For the ultimate bass experience, a subwoofer does the magic. A subwoofer is integral to home audio, contemporary studio monitoring, and Hi-Fi systems. Bass is integral in making our TV shows, movies, and music more thrilling and immersive. A subwoofer adds dimension and depth to the sound setup.
Choosing speakers depends on several factors, including voice, appearance, and form, making the decision subjective. But for subwoofers, the decision you make is objective. We only look at their ability to carry out crucial roles and meet set standards. So, what makes a good subwoofer?
The sound system market is vast. And with plenty of options come challenges in choosing the right equipment. But worry not, as our subwoofer buying guide will help you make the right choice. But first…
How Does a Subwoofer Work?
The first question that’s probably on your mind is, how does a subwoofer work? Understanding the inner workings of a subwoofer can help you get the right one. So quickly, a subwoofer reproduces low-frequency sounds such as drums and bass. It has a sizeable diaphragm made of plastic, metal, or paper. The diaphragm is mounted onto a box powered by an amplifier.
The diaphragm is connected to a voice coil surrounded by a magnetic field. Subwoofers work alongside the main speakers in a home theater or music system to create a full and balanced sound.
What is a Subwoofer Used for?
So, what is a subwoofer used for in music and entertainment? A subwoofer enhances the entire audio experience for the user. It provides deep and potent bass tones that other speakers within the audio system can’t produce. It improves the listening experience for the end user like no other audio component can. Here are the primary ways to use a subwoofer:
To Boost the Potential of Smaller Speakers
A good subwoofer has a low-frequency amplifier with the proper bass management. In addition, an amplifier or AV receiver can enable smaller speakers to perform favorably and reach their potential.
Blending with Full-Range Speakers
The subwoofer you choose should feel like an extension of the speakers you already have rather than overpowering them. It should make the other speakers sound their absolute best. And this should be evident across the frequency spectrum.
Adding Speed and Control to Low-End Transients
The rapid starts and stops in vocals make lesser subwoofers struggle to perform accordingly. This often leads to an undetailed acoustic image. A great subwoofer should have the superior speed, and transient response needed to create a realistic bass experience. It should be so realistic that even the fastest bass lines are rendered with top-notch accuracy and razor-sharp precision.
Reproducing Notes in the Low-Frequency Spectrum with Accuracy
The right subwoofer should deliver bass notes precisely as required. In addition, it should efficiently work with any speaker model and still add energy to the audio experience.
Playing Loud with No Distortion
A subwoofer that keeps up with the mid-drivers and tweeters as you pump up the volume is an excellent addition to your system. The sound should be loud and shouldn’t have distortion.
Revealing Hidden Sounds and Feelings
Most speakers begin to drop off at 50Hz, where the real depth and clarity of bass tones begin. The right subwoofer should comfortably get to 20Hz or less. It should test the limits of human hearing. It should deliver a fully immersive experience.
The Advantages of Adding a Subwoofer to Your Sound System
- Here are some of the reasons why you need to add a subwoofer to your sound system:
- It delivers crispier and clearer audio than full-range speakers have.
- Turn the volume up without distortion because of reduced stress on your speakers.
- Improved audio across all frequencies.
- Deeper bass.
- Improved mid-range sound due to a reduced strain on the connected speakers.
What Makes a Good Subwoofer?
When searching for a subwoofer, you will need to check, among other things, the RMS, frequency, and pinpoint speed. The following qualities will help you when you’re looking for a good subwoofer:
RMS Rating
Root mean square, otherwise shortened to RMS, is a subwoofer’s power rating that shows the subwoofer’s power handling capacity over extended periods. A higher RMS rating shows that the subwoofer can deliver more power and bass.
So, what is a good RMS for a subwoofer? What you plan to use the subwoofer for will determine the optimal RMS rating. It is also crucial that you match the RMS rating of the amplifier to that of the subwoofer. When the subwoofer has a higher RMS rating than the amplifier, it can cause damage. On the flip side, if it has a lower RMS rating than the amplifier, it will not perform as expected.
Incredibly Low-Frequency Extension
The best subwoofer will deliver the deepest bass while maintaining the sound’s grace and clarity. Therefore, such a subwoofer can create deep frequencies that can be felt rather than heard.
Subwoofers utilize sound reflections to create clear and potent notes. And the tests conducted on them are usually inside rooms that absorb sound completely. Therefore, a subwoofer specified as 30Hz may, in a real sense, go deeper than that.
Analyze subwoofers that tend to lose steam on intense bass notes. These are the ones that you should avoid entirely. Instead, you can test using your favorite bass drop. A quality subwoofer will maintain favorable output levels.
Most full-range speakers have low-frequency extension specifications of -3dB at 20Hz or even -3dB at 16Hz. Many audiophiles, therefore, use subwoofers to extend the lowest frequency response of their audio systems.
Frequency Response Accuracy
The best subwoofer will produce the specific amount of bass you need to hear at the correct pitch. It shouldn’t present any distortion or frills that may affect what you’re intended to hear.
Therefore, you need to confirm if the sound is potent, crystal clear, and clean like it should be. You should not only hear and feel thuds but also an extension of the sound other speakers are producing.
Pinpoint Speed in Transients
Fast impulse is what you should expect from a quality subwoofer. It should quickly accelerate and decelerate when needed. When you notice these changes taking far longer than expected, it could imply that it’s not a quality unit. Extra notes are produced during such impulse times. When the subwoofer can’t keep up with the speeds, it fails to maintain the pace of the other speakers. The experience then becomes audibly unpleasant to the user.
Check how the bass integrates with other speakers within the sound system. If it takes over and dominates the sound in aggression, it isn’t the right subwoofer for you. It should blend in as part of the speakers and not as a separate entity. If anything, it should improve performance and not overwhelm it.
Blending Seamlessly with Full Range Speakers
Let’s face it – who wants to hear bass only when listening to music or watching movies? The excellent audio experience is all about balancing everything to sound uniform. The subwoofer should act as the foundation but not the fundamental basis. A subwoofer that merely draws all the attention is a wrong choice.
A subwoofer should be so smooth that nobody even notices where it is but feels quality. It shouldn’t coerce people to discover where it is in a distracting manner. Pay attention to how the subwoofer delivers. It shouldn’t steal the show but rather make the show better. It should sound like it is part of the entire sound system.
Final Thoughts
A potent subwoofer is ideal for achieving the best sound experience. This subwoofer buying guide should help you find what matters in a subwoofer when making a purchase. The type of subwoofer you choose will depend on many factors, including individual tastes and factual parameters. To get the best sound experience, the subwoofer must match the sound output of other speakers. Generally, you need to research, test, and use a subwoofer to land on the best pick.
