Is it better to put a subwoofer down?

[FoxAdriano]

Hi, I'm sorry my inexperience. I have bought a new ative subwoofer and I'd like to be how much down have to be placed. In front of it there is a sofa (around 1 mt. far), will it create problems? How do I have to posizionare it precisely?
Thanks

 

[shadyJ]

Lol, your wording makes it sound like you want to kill your subwoofer. And yes, sometimes it's better to shoot the sub.

If you are talking about where to place the sub, it depends on the room. If you do not have any way to measure the response of a certain placement, just put it where ever it sounds best. Try different positions, and keep it where it sounds best to you. It isn't wrong to place it in front of the sofa if that is where it sounds best. But precise placement requires a way to measure the response, ie a calibration microphone and software.

 

[FoxAdriano]

I thank you for your sugegstions. But usually is it better to put a sobwoofer down near the floor or even on a high console?

 

[shadyJ]

Lol, a sobwoofer, I suppose there are a few of those out there too.

You will want to place the sub on the floor. That is not to say they can not work on a desk or console, but they will probably vibrate it a lot unless the surface you place them on is very sturdy.

 

[FoxAdriano]

Sure you are right, I know it but I like to know another thing. If I put the subwoofer on the floor, usually is listening the same as if I put it on the consolle? Thanks.

 

[shadyJ]

Different spots will change the frequency response, so it may sound a bit different. The only way to know for sure is to try both spots and compare the sound.

 

[FoxAdriano]

A last question please. If I have two Bose satellites I think it is better to place the subwoof on the ringht or lefts of the two satellites. Is it better to avoid putting it at the center of them?

 

[KEW]

Shady has been assuming you have a traditional subwoofer, which normally are not used for frequencies above ~80Hz.
If it is a good sub to use with Bose satellite speakers, it is likely to need to play up into frequencies there you will be able to hear the sub as a source of sound away from the speakers unless you position it near the speakers.
Tell us exactly what sub you have.

 

[FoxAdriano]

I have just bought a very cheap subwoofer to add to my 15 years old Bose satellites. My subwoofer is
Yamaha YST-SW012 Subwoofer Advanced YST II
http://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B000OVQE64?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
Now I'd like to know if I have to put it externally to the two satellites or between two satellites. Then I'd like also to know if I have to it on the floor. Thanks

 

[shadyJ]

Fox, for subwoofer placement, there is no 'right' place to put them in every situation. It depends on the room, and that is why no one can give you a definite answer. Since we don't know your room, or how the subwoofer acts with your room, we have no way of knowing the 'right' place. Sometimes subwoofers are best placed between speakers, sometimes off to the side, and sometimes behind the seating area. There is no way to know without taking acoustic measurements, and the measurement gear would cost more than your entire system, so it is not worth getting. Therefore, the best thing to do is try the subwoofer in multiple places and keep it where it sounds best to you.

 

[Klipschhead302]

Last, put it on the floor, not on a counter or table.

 

[KEW]

I have just bought a very cheap subwoofer to add to my 15 years old Bose satellites. My subwoofer is
Yamaha YST-SW012 Subwoofer Advanced YST II
http://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B000OVQE64?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
Now I'd like to know if I have to put it externally to the two satellites or between two satellites. Then I'd like also to know if I have to it on the floor. Thanks

Good, that sub lists a frequency response up to 200Hz.
Since that sub has no control to select the crossover point, you will need to hope for the best with integration with your satellites.
Typically a sub is used for ~80Hz and below. One advantage of this is most humans cannot hear the location of such low frequencies.
However, I suspect your satellites start to give up on bass around 150Hz (which is the E-flat below middle C), at that frequency, anyone will hear the location of the sub.
Therefore I would suggest that you keep the sub close to the speakers so an instrument like the cello would not audibly move from speaker location to sub location as it is played between it's upper and lower register!

 

[FoxAdriano]

Good, that sub lists a frequency response up to 200Hz.

Thanks for your precious news. However my subwoofer has a 28 hz - 200 hz frequency
response. I have just read the manual of that sobwoofer and there is a writing where it explains it is better to put the subwoofer externally to the satellites, on the left or on the right.
Do I have to do it?

 

[KEW]

Thanks for your precious news. I have just read the manual of that sobwoofer and there is a writing where it explains it is better to put the subwoofer externally to the satellites, on the left or on the right.
Do I have to do it?

No. Often people will put the sub in the corner for deeper bass.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

I would take read on this topic: http://www.audioholics.com/subwoofer-setup/easy-subwoofer-placement

How ever with your small satellites it might work little differently. I would try both on center of your satellites and with next to either of satellites.

 

[Seth=L]

Is it better to avoid putting it at the center of them?

I would say it would be BETTER to place the subwoofer at the center of the your speakers.

REASON - The Bose speakers do not produce ANY bass. Because the subwoofer must play all the bass frequencies the subwoofer will be immediately localized during playback in just about any other position. This means that you will always be aware of where the bass is coming from. In a good sounding system the bass should "appear" to come from your left and right speakers. This is refereed to as psycho-acoustics. Your brain will be less likely to notice this if the subwoofer is position between your left and right speakers.

 

[markw]

Actually, if we're talking about those Bose "subwoofers" then he was correct in the beginning. Out of mercy, they should be put down.

 

[FoxAdriano]

I would say it would be BETTER to place the subwoofer at the center of the your speakers

In you opinion why in the manual of the subwoofer do they recommended to put it externally to the frontal speakers? They mean on the left or on the right.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

In you opinion why in the manual of the subwoofer they recommended to put it externally to the frontal speakers? They mean on the left or on the right.

They assume you have speakers that would go low enough, those bose satellites can't go that low. You can try both and see what sounds best to you. What matters is what sounds best to you, not what others say or think.

 

[markw]

In you opinion why in the manual of the subwoofer they recommended to put it externally to the frontal speakers? They mean on the left or on the right.

You wanted opinions? You're getting them. What works for one may not work for all.

Try it yourself. It costs nothing. That way, your own ears will make the decision for you.