The subwoofer in the house is a great solution for music lovers and fans to watch movies in the home theater. This device reproduces the lowest frequencies that a person is able to perceive. The word "subwoofer" means - "below the subwoofer."

subwoofer for home

Kinds

The subwoofer for the house can be of two types:

  1. Active. This type of device has a built-in power amplifier and an active crossover that filters high frequencies. Such systems are ideal for working in home theaters, because they are quite flexible and convenient to install. A separate plus is the relatively low cost of the devices.
  2. Passive. A power amplifier is not built into this type of subwoofer, so it must be connected with the main stereo speakers. The main disadvantage of the passive system is the additional load on the output amplifiers of the stereo channels.

The most convenient and suitable for home subwoofer is an active subwoofer. This is due to the built-in bass amplifier.

Main characteristics

A subwoofer is a device that provides a high-quality presence effect, for example, while listening to music or watching a movie. Such equipment quickly gained popularity and became one of the most important parts of the speaker system. When choosing a home subwoofer, you should first pay attention to such characteristics as purpose and power.

The device reproduces low frequencies (approximately 20-160 Hz), which are difficult for humans to localize. One of the main problems of such a system is the poor coupling of the frequency response (amplitude-frequency characteristics) and phase response (phase-frequency characteristics) of the subwoofer and satellite. For this reason, some devices for listening to low-frequency sounds have the function of adjusting the upper boundary frequencies and phases.

How to choose the right

Before choosing a subwoofer for your home, you need to pay attention to the following points:

  1. Frequency Range (Hertz). The frequency range that the subwoofer is capable of reproducing is divided into three octaves: the range of deep bass (from 20 to 40 Hz), the range of medium bass (from 40 to 80 Hz), high bass (from 80 to 160 Hz). Basically, these devices operate in the range from 40 to 200 Hz. The best instruments can play deep bass (if they are in the audio recording).
  2. The greatest sound pressure. The highest volume level of the device.
  3. Sensitivity (Decibels). A high level of decibels allows you to not use the amplifier, which is built into the device, in the transcendent mode. Greater sensitivity provides easier transfer of load subwoofer.
  4. The diameter of the subwoofer.
  5. Crossover frequency spectrum. If this frequency is 80 Hz, then in the signal that is supplied to the device, all frequencies that exceed 80 Hz are attenuated.

Before choosing a device, you should conduct a subwoofer test, which will help in determining the best model. To do this, pay attention to the direction of the device, which can be directed down or to the side.

If the appliance is pointing down, sound waves propagate evenly, but their quality will depend on the floor covering. The direction to the side makes the sound cleaner and better.

In addition to the test, it is worth considering the top of the subwoofers located below to compare the characteristics and choose the best option.

YAMAHA YST-SW215

YAMAHA YST-SW215

pros
  • Good sound quality
  • Sound controls are located in front of the device.
  • Reasonable cost
  • Compact device
  • Availability on the rear of the subwoofer of phase and sleep mode switches
Minuses
  • Glossy coating attracts dust
  • There is no cooling system in the radiator
  • There is no composite cable included with the device

This subwoofer reproduces bass in high quality, which makes listening to music and watching movie works a real pleasure. The system combines QD-Bass and Advanced YST. These technologies make the bass more powerful and deep. Thanks to the BASS switch, you can select sound modes and set the crossover frequency. This unit will enhance the sound of any audio system.

Pioneer s-21w

Pioneer s-21w

pros
  • Device compactness
  • Reasonable cost
  • Good bass
  • Automatic standby
  • Additional power control
  • Convenient volume control mechanism
  • Three meter cable for connection
Minuses
  • Doesn't work well with certain audio systems.
  • Heavy device
  • Too bright blue LED
  • Lack of regulation of crossover separation frequency

This is the best subwoofer for amplifying sound in your home theater. An amplifier with maximum sinusoidal power is integrated in the device. In addition, it has a closed acoustic system housing, which provides support for speaker configuration from 2.1 to 5.1. The phase control mechanism controls the temporal and phase-frequency characteristics of the speaker, preventing the sound delay that often occurs due to filtering of multi-channel recordings.

Bowers & Wilkins CTSW12

Bowers & Wilkins CTSW12

pros
  • Clear sound
  • Device compactness
  • High power
  • High-quality low-frequency emitter
  • Closed instrument design
  • Wide frequency range
Minuses
  • High price

The subwoofer has a sealed enclosure made of a sturdy fiberboard. Internal ties reinforce the sound. The device is ideal for installation in a home theater. It is lightweight enough to make it easy to track even the smallest changes in low-frequency signals. The device can be connected to an SA1000 amplifier, which has a power of 1000 watts.

Heco Victa Prime Sub 252 A

Heco Victa Prime Sub 252 A

pros
  • Loses all types of music well
  • External design
  • Lack of reflex overtone
  • High power
  • The presence of a cooling system
  • Device compactness
Minuses
  • High price
  • Heavy appliance

This subwoofer is designed to operate in tandem with the full range of Victa Prime audio systems from the popular German company HECO. This brand is famous, first of all, because of its realistic reproduction of the mid-frequency range, as well as the low-frequency spectrum. The device is ideal for working in a home theater, as well as for playing a wide variety of music.

Pioneer s-51w

Pioneer s-51w

This subwoofer has a deep and powerful bass. It has a built-in woofer with a size of 20 cm and an amplifier that can deliver up to 150 watts. The device has a bass reflex port, which makes the sound better. The device has a composite input to provide a signal. Pioneer S-51W operates in the frequency range from 26 to 900 Hz. In addition, it is designed to establish connections with AV-receivers (audio-video receiver). The device has an option to automatically turn on when a signal is input. It is also possible to adjust the phase, crossover crossover frequency, the level that ensures the absence of sound delays, and the necessary volume of the subwoofer in relation to the entire audio system.

Choosing a subwoofer for the home is not such an easy task, given the number of different models that the market abounds in today. Before buying, you must carefully study the main characteristics of this device and pay attention to the rating of models.