Subwoofer Placement Guide

You just bought your new home entertainment system. You've got your great new surround sound system in place. You've got the center speaker, left and right stereo speakers and surround speakers adjusted just right for your listening chair. Now what the heck do you do with that subwoofer?

Human Ears Don't Do Low Bass

The human ear can't localize low bass, so a subwoofer doesn't contribute much to the stereo effect. It doesn't need to be particularly close to the main speakers. You can even hide it under furniture if you really want to. Each room is going to be a little different though. In order to get the best sound for your room, you may want to experiment.

The "Crawl" Method

A great way to play with bass response is to put the subwoofer in a set location, and then start crawling around the floor. This is going to help you hear where in the room the bass sounds the best. You can then start adjusting the placement of the subwoofer in relation to the listening chair. I find the best place is usually against the same wall the mains are on, in one of the corners.

Small Spaces

Another method involves placing the subwoofer on the floor against the wall nearest the surround satellites.
I don't normally recommend placing the subwoofer behind the listening area. If you're tight for space, go ahead and give it a try.

Further Considerations

The strength of low bass depends on how close the subwoofer is to intersecting room surfaces. The most bass results from the unit being placed in a corner, on the floor. The least bass results with the unit placed out toward the middle of the room, away from corners and walls.

Don't place the subwoofer up on a shelf! Subwoofers perform best on the floor. The frequencies coming out of the subwoofer are less for "hearing" and more for "feeling."