Can use a subwoofer as a stand for a speaker?

P

Pieah

Audiophyte
Hi all,

I have been struggling with the idea of adding a subwoofer to my system. My setup is:
1x Denon AVR-X4300H
4x Mission 733 (two front, two back, floorstanding speakers)
LG 65" Oled
Big green L shaped couch
My room is about 143m3 (5050 cubic feet).
I am very happy with the sound and I use it for listening to music and watching movies. Still I feel that a subwoofer will bring a final touch to the system and it would improve music and movie enjoyment (for me at least, not sure about the neighbors).
The challenge is placement of the subwoofer. In the front there is no place to put the subwoofer without it being in front of something (fireplace, av cabinet, cabinet with wood, other cabinet). So I was thinking, is it possible to:
Place the subwoofer where the (front right) speaker is, and then place the front right speaker on top of the subwoofer?
If not, I could maybe remove the av cabinet, place the subwoofer there (below the tv) and build a cabinet around the subwoofer. But I am not sure if it is wise to build something around a subwoofer, it may have an effect on the sound.

For subwoofers I was looking at the SVS SB-1000 or SB-2000. I don't use very high volume settings so it doesn't need to be ultra high power, that is why I thought the sealed box principle would be ok for me (bit better/tighter bass at the expense of power compared to a ported box if I understood some articles correctly).

Hope you have some input for me!
Thanks!
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
I don't think that is a great idea. First of all, it places the front right and left speaker at different heights which will have deleterious effects on the sound stage. Second, it will be awfully tipsy to place a tower speaker on a subwoofer. It's not a big deal with bookshelf speakers, but I wouldn't so it with a tower. The tower would also probably scuff the top of the sub. I would look for another spot for the sub.
 
Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
agree with shady, your plan makes zero sense. Altering tweeter heights between L / R speakers is a no-no.

building a cabinet around doesn't seem like a good idea either. How about somewhere , either left or right, between your listening position and your L / C / R speakers ? Have you done a 'sub crawl' to determine a best location ?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
In a huge room like that maybe a nearfield position might be more acceptable? Perhaps behind your seating? Hard to know what your options might be....got a pic? Placing a sub with a speaker may not yield best use of the sub, either.
 
P

Pieah

Audiophyte
I don't think that is a great idea. First of all, it places the front right and left speaker at different heights which will have deleterious effects on the sound stage. Second, it will be awfully tipsy to place a tower speaker on a subwoofer. It's not a big deal with bookshelf speakers, but I wouldn't so it with a tower. The tower would also probably scuff the top of the sub. I would look for another spot for the sub.
I could of course raise the other speaker as well or even use two small subs, one below each speaker. Then the height of left and right would be the same. I think the tipsy part could be solved too. If this item would be solved then the next challenge could be the crawling test... maybe that place would not be a good place... and then the wife wouldnt agree with the best place... I think I should see if I can borrow a sub somewhere to test. Thanks!
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I could of course raise the other speaker as well or even use two small subs, one below each speaker. Then the height of left and right would be the same. I think the tipsy part could be solved too. If this item would be solved then the next challenge could be the crawling test... maybe that place would not be a good place... and then the wife wouldnt agree with the best place... I think I should see if I can borrow a sub somewhere to test. Thanks!
Where would that put tweeter height, do these speakers usually need a stand?
 
Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
I could of course raise the other speaker as well or even use two small subs, one below each speaker. Then the height of left and right would be the same. I think the tipsy part could be solved too. If this item would be solved then the next challenge could be the crawling test... maybe that place would not be a good place... and then the wife wouldnt agree with the best place... I think I should see if I can borrow a sub somewhere to test. Thanks!
get the wife crawling around down there with you, who knows what fun could be had !!
 
M

Mr._Clark

Audioholic Samurai
Hi all,

I have been struggling with the idea of adding a subwoofer to my system. My setup is:
1x Denon AVR-X4300H
4x Mission 733 (two front, two back, floorstanding speakers)
LG 65" Oled
Big green L shaped couch
My room is about 143m3 (5050 cubic feet).
I am very happy with the sound and I use it for listening to music and watching movies. Still I feel that a subwoofer will bring a final touch to the system and it would improve music and movie enjoyment (for me at least, not sure about the neighbors).
The challenge is placement of the subwoofer. In the front there is no place to put the subwoofer without it being in front of something (fireplace, av cabinet, cabinet with wood, other cabinet). So I was thinking, is it possible to:
Place the subwoofer where the (front right) speaker is, and then place the front right speaker on top of the subwoofer?
If not, I could maybe remove the av cabinet, place the subwoofer there (below the tv) and build a cabinet around the subwoofer. But I am not sure if it is wise to build something around a subwoofer, it may have an effect on the sound.

For subwoofers I was looking at the SVS SB-1000 or SB-2000. I don't use very high volume settings so it doesn't need to be ultra high power, that is why I thought the sealed box principle would be ok for me (bit better/tighter bass at the expense of power compared to a ported box if I understood some articles correctly).

Hope you have some input for me!
Thanks!
In my experience subs move around a lot more than you might think. At one point, I put a lamp on an SVS PB13 ultra, but the lamp moved around and fell off due to the movement of the sub (this is my downstairs system). I'm not sure I'd put any speakers directly on a sub.

For my upstairs system, there is no room for even one sub in front. I ended up putting a pair of SVS PC12-NSD cylindrical subs on either side of a sofa in back of the room (the subs are spaced about 5 feet from the ends of the sofa). The cylindrical SVS subs take up very little floor space and this was the only option I could come up with (If nothing else, it meets the all-important WAF criteria).

I do not have an especially refined or sophisticated sense of hearing, but this setup produces surprisingly good sound to my ears (at least for movies). I have a hard time actually recommending this type of a setup, but I'm happy with it given the alternative (no subs).

You might be able to figure out a way to set up a pair of SVS PC-2000s in your room.

If money is no object, RBH SVTRs might be an option:


Unfortunately, for most of us, money is of course always a factor.
 
Old Onkyo

Old Onkyo

Audioholic General
If you sit a bookshelf on top of a sub should you just set it directly on top or should there be a pad or cushion between the speaker and the sub?
 

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