Where is the best location for a Subwoofer?

hbrandi

I've read here that the best place for a subwoofer is in a corner. My question is if that corner should be infrot or behind the listeners?

Thanks to all.

Hermann Brandi

gatemplin

Welcome to the forum,

The sub will be loudest in a corner but not always best. Check out these placement tips:

http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/advice.php?article=subsetup

PolkThug

If you see an explosion on your TV, do you want the bass to come from where you saw it, or some place behind you?

Ron-P

If you see an explosion on your TV, do you want the bass to come from where you saw it, or some place behind you?

With good bass, no matter where the sub was located you'd never be able to tell where it was coming from.


Peace Out~:D

PolkThug

Originally posted by Ron-P
With good bass, no matter where the sub was located you'd never be able to tell where it was coming from.


Peace Out~:D

good luck!

Regards,
PolkThug

Ron-P

What'ya mean "good luck" I don't need that, I've got good bass. A decent quality sub will by no means localize the bass. If you can "hear the bass" and be able to tell where it's coming from, my first guess is that the x-over point is set too high.


Peace Out~:D

hbrandi

Thank you for all your input. I will read the article and later I might be bothering you again with some questions.

Thank you very much!

PolkThug

Originally posted by Ron-P
What'ya mean "good luck" I don't need that, I've got good bass. A decent quality sub will by no means localize the bass. If you can "hear the bass" and be able to tell where it's coming from, my first guess is that the x-over point is set too high.


Peace Out~:D

So, you're saying that if you put your "Sub Cannon" behind your listening position, you couldn't tell that it was behind you? I bet you could, but I could be wrong. Not trying to harass, its an interesting concept.

Regards,
PolkThug

POLKOHOLIC

I Brought My Sister Into The HT Room and She Didnt know where the Sub Was. When I Put On U571 and asked here where the bass was coming from she couldnt tell me.

Dr. Spec

If you can "hear the bass" and be able to tell where it's coming from, my first guess is that the x-over point is set too high.

Also, high harmonic distortion is often the culprit. Since the cone itself generates the harmonics, they are easy to localize, especially if they are over 100 Hz.

Port noise is another easily localized phenomenon. Ditto for anything vibrating near the sub, or the sub itself vibrating against the floor.

Sometimes the sub will give cues other than sound. The direction of floor vibration and air movement.

If you set the xo at 80 Hz, the sub will play above that point, even with a 4th order low pass filter. Unplug all the surrounds and play only the sub and you might indeed be able to locate it. This is especially true on SACD on my 2900 player, which curiously has a 6/12 BM circuit!

As Russman wisely pointed out once, the 2nd order high pass typical on most surround speakers allows them to play considerably below 80 Hz, and this provides a "masking effect", giving the listener the impression of directionality to upper bass sound effects. This is intended of course and works pretty darn well.

Regardless, I keep the sub between or near the mains just to be sure, especially on two channel where coherency of the sound stage is most important.

Ron-P

So, you're saying that if you put your "Sub Cannon" behind your listening position, you couldn't tell that it was behind you? I bet you could, but I could be wrong. Not trying to harass, its an interesting concept.

Not sure, I've never tried it. Possible, yes, but I'd doubt it. Unless, like Doc pointed out, something other than the actual bass is causing the localization.

I've had things in the room vibrate and cause a distraction but usually it's never near the sub. I can say I've never had problems with "port noise" or "hhd" that would give away the location of the sub.


Peace Out~:D

PolkThug

I finally got to hear an HT setup where you couldn't really hear where the bass was coming from, from the listening position.

My friend is running two subs in the back of the room, inside a cabinet, underneath a sink! He lined the inside of the cabinet with some kind of stick on rubber/vinyl material, he also had some concrete slabs on top of each sub. In the front of the room, in each corner he had "bass trap panels". There was also a smaller panel on the back wall. So, I suspect that room acoustics have a little to do with pulling this off.

I think the subs were Paradigm of the 8-10" variety.

I think in my HT room (which has crappy acoustics, 1/8" wood panel anyone?), when I tried with placing a sub behind me, I could "feel" the location of it more than anything.

Anyway, I'm gonna keep my subs in the front corner, but I've now got some sound trap panels to play with that my friend gave me.

Regards,
PolkThug