Home Speaker Asylum

General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

Can't argue against two subs ... but your arguments for them are wrong

1/4 wavelength cancellations are minor issues in subwoofer bass frequencies (under 80Hz.) but do affect the upper bass above 80Hz.
Remember how long the wavelengths are at these frequencies compared to the distance between the subwoofer and nearby walls (relatively close for most people).

Standing waves are major issues at subwoofer frequencies (under 80Hz.) because they can cause easy to hear bass peaks and nulls.

Using left-right subs prevents a side-wall-to-side-wall standing wave that makes the bass more consistent across a couch. But don't confuse 'more consistent' with a flat frequency response that can never happen without bass traps/parametric EQ in the relatively small rooms that we use for home audio.

For two channel audio, subwoofers have to be located near main speakers (or between them if there is only one sub) for good integration with those speakers.

With two subwoofers in use, a bass note is played by four (two-way main speakers) to six (three way main speakers) different drivers in four different enclosures!

If you want a realistic reproduction of a bass note using two-channel audio, all the drivers involved with a bass note (the attack of the note comes from a mid-range driver or vass/mid driver!) must be located relatively close together -- not on different sides of the room.
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Richard BassNut Greene
Subjective Audiophile 2007


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