ideal subwoofer placement with pics

[satish536]

Help me with placing my subwoofer.
Pls understand no spl measurements, crawling experimental etc. can be done as this is being handled by my dad whose a end user.

But i can tell him to place the sub optimally at the position i choose. Here are some pics i need to determine(by eye) where i can place the sub comfortably to get the best sound without obstructing the screen.

I was thinking between the center and left tower. Basically more near the left tower just 1 inch right to the tower.
Here are some pics of the room. The last pic is where i have marked the position

What do you guys think of this marked position:-

Tell me what you guys think. Advice, opinions, comments, changes most welcome.
thanks as always

 

[Exit]

I think subwoofer placement along the front wall is best because it accounts for different crossover settings. If the crossover is set above 80 Hz some of the vocal range will be comming out of the sub and it is best to have this near the front wall so the sound blends with the mains and center channel. The more you move the sub towards a corner the greater the bass reinforcement will be (i.e. it will tend towards being bass heavy.) I would try it where you want on the front wall and if you don't seem to get enough bass response, move it towards a corner until you get what you want.

 

[tbewick]

As I understand it, corner placement is usually optimal with subwoofers, although you can get better results at other locations. Unfortunately the best location can be difficult to determine without adequate room measurements. One problem with corner placement is that subwoofers can generate noises which are above 80 Hz. These sounds may be localised. Such noises could include port/vent noise or sounds due to nonlinear errors generated by the subwoofer, e.g., harmonic distortion. For more information, I suggest you look at these useful documents:

'Multichannel surround sound systems and operations'. AES Technical Council.
http://www.aes.org/technical/documents/AESTD1001.pdf

'Audio, Science in the Service of Art', by Dr. Floyd E. Toole, Vice President Acoustical Engineering, Harman International Industries, Inc.
http://www.harman.com/wp/pdf/AudioScience.pdf

'Subwoofers: Optimum Number and Locations', by Todd Welti, Research Acoustician, Harman International Industries, Inc.
http://www.harman.com/wp/pdf/multsubs.pdf

'How Many Subwoofers Is Enough?', Wes Philips, onhometheater.com.
http://www.onhometheater.com/features/20040801.htm

 

[chadnliz]

For simple placement put the sub where your seat is, walk around the area you wish to place and see where it sounds best......put the sub where you were standing when you liked the sound,

 

[corey]

Help me with placing my subwoofer.
Pls understand no spl measurements, crawling experimental etc. can be done as this is being handled by my dad whose a end user.

But i can tell him to place the sub optimally at the position i choose. Here are some pics i need to determine(by eye) where i can place the sub comfortably to get the best sound without obstructing the screen.

I was thinking between the center and left tower. Basically more near the left tower just 1 inch right to the tower.

I don't quite understand your post. Are you placing your sub in your house or your dad's house? If it's the sub you bought in the house you pay for, just put it where you think is best. If it's the sub you bought in the house he pays for, just put it where he thinks is best. It it's the sub he bought in the house you pay for, give it back, buy your own, and put it where you want it. I really hope its not his sub in his house & you're trying to tell him where to put it.

In any event, the pics look like a great theater is being put together. From the pics, I think the mains are too close to the corners of the room.

edit: Why no SPL measurement? That's a basic part of installing a new speaker,

 

[3db]

For simple placement put the sub where your seat is, walk around the area you wish to place and see where it sounds best......put the sub where you were standing when you liked the sound,

Bingo!! Do waht chanliz suggested. Thats a sure fire trick to finding best bass response. Every room is different. You'd be surprised where the sub ends up. For both my previous rooms and the room I'm in now, the sub sound best 2' feet behind the listening area.

 

[Biggiesized]

Let me understand this correctly...

You place the sub next to your listening spot (seat, chair, whatever) and then walk around the room a bit. When you hear a sweet spot, you move the sub from its old location to your current one. That's it?

 

[satish536]

I don't quite understand your post. Are you placing your sub in your house or your dad's house? If it's the sub you bought in the house you pay for, just put it where you think is best. If it's the sub you bought in the house he pays for, just put it where he thinks is best. It it's the sub he bought in the house you pay for, give it back, buy your own, and put it where you want it. I really hope its not his sub in his house & you're trying to tell him where to put it.

In any event, the pics look like a great theater is being put together. From the pics, I think the mains are too close to the corners of the room.

edit: Why no SPL measurement? That's a basic part of installing a new speaker,

Its kinda complicated its my dad's house but i technically live there but go to university in canada(i chose the whole audio system after years of research , although he paid for it)

I do plan to take spl measurements, do the crawling bass experiment etc.(infact every possible test) but in December when i go home for vacation.

Until then(8 months), i need to advice my dad where he can position the sub and use it in the mean time.
The whole point of this post is since no spl measurements can be taken by dad hes a noob. I thought i would show you guys the pictures and get a common notion as to where it would be ideal to place the sub judging purely by the pictures given.
I know it would be anywhere as perfect as taking measurements but till i get back home he can use it this way

Yes, I surely plan to move the speakers away from the walls nearer to the screen. Got the same suggestion from pete at HSU.

Nice black veneer finish on the RBH Towers.

This is the front stage. You can see both speakers to get an idea of how much space i have to work with here.

This is what i plan to do. Placing the towers closer in and away from the walls, sub woofer where marked right under the screen.
Then taking planned appropriate measurements so i can place the screen optimally high enough so that the turbo on the sub woofer does not obstruct the screen.

 

[3db]

Let me understand this correctly...

You place the sub next to your listening spot (seat, chair, whatever) and then walk around the room a bit. When you hear a sweet spot, you move the sub from its old location to your current one. That's it?

Thats correct!!

 

[Biggiesized]

Thats correct!!

Do you do this by listening to low frequency test tones? Or should you play back regular music/audio and listen that way?

 

[3db]

Do you do this by listening to low frequency test tones? Or should you play back regular music/audio and listen that way?

Before I purchased the Avia HT tune up DVD, I download a free test tone generator and created mp3 files which I burned to a CD-R. Then I played this CD-R on my DVD player setting up a constant loop at different frequencies at different times between 40 and 80 Hz and walked around the room. I hope this helps.

 

[Biggiesized]

I have Digital Video Essentials (DVD/HD DVD combo) so I suspect it'll work all the same.

 

[3db]

I have Digital Video Essentials (DVD/HD DVD combo) so I suspect it'll work all the same.

I would think so too .