Subwoofer placement (are they truly non-directional)? (1 Viewer)

[Marshall Sander]

Please help me out. First, let me say that I have read in this forum that it is best to crawl on the floor of your room to locate the best place for a sub -- I can't do that. Because of architectural constraints, I must place my sub in 1 of 3 spaces:

1. The preferred place is in a nook on the front, right side of my room, in a wall. I can cut a grill opening through the wall to allow sound to come out, but the grill opening will be facing away from the seating area (toward the front of the room and toward the front, right speaker), about three feet from the front of the room. This is the ideal spot, so if subs are really non-directional, please let me know because it would save me lots of headaches.

Or

2. Directly next to my tv in the front of the room.

or

3. In the back, right corner of the room, underneath the right rear speaker.

I would like your opinion if you think location #1 can work. I am indifferent about 2 or 3, but would like your opinion as to where you have had more sucess with better sound.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kerry Hackney]

so if subs are really non-directional, please let me know because it would save me lots of headaches.

IF your sub is crossed over at about 80hz or lower the primary frequencies are non-directional. So, the direction the sub is facing in the same room should not have a major impact. As for placing it in a niche as you described, this could be somewhat problematic. The box in a box effect is rarely good for sound. You may end up with a boomy quality to your bass. You may be able to solve the problem by stuffing foam around the sub to fill the void... I'm not saying it won't work but you may have to experiment to get it the best it can be.
Option 2 might be a better solution all in all. Make sure you don't have problems with a non-shielded driver too close to your TV. Depending on how much you value music reproduction it may even be better than a corner location. You will lose a little in max SPL and lower extension.