question about subwoofer placement

[olds1959special]

Here it mentions the importance of placing the subwoofer on the same vertical plane as the main speakers.

5 Tips for Perfect Subwoofer Placement | Polklore

Adding a subwoofer to your sound system can take your home entertainment experience to a new level, unlocking a world of deep sonic immersion that draws you inside every song and every scene.

www.polkaudio.com

My placement options are kind of limited. I found the subwoofer seems to be working best here, but it's not on the same vertical plane as the speakers. Is this okay or should I just avoid using the subwoofer altogether?

 

[DVDdoug]

I'm far from an expert so I probably shouldn't be chiming-in...

It's usually room dependent - The dimensions and proportions, and your listening position. And I believe the "rule of thirds" applies in all 3 dimensions. But perhaps not if your room is a cube.

There is room simulation software, or you can use REW and a measurement mic to experimentally find the best solution (or the most reasonable compromise). REW has room simulation but I don't know how it compares to any alternatives.



...My large subs are where they look good and where they fit. I've never bothered with measurements. There's nothing bothering me and I can "rattle the walls". But if my AVR has room correction, I'd use it.

 

[amirm]

The wavelengths in bass are so large that it makes no difference whether the sub is on the floor or at the height of your speaker. As noted, best thing you can do to improve the sound is to measure and correct bass response errors with EQ.

 

[olds1959special]

I didn't measure anything yet but I am getting better results WITHOUT the sub. I tried it under the desk, and against the side wall, and also at an angle (so it faces me.) I tried different settings (phase, LPF, gain) in all the positions. No matter what I felt muddiness and boomyness that went away when I removed the sub. I feel there is a still lots of bass, just not low bass, so I'm happy with the sound. The speakers are near the walls/corners (about 1 foot away from each) so it boosts the bass a little.

I'm a bit hesitant to start messing around with EQ just yet so I'm looking for a solution that sounds natural without using EQ to start.

 

[Elkerton]

olds,
It sounds as if either the crossover setting you have used for the sub is too high, or the volume level you have used is too high, or both. Without using eq, experiment while listening to music with some kind of walking bass, like a jazz recording with a stand up one. Play. Don't give up. In the end, it will be worth your while.

 

[FrantzM]

I didn't measure anything yet but I am getting better results WITHOUT the sub. I tried it under the desk, and against the side wall, and also at an angle (so it faces me.) I tried different settings (phase, LPF, gain) in all the positions. No matter what I felt muddiness and boomyness that went away when I removed the sub. I feel there is a still lots of bass, just not low bass, so I'm happy with the sound. The speakers are near the walls/corners (about 1 foot away from each) so it boosts the bass a little.

I'm a bit hesitant to start messing around with EQ just yet so I'm looking for a solution that sounds natural without using EQ to start.

Please learn to measure. then measure. You'll know what to EQ... Then it will sound "natural", You can if you will, remove the "": Properly integrated through the use of EQ, it will sound good and natural.. no quotes needed.
You need to devote some time to achieve good results. People here will help in this endeavor

Best

 

[olds1959special]

I put the subwoofer on an Auralex platform in between the speakers on the floor under the desk, centered and pushed back as much as possible, but still leaving a foot of space from the wall. It's working well now, and the measurements seem to be similar to the last time I tested this setup in a different part of the room. I need to figure out exactly what the subwoofer is doing but for now it seems I can turn up the LPF to about 80 without any problem. It sounds like a little overlap is okay. Then I adjust the gain to taste. It was hard to make sense of subtle changes in the subwoofer settings with the RTA. So it seems easier to do this by ear for now. Anyway, it sounds good at the moment and I will do more measurements to hopefully learn more and maybe fine tune it.

 

[olds1959special]

I traded my Elac SUB1010 for a Dynaudio BM9S which is slightly smaller, fits better, is not ported and it seems to sound tighter and better. Also I can use the balanced outputs from my DAC and not have to use RCA splitters.

 

[Willem]

Muddy subwoofer bass almost invariable come from room modes and can be visualized with measurements.. The best cure is a combination of multiple (i.e. two or more) subs and dsp room equalization.