Single or Multiple Subwoofers? (1 Viewer)

[MartyP]

My family room, unfortunately, is not the optimal room for sound. It is 12 X 20 with a cathedral ceiling that goes from 8' to 12'. I've always had a hard time getting smooth bass response from my subwoofer. Any opinions on whether multiple subs would be more effective than a single sub?

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Marty,

First, welcome to the Forum!

If smooth bass response is the issue you’re having, adding subs isn’t going to change anything. The problem is that any sub’s response will be affected by the room and your placement. Most rooms have at least one “peaking” frequency that is much louder than the others, and this is what causes a sub to sound “boomy.”

It shouldn’t be a problem getting excellent sub performance in a room that size, as long as you’re using at least a good-quality 12-incher. If you haven’t already, you should get a parametric equalizer to smooth out the peaks and valleys in response. Do a search on this forum, and the DIY Forum, for “Behringer Feedback Destroyer,” “BFD,” or “parametric” and you’ll find enough reading material to keep you busy for days.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Johnny Ayala]

I have 4 subs in my system, but thats just personal taste. Have you calibrated your system? A 12 is definetly the smallest I'de go with. Good Luck.

 

[Terry Montlick]

Multiple subs can be difficult to position. It is hard enough to find the best spot for one! Have you tried moving the sub away from a corner and/or wall?

I second Wayne's suggestion about a parametric equalizer. But it's always best to try to minimize the amount of EQ required first.

- Terry

 

[MartyP]

Thanks for the reply. How about something like the Infinity 1.2S with the RABOS system? I've read that this can be effective. I think it uses some sort of parametric equalizer...

 

[David Judah]

I've used RABOS with an Infinity sub. It does work well if you have one main offending hump, but a parametric EQ, like the BFD, gives you alot more flexibility.

DJ