Subwoofer placement in a home theater

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Administrator Since: Apr 03, 2002

So, this is a mite off topic insofar as recording goes, but I figure there will be some decent opinions to be had from the members.

I built a home theater a while back, slowly assembled gear, and right now I have dual 10" subwoofers in cabs I found in a pawn shop and they sound great, project well, tight, but big sound...epic.

Problem is, I think it's a bit overpowered, but, the sub amp doesn't have a volume adjustment, just a straight power line varied by what is fed into it...with the subs facing outward it's huge...my 13 year old LOVES it, I don't...

I am considering putting 6" table legs on the front and aiming them downward...I have seen bottom firing subs, just wonder if this will lessen the direct impact of the sound before I invest a few dollars, and time into it.

Even considered putting some legs on the back as well, that would then aim up and put a heavy glass top and make them end tables.

Thoughts?

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Byte-Mixer
Member
Since: Dec 04, 2007


Sep 14, 2014 03:40 pm

I don't know that pointing them in a specific direction will help. Remember low/bass frequencies expand like a bubble in all directions.

I'd just sit at the listening/viewing spot, and have your teens move the subs around the room until they sound the best.

Also, here's an obligatory realtraps/Ethan Winer article that might offer some ideas: realtraps.com/art_sub-placement.htm

And yeah, knowing me and my obsessive compulsiveness, I probably would do what the article mentioned: putting the sub at the listening position, running pink noise through the system, then crawling the floor until I hear the spot where the bass is the least obvious, and put the sub there. And since you have two subs...I guess go for symmetry?

Or, if you want some physical rumble...put em under the seats? xD

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Sep 14, 2014 04:58 pm

Actually, dude, I have considered getting one or two of those shaking units to hook up to the couch.

I do know bass spreads in all directions, and am looking more to gain subtle differences in omnipresense, rather than having the actual cone aiming right at the "sweet spot". These are 10" speakers, so while they are nice, rumbly subs, there is also a tightness to the sound that I think making them bottom firing might dissipate a bit...and maybe rumble the floor a bit too.

I've actually considered building a little table to place behind the couch that the sub could rest in bottom firing...might make the seated positions in the couch interesting.

As far as having two subs...the end game is a true x.2 surround setup...even when I run 5.1 (like I am currently) I like having two subs, I just like the sound better, a single sub always seems boomy to me, a second actually seems to smooth out the sound nicely.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Sep 14, 2014 06:20 pm

Random thought...as I sit in the theater watching football, looking at the room...I see the Samuel Adams barrel my wife got at a garage sale for like $10...looks neat, planned to be a simple end table for the forthcoming bar area...

Could there possibly be a better subwoofer cabinet than such a branded barrel with a properly sized and ported sound chamber?

I think not.

Hmmmmmmmmm

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Dec 01, 2014 08:22 am

So, over the long hollarday weekend I rearranged my theater a bit, moved the subwoofers to side washing (sort of) instead of aiming straight toward the sweet spot from the direction of the screen.

It made a very nice difference...they are not aimed straight at each other, but angled a bit, one angled with the chair it's sitting beside, and one on the other side of the room aiming angled kind of toward the sweet sport and back of the room.

I have not listened from each sitting area, but, from the sweet spot of the room it's a nice, smooth low end, perceived volume is a bit better mixed with the rest of the sound track. So far, very happy with the mix.

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