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%Begin Subwoofers - What You Need to Know GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Home Theater & Entertainment &gt; Audio 32 32 people found this article helpful <h1> Subwoofers - What You Need To Know</h1> <h2> Subwoofers, bass shakers, and tactile transducers enhance your system</h2> By Robert Silva Robert Silva Writer San Diego State University Robert Silva has extensive experience in consumer electronics and home theater product sales and sales supervision; he has written about audio, video, and home theater topics since 1998. Robert has articles published on HBO.com and Dishinfo.com plus has made appearances on the YouTube series Home Theater Geeks.
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%Begin Subwoofers - What You Need to Know GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Home Theater & Entertainment > Audio 32 32 people found this article helpful

Subwoofers - What You Need To Know

Subwoofers, bass shakers, and tactile transducers enhance your system

By Robert Silva Robert Silva Writer San Diego State University Robert Silva has extensive experience in consumer electronics and home theater product sales and sales supervision; he has written about audio, video, and home theater topics since 1998. Robert has articles published on HBO.com and Dishinfo.com plus has made appearances on the YouTube series Home Theater Geeks.
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Daniel Kumar 1 minutes ago
lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 21, 2020 Tweet Share Email Klipsch Reference Subwoo...
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What really makes the experience, though, is the deep bass that shakes you up and punches you right ...
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lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 21, 2020 Tweet Share Email Klipsch Reference Subwoofers. Image provided by Klipsch Group Tweet Share Email <h3> In This Article</h3> Expand Jump to a Section Subwoofer Basics Subwoofer Types Subwoofer Characteristics Subwoofer Installation Tips Subwoofer Upgrades Extra: Transducers & Shakers When you go to the movies, you are not only impressed with the large and colorful images on the screen, but the sound emanating all around you.
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lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 21, 2020 Tweet Share Email Klipsch Reference Subwoofers. Image provided by Klipsch Group Tweet Share Email

In This Article

Expand Jump to a Section Subwoofer Basics Subwoofer Types Subwoofer Characteristics Subwoofer Installation Tips Subwoofer Upgrades Extra: Transducers & Shakers When you go to the movies, you are not only impressed with the large and colorful images on the screen, but the sound emanating all around you.
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Elijah Patel 1 minutes ago
What really makes the experience, though, is the deep bass that shakes you up and punches you right ...
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Lucas Martinez 1 minutes ago
In home theater, this feature's called low-frequency effects. Home theater surround sound is impleme...
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What really makes the experience, though, is the deep bass that shakes you up and punches you right in the gut. That deep bass is produced by a subwoofer. <h2> What a Subwoofer Is </h2> A subwoofer is a type of speaker that reproduces only the lowest of audible frequencies.
Mason Rodriguez Member
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What really makes the experience, though, is the deep bass that shakes you up and punches you right in the gut. That deep bass is produced by a subwoofer.

What a Subwoofer Is

A subwoofer is a type of speaker that reproduces only the lowest of audible frequencies.
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Brandon Kumar 1 minutes ago
In home theater, this feature's called low-frequency effects. Home theater surround sound is impleme...
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Amelia Singh 1 minutes ago
With home theater sound systems requiring specialized speakers for center channel dialog, main sound...
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In home theater, this feature's called low-frequency effects. Home theater surround sound is implemented by 5 or more channels, with each channel represented by a speaker. The surround sound channel dedicated to the subwoofer is referred to as the .1 channel.
Brandon Kumar Member
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In home theater, this feature's called low-frequency effects. Home theater surround sound is implemented by 5 or more channels, with each channel represented by a speaker. The surround sound channel dedicated to the subwoofer is referred to as the .1 channel.
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Madison Singh 8 minutes ago
With home theater sound systems requiring specialized speakers for center channel dialog, main sound...
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Harper Kim 8 minutes ago
Extreme bass needs more power to reproduce low-frequency sounds, so an amplifier or receiver must ou...
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With home theater sound systems requiring specialized speakers for center channel dialog, main soundtracks, surround, and sometimes even height effects, the need for a speaker to reproduce just the deep bass portion of a movie soundtrack is all the more important. Although a home subwoofer is not quite as "thunderous" as the ones at the local movie theater, it can still shake the house or annoy the downstairs neighbors in your apartment or condo complex. <h2> Types of Subwoofers </h2> Passive: This type of subwoofer is powered by an external amplifier, in the same way as the other speakers in your system.
Charlotte Lee Member
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With home theater sound systems requiring specialized speakers for center channel dialog, main soundtracks, surround, and sometimes even height effects, the need for a speaker to reproduce just the deep bass portion of a movie soundtrack is all the more important. Although a home subwoofer is not quite as "thunderous" as the ones at the local movie theater, it can still shake the house or annoy the downstairs neighbors in your apartment or condo complex.

Types of Subwoofers

Passive: This type of subwoofer is powered by an external amplifier, in the same way as the other speakers in your system.
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Brandon Kumar 6 minutes ago
Extreme bass needs more power to reproduce low-frequency sounds, so an amplifier or receiver must ou...
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Sofia Garcia 3 minutes ago
All a powered subwoofer needs, in addition to AC power, is a line output (sub out, pre-out, or LFE o...
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Extreme bass needs more power to reproduce low-frequency sounds, so an amplifier or receiver must output enough power to sustain bass effects through the subwoofer without draining the amp. The amount of power depends on the requirements of the speaker and the size of the room. Powered: Powered subwoofers combine the subwoofer speaker and an amplifier inside the same cabinet.
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Extreme bass needs more power to reproduce low-frequency sounds, so an amplifier or receiver must output enough power to sustain bass effects through the subwoofer without draining the amp. The amount of power depends on the requirements of the speaker and the size of the room. Powered: Powered subwoofers combine the subwoofer speaker and an amplifier inside the same cabinet.
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Henry Schmidt 18 minutes ago
All a powered subwoofer needs, in addition to AC power, is a line output (sub out, pre-out, or LFE o...
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All a powered subwoofer needs, in addition to AC power, is a line output (sub out, pre-out, or LFE out) from a home theater receiver. This arrangement takes a lot of the power load away from the amp/receiver and allows the amp/receiver to power the mid-range and tweeters more easily. Most subwoofers used in home theater setups are the powered type.
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All a powered subwoofer needs, in addition to AC power, is a line output (sub out, pre-out, or LFE out) from a home theater receiver. This arrangement takes a lot of the power load away from the amp/receiver and allows the amp/receiver to power the mid-range and tweeters more easily. Most subwoofers used in home theater setups are the powered type.
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The Difference Between a Passive and Powered Subwoofer

Additional Subwoofer Characteristics <...

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This type of ported design is referred to as bass reflex.Passive Radiator: Some subwoofers use a pas...
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The Difference Between a Passive and Powered Subwoofer <h2> Additional Subwoofer Characteristics </h2> Various additional design variations and setting options employed in subwoofers further optimize low-frequency performance. Front-firing subwoofers employ a speaker mounted so that it radiates the sound from the side or front of the subwoofer enclosure.Down-firing subwoofers employ a speaker that radiates downward, toward the floor.Ports: In addition to the speaker portion of the subwoofer, some enclosures offer an additional port, which forces out more air, increasing bass response in a more efficient manner than sealed enclosures.
Julia Zhang Member
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The Difference Between a Passive and Powered Subwoofer

Additional Subwoofer Characteristics

Various additional design variations and setting options employed in subwoofers further optimize low-frequency performance. Front-firing subwoofers employ a speaker mounted so that it radiates the sound from the side or front of the subwoofer enclosure.Down-firing subwoofers employ a speaker that radiates downward, toward the floor.Ports: In addition to the speaker portion of the subwoofer, some enclosures offer an additional port, which forces out more air, increasing bass response in a more efficient manner than sealed enclosures.
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This type of ported design is referred to as bass reflex.Passive Radiator: Some subwoofers use a passive radiator in addition to the speaker, instead of a port, to increase efficiency and preciseness. Passive radiators can either be speakers with the voice coil removed or a flat diaphragm.Crossovers: The crossover is an electronic circuit that routes all frequencies below a specific point to the subwoofer; all frequencies above that point are reproduced the main, center, and surround speakers.
Liam Wilson Member
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This type of ported design is referred to as bass reflex.Passive Radiator: Some subwoofers use a passive radiator in addition to the speaker, instead of a port, to increase efficiency and preciseness. Passive radiators can either be speakers with the voice coil removed or a flat diaphragm.Crossovers: The crossover is an electronic circuit that routes all frequencies below a specific point to the subwoofer; all frequencies above that point are reproduced the main, center, and surround speakers.
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Mia Anderson 18 minutes ago
A typical crossover point would be between 80Hz and 100Hz.Directionality: Deep-bass frequencies repr...
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Due to the non-directional characteristics of extreme low-frequency sound, a subwoofer can be placed...
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A typical crossover point would be between 80Hz and 100Hz.Directionality: Deep-bass frequencies reproduced by a subwoofer are non-directional. It is difficult for human ears to pinpoint the direction of sound. That is why we can only sense that an earthquake seems to be all around us, rather from coming from a particular direction.
Thomas Anderson Member
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A typical crossover point would be between 80Hz and 100Hz.Directionality: Deep-bass frequencies reproduced by a subwoofer are non-directional. It is difficult for human ears to pinpoint the direction of sound. That is why we can only sense that an earthquake seems to be all around us, rather from coming from a particular direction.
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Julia Zhang 11 minutes ago
Due to the non-directional characteristics of extreme low-frequency sound, a subwoofer can be placed...
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Where it sounds best will determine the final placement. The subwoofer should not sound "boomy,&...
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Due to the non-directional characteristics of extreme low-frequency sound, a subwoofer can be placed anywhere in the room where it sounds best in relation to room size, floor type, furnishings, and wall construction. <h2> Subwoofer Installation Tips </h2> Typically a subwoofer is placed in the front of a room, near the front left or right main speaker. However, they can also be placed on a side wall or in back of the room.
Grace Liu Member
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Due to the non-directional characteristics of extreme low-frequency sound, a subwoofer can be placed anywhere in the room where it sounds best in relation to room size, floor type, furnishings, and wall construction.

Subwoofer Installation Tips

Typically a subwoofer is placed in the front of a room, near the front left or right main speaker. However, they can also be placed on a side wall or in back of the room.
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Scarlett Brown 4 minutes ago
Where it sounds best will determine the final placement. The subwoofer should not sound "boomy,&...
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Audrey Mueller 2 minutes ago
Many subwoofers are great for Blu-ray Disc or DVD movies, but may not perform well with the subtle d...
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Where it sounds best will determine the final placement. The subwoofer should not sound &#34;boomy,&#34; but deep and tight. This attribute is especially important if you intend to use your subwoofer for music.
Andrew Wilson Member
access_time 24 minutes ago
Where it sounds best will determine the final placement. The subwoofer should not sound "boomy," but deep and tight. This attribute is especially important if you intend to use your subwoofer for music.
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Isaac Schmidt 9 minutes ago
Many subwoofers are great for Blu-ray Disc or DVD movies, but may not perform well with the subtle d...
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Aria Nguyen 17 minutes ago
Using either crossover setting option, a subwoofer can either take the entire bass load or split the...
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Many subwoofers are great for Blu-ray Disc or DVD movies, but may not perform well with the subtle deep bass in music performances. When installing your subwoofer, experiment with the crossover settings. In addition to the settings available on the subwoofer, most home theater or AV receivers use crossover (also referred to as bass management) settings for your subwoofer as well.
Thomas Anderson Member
access_time 65 minutes ago
Many subwoofers are great for Blu-ray Disc or DVD movies, but may not perform well with the subtle deep bass in music performances. When installing your subwoofer, experiment with the crossover settings. In addition to the settings available on the subwoofer, most home theater or AV receivers use crossover (also referred to as bass management) settings for your subwoofer as well.
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Using either crossover setting option, a subwoofer can either take the entire bass load or split the bass load with large main speakers. Also, if you live in an upstairs apartment, a down-firing subwoofer may disturb your downstairs neighbors more readily than a front-firing design.
Aria Nguyen Member
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Using either crossover setting option, a subwoofer can either take the entire bass load or split the bass load with large main speakers. Also, if you live in an upstairs apartment, a down-firing subwoofer may disturb your downstairs neighbors more readily than a front-firing design.
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Ella Rodriguez 35 minutes ago
In some cases, integrating two subwoofers into your system may provide a better option, especially i...
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In some cases, integrating two subwoofers into your system may provide a better option, especially in a very large room. How to Get the Best Performance Out of Your Subwoofer <h2> Beyond The Subwoofer </h2> ButtKicker Advance. Image via ButtKicker If you really want to pump things up consider, the following upgrades to your home theater and subwoofer setup.
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In some cases, integrating two subwoofers into your system may provide a better option, especially in a very large room. How to Get the Best Performance Out of Your Subwoofer

Beyond The Subwoofer

ButtKicker Advance. Image via ButtKicker If you really want to pump things up consider, the following upgrades to your home theater and subwoofer setup.
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The Buttkicker: The buttkicker is not a conventional subwoofer. Using a suspended magnetic system to reproduce sound waves that are not air dependent, the buttkicker can reproduce frequencies down to 5HZ.
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The Buttkicker: The buttkicker is not a conventional subwoofer. Using a suspended magnetic system to reproduce sound waves that are not air dependent, the buttkicker can reproduce frequencies down to 5HZ.
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Mia Anderson 13 minutes ago
This is well below human hearing, but not below human feeling. Variations of the Buttkicker are foun...
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Sebastian Silva 12 minutes ago
to produce a deep bass response that is both intimate and effective. Bass Shakers: Bass shakers repr...
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This is well below human hearing, but not below human feeling. Variations of the Buttkicker are found in some movie theaters, and concert halls, but has been adapted for use in a home theater environment. Clark Synthesis Tactile Sound Transducer: With a very compact transducer design, the Clark Synthesis Tactile Sound Transducer can be placed inside (or on the bottom of) chairs, couches, etc.
Mason Rodriguez Member
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This is well below human hearing, but not below human feeling. Variations of the Buttkicker are found in some movie theaters, and concert halls, but has been adapted for use in a home theater environment. Clark Synthesis Tactile Sound Transducer: With a very compact transducer design, the Clark Synthesis Tactile Sound Transducer can be placed inside (or on the bottom of) chairs, couches, etc.
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Isabella Johnson 6 minutes ago
to produce a deep bass response that is both intimate and effective. Bass Shakers: Bass shakers repr...
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to produce a deep bass response that is both intimate and effective. Bass Shakers: Bass shakers reproduce inaudible low frequencies, designed to give an extra punch to your sound system.
Elijah Patel Member
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to produce a deep bass response that is both intimate and effective. Bass Shakers: Bass shakers reproduce inaudible low frequencies, designed to give an extra punch to your sound system.
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David Cohen 71 minutes ago
The shaker is usually attached directly to the object to be shaken, such as a chair (similar to the ...
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Also, since these devices work below the range of human hearing, they should be used in conjunction ...
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The shaker is usually attached directly to the object to be shaken, such as a chair (similar to the Clark Tactile Transducer) in order to realize its effect. Bass shakers work by themselves or in conjunction with a regular subwoofer setup. <h2> Tactile Transducer Bass Shaker Installation </h2> Each brand or model of tactile transducer or bass shaker has specific installation requirements that are provided by the manufacturer, but in general terms, these devices are usually placed between the floor and a chair, couch, or furniture legs, or attached directly to them, and, in some cases, you can purchase home theater seating with such devices already built-in.
Liam Wilson Member
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The shaker is usually attached directly to the object to be shaken, such as a chair (similar to the Clark Tactile Transducer) in order to realize its effect. Bass shakers work by themselves or in conjunction with a regular subwoofer setup.

Tactile Transducer Bass Shaker Installation

Each brand or model of tactile transducer or bass shaker has specific installation requirements that are provided by the manufacturer, but in general terms, these devices are usually placed between the floor and a chair, couch, or furniture legs, or attached directly to them, and, in some cases, you can purchase home theater seating with such devices already built-in.
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Sofia Garcia 6 minutes ago
Also, since these devices work below the range of human hearing, they should be used in conjunction ...
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A good subwoofer is more than adequate for the lowest musical effects, such as acoustic bass and bas...
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Also, since these devices work below the range of human hearing, they should be used in conjunction with a conventional subwoofer, not in place of it. Although transducers and shakers are effective for effects that contain a lot of inaudible low-frequency information—such as explosions, earthquakes, gun blasts, rocket, and jet motor effects—they are not effective in the typical home music listening environment.
Sophia Chen Member
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Also, since these devices work below the range of human hearing, they should be used in conjunction with a conventional subwoofer, not in place of it. Although transducers and shakers are effective for effects that contain a lot of inaudible low-frequency information—such as explosions, earthquakes, gun blasts, rocket, and jet motor effects—they are not effective in the typical home music listening environment.
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A good subwoofer is more than adequate for the lowest musical effects, such as acoustic bass and bas...
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A good subwoofer is more than adequate for the lowest musical effects, such as acoustic bass and bass drums. Was this page helpful?
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A good subwoofer is more than adequate for the lowest musical effects, such as acoustic bass and bass drums. Was this page helpful?
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Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire What Bass Management Is and How It Works Before You Buy a Subwoofer: What Factors Are Important?
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Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire What Bass Management Is and How It Works Before You Buy a Subwoofer: What Factors Are Important?
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