subwoofer guide

Boost Your Bass: What You Should Know When Buying a Subwoofer

Do you feel that your TV sound is flat and lacks depth? It’s as though there’s a piece of the puzzle missing.  A lack of bass in an audio system can make music and movies sound rather dull. A lack of bass is one of the reasons why watching TV at home doesn’t give the same immersive experience as going to the movie theatre. Since installing my first subwoofer, I’ve barely felt the need to spend ridiculous amounts of money at the movies. Now, I get the same immersive experience in the comfort of my home, and so can you.

Even if you’re not a die-hard movie enthusiast, subwoofers can still transform how you use your entertainment area. Music becomes more immersive and you’ll start to hear elements you may have missed before.

What Is a Subwoofer?

Let’s keep it simple, a subwoofer is a speaker that can be added to existing home stereo setups to produce deep and powerful bass. It uses large drivers and a unique cabinet design to create an immersive sound that makes movies and music sound feel fuller and more lifelike.

Types of Subwoofers And The Differences Between Them

When choosing a subwoofer, there are a few different design types to consider:

Sealed vs Ported

This refers to the design of the cabinet, with sealed subwoofers sitting inside a sealed enclosure without any ports for air to escape from.

  • Sealed subwoofers have a clean, punchy bass that is great for music.
  • Ported subwoofers have a looser sound with more deep rumbles, making it a popular choice for immersive home theatre.

Wired vs Wireless

Most subwoofers will be wired, whether connected to a pair of active speakers or into an amplifier. However, wireless subwoofers have become increasingly popular in recent years and there are even a couple different types of wireless subs.

One is commonly found in surround sound TV bar setups and uses Bluetooth to connect to the main soundbar, which is then connected to the television. The other uses a separate transmitter which plugs into your amp or receiver and broadcasts the signal wirelessly to the subwoofer.

If you’re unsure of which to go for, wired is going to be the safer choice as it reduces the potential of latency problems on some setups (the audio lagging behind the other speakers), however, going wireless means you aren’t going to have as many cables, which is particularly useful if you want to position your subwoofer further away from your setup.

To avoid latency problems, make sure the subwoofer supports low-latency Bluetooth codecs like AptX, or go with a speaker that has a high-performance transmitter included.

Differences Between Active and Passive Subwoofers

Active and passive refers to how the subwoofer is powered and influences its compatibility with your setup. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Active subwoofers have built-in amplifiers, meaning they can be paired with other active speakers or used by themselves without additional costs.
  • Passive subwoofers need an external amp to power them, they are more common in home theatre systems where the other speakers also connect to an amp.

Why We Need Subwoofers & The Limitations Of Regular Speakers

  • Subwoofers use larger drivers that won’t fit into normal speakers.
  • Traditional speakers aren’t made to produce sub-bass frequencies.

You may be wondering why all speakers don’t simply come with enough bass to begin with. Although some do have impressive lows, most speakers are limited by their design. Subwoofers have large drivers that wouldn’t fit into a regular speaker cabinet, and even the cabinet itself is designed differently. They have enclosures that are designed to enhance low frequencies and make bass both more powerful and sound deeper than traditional speakers.

Another reason why subwoofers aren’t built into other speakers is that subwoofers need to be placed correctly, and the best position depends on the layout of the room. Having subwoofers built into the speaker would remove the flexibility required to ensure sufficient coverage and high-quality sound.

Limitations of Traditional Speakers

Being able to produce deep bass shouldn’t be a focal point for traditional home stereo speakers. Instead, they should promote a clear sound, good volume potential, and balanced frequencies. The rest can be taken care of with a subwoofer.

Speakers have three primary types of drivers and this is where we get the terms 2-way or 3-way speaker. A 2-way speaker usually consists of a midrange and tweeter or a woofer and tweeter. 3-way speakers consist of a woofer, midrange, and a tweeter. An internal component

  • Tweeters have a range of around 2kHz to 20kHz and excel in producing high frequencies, also known as treble.
  • Midrange drivers produce midrange frequencies usually between 250Hz and 2kHz, like vocals and most instrumentals.
  • Woofers do best producing moderate to high bass frequencies and midrange, usually between 25Hz and 500Hz.

The frequency range only tells a part of the story though, as many woofers share the same frequency range as a subwoofer (though subwoofers don’t extend as far into the mids, more commonly covering between 20Hz and 100Hz). So why does the subwoofer sound so much deeper? 

It’s because subwoofers can concentrate on their one job, producing deep and powerful lows. Not only do subwoofers tend to be louder, but their cabinet is designed to emphasize those low frequencies in ways traditional speakers aren’t.

How To Select The Right Subwoofer For Your Space

Before buying a subwoofer, it’s essential to gauge what size and design you need. These are a few key considerations I recommend to everyone looking to add a sub to their setup:

  • Note your room size.
    Most rooms can get away with a single subwoofer, but for larger rooms of 30 square meters and more, you may want to double up for improved performance.
  • Consider whether you want it for music, movies, or both.
    If you’re exclusively wanting to improve your movie nights, a tighter bass is often better as it retains more clarity in dialog, this makes sealed cabinets more popular. For music, a ported subwoofer can provide a deeper rumble and is often preferred. For flexibility, I’d suggest going with a ported sub.
  • Determine what size subwoofer you need.
    For a small room (<15 m²), you only need around 8”, with 10” or 12” being a better choice for moderate-sized rooms (15-30 m²). For larger rooms (30m²+), you’ll want to go with 12” or 15” and even potentially use two.
  • Check the sensitivity to gauge its volume potential.
    Sensitivity is a great way to gauge the potential volume of a speaker. It tells us how many dB (an indication of volume) the speaker can produce with 1 watt of power. Speakers that have high sensitivity ratings and higher RMS power will be louder. 85-90dB is considered average while speakers with 90 to 95dB have high sensitivity.
  • Set a budget.
    Entry-level subwoofers start at around $100, but for the best quality, I’d recommend aiming for $150 to $200. Some premium models can cost between $400 and $500.
  • Choose a reliable brand and model.
    For long-lasting, reliable performance I recommend going for a trusted brand and model that’s been tried and tested. The following models offer excellent performance:

I Recommend The Following Subwoofers

There are a lot of great subwoofers available, but there are also just as many mediocre ones. The following models are reliable with great performance and I feel comfortable recommending them:

For Small Rooms

Edifier T5 : If you’re working on a tight budget, the Edifier T5 is a reliable option for music or movies. Sometimes available for under $100, it’s best suited for use in small rooms.

Polk Audio PSW10: If you need more power than the Edifier, the Polk PSW10 is suitable for small to medium-sized rooms and has a strong, powerful presentation that brings music and movies to life.

Polk Audio React 7″: The 7″ React subwoofer from Polk is a wireless option, it’s commonly paired with the Polk React soundbar for a comprehensive midrange setup for movies.

For Medium-Sized Rooms

Klipsch R-100SW: The R-100SW is one of the best-selling subwoofers on the market. Its deep and accurate bass, along with powerful output make it a solid choice for medium to large rooms.

Polk Monitor XT10: The Polk Monitor XT10 retails for under $200 and supports DTS:X and Auro 3D. It provides deep, thumping bass and is versatile enough to use for gaming, movies, or music.

Sony SACS9: The Sony SACS9 is a 10″ subwoofer with a retail price of around $200, ideal for medium to large rooms it packs a punch with strong, deep lows down to 24 Hz. It’s a popular choice for home theatre installations.

For Large Rooms

REL HT/1510 Predator: If you have high demands and a very large budget, the REL HT/1510 may be the best option for you. It has a versatile sound with a tight punch along with deep extension. Ideal for home theatre installations and those looking to maximize performance. Just keep in mind that you’re looking at around $1700 for this beast.

Klipsch R-12SW / Klipsch R-12SWi: The Klipsch R-12SW is a 12″ subwoofer ideal for larger rooms, it also comes in a wireless model, the R-12SWi. With a 200″ output, you’ve ensured window-rattling lows that can liven up your living room.

ELAC SUB1225: If you’re on a tight budget, but still need to cover a large area, the ELAC SUB1225 is a good choice. It retails for under $200 but has a power output of 150W RMS and sounds great with music, movies, and games.

Placement and Installation

Without going too deep into the process of placement and installation, there are some key considerations to keep in mind when installing your subwoofer:

  • First, plug the speaker in, then connect it to your sound system using LFE, RCA, or wireless connection.
  • Where available, adjust the crossover frequency, which tells your subwoofer when to start handling the bass. A good starting point is between 70 and 90 Hz, but you can fine-tune it based on your speakers and room setup.
  • Turn the system on and do an initial adjustment of the gain and volume levels on your sub, tuning it to your preference.
  • Test the sound performance in different areas of your room, without pushing it directly against any walls.
  • If you have a deeper understanding of sound equipment, make additional fine-tuning adjustments with room correction software.

Conclusion and Summary

Using this information you will be able to make an educated purchase with a broad understanding of how subwoofers work, why they’re important, and what you should consider when buying one. Subwoofers make an amazing addition to a home theatre or music setup and will completely change the way your setup sounds.

Some of these topics can become painfully technical, so I’ve tried to keep the information here easy to understand.

Avatar photo
Written by
Bryn De Kocks

Bryn De Kocks is the lead editor for Audiostance, as well as one of our trusted reviewers. He has more than 15 years of experience in online publication and stands firm in being transparent with both the benefits and drawbacks of the products he reviews. Outside of editorial work, Bryn has been an avid online gamer and casual digital music producer since his teenage years, bringing his understanding of audio and especially headphones to the table. His daily driver is a humble pair of Fidelio X2HRs powered by a Fiio E10K. In his spare time he enjoys nature photography.

View all articles
Leave a reply