Choosing a subwoofer for home theater

High-quality sound for a full immersion in the film's atmosphere is simply necessary. That is why the subwoofer is considered by many to be an indispensable component of a good home theater. This is not only about enhancing the sound of low frequencies, but also about many other positive qualities of the subwoofer. This article will discuss how to choose the right subwoofer for home theater.

What is a subwoofer for?

Most home theaters have subwoofer channels in their designs. By connecting the device to the system, you can:

  • expand the available bass range;
  • remove overload from the system at medium and high frequency range;
  • make the sound brighter, more detailed;
  • give volume to the sound.

REFERENCE!Often, home theaters equip this type of speaker system in cases when it is necessary to "help" the old system, which does not cope with the transfer of surround and high-quality sound. Thus, upgrading a working system would be much cheaper than updating it completely, and the result would be the same.

Criteria for choosing a subwoofer for home theater

Experts identify only a few basic criteria on which to rely when choosing a subwoofer. Among them:

  • characteristics of the main speakers;
  • room size;
  • manufacturer.

The main parameter that should be considered when choosing the type of subwoofer for home theater is, of course, the potential of its main speakers. If we are talking about columns with a frequency of about 60-70 Hertz, then the choice for the user remains broad, since virtually any, even relatively inexpensive, subwoofer model from a not-so-eminent manufacturer is quite suitable for such columns. The main thing - do not chase the excessively low price and pay attention to quality.

If the speakers can "go down" to about 30 Hertz, then the "sub" to them should be chosen appropriate. In this case, the device will have to lower the lower cutoff frequency by about one octave, which is not given to every device.

As for the size of the room, everything is quite simple here: the device should have more power, the larger the approximate cubic volume of the room.

REFERENCE! The choice of location for the device is determined "by ear", however, placing the "sub" in one place or another must be based on the principle of the symmetrical arrangement of the elements of the speaker system.

Important when choosing and manufacturer. Fans of the so-called mono-brand approaches very reasonably argue that the system will work really well only when all its elements are developed and manufactured by one manufacturer. On the other hand, many cases are known when it was possible to achieve excellent sounding with the help of a “non-native” subwoofer.

Types of subwoofers

The market of acoustic systems today provides customers with several types of subwoofers. Their most popular types are:

  1. Closed.
  2. Phase-inverter.
  3. Striped.

The speakers of the devices of the closed type are located in a closed case. Specialists consider the small size, simplicity of design, excellent impulse parameters, no leakage through the output surfaces, as well as rich and deep low frequencies, to the positive sides of this design.

Phase-inverter type of devices implies a special hole in the housing. The sound from such a device is usually louder and more powerful, but its advantages include not only more power, but also excellent performance due to the tandem port operation and bass reflex dynamics.

As for the band systems, they usually consist of two parts: a phase inverter and a deaf tank. The sound pressure in the device is quite high, which affects the frequency range, somewhat narrowing it. Often these types of subwoofers are placed in a closed case with an acoustic filter. The undoubted advantages of bandpass devices include:

  • high sound pressure;
  • proportional relationship between sensitivity and throughput width;
  • small course of the speaker;
  • minimal diffuser vibrations.

REFERENCE!Strip systems are rather cumbersome and hardly suitable for rooms in which every centimeter of free space is already counted.

How to choose a subwoofer

Another important criterion in the acquisition of a subwoofer for home theater, can be the choice between the active or passive type of device. In order to do everything correctly, it is necessary to consider the following features of the systems:

  1. Better sound active systems implies a higher price for them.
  2. Passive subwoofers require a lot of space to install the amplifier.
  3. Active "saby" easier to operate.
  4. Passive systems have a more dense and surround sound, while active - even sound.

In addition, active systems have more options for adjustment and are more practical to install. Installing an active subwoofer allows not only "add bass", but also improve the sound along the entire length of the sound range, although it will cost more expensive than the passive one. The final choice depends not only on the characteristics of a particular model or system, but also on the financial capabilities of the buyer.

Watch the video: How to Choose the Right Subwoofer. Room Consideration. Home Theater Basics (March 2024).

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