- Learn how to position your soundbar’s subwoofer for the best possible sound.
- Discover different variations to experiment with for better sound.
- Diagrams and tips provided for various room styles and configurations.
Where To Put A Soundbar’s Subwoofer
In this article, we show you 3 common subwoofer placement configurations to try:
After that, we’ll also provide some important things to be aware of that will affect your subwoofer’s performance. Let’s go!
Subwoofer Placement #1 – Off-Axis Configuration
We recommend first positioning your subwoofers slightly off-axis to the soundbar, on the opposite end of your seated position.
Ensure a clearance of at least 6 inches from the rear wall, and do not put the subwoofer in a cabinet/enclosure!
Listen to some music tracks you’re familiar with, and play some films while listening from your seated position.
Next, ask yourself:
- Does the subwoofer’s bass volume feel adequate?
- Does the subwoofer’s bass stay relatively constant in volume when playing upper bass notes vs lower bass notes?
If your answer to the questions above is ‘no’, you may need to try other configurations.
The most obvious one is to move the subwoofer to the other side of the soundbar. For instance, if you followed the off-axis placement using the left side of the soundbar, try it on the right.
Perform the same listening tests again and see if it has made any measurable improvement.
If it’s still not sounding quite right, then it’s time to try a new setup altogether. Let’s explore configuration #2.
Subwoofer Placement #2 – Corner Configuration
This configuration works particularly well if configuration #1 yields very little bass volume. This is because corner setups use surrounding walls to reinforce bass frequencies.
Science time! When low-frequency sound waves (such as bass) bounce off walls, they tend to reinforce each other in certain areas, creating what’s known as a “standing wave.” This is why corner setups can work well to make the bass more pronounced.
Be warned that corner setups can also work against you and make the bass sound overwhelming in certain frequencies. This is why we don’t typically recommend it as a first option.
The same rules apply as before: keep the subwoofers at least 6 inches away from the wall, and don’t place them in any sort of enclosure.
Subwoofer Placement #3 – The Sub-Crawl
The sub-crawl method is a more customized solution to finding the best spot to place your subwoofer.
The sub-crawl method is effective because it allows you to hear how the bass sounds in different parts of the room, and helps you identify the spot where the bass sounds the best.
To quantify ‘best’, we are following the same rules as above:
- All bass notes should sound fairly even, regardless of whether it’s a higher or lower bass frequency.
- Bass volume should sound ample, without being overbearing.
Follow these simple steps to find the “sweet spot” in your room for your subwoofer.
- Place the subwoofer in your listening position and play a track with lots of bass.
- Crawl on your hands and knees around the room and listen for the spot where the bass sounds the most balanced and even.
- Mark this spot on the floor with a piece of tape or a marker.
- Move the subwoofer to this spot and listen to the music again.
- If the bass still doesn’t sound quite right, repeat the process until you find the best spot for the subwoofer.
Despite sounding somewhat unconventional (and you might get a few weird stares from other family members), this method offers a reliable way to calibrate your subwoofer’s optimal position.
Other Factors That Will Affect Your Optimal Subwoofer Position
Subwoofer Calibration
With the advent of built-in room calibration features like ‘Sonos True Play’, it’s become quite easy to optimize your subwoofer performance, regardless of your room setup.
In most cases, you can just get this to do its thing and your subwoofer should auto-detect the right settings for it to use in order to combat bass frequency notes varying wildly in volume.
You’ll still need to manually set the subwoofer volume to your liking though, as this will ultimately be a matter of personal preference.
Other companies like Samsung has also incorporated a similar feature into its Q-series soundbars, however the feature is not widely available across all subwoofer+soundbars.
If you have no subwoofer auto-calibration features, you’ll only be able to manually adjust the volume of the subwoofer. It’s not much, but it helps.
In case you’re interested: The auto calibration process measures the sound waves in your room and identifies any issues that may be affecting the sound quality, such as reflections or standing waves. The subwoofer then adjusts its settings to compensate for these issues and produce a more accurate and balanced sound.
Acoustic Treatment
By using a mixture of absorbers and diffusers, you can manipulate how frequencies disperse and bounce around the room.
This can have an effect on your overall subwoofer’s performance, however it can be an expensive endeavor! Check our separate guide to how to position acoustic panels here.
Your Room’s Size & Shape
Unless you have some sort of superhuman strength, the laws of physics will dictate how frequencies will flow and bounces around your room.
If you have a tiny room, you will have significantly fewer options for finding an ideal placement for your subwoofer. There may be only one position in which the speaker sounds good within your small space, and the dimensions and contents of the room itself may even play a part in dictating what you can do within your immediate surroundings.
On the other hand, larger rooms offer many more options regarding placement configurations. They also provide much more space where the speakers’ sound can travel, further expanding your subwoofer placement options.
You can also look at solutions such as wall brackets that can combat small room issues. For example, you could purchase a wall bracket for your soundbar, which may open up additional subwoofer positions for you to try.
“Here are some ideas on how to improve the acoustics of your room for nothing”
Seating Position
Your seating position will significantly affect how the speakers sound within your listening space. Even simply moving to the other side of the sofa can impact the way you perceive the subwoofer’s bass output.
FAQ
What If You Have 2 Subwoofers?
Some companies, such as Sonos, allow the user to incorporate multiple subwoofers into a single setup. In this kind of scenario, it is recommended that the subwoofers are equally spaced to provide an even low end/bass response.
However, you can also adapt the corner approach. Experiment with the angle of the subwoofers too — try angling them at 45 degrees on the corner angle of each wall.
Before You Go…
Now that you’re a fully-fledged master of subwoofer positioning, why not check out these other guides too?
