what is the best setting for a subwoofer

How to easily setup a subwoofer?

Mar 10, 2021 · A subwoofer is like a low-frequency driver for your main speakers—just one that is separated on its own. Set the crossover at a frequency where your main speakers can comfortably handle the audio above the crossover point. The subwoofer takes care of everything below that point. THX recommends 80Hz for most systems.

How to find the best subwoofer placement?

Look at the back of your subwoofer, then set the low-pass crossover at least 10Hz higher than your main speakers’ range. This range is the starting point when configuring your crossover. If your center speaker can produce 80Hz to 120Hz, then you want your low-pass crossover to be anywhere close to 90Hz.

Where is best to put the subwoofer?

Jun 25, 2019 · Here are the important steps: First, set the crossover. This is the frequency at which your subwoofer starts playing bass notes. You generally want your crossover set to where your ... Next, adjust the gain (or volume). This is the important part, and the part that I’ve done incorrectly oh-so-many ...

Which is the best outdoor subwoofer?

Aug 18, 2016 · Check out the entire SVS Subwoofer line-up to choose the subwoofer that is best for your TV/movie viewing. If you know your speaker’s frequency range, set the crossover point roughly 10 Hz above the lowest frequency your speakers can handle cleanly The most common crossover frequency recommended (and the THX standard) is 80 Hz.

How to find the right subwoofer?

Unfortunately, carte blanche doesn’t work when looking for a spot that you can use for your subwoofer. What you can do is to use a simple test on where you should put your subwoofer: 1 Put your subwoofers at the center of your room 2 Play a sound that uses deep bass, anything that is familiar to you. 3 Move around the room to see where you’re getting the best sounding LFE, and remember these spots. 4 Keep moving around until you have 3 to 4 spots where the bass sounds best. 5 Place your subwoofer on each of these locations, then do a bass frequency sweep. 6 Leave it where you’re getting the best result, then configure the crossover, both low-pass and high-pass, according to the test results.

Why do you need a subwoofer?

Regardless of your current setup, you need a subwoofer. It can bring new life to your sound systems that you can never achieve, even with the best speakers. You can find speakers that take pride in their sophisticated bass management.

What is a subwoofer crossover?

The subwoofer crossover is a crucial part of setting your speakers to work harmoniously and avoid inconsistencies with the output. Three things can affect the output of your sound system when testing your subwoofer crossover: Overlap of your large, small, and main speakers. The volume output of your subwoofer and speakers.

What does too much overlap do to a subwoofer?

Too much overlap creates a peak, too little creates discontinuity, but the right amount creates harmony. Finding the right blend when setting a subwoofer crossover can be tricky because, in a lot of cases, you have to do it by ear. However, there are a couple of things about bass management that can help you configure your sound system.

How do subwoofers work?

Well, it’s the frequency where your subwoofer and speakers work together to cross a higher or lower range. When listening to music , and your system sends out a signal to produce deep sounds, your main speakers will gradually roll off to give way to your subwoofer.

Why should the output volume match?

Both output volume should match because it’ll affect the smooth transition that you’re trying to create. Remember, when setting the crossover manually, you will, almost, always have to do it by your ear. However, there’s always an exception, or in this case, a tool that you can use to check your subwoofer’s crossover.

When does a center speaker roll off?

Your center speaker will roll off when it gets lower than 80Hz, and your subwoofer will roll off when it gets higher than 90Hz. With this setup, you’re telling your system to start the crossover at 90Hz and end at 80Hz.

What frequency should a subwoofer crossover be?

You generally want your crossover set to where your speakers start to roll off—for example, my speakers can’t go much lower than 80Hz, so my subwoofer’s crossover is set to about 80.

How to make a bass guitar sound better?

Start playing a song, and turn the subwoofer down until you can’t hear the subwoofer anymore. Then, turn the gain up until you can just start to hear it start to fill in the bass. Then stop. You’re done. If you have a phase switch, switch it between 0 and 180 degrees and see if you hear a difference.

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Where to place microphone on couch?

Unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer, always place the microphone supplied with your A/V receiver on a tripod or stand away from your body or surface of your couch at your primary listening position. Position the microphone at seated ear level position and let the A/V receiver take its measurements.

How accurate is auto setup?

Most auto setup programs are pretty accurate at setting distance and levels for each channel. But, we usually recommend going into the setup menus afterwards and adjusting crossover points to 80Hz and all speakers that were set to "Large" back to "Small" to ensure the best possible integration in your system.

What does bass do for home theater?

Achieving good bass can make or break the overall fidelity of your home theater. It's important to invest the time both in setup and critical listening evaluation to ensure you get the most out of your system by getting the bass right. We hope this basic guide helps you in achieving sonic nirvana both heard and felt.

Do A/V receivers have two channel bass?

Editorial Note on two channel bass: Some A/V receivers require you to configure them to engage the subwoofer when listening to two channel sources even if you have the main channels set to "small". Make sure you are aware of this else you won't have adequate bass in such circumstances.

What is a subwoofer?

Subwoofers are like the magic beans of audio, expanding a playback system's dynamic range in a way that dramatically enhances the listening experience. There's an attitude among some audiophiles that subwoofers represent, if not the spawn of the devil (there are numerous such spawns in audio lore), a bad compromise at minimum.

What is the most common single sub setup technique?

The so-called "subwoofer crawl" is the most commonly recommended single-sub setup technique.

Why use multiple subs?

Also, the point of using multiple subs is not to produce greater bass output, but to create more uniform bass response in the room. The measurements described in Toole's book are applicable mainly to enclosed, acoustically symmetrical, rectangular rooms with flat ceilings.

Do full range speakers have bass?

Full-range speakers present a room-friendly option, particularly for dedicated two-channel systems, and can sound very good. But where you position the speakers for best performance—in particular to optimize imaging and soundstage depth—will almost never be in the location where they'll provide the most accurate bass.

Can you drive a tower speaker with a subwoofer?

It may be tempting to drive big tower speakers full-range even when also using a subwoofer, but that combination rarely works out well. In most situations, the subwoofer should only be engaged below a certain crossover frequency, and you should also limit the response of the main speakers below that same frequency.

Can you get good bass uniformity with a subwoofer?

Although you should get good bass uniformity at your listening chair with a subwoofer at the location discovered during the crawl— either with or without software measurement support—it's unlikely to be perfect.

Subwoofers Are Essential For Your Sound System

No matter what your setup is, a subwoofer is essential. A subwoofer can give life and energy to your sound system that is impossible with even the best speakers.

What is a Subwoofer Crossover and How Does It Work?

Let’s first define some terms we will use in this article. These are the essentials you should know about subwoofer crossover settings.

How To Set Subwoofer Crossover

Many of the systems we use today have an equalization function that handles audio output. This feature is becoming more advanced with the advancements in technology. The speakers we use to create our sound system can scan the setup and automatically set the crossover based on the specifications of our speakers.

How should the sound system be configured?

You can adjust the crossover position of your subwoofer when it is connected to an amp speaker post.

How to Test the Subwoofer Crossover

Once you have set up the crossover’s starting point, it is time to test the system. It can be difficult to test your subwoofer crossover. You must choose a familiar sound that you can identify with your brain.

How to position your subwoofer correctly

This advice may be familiar to you: Place your subwoofer near the wall or in the corner to get more bass. It’s true. But it might not be the bass you want. This could be the reason you are experiencing peaks and drops in your sound system’s output, even if you have the settings you want.

Why don't subwoofers work in cars?

Because of the size of the acoustic space in a car, subwoofers sometimes don't combine their sound constructively with the rest of a system's sound waves. If your bass has plenty of volume but seems to lack punch, you can sometimes help it by reversing your sub's speaker leads.

How to get music to play cleanly on a receiver?

With the amp gain set low, play some music and turn up your receiver's volume until you hear the music distorting; then back off the volume until the music sounds clean again. Note or mark where the receiver's volume is. This setting is the maximum volume your receiver can go to and still play cleanly.