You’re ready to install a subwoofer in your home theater system. Or maybe you already have one, and you’re looking to optimize its position for the best possible sound. Either way, you’re in luck—subwoofer placement can be easy once you understand its basics.
In this article, we’ll go over the importance of placing your subwoofer in a good location and how to achieve that with some simple tips on where it should face. We’ll also recommend some ideal subwoofers so that if you don’t already own one, it’s easy to make sure your system is fully equipped with all the speakers it needs.
There’s no need to worry about the direction your subwoofer is facing. it’s not going to make a difference in its performance. There are only two rules you should follow:
- Do not face the subwoofer towards a wall or other reflective surface. Bass frequencies tend to be absorbed by soft objects like couches and curtains, so if the sound bounces off walls, it will create an unpleasant echo that can make your music sound muddy. You know what we’re talking about if you’ve ever seen a movie where someone has installed their speakers wrong (or, worse, in “party mode”). Most people keep their subwoofer on the floor and facing up—this is fine! But if placing it this way means turning it away from a hard surface, go for it. You want as little bounce as possible.
- Make sure the subwoofer isn’t facing your TV or other electronics. Some speakers use magnetic forces that can cause damage to TVs and other electronic devices in your home entertainment system. Don’t put these things too close together—for example, if you have an all-in-one soundbar/subwoofer combination unit connected directly to your television!
Some Of The Things To Consider When Selecting A Spot For Your Subwoofer
You have a few things to consider when selecting a spot for your subwoofer. Where it goes will affect the sound in a very big way. First and foremost, you need to take into account the shape of the room where your subwoofer will be located. What is the shape of your speaker? Is it rectangular? Square? Round? Next, consider the size of your subwoofer. Is it small or large? The dimensions of both the room and your speaker are important factors to keep in mind as you determine placement for optimal sound quality.
Consider where you’ve placed other speakers throughout your home theater system, such as satellites or floor-standing speakers. It’s also key to know where any couches or seating areas are and where guests tend to congregate when you’re hosting movie nights or to show off just how great your home theater system’s audio sounds.
If you’re building a home theater or just wondering where to put your subwoofer in a room, there’s a pretty easy answer: the front corner of your room.
Now, let’s get down to the why of this. We’ve already mentioned that placing a subwoofer in a corner will help it produce more bass—but what does that mean exactly? Well, when sound comes from one point and is reflected from another surface (like the wall), it results in reverberation: the reinforcement or prolongation of sound by reflection from a surface or by the synchronous vibration of a neighboring object. In this case, placing your subwoofer in the front corner will cause the bass to reflect off both walls and increase its volume.
You can place it facing away from the listening seat. You should keep the subwoofer at least 15 feet away from you, though, or else it will be too bass-heavy and muddy in its sound.
- ● Keep your subwoofer away from all walls. Place it in the middle of the room or on either end.
- If you’re placing your subwoofer between two speakers (tower or bookshelf), aim it directly at the speaker on the same side of the room as your listening position.
If the subwoofer has wires connected, the cables should be hidden at their back.
Even if the subwoofer has wires connected, these wires should be hidden at its back. The subwoofer must be placed in a place where the wires are not noticeable. If the cables are visible, they can create an unpleasant experience for you and your guests. If it is not possible to hide them, try using some decorative cable covers or tape to bind them together.
The next thing to consider is where you want your subwoofer facing. You can place it anywhere in the room, but a good rule of thumb is to put it near the back so that it will provide more bass for all listeners. Also, keep in mind that most models have an adjustable angle on their woofers (the part that makes sound). This means you’ll need to experiment with different angles until you find one that sounds best for your particular setup.
If you’re looking for a visual guide, check out this video:
Not Recommended! Facing the subwoofer towards the wall if you’re looking for a more accurate sound. If you have a home theater, this is likely the best approach. Because most of the bass will be produced behind the woofer, it makes sense to face it towards your back wall. Doing so can help keep bass from bouncing off furniture and walls, which will allow for a more accurate sound. This is especially important in rooms with hard surfaces like concrete floors or glass windows.
If you’re not sure where to put your subwoofer and don’t have the equipment to do measurements on your own, facing it towards your back wall is a safe bet.
If you want to create a “surround” sound effect, then facing your subwoofer towards the room is best. If you have a large room, it is better to face the subwoofer towards the room. This way, all of the bass sounds will be dispersed evenly throughout the listening space.
- ● If you want to place the subwoofer under a piece of furniture
- Facing it towards you will enable you to easily see what’s going on with your subwoofer.
- It’s also an unobtrusive location, so it won’t cause any obstruction in your room or block access to anything else.
You can place the subwoofer on a stand, table, or floor. You can put it in a corner or against a wall; you can leave space around it for better sound dispersion and performance. But what about TV stands? If you have your television mounted, you’re probably not going to want your subwoofer sitting down below — unless you have enough space there.
Many people keep their subwoofers at floor level, with the driver facing out into their living room. To make that work, they may need to adjust their equipment rack so that nothing obstructs the front-firing drivers — but this positioning usually works out well because it disperses sound evenly throughout the room. Others prefer placing their subs on stands (or even elevated bookcases) with their drivers facing up toward the ceiling. This allows them to use more of the room’s height while also making sure they don’t get in anyone’s way when they walk through their listening area.
Conclusion
We hope this post helped you find an answer to the question, “Where should the subwoofer face?” When you purchase a subwoofer, you’ll probably notice the manufacturer has a recommended direction for the placement of the sub. That direction is called the polar response. Next time we will take a closer look at polar responses and how they affect your listening experience.