How Important is Subwoofer for Basic TV?

GaryB

Hi, I just bought new widescreen TV with those lousy built-in speakers. After hearing them, I ordered a set of Polk RTi4 bookshelves and CSi3 center speaker. 96% of time, we watch news or children's shows, 2% of time we watch drama or movies, and 2% of time we listen to music via AV Receiver. Given our viewing/listening habits, how important is adding a subwoofer? Am I correct that it's more important for music and movie effects than for basic TV shows? Thanks!

nguyendot

Yes you are correct. You won't miss it much for normal tv watching.

GaryB

nguyendot wrote: »

Yes you are correct. You won't miss it much for normal tv watching.

Thank you!

disneyjoe7

I enjoy my subwoofer watching tv, sorry to say I feel there's a LF audio on some tv shows.

cnh

I could go either way on this one. Like DJ, it depends on the programming. A lot of TV does not have much LFE in its signal. Some shows do!

I run a 2.1 Rti-4 (8" 100 watt sub) Onkyo AVR system in my bedroom. Most of the time the Rti-4s are adequate...but occasionally the sub booms and roars when necessary!

Also depends on the size of that room some?

Adding a small sub won't hurt but you can get by without one but definitely not on films...there you sorta need the SUB!

cnh

B Run

Just snag a cheap sub off craigslist, that way you won't spend a lot but won't be missing anything either. I got my Sony 12'' for $40 and it slams, I didn't want to spend a lot because it was a 2nd system.

Tour2ma

98% happy ain't bad...

Welcome to the club...

GaryB

Thanks for the suggestions!

comfortablycurt

As others have said, this is an issue you can go either way on. For the most part, a subwoofer is going to have minimal gains with casual TV watching. However, some TV material does still have a good amount of low frequency material, which a subwoofer will really reinforce. While the RTi4's do have some respectable bass output given their size, they're still limited by their abilities. They can't reproduce real low bass frequencies, or really much of anything below 60hz or so with any real output. Even a cheaper subwoofer such as a PSW10 will help to reinforce the low end and at least get you somewhat into the realm of low bass output. For a bit more money, you could get something like a PSW505, which would give you very respectable low bass output.

The most important thing though, is whether or not your system makes you happy. It sounds like you're quite happy with the sound you're getting, but if one thing's for sure...you definitely wouldn't enjoy it any less with the addition of a subwoofer.

Doug Hess

This topic may be done now, but I stumbled across it and just had to weigh in.

Yes, as TVs have gotten thinner, so has the sound--that's just inescapable. But I think you (all) would be surprised at how much bass there is in some TV shows and, less surprisingly, commercials. I have small (8") subwoofers connected directly to two of my TVs so that I don't have to turn on a system to get good sound and they make a world of difference.

Not many people know this, but if your TV has variable audio outputs, you can connect a sub directly to the RCA R/L outputs and improve the sound of your TV. Since most TVs have variable outs, most people can get this.

Now, does more bass equal better sound? Not on your life. I'd take a receiver good pair of bookshelf speakers over just a sub and TV speakers any day, but if your TV sounds decent--just thin--and you don't want to have to fire up the system just to watch TV, consider a good small sub.

-Doug

comfortablycurt

Doug Hess wrote: »

This topic may be done now, but I stumbled across it and just had to weigh in.

Yes, as TVs have gotten thinner, so has the sound--that's just inescapable. But I think you (all) would be surprised at how much bass there is in some TV shows and, less surprisingly, commercials. I have small (8") subwoofers connected directly to two of my TVs so that I don't have to turn on a system to get good sound and they make a world of difference.

Not many people know this, but if your TV has variable audio outputs, you can connect a sub directly to the RCA R/L outputs and improve the sound of your TV. Since most TVs have variable outs, most people can get this.

Now, does more bass equal better sound? Not on your life. I'd take a receiver good pair of bookshelf speakers over just a sub and TV speakers any day, but if your TV sounds decent--just thin--and you don't want to have to fire up the system just to watch TV, consider a good small sub.

-Doug

My parents bought a Sony plasma TV right when plasma technology was first coming out. It actually has a dedicated subwoofer output on it...which I always thought was pretty cool.

Doug Hess

Hi, Curt. Yep a few TVs have had sub outs, but not many, that's for sure. Heck, there have even been TVs with amplified speaker outputs. I remember a Zenith in particular. Sounded God-awful, but people--mostly old people--just loved the idea.

-Doug

jinjuku

Plenty of OTA and Cable programing with 5.1 discreet audio. Not sure why a sub wouldn't benefit.

Tony M

My samsung plasma has great reg. tv sound output. We do have a system in place for when we want to hear special shows in a special way.:cool:

samnor

jinjuku wrote: »

Plenty of OTA and Cable programing with 5.1 discreet audio. Not sure why a sub wouldn't benefit.

OP said 96% news/children shows... after having watched my share of Barney and co., I really dont think a sub would be necessary... but then again, the remaining 4% may make all the difference to the OP. Like others said, you can always pick up a cheap sub and try it out...

jinjuku

samnor wrote: »

OP said 96% news/children shows... after having watched my share of Barney and co., I really dont think a sub would be necessary... but then again, the remaining 4% may make all the difference to the OP. Like others said, you can always pick up a cheap sub and try it out...

Yep, $100 bucks for a used sub will make that 4% a little more enjoyable and not really break the bank.

thsmith

Everything I watch has great sound and feel it is getting better all the time. But based upon what you mainly watch I would say not worth doing.

larry777

I use a Sub for everything including a lot of TV viewing. I find it adds a lot to the soundfield and I wouldn't look back. You would be surprised at the amount of low tones comming from your TV.....and music as well.

cnh

Doug Hess wrote: »

Hi, Curt. Yep a few TVs have had sub outs, but not many, that's for sure. Heck, there have even been TVs with amplified speaker outputs. I remember a Zenith in particular. Sounded God-awful, but people--mostly old people--just loved the idea.

-Doug

Doug, if this is really you. Welcome to CP!

Good to see you active on this site!

cnh

cnh

jinjuku wrote: »

Yep, $100 bucks for a used sub will make that 4% a little more enjoyable and not really break the bank.

Good suggestion. That's basically what I did. Bought an all in one package in a box for less than 100 on clearance years ago at a Ratshack. The sub alone was almost worth that. Deep excursion 8", 100 watts RMS in a 26 lbs. well-braced enclosure. Not a great sub by any means but in a 12 x 12.5 x 8.5 foot room with Rti-4s, it fills out the bottom nicely for TV and films.

cnh

dvran

2% of the time movies..... really?