" am very pleased with the results, but some questions keep nagging me."
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Is Subwoofer Elevation a Viable Option?
I know this topic has had various discussions over the years, but despite a review of past comments, I could not get a definitive answer on its relative advantages and disadvantages.
I run three subwoofers in my two channel system and am very pleased with the results, but some questions keep nagging me.
Because the sub is typically on the floor, along with all the furniture in the room, wouldn't low frequency waves be blocked/diffused a lot. Wouldn't the sound from a subwoofer benefit from an unencumbered dispersion of energy into the room?
Coaxial driver speakers have their "woofer" at ear height without causing issues. Why not ear height subwoofers?
Is it just because subs are large, heavy and require a power cable or are there sonic reasons for keeping subwoofers on the floor?
Another thought to keep in mind is your floor type. Mine is a wood floor over a basement, and the floor would sing along with the sub a bit. I elevated the sub just enough using these- Aperta SUB Series - Subwoofer Isolation | IsoAcoustics They cleaned things up a bit in my case. There are other options for doing this- but it's worth a try in some cases. |
The reason to use multiple subs isn't reinforcement so much as it is to break up standing waves- that 'room boom' you mentioned, or it can manifest as a lack of bass at the listening position while there is good bass elsewhere in the room.
It would have to be specially designed to actually be a bass trap. Its much better at absorbing higher frequencies. Wherever you got that idea about furniture being an effective bass trap is erroneous and might be part of why this thread exists. |
I have run multiple subs for a number of years in different rooms. Good news, furniture has minimal impact on sub. That said, elevating subs does change how they interact in the room so it is worth experimenting with. You'll lose some reinforcement from the floor but you may like how the sound changes. Like all things in the hobby, let your ears decide what you like best. |