Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Add Subwoofers to Your Speaker Lineup

Subwoofers used to be a staple of only two kinds of people: those who love reggae, and those who love to listen to organ recitals. But today, with advances in cinematic effects and sound engineering, you would want a more immersive experience when watching a movie or enjoying its soundtracks, as the sounds they generate are lifelike and give viewers a feeling of being there. 

Subwoofers are dedicated to pick up the lowest two octaves of the sound range, and good ones give you the flexibility to increase your ‘crossover’ limits (incoming audio signals above the 80Hz range). So if you want a visceral experience every time you sit down for a movie, installing a subwoofer is in order. Here’s why.

Subwoofers handle all of your bass needs and free up your main speakers

To capture low frequency sound waves, your main speakers were built in a way that accommodated both high and low frequencies and everything in between. Since bass frequencies are exacting on amplifiers and use up a significant portion of power available to speakers, mid- to high frequencies are often sacrificed to generate sound that spans the entire audible spectrum (from as low as 20 Hz to 80 Hz which is the bass frequency). By dedicating a separate speaker to handle the lowest two octaves and powering it with its own amplifier, the main speakers are able to produce cleaner sounds in the upper frequencies.

Subwoofers allow you to have a more immersive experience

With your main speakers freed up from the burden of carrying low frequency sounds, there are lesser distortions in the mid-range and mid-bass sounds. Deep bass sounds also add emotional depth to your listening experience since they create sounds that are much bigger and lifelike – think bangs, roars and booms – something that could not be quite achieved if you only have speakers that handle audio signals in the mid- to high frequencies.

Subwoofers enable correct placement of main speakers

Because main speakers are no longer boxy and bulky (which they had to be in the past to produce bass), they can now be placed where they should be to achieve that audio sweet spot without taking up a lot of space and compromising interior design. Center and surround speakers have come in a variety of shapes and sizes that are nifty enough to be installed in-ceiling or in-wall without compromising sound quality (assuming the acoustics of your room allow for it in the first place). Bass sounds, on the other hand, can be projected from behind furniture or a corner of the room without affecting the overall listening experience. If you are concerned with neighbors who might complain, put your subwoofer in an isolation platform to minimize the impact sound waves make when they bounce off solid surfaces.