Sub Woofer question
- Thread starter Mr.6
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Deacon
Humble Servant
1. Adding a second sub will usually make the overall frequency response of the whole room better for the LFE. Every room has interactions with the sound waves that will cause peaks and nulls in certain freq. ranges. I would say the main benefit is the better overall response across the room but it should also add spl.
2. I have no experience in mixing subs but ported and sealed subs interact with the room in different ways. Its hard enough to get 2subs of the same design type to blend together, I'm sure it would add layers of complexity to the integration trying to mix ported with sealed.
Why would you mix? Why not stick with the type (sealed) that you have?
What is your room size? Is it an open floor plan or is it a relatively sealed room?
2. I have no experience in mixing subs but ported and sealed subs interact with the room in different ways. Its hard enough to get 2subs of the same design type to blend together, I'm sure it would add layers of complexity to the integration trying to mix ported with sealed.
Why would you mix? Why not stick with the type (sealed) that you have?
What is your room size? Is it an open floor plan or is it a relatively sealed room?
Mr.6
Active Member
My room is open floor plan.
I find my room lacks bass so I can either add a sealed sub which I thought would be easier or add a ported sub or replace my sealed sub with a larger ported sub. Ported subs are supposed to be better for movies, so I heard.
Any other ideas for more bass? By the way, my room is in the basement.
I find my room lacks bass so I can either add a sealed sub which I thought would be easier or add a ported sub or replace my sealed sub with a larger ported sub. Ported subs are supposed to be better for movies, so I heard.
Any other ideas for more bass? By the way, my room is in the basement.
Your room is not lacking bass, Your main listening position is. It is in a null.
Add another sealed sub and use the typical placement process for them to get the MLP out of the null.
There are multiple ways to go about this, prior to me having a mic and REW. I used this method:
Take a SPL Meter, if you don't have one, down load an app on your phone.
Sit in your MLP and play frequencies starting at 20 Hz in 5 Hz increments up to 150 Hz; and write down the SPL for those frequencies. Let they SPL Level out prior to recording the SPL for the playing Freq.
After reviewing the data, you will be able to tell what frequencies you are Lower and Higher at the MLP.
You can then move the sub to another location in the room and re-do the process above.
Adding a sub to your room will typically help smooth out the response. Note, that 2 subs, up front placed equally apart, is typically NOT IDEAL.
I hope this helps!
This is only 1 of many ways to attack this issue.........GOOD LUCK!
Take a SPL Meter, if you don't have one, down load an app on your phone.
Sit in your MLP and play frequencies starting at 20 Hz in 5 Hz increments up to 150 Hz; and write down the SPL for those frequencies. Let they SPL Level out prior to recording the SPL for the playing Freq.
After reviewing the data, you will be able to tell what frequencies you are Lower and Higher at the MLP.
You can then move the sub to another location in the room and re-do the process above.
Adding a sub to your room will typically help smooth out the response. Note, that 2 subs, up front placed equally apart, is typically NOT IDEAL.
I hope this helps!
This is only 1 of many ways to attack this issue.........GOOD LUCK!
Last edited:
Deacon
Humble Servant
The type of sub (sealed v ported) does not make a difference. If it is properly designed and adequately powered it should do what it is supposed to do.
So the real difference is ported subs should have a higher output down to the port tuned freq. below the port tune it will roll off very rapidly.
Sealed subs will have (typically) less output (with similar specs to the ported) but will roll off in a much gentler slope than a ported sub. For this reason sealed subs can have a very substantial room gain over a ported sub in smaller, closed rooms.
Ported subs usually have more output, sealed subs usually have more extention.
Sealed subs are smaller. Ported subs are more efficient
What is your room size?
If you have an open floor plan I would suggest getting a larger ported sub.
So the real difference is ported subs should have a higher output down to the port tuned freq. below the port tune it will roll off very rapidly.
Sealed subs will have (typically) less output (with similar specs to the ported) but will roll off in a much gentler slope than a ported sub. For this reason sealed subs can have a very substantial room gain over a ported sub in smaller, closed rooms.
Ported subs usually have more output, sealed subs usually have more extention.
Sealed subs are smaller. Ported subs are more efficient
What is your room size?
If you have an open floor plan I would suggest getting a larger ported sub.
I do not recommend combining two different models of subwoofers for use with the same audio signal. The phase shift of subs can be pretty extreme at the bottom end of their operational range, so if you use two disparate subwoofer models, they will shift away from being in perfect phase, especially at the lowest frequencies, and thus start cancelling out each other's output signals. If you combine a vented sub with a sealed sub, this effect is vastly increased and you could get a result where some frequencies are almost entirely cancelled out in the room and you'll get significantly less bass.
Many times I have been asked to help someone "tune" their subwoofers which were not matching identical models, and the results are only very, very rarely better than a single sub at the lowest frequencies.
I recommend either buying another identical model as you currently have, or sell your current model and buy two subs of a different model.
Many times I have been asked to help someone "tune" their subwoofers which were not matching identical models, and the results are only very, very rarely better than a single sub at the lowest frequencies.
I recommend either buying another identical model as you currently have, or sell your current model and buy two subs of a different model.
Mr.6
Active Member
Yes I am still contemplating.
Do you think a 16" sub would make a difference?
My room is open concept, dimensions are 15' X 30 X 25 X 15. Ceiling is about 7' 8".
It's almost like a 'P' shaped room.
Did you measure yet? My post above 12/11 has the instructions.
More cowbell! Have you considered a JTR Orbit Shifter Pro?
Deacon
Humble Servant
Going back to this post^ I can't help but ask, have you tried relocating your current sub? Sounds like your MLP might be in a null which is causing your "lacks bass" response. Heeman's advice is good and should give you an idea of what challenges your specific room presents. Another thing you can do is while playing the tones as Heeman suggested, walk around the room and see where the sound decreases and increases. This will tell you where your nulls and peaks are withing your room. Then you can try different locations that may improve your response at the MLP.
You should be able to achieve good bass results from the sub you have (it is a good sub) but in a large room any single sub will not have an even response throughout the entire room due to the aforementioned room interactions.
Deacon
Humble Servant
I have read this over and over and I can't figure out what this is telling me.
Mr.6
Active Member
Hot Monkey
Well-Known Member
I’m running three identical subs for the above reasons. The coverage feels very balanced and uniform across the room.