According to the following Web site, near field placement of a subwoofer sounds better than a far field placement because of the reduction of room modes at the listening position. Near Field placement can have some advantages over Far Field placement due to the reduction of room modes at the listening location (the bass pressure wave hits your ears before the room boundaries have had a chance to effect the response). Is this true?

Web site: http://bryston.com/newsletters/45_files/vol4is5.html

It's hard to say it will always sound better, but it's true that it can reduce the effect of problematic room acoustics. It also can increase the sense of impact from the sub.

According to the following Web site, near field placement of a subwoofer sounds better than a far field placement because of the reduction of room modes at the listening position. Is this true?

Web site: http://bryston.com/newsletters/45_files/vol4is5.html


Yes

With nearfield placement the sound gets to your ears before it gets to (most) boundaries and is then reflected back to your ears.

You definitely would want to try experiencing nearfield. I guess its like bass shakers, some like "the effect", some don't. The most probably nearfield location is directly at the back of LP I guess? The feeling is that there is a significant and almost silly increase in the headroom, more impact due to less delay/influence from the room even if you were running EQ before. Of course you need to re-EQ for nearfield, but generally very much less work using less PEQ filters.

I did try my Danley TH-112 (30-80Hz bandwidth) directly behind me from "just for fun" 5cm distance to 50cm so that I get wider bass coverage. The "SQ" definitely moved up another notch or two due to less LF ringing - to keep it simple it sounds more DIRECT. Its so visceral and there is so much headroom that its crazy, even at lower SPLs you can feel each beat raring to go, the experience changed from a Bugatti Veyron to a 2000HP modded drag Viper even though you did not floor it. You definitely "FEEL IT". But the SQ is increased at the same time, its not only the RAW department gets notched up without care for finesses. Hope you get what I mean. :)
Downside is that even if I drop it to 60Hz, you are aware that the bass is coming from behind, as the movement of your clothings tells you "its behind dude". I have tried taking all my cloths off (LOL! :o), its the same. I think RMK bro reported the same with his Danley TH-SPUDs.

The purisits may not like this feeling and may call it unnatural.- like mojomike said its hard to say if this sounds better and depends on the individual's priorities. But seriously who can incorporate very extensive LF acoustic damping down to deep bass region? You wanna try Geddes's way?

Nearfield with subs placed on the side is even worse, its sounds lopsided. The movement of the air impacting your hair will be a dead giveaway.

Also wanting to try nearfield here for the ULF myself. I'd want to again visit a bass maniac pal locally here, he has 7 SVS subs LOL!. This is because before purchasing anything, i'd want a proof of concept whether or not the effect for ard 33Hz and below is localisable, I only believe my own ears. I think a single PC-13U 50cm behind LP should move enough air and SPLs, but am afraid due to the 46" height and porting on top there might be issues. The ports will be too near to the ears and too far from body - no visceral feeling, or ports may chuff and be very audible at high SPLs due to proximity and much lessened masking, as after all the 16Hz tuning is only 2 x 3.5" ports and good flaring can only do that much. So need to try it first, he has the PB13 and PB12/2 too, everything can try. LOL! :D
Actually I did and have tried with my SVS SB12+ to check out the sub-30Hz point effect, but a single 12 inch ~ 20mm Xmax non-resonant direct radiator system has pathetic output below 30Hz.

Don't worry about me or my ears, everything is for fun dynamics/headroom & very short-term listening. :p

Just my 2 cents.

Another advantage could also be that you can run your subs nearfield at a higher volume, ie higher overall system volume, but the bass does not affect your other rooms as much as before due to bass leaking.

Hi 2100,

Thanks a lot for your reply. As for the near field placement I will be placing the subwoofer in place of where the plant is. See the following two pics.

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/storage/8/1156202/Room%20003.JPG

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/storage/8/1156226/Room%20006.JPG

Do you think being so closely surrounded by sofas will have any effect on the subwoofer's performance?

The second possible placement for the subwoofer is in place of where the bookshelf is currently. See the following pic.

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/storage/8/1156200/Room%20002.JPG

In theory, out of these two placements, which do you think will be better?

Wow, its really difficult to say and you would have to take measurements and see. It depends on your preference too. If its surrounded by the sofas the SPL will drop a bit but then you get corner augmentation. You probably will get a lot of tactile feel from the sofa vibrations. So it really depends on what you are after. Try them out and see. :)

Would placing the subwoofer in place of the bookshelf be considered as a corner placement even though it's not a "full corner?" There is about 16.5 inches of wall before you get to the opening of the walk through part.

Bass frequencies are long wavelengths, so a short piece of wall wouldn't really act like a corner. It may still affect the sound one way or another.