(pics) Where can I put this sub?

DannyD

As you can see from the picks I have my subs stacked because of room constraints. I'm wondering what everyone thinks if I take one and put it beside the component rack facing perpendicular to the one beside the doors. Having the sound waves crossing eachother...is that a bad thing? My other option is to put one in the back of the room but it would have to be right in the middle of the back wall because I have bookshelves on either sides. Any thoughts? By the way...my cats eyes are really red:rolleyes:

Dennis Gardner

I think you have bigger problems than sub placement............you've got "Devilcat" in your living room.:D

I like them stacked as they are for HT, and separated, between your 10s and TV with the electronics moved to make room for 2 channel sound. This allow your mains to be spread out somewhat.

You could also lose whatever your TV is on and find a way to put them under your TV, isolated from direct contact of course.

The back of the room, or firing toward each other would both be my last choices.

leroyjr1

Thr cat keeps looking me.

curved

I would keep it where it is.....maybe toe those 10's in a hair.

maximillian

From what I have read on this forum.... some people prefer stacked subs because it seems to give a deeper sound, some people prefer stereo subs for music listening, and some people prefer a sub in the front and one in the back. Really, you should try them out.

I also second Dennis' comment that you need to separate the fronts more.

Eric W

What is that "as the crow flies" cable in the back of the rack?

rtart

DannyD wrote: »

As you can see from the picks I have my subs stacked because of room constraints. I'm wondering what everyone thinks if I take one and put it beside the component rack facing perpendicular to the one beside the doors. Having the sound waves crossing eachother...is that a bad thing? My other option is to put one in the back of the room but it would have to be right in the middle of the back wall because I have bookshelves on either sides. Any thoughts? By the way...my cats eyes are really red:rolleyes:

If you are interested in optimizing the placement of your sub without a sophisticated sound metering device, it takes a method that seems a little unorthodox. Some call it "crawling for bass". Here's what you do: place your sub in your normal LISTENING position. That's right, put it right where your chair normally sits. Stack them if that is your configuration. Play a bass test tone, or music with lots of strong bass. Crawl around on the floor near where you think you may want to put your subs. Try corners, and places about one-third of the room width from the side walls. Listen for the strongest bass in an area. Where your head is will be the best place for your sub to finally reside.

If you have an AVR with an auto-cal feature, use it first with the sub in your listening position, then try the crawling routine.

Looks stupid, but works great! It is a good idea to do it when the house is empty, however

McLoki

If you need something to set your drinks on for the movie - put one on each side of your seating postion. (get a piece of glass cut for the top so you don't leave marks in the wood though)

They will be nice and close that way and you can still get good effects without blowing out the rest of the house (it may even lessen the room interaction).....

Michael

ward91

When you have two identical subs/speakers next to/on top of each other they in effect become twice as loud?? (+3db) pro audio systems make the most of this by placing many subs together in one array. that way you need less power to make more noise.

McLoki

ward91 wrote: »

When you have two identical subs/speakers next to/on top of each other they in effect become twice as loud?? (+3db) pro audio systems make the most of this by placing many subs together in one array. that way you need less power to make more noise.

Actually stacking adds +6db. If they are separated (to help with room nulls) they add +3db.

+10db is twice as loud (and takes 10 times the power). +3db is slightly louder and takes twice as much power.

You stack subs not just so you can play louder, but on loud passages the subs play with lower distortion as the amps and speakers are not pushed nearly as hard. Setup is also much easier as you only have two variables to play with (sub location and you listening position).

You separate subs and lose some of the gains you make with stacking, but you also minimize the effect of the room on bass being played. It can help with problems of boomy bass or big peaks and nulls. You also may end up with a much wider sweet spot for bass rather than just your main listening position. The tradeoff is not as much gain (as I already stated) and it can be a real pain in the **** to get set up correctly. (to acually make the sound better rather than worse) Once you do though - it is well worth the effort in my opinion.

Michael

Eric W

McLoki wrote: »

Actually stacking adds +6db. If they are separated (to help with room nulls) they add +3db.

+10db is twice as loud (and takes 10 times the power). +3db is slightly louder and takes twice as much power.

You stack subs not just so you can play louder, but on loud passages the subs play with lower distortion as the amps and speakers are not pushed nearly as hard. Setup is also much easier as you only have two variables to play with (sub location and you listening position).

You separate subs and lose some of the gains you make with stacking, but you also minimize the effect of the room on bass being played. It can help with problems of boomy bass or big peaks and nulls. You also may end up with a much wider sweet spot for bass rather than just your main listening position. The tradeoff is not as much gain (as I already stated) and it can be a real pain in the **** to get set up correctly. (to acually make the sound better rather than worse) Once you do though - it is well worth the effort in my opinion.

Michael

Well said!

For everyone else, I'll explain why you get 6 dB when stacked- you get 3 dB from the doubling of the available amplifier power and then another 3 dB from the "mutual coupling" of the cones in such close proximity. If seperated, you no longer have the mutual coupling, but as McLoki said you have a better chance of smoothing out room nulls and nodes.

In professional PA systems, the spaces they're being used in is quite large, either outdoors, a theater or arena where small room acoustics (like the house) are different. And the "sweet spot" is considerably larger. Here, if the subs are seperated it generates a "power alley" in the area between the sub stacks and uneven response throughout the audience. So subs are almost always center clustered, either on the ground or flown. More complex PA systems will actually delay the outer boxes of their subs in order to "shape" the distribution of the bass for more even audience coverage.

For home audio, it depends on the goals of the system. Generally, maximum SPL = stack. Largest coverage with smoothest response = stagger. In the end, experimentation is key and do what sounds best for your system.