Jason Unger
03-13-07, 10:36 AM
Do You Have Subwoofers Outside of the Home Theater?
by Fred Harding
Contrary to popular opinion, subwoofers are not just for home theaters anymore.
Bass is an omnidirectional type of sound, in contrast to high frequencies, which are very directional. Adding a pair of subwoofers into a large room installation will give you several benefits. The listeners' ears will fool them into believing that the bass is coming from the smaller speakers to some extent.
The subwoofers can be adjusted so that their level is at an appropriate level to complement the mids and highs, so that the sound is more seamless. By using subs to augment the bottom end, the overall volume won't have to be as obtrusive, which often is very important. In short, the listener won't hear tinny sound, but a rich sound.
http://www.cepro.com/asset/5587.jpg (http://www.cepro.com/magazine/article/17844.html)
This translates to the home market as well. More multisource, multizone systems are being installed. Many of these systems are using amplifiers that are small, ranging from 7 watts per channel up to 20 to 30 watts per channel. If you have a large great room with a single set of speakers, you're likely to have to drive the volume level fairly high to achieve good sound quality.
One alternative is to go to a larger woofer size on the in-wall or in-ceiling speakers; simply going to an 8-inch drive instead of a 6 1/2-inch is often enough to improve sound quality. Consider adding extra pairs of speakers if the amp can support them.
Two sets of speakers means that each pair can be played at a lower level, making for more uniform sound pressure throughout the space. If the space is too large, or the internal amplifier is not robust enough, add a subwoofer.
For more on subwoofers outside of your home theater, check out
http://www.cepro.com/magazine/article/17844.html
by Fred Harding
Contrary to popular opinion, subwoofers are not just for home theaters anymore.
Bass is an omnidirectional type of sound, in contrast to high frequencies, which are very directional. Adding a pair of subwoofers into a large room installation will give you several benefits. The listeners' ears will fool them into believing that the bass is coming from the smaller speakers to some extent.
The subwoofers can be adjusted so that their level is at an appropriate level to complement the mids and highs, so that the sound is more seamless. By using subs to augment the bottom end, the overall volume won't have to be as obtrusive, which often is very important. In short, the listener won't hear tinny sound, but a rich sound.
http://www.cepro.com/asset/5587.jpg (http://www.cepro.com/magazine/article/17844.html)
This translates to the home market as well. More multisource, multizone systems are being installed. Many of these systems are using amplifiers that are small, ranging from 7 watts per channel up to 20 to 30 watts per channel. If you have a large great room with a single set of speakers, you're likely to have to drive the volume level fairly high to achieve good sound quality.
One alternative is to go to a larger woofer size on the in-wall or in-ceiling speakers; simply going to an 8-inch drive instead of a 6 1/2-inch is often enough to improve sound quality. Consider adding extra pairs of speakers if the amp can support them.
Two sets of speakers means that each pair can be played at a lower level, making for more uniform sound pressure throughout the space. If the space is too large, or the internal amplifier is not robust enough, add a subwoofer.
For more on subwoofers outside of your home theater, check out
http://www.cepro.com/magazine/article/17844.html