Subwoofer Placement (1 Viewer)

[Finn Z]

I have been told that due to sub-woofers non directional sound they can be placed almost anywhere. I have have even heard of people placing them in sub-floors under their house and in their attic. I also know that at the movie theater, often times that subwoofers are placed behind the wall under where the screen is located.
I am considering placing my sub-woofer (a self-powered 12" Infinity) in a closet that is about 3 ft from where my components, center speaker and TV are located. It would be completely hidden and still very close to my system. It would also be separated by one wall. Has anyone set up their system similar to this, or have knowledge of this type setup.

 

[Mike LS]

I don't have any "technical" reasons to tell you not to, but logically I don't think it would work very well.
Even being very close to the listening area, having a wall seperating it and you, it's going to really limit it's peroformance.....granted it'll sound great in the closet, but I think it's be lacking in the HT room itself.
Also, being confined to a small room like that, you might run into some vibration problems with other things in the closet.
This would depend on what type of sub you have, but even the closet walls could cause a rattle that would be annoying as crap in your listening room.
But with something like this, just try it and see how it sounds. Who knows?

 

[Shaun Pressley]

I wouldn't do this for several reasons.
1) resonate issues ... the box within the box issue, you'll kill the sound quality and clarity.
2) Rattles: that door has metal hinges, so you're asking for lots of rattles. See item #1
3) You'll create one huge bass trap that might load the room and allow you to localize the LFE channel (which you should not be able to do).
4) The sub is a speaker like any other speaker, why put it in another room/closet? That just doesn't make sense.
The subs in a theater are behind a wall, but the wall is open (no sheetrock or wood) in front of the subs, with acoustically transparent fabric exposed to the seated audience.
Move your sub around the room until you localize the sub. I remember someone once mentioning placing the sub at the listening position, then moving yourself around the room until you cannot localize the sub. Haven't tried this method, so I don't know if it works.
Typically the sub sounds best in a front corner, but not always. Good luck.