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You may have read about dual subwoofers on the forums and wonder what all the fuss is about. We are big fans of using multiple subwoofers whenever possible, and they can be a great upgrade to any home theater or music system. Here are some of the benefits of having dual subwoofers in your system.
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Optimal sound quality at more listening positions |
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| Even with careful placement, a single subwoofer will not have an optimal frequency response at all listening positions in the room. At each location in the room, a subwoofer has a unique 'modal pattern' (standing waves with peaks/zeros) and corresponding frequency response at the listening position. Listeners will often find that moving even a few feet from the 'sweet spot' results in significantly worse bass sound quality. In some places the sound will be overly boomy, in other places there will be a "suck-out" where the bass has noticeably less impact. This is especially a problem if you have a large seating area. |  |
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| With properly placed dual subwoofers, the respective modal patterns will overlap, greatly increasing the density of sound waves in the room. The result is a smoother frequency response at more listening positions in the room, with less chance of distinct peaks/zeros in the frequency response. Everyone gets the same stimulating, heart-pounding listening experience no matter where they sit. This also makes it easier for auto-set-up programs like Audyssey MultEQ to equalize the subwoofer channel. | |||||
Effortless bass with larger playing area: headroom.A popular phrase from the SVS Sound Experts team is "headroom has a quality all its own." Dual subwoofers significantly increase the available headroom of the system, with greater dynamic range, less compression, less distortion and less chance of overdrive artifacts. In short, with dual subwoofers you get cleaner, more accurate bass at extreme sound levels. If you like listening at reference levels and crave lots of noise, impact and pressure from action and sci-fi movies or music with lots of bass, dual subwoofers are an excellent option, and will produce effortless bass at demanding passages. |
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Stereobas for special 2-channel systemsThe discerning audiophile and 2-channel purist knows that directional bass is important for stereo imaging and maintaining a solid soundstage. Using dual subwoofers in a dedicated 2-channel system preserves stereo bass cues and prevents the soundstage from collapsing, especially when small bookshelf monitors with limited bass extension are used. This makes for a more realistic and compelling audio experience where you can locate sounds in space and feel like you are on stage or in the studio with an artist. |
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More difficult to locateEven with a fairly deep speaker/subwoofer crossover frequency and the accompanying masking effects of surround speakers, it is often possible to locate a single subwoofer in the room, especially if it is not in the foreground. When a subwoofer is properly set up, the bass sound should sound as if it is coming from each individual speaker and not from a specific location. By comparison, dual subwoofers are nearly impossible to locate. Once listeners experience this immersive bass that seems to come from everywhere in the room, they never want to go back to a single subwoofer setup. |
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Two small subwoofers fit where 1 large subwoofer does not |
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Many enthusiasts have their music and home theater systems in mixed living spaces, where subwoofer performance must be balanced with decor and aesthetics. In this type of situation, a single larger subwoofer, especially those with ported cabinets, can have too great a visual impact in the room or even not fit in the assigned spaces. Conversely, two smaller subwoofers can provide similar performance, have less visual impact and also fit in more places in the room. If space is a concern, enclosed subwoofers are generally a better option for discretion. | ||||
Recommended placement options for dual subwoofersBased on our own extensive testing and research by the professional audio community, we recommend the following placement options for dual subwoofers:
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Placement options for multiple subwoofers |
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SVS makes a range of active subwoofers for every room, every audio system and every budget. In addition to the performance benefits, you also get a discount on the SVS 1000, 2000 Pro, 3000, 4000 and 16 Ultra Series subwoofers, so you can get the best possible performance at the best possible price. Summary: Benefits of using dual or multiple subwoofers in a home audio system |
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