How I Calibrated My Subwoofer Placement For Peak Impact In Awkward Room Setups

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Placing your subwoofer correctly tin maximize its bass output.
• Every room has its limitations, but elemental workarounds make a difference.
• For surviving rooms and communal areas, you'll person to get creative.

A subwoofer is simply a surefire way to upgrade your home theater, whether you're pursuing nan description recommendations from Sonos aliases Sony, aliases building a much precocious setup pinch receivers, in-ceiling speakers, and more. Whether you're upgrading nan instrumentality successful your surviving room aliases a dedicated theatre room, a subwoofer is simply a awesome addition, but wherever you spot nan instrumentality successful nan room matters.

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Audio geeks whitethorn find fewer opinions to work together on, but 1 commonality is that a subwoofer should spell successful nan beforehand quadrant of a room. In this position, your room's walls enactment arsenic barriers that guideline nan woofer's low-pitched sounds successful nan correct direction. However, optimal placement tin beryllium a analyzable task because of your room's dimensions and listening area, and it's paramount to support an unfastened mind. Let's talk much astir specifics.

1. Avoid corners

The rule of thirds successful audio states that placing speakers one-third of your listening room's magnitude from nan beforehand wall minimizes low-frequency distortion, enhances depth, and delivers a cleaner, much enjoyable audio experience. So, if possible, debar placing your subwoofer straight successful a room's area wherever nan walls meet, particularly if you only person 1 subwoofer for your full system.

By placing your subwoofer successful a corner, nan walls enactment arsenic an amplifier, making your bass sound muddy and boomy and overpowering nan output from your different speakers. Though astir location theatre rooms whitethorn not beryllium perfectly square, nan norm of thirds, erstwhile possible, reminds you to propulsion your speakers farther into nan room alternatively than group them up straight against nan corners.

2. The infamous subwoofer crawl

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Every room is different, and if you're upgrading your surviving room's location theater, your room whitethorn beryllium unfastened aliases asymmetrical. The bully news is that little frequencies aren't disturbed by furnishings arsenic overmuch arsenic mediate to higher frequencies are, but your room's walls (or deficiency thereof) play a bigger role.

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If your room isn't a cleanable quadrate aliases doesn't person 4 walls enclosing it, location theatre enthusiasts will promote you to execute a subwoofer crawl. Place your subwoofer wherever you usually beryllium to listen, and elevate it arsenic adjacent to receptor level arsenic imaginable (a chair aliases stool tin work). Then, crawl aliases locomotion astir nan room and statement wherever nan bass sounds clearest and astir precise. The spots wherever your ears are astir pleased are wherever you should put your subwoofer.

3. Use calibration software

If your subwoofer uses an app, it apt has built-in room calibration software. Some group place this software, but it tin importantly heighten your subwoofer's performance. These room calibration features usage soul microphones to make sound, measurement your room's wave response, and correct nan subwoofer's output.

Though this package tin beryllium very useful, it tin only do truthful much. First, guarantee your subwoofer is successful nan optimal position successful your room, past usage room calibration to fine-tune its performance.

What if my optimal position isn't … optimal?

Say there's a script wherever your subwoofer's optimal audio output position isn't perfect for your room aliases household. This dilemma could see nan subwoofer becoming a tripping hazard, being excessively acold from a powerfulness source, aliases simply being an eyesore. These scenarios are particularly apt if your listening room is your family room alternatively than a dedicated location theater. Here's what you tin do.

If your sub is excessively acold from a powerfulness source, effort to tally an hold cord. You mightiness person to get imaginative astir hiding longer cords, but adhesive clips to tally nan cord on baseboards and furnishings are a decent spot to start. You tin besides ligament your subwoofer done a ornamental ligament basket, spot nan handbasket adjacent nan outlet, and screen nan wires pinch other blankets aliases propulsion pillows to adhd a furniture of utility.

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If your sub is mini enough, see an extremity array that tin screen nan sub and service arsenic a spot to group down drinks, keys, and different family items. Some companies connection subwoofers that tin guidelines upright aliases dishonesty level to accommodate your space; see a flat-laying sub to spot nether a taller console table. Also, don't beryllium acrophobic to research pinch placing your subwoofer down a sofa aliases chair.

The bottommost statement is that sometimes you person to get imaginative and make definite sacrifices to accommodate nan cards you're dealt, and that's OK. Most rooms, particularly family rooms, weren't designed for bulky subwoofers. Still, you tin find immoderate subwoofers pinch modern, low-key, and nondescript creation elements if concealing them isn't an option.