver using a 1.3-inch voice coil. It integrates a 1kHz passive crossover, 70V/100V transformer and an automatically resetting overload-protection network.
Asymmetrical coverage with PhaseGuide
Bose Professional's proprietary PhaseGuide is positioned in front of the HF compression driver. It directs sound into the room from near the ceiling-wall boundary, producing a 90° horizontal × 75° vertical asymmetrical pattern. The vertical coverage extends from 0° at the wall toward 75° into the room.
Perimeter placement and boundary loading
The EM90 is intended for ceiling installation near room corners, radiating inward toward the centre. Its LF section operates close to the wall-ceiling boundary, which Bose Professional describes as using boundary loading to support bass output. The stated frequency response and sensitivity are also measured under one-eighth-space corner-loaded conditions with the recommended EQ.
70V/100V and 8-ohm operation
The integrated transformer provides taps from 2.5 to 80W on 70V systems and 5 to 80W on 100V systems. Bypassing the transformer allows conventional 8-ohm operation. The six-pin Euroblock connector includes loop-through wiring for distributed multi-loudspeaker systems.
Protection and recommended processing
Bose Professional recommends high-pass protection at 55Hz with a minimum 12dB/octave slope. Dedicated EQ presets are available for music optimisation but are not mandatory. Overload protection uses a resistor network that reduces power and resets automatically.
Position within the EdgeMax family
The EM90 is the 90° model for room-corner placement, while the EM180 provides 180° horizontal coverage from positions near the centre of a wall. The EM90 and EM180 use an approximately 24cm-deep backcan with 75° vertical coverage; shallower EM90-LP and EM180-LP models with 80° vertical coverage are available for lower ceilings and limited above-ceiling clearance.
QuickHold and tile bridge
Four QuickHold spring-loaded arms secure the enclosure to the ceiling, with four attachment points for safety cables. The required cutout is 345 × 345mm, mounting depth is 236mm and supported ceiling thickness is up to 80mm. An adjustable tile bridge, cutout template and paint shield are included.
Front-access wiring and settings
The six-pin Euroblock connector and 70V/100V tap selector are located on the front baffle and accessed by removing the grille. The magnetic grille includes a safety tether, and its white finish can be painted to match the interior. An optional black grille is also available.
Backcan and installation design files
The engineered-plastics front baffle is integrated with a steel backcan. The indoor-only enclosure complies with UL 2043 for plenum-space installation and is listed to UL 1480A for commercial audio equipment. Bose Professional also provides EASE data, CAD, Revit, ARCHICAD and Modeler design resources.
Sources
- 01Bose ProfessionalEdgeMax EM90 loudspeaker
Manufacturer product page · Accessed August 15, 2026
- 02Bose ProfessionalTechnical Data - EdgeMax EM90
Official datasheet · Accessed August 15, 2026
- 03Bose ProfessionalInstallation Guide - EdgeMax EM90 / EM180
Official manual · Accessed August 15, 2026
- 04Bose ProfessionalDesign Guide - EdgeMax EM90 / EM90-LP / EM180 / EM180-LP
Official technical paper · Accessed August 15, 2026
- 05Bose ProfessionalEdgeMax Proprietary Directional Loudspeakers
Manufacturer technology page · Accessed August 15, 2026
- 06Bose ProfessionalHigh Performance Meets Stealth Design - Bose Professional Announces Global Availability of EdgeMax LP
Manufacturer press release · Accessed August 15, 2026