Subwoofers. They have a bad name but they are so important in being able to achieve a full experience. They have a bad name because typically teenagers who drive cars install them, but do not know how to use them correctly. I say that lightly because again the main point in audio is getting what you want out of it. In that regard though, car audio doesn’t help the subwoofer’s image. I agree with anyone who says they hate having the car next to them rattling their windows. That is a user error though and not the purpose of a sub. A sub plays a very vital role in the audio spectrum. A fine tuned sub that is mixed correctly truly changes the listening experience. Once you feel, not hear, a subwoofer used correctly it’s nearly impossible to go without one.
Most subwoofers do not need play frequencies above the 120hz range. Very, very few will go as low as the single digits, but a really good sub will play low in the 13-20hz range. So lets talk about that range for a minute. The average human hears between 20hz – 20,000hz. So when you get below the 20hz range you are not hearing. So why have a subwoofer below the 20hz range anyway? Because humans feel it. There is a great value in feeling what you hear. Most humans feel between 5hz – 18hz. So a subwoofers job as it exists in audio is for us to feel the music. This happens by moving air and lots of it. This is why a subwoofers size matters. A 15″ sub can move air a lot more efficiently that a 10″. However, the flip side to that is a 10″ sub will have a tighter overall sound than a 15″. Physically speaking a 10″ will vibrate quicker than a 15″ due to less surface space on the sub’s cone to move. This is why personally I prefer a 12″ in my car and a good solid 10″ in my home theater. I prefer my home theater to excel more in clarity and realism than overall loudness. A subwoofer isn’t as easy to place as other speakers. It’s not like a center channel that has two options; in the center and above or below the screen. A subwoofer in the corner of a room will produce a lot more bass, but will sound muddy and unclear. Sub placement and the room it is in plays a huge part in the sound. Again a sub goes off the air is moves and the vibrations in the room it can make. You want to find the best sounding location and one that is pleasing aesthetically. To find the best sound they say to put the sub in the position you sit. Then literally crawl around on the floor to you find a spot where the bass sounds good. Once you find the spot you place your sub there. I think some people would be surprised how moving a sub 1ft closer or 1ft further away from a wall will make a huge difference. Try it out.
I close this by saying my repeated theme across this entire blog. It comes down to you. I’ve read so many reviews for home theater gear and for every good review you are going to find a bad one. Everyone hears differently and what someone else thinks is bad someone else thinks is the best. This is why with a little extra effort on your part you can setup something magical. Read reviews to make sure parts are quality made and that a company isn’t selling you something that will break in 2 years. Outside of that don’t buy into reviews stating “X sounds better than Y, so glad I bought X”. Get up and go listen.
–Austin
Common Mans Home Theater 