subwoofer placement in room important!

danger boy

okay. so it's a typical Sunday. I get up... and right away i want to tweak the home theater a little. I really want a new subwoofer, but can't afford it till a couple months down the road. so I think, well, i've never really moved the subwoofer from where I had it for the past three year. why not move it around the room and see what shakes out. lol

Wow! seriously, i had no idea moving the subwoofer from one part of the room to another could make such a big difference in how much bass comes out of it.

For the past three years it's been in a wall room unit.. sitting right under the TV. fine, no problem.. sounded ok. it's a front firing PSW350. not a huge thumping subwoofer, but for my small 12x16 room it works.

Well this morning I finally decided it's time to move the ol subwoofer from the upper left part of the room to the rear left corner of the room. nice, about a 10% improvement in bass output. it's about 3 feet left of my sweet spot. So I'm thinking, what if I move it to the opposite corner.. so I move it to the right rear corner. BANG! that kicked it up about two notches alright. that addded about another 10 -15% more bass output. now the sub will stay where it's at currently. ( slight problem. i now can pinpoint where the sub is located in the room, before I couldn't, but the bass output is so much better now)

It sits really close to the couch.. about two inches from it actually. and I can now FEEL the bass..it shakes the couch in some movies like Phantom Menace. Dang, it's almost like a whole new subwoofer.

Of course I had to watch and listen to some movies again. needless to say, it's been a good lazy, but very enjoyable sunday afternoon.

here's to you.. move your sub around the room (highly recommend a corner) and see if it make a big difference for you too.
peace.. now back to my movie.

later guys:D

lax01

Congrats Danger Boy! I have always been told that subwoofer placement is important and you proved that! I really don't think it matters in my instance because my sub has to be the worst speaker in my collection. It really is (like I have said before it is a Harmon Kardon Subwoofer from a set of computer speakers). It makes a bang and that is all I want for right now, untill I have enough money for the HSU. When that happens, the sub is going back upstairs to where is supposed to be, the computer. By that time the woofer will be so worn out, and the amp inside will be so tired, that it probably be worthless.

ntculenuff

even thought bass is non directional, placement is key..
when i had one sub i moved it around to several diff locations until i was satisfied, when i added the second same thing had it in about 3 diff spots and connected 3 diff ways until i found peace and maximum bass..
and now that i have tweeked the volumes and the x-overs all i have to say is hell yeah.. huston we have b m and punch !!

danger boy

I also played with the phase switch.. it has the "O" setting and 180 degree setting. I notice when it's set to 180. the bass output is much deeper. does anyone know why that is?
also, why does the sub have left and right filtered inputs on it? I use the unfiltered LFE input. and it sounds great.

goingganzo

the 0 and 180 is a phase switch it switches the phase of the sub like if you have 2 subs and you face the subs tward each other they will be moveing in sync but if you make one out of phase of the other it will not cancel the other out.

pensacola

>>when it's set to 180. the bass output is much deeper.

Depending on where you place your sub, it will either be in-phase (with your other loudspeakers) with the 0º setting, or the 180º. It sounds like in your case, it's the 180º.

When speakers are out of phase, they will tend to cancel each other out—hence the reduced output.

You want the sub in-phase with at least your main speakers, and it sounds like you've got it right.

rscamer

I have done the same with my sub rear right corner my friend
who has about 5times the money in his system is always surprised how good it sounds. I did have the problem of being able to locate the sound of the sub but i got rid of it by turning it
into the corner so it wasn't square with the wall then turn down the volume of the sub so it melds with your system.:)

lax01

Okay, I just put my small sub in the corner of my room and I started playing Outkast Stankonia for some automatic bass and found a huge increase in bass output. Instead of my dad coming down to the basement in 5 minutes, it took a record 2 minutes for him to yell at me to turn down my music!:D

Anyone looking for more output, put your sub in a corner to test it out, it really works.

danger boy

Originally posted by lax01
Instead of my dad coming down to the basement in 5 minutes, it took a record 2 minutes for him to yell at me to turn down my music!:D

Hee hee hee!:D

lakeray

Ok, so I've got a PSW650 and I put it in a corner. Which way should I have it faceing? It's got a speaker on each side and two horn thingys on the back. Also should I just set it on the floor with it's original rubber feet or should I put spikes on it? The carpets a thick pile and an 8lb pad. Thanks...

ntculenuff

spike it, i like spikes
i would try facing a couple diff ways until it sounds right to you.
my 2 pennies
i dont have one a 650 myself so i havent played with one. i am sure that some one who does have one will chime in and give some advice

rscamer

my sub is a velo front fire and i have it pointed into the corner-
not centered but you will have to try different angles so you dont get as much localizing.:rolleyes:

Billm57

actually I moved my psw350 out of the corner .. bass output is somewhat reduced but it blends better