What causes boomy bass

Willow

I ask this cause when I had bose it was boomy as hell
the polk 202 was better but now compared to the energy S10.2 which in no way is boomy. So why were the other boomy

billbillw

"Boomy" bass is usually the result of resonance and/or distortion. Cheaper subs try to create more SPL by tuning the resonant frequency of the box to a higher frequency level (say 40-70Hz or higher). This creates a free (no extra power needed) boost in the bass output around the resonant frequency. The cost is control. Without good power, the speaker tends to get out of control around the resonant frequency and gets distorted/boomy. The other cost is a sharp rolloff of the SPL below the resonant frequency. ie: not much really deep bass.
Better subs tune the resonant frequency at much lower levels (less than 30hz) to avoid this boomyness and rely on better amplification to create the neccesary SPL. The end result is tighter bass in the audible regions and better deep bass extension.

Willow

Well my new sub I can't even tell it's there until it's needed. Whne it does play it's plays with no prob clean and tight. I compared the 2 ps202 and the S10.2 with Nemo on nemo the bass was overly loud and boomy, with the 10.2 the bass was present not in your face loud which is what not what I was expecting. The same for the canons in master an commander. I couldn't beleive the difference in sound. I had to adjust the 10.2 on the receiver lower the volume to -15.

VR3

Bose's subwoofers are a completely different design than what you're used to, and they took a great design and made it bad...

1) The woofers are mounted within the cabinet
2) Multiple woofers, pushing ALOT of air out an incredibly small port, PORT AIR anyone? Port Air out the izzo fo rizzo...tons of noise there
3) Crappy cabinets, the cabinet flexes, causing it to make its own sound, ever hit a piece of poster board? Well this is similar, just on a lesser scale...
4) high crossover, the Bose subs are crossed to 'blend' with the cubes, 250hz anyone? So not only will it sound boomy, it'll be EASILY located whereever you put it...put that under the couch and yall have guitars under your rear...

Outside of Bose, boomy bass comes from poor design, bad cabinets, and most obviously - placement.

Willow

I hear you on the bose design, when I go to my inlaw she has one and it sounds like crap. When I go to my dads it sounds like crap (bose as well), very boomy for sure.

The psw202 was boomy as well not as bad as bose but not as good as my current sub