Adding a subwoofer to your home theater system will take your movie-watching experience from good to great. It enhances deep bass sounds, clarifies, and amplifies low-end frequencies. Some low sound frequencies are beyond human hearing, yet we can feel them. The addition of more than one subwoofer may take up a lot of space but will provide a better quality surround sound.
With such a wide range of subwoofers in the market, getting the right one for your home can be a complicated decision. This guide will help you consider all the important aspects when buying a subwoofer for your home entertainment system.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Subwoofer
What Size Subwoofer is Best?
The woofer you choose should blend well with your other speakers. This will create a balanced, immersive entertainment experience. If your system has bookshelf or satellite speakers, an 8" or 10" sub will pair well. If you have a big center channel, and floor-standing speakers a 12" sub would be a better sonic match.
Large subwoofers are worth considering for spacious, open entertainment rooms. They produce more bass by moving more air. Smaller size woofers are a better choice not to overwhelm compact spaces.
Bass
The amount of bass you require will depend on what you are using your home entertainment system for. If you watch a lot of movies, action, or sci-fi, you will want a powerful bass that gives you goosebumps and makes the room rattle. If your system is used more for viewing comedies and kids' shows a smaller sub will do the trick, even in a big room.
Power
A subwoofer can either be powered or passive. A powered subwoofer is self-contained with built-in amplifiers. It has more power and provides the option to control how the power is used with a control panel. Passive subwoofers on the other hand work with an external amplifier. In general, 10 to 12-inch cones are most popular. The larger the driver, the deeper the base.
Is a Sealed or Ported Enclosure Better?
Sealed EnclosureAir does not move in or out of a sealed enclosure sub. This makes it very responsive with accurate bass.
Ported Enclosure
Ported boxes can be somewhat larger. They have built-in air vents that reinforce low bass output. This way you can get powerful bass without needing as much power.
Both types of designs provide clean, hard-hitting bass. If you enjoy playing a lot of EDM, hard rock, or hip-hop, a ported design will be a good choice. A sealed enclosure will have a better audible impact on jazz or classical genres.
Other Features to Look for When Choosing a Subwoofer
Down-Firing or Front-firing Cone MountsSingle cone subwoofers can be mounted either down-firing or front-firing. Down-firing cones are mounted on the bottom and front-firing cones are mounted on the side of the cabinet. The bass produced from a down-firing driver hits the floor, crawling along the surface to produce great deep bass. Forward-firing drivers produce fast and airy bass while being highly impactful.
The choice here is a matter of personal preference, but getting a combination unit that incorporates both types is an ideal option.
Can You Customize the Subwoofer Sound to Your Room?
Room-correction software lets you tailor your woofer's sound to your room's acoustics.
Some subwoofers provide advanced digital signal processing that is built into the unit. This allows you to customize the sound for the best outcome in your space.
A more convenient way to do this is by using a ‘smart sub’. There are no knobs to adjust on the rear panel. You simply use an app on your phone to record a near-field measurement of the woofer's output. The app compares how it sounds from your position, and automatically smooths the output for your best experience.
Investing in a subwoofer can have a great impact on your home entertainment experience. Invest in one that suits your space, budget, and listening requirements.
Subwoofer FAQ
Q: Are wireless subwoofers better?
A: Going wireless will still require your sub to be plugged into a power outlet, but can save you the trouble of navigating long wires to the receiver. An increasing number of woofers can receive signals wirelessly from a transmitter connecting to your home theatre system receiver.
The transmitter can either be included in the box or is available as an additional accessory. Wireless kits are also available, turning almost any subwoofer into a wireless device.
Q: Where should a subwoofer be positioned?
A:
The first thing to consider when choosing a sub is to make sure it will fit into the area you have available for it. Measure the area before making the purchase, especially if you have little space flexibility.
Next, you will need to connect the sub to a power outlet as well as to your receiver. This will play a big role in its positioning. If you are going wireless, placing it in a corner of a room is ideal. This makes it sound louder. For ported designs keep the sub twice the diameter of the port (6-12 inches) away from a wall for sufficient airflow out of the port.
Q: What does an isolation platform do?
A:
A subwoofer isolation platform can make a big difference to how your sub sounds. It reduces structural vibrations through floors, ceilings, and walls. This means less rattling of windows and glass items. It can make the bass stronger, preserving the accuracy of the original sound. It will tighten the bass output, increasing low-end clarity. If you love watching action and bass-heavy music, this is a great investment to add to your system.
Q: Is it worth getting a second sub?
A:
Using two subwoofers will improve chest-thumping, balanced bass in a room which has several seating positions. If you are big on bass, a dual-sub setup will give you the entertainment pleasure you crave. Make sure that your receiver has two sub outputs to do this. Some receivers only come with one.