Home Speaker Asylum

General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

RE: 100 hz or higher

Back in the days when vinyl recordings were the name of the game for most people, bass was summed to mono at 100 hz. So, it used to be more of an OK thing to use a subwoofer crossover point of 100 hz, because doing so would not necessarily degrade stereo imaging and soundstaging.

Now flash forward to the digital age where the cutoff point has been lowered to 80 hz, which corresponds to the point at which bass begins to become omni-directional...

If you listen to modern recordings with a crossover point from mains to a subwoofer higher than 80 hz, you risk shutting out some of the stereo information encoded in your recordings (unless you use two subwoofers that are, preferably, in very close proximity to the associated main speakers).

You say that the placement of subwoofers very close to the main speakers is usually "not recommended" but that would mean that the majority of classically designed tower speakers are extremely compromised designs (from the standpoint of acoustics), since most of them have immovable subwoofers in very close proximity to the other drivers. Attempting to keep each of two subwoofers in close proximity to the two main speakers in a stereo system is certainly recommended and is always worth trying before other placement options are investigated, when crossover points approach 80 hz or higher.

If using only one subwoofer crossed over at 80 hz or higher I would try to center it in between the two main speakers and keep it about the same distance away from the listening seat as the main speakers. And possibly, close to same height as the main speakers too...

Omni-directional sound has a unique sound signature. The ears can sense the shift from omni to uni within the context of a stereo soundstage. 100 hz should represent *the extreme upper limit* for a subwoofer crossover point if you like to listen to modern stereo recordings. A crossover point of 150 hz or higher, as recommended by you, can of course be used but this practice should be viewed as being less than optimal. I don't think you'll find too many manufacturers designing systems with a subwoofer crossover point higher than 100 hz these days, and for good reason. No one wants to be FORCED to buy two subwoofers for their stereo system when one might possibly do.

BTW, I wasn't referring to your drawing when I noted that your listening room is square. You have described your listening room as being, basically, an acoustically compromised square in your system profile page. I therefore assumed that this was the room that contained the old "configuration" of yours, mentioned above. Frankly speaking, if your listening room is as problematic as you say it is it wouldn't surprise me that the kinds of sonic nuances I've been talking about here would not be easily noticed.



Edits: 12/05/14 12/05/14 12/05/14 12/05/14 12/05/14 12/05/14

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