1. Home
  2. speakers
  3. 197031-133364

Practical tips for setting up your subwoofer(s)

No doubt there are many guides about this topic. For me, the sub arrived with no instructions. I knew how to plug it in and what the dials meant. But I didn't have a formal introduction into how best to weave the sub into the soundstage. The following article is simple but offers expert advice on how to best set up your subwoofer(s).   https://rel.net/blogs/learn-and-explore/field-notes-tuning-tips-to-steer-you-on-the-right-path?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2026-01-06_marketing.comms_product.education_consumer.usa.and.canada__set.up.support.emailer_no.test%20%28clone%29%20%28clone%29&utm_content=Tuning%20Tips%20blog&_kx=PVHewJ1q-u03hVd79wkrDyUAxUaWYgnK__H3hFiZFaU.JVhXmT

pennpencil
pennpencil OP
143 posts
 

+1 Steakster, m-db

Yes! Positioning the sub is critical, as is room treatment--what's behind the sub? A corner? A wall? Nothing? Baffling? And what is the appropriate size and number of subs for a room of a given size? All of these considerations matter. Great call out.

mark200mph
842 posts
 

WHat about the new dsp on alot of subs like svs or marants av 10 that synchronizes 4 subs with dirac live ect by maping the waves in the room and correcting it. I think it gets it close and you can do minor tweaks for your ear prefence. Of course not everyone wants 4 subs and I get that.happy experimenting and crawling. Reminds me of twister 🥳 

lrlacosse's avatar
lrlacosse
83 posts
 

Wish I had the luxury of sub placement. frown It goes in the corner next to right speaker.  No other option in my small room.

tomcarr
1,818 posts
 

If you have the space and the coin two subs always sound better than one. Not just more bass. Bigger soundstage, smoother bass response, better sound.

Put each sub beside each main speaker, making sure the distance from the subs baffles to the listening seat is the same as the distance from the main speakers to the listening seat (to ensure both arrive in phase).

deep_333
2,435 posts
 

Positioning is most of the battle won....

It’s never that great to put subs on the front stage. 

Try some positions like this....Hopefully your subs will take a XLR input, because they might need a longer XLR cable. Hide it under the rug or whatever...

Try to get a reference point for excellent bass (determine what excellent bass sounds like), if there’s some dude’s setup near your house and he knows what’s going on....kinda hard to explain what you never heard.

If done right, there will be a womb of bass and you’ll never know where your subs or speakers or anything is located...It will just feel like a womb of bass and music/instruments floating around in a 3 dimensional sphere.....gotta work on that envelopment..

If done really right...it should shut down your mind and the music should be all inside of ya, you whole body engulfed with it....the true goal is to shut down the audiophile’s foolish mind. You shouldn’t be able to know where the hell you are. You should disappear as well (like your speakers and subs did) and reach a state of nirvana.....

 

More to discover