Step 1. If you've just arrived home from work, and you're wearing your new 00 suit, you'll want to change into something more comfortable. i.e. jeans and a t-shirt.
Step 2. Find your favorite listening position. If this is on a couch, and you would also like your couch partner to enjoy your subwoofer as best as possible, sit just between those two listening positions.
Step 3. Gather some sturdy stuffed pillows and or folded blankets for stability. More on that in a minute. (why not just an end table or box?) see appendix A below...
Step 4. If you happen to have an extra long subwoofer cable or rca that will work, get it and plug it into your subwoofer. Your subwoofer will need to be able to play while positioned in your listening seat at ear level. You wouldn't sit backwards in your listening position, so be sure your subwoofer is firing towards your tv or receiver area. Be sure to also plug in your subwoofer to your wall outlet.
Step 5. Stack up the pillows/blankets etc, in a stable fashion. One can be placed behind where your head would be in your listening position to help stabilize your subwoofer from hitting the wall behind it if your couch backs up to a wall. If not, use your best judgment on what is stable, just remember NO hard objects...
Step 6. Put your subwoofer on top of the pillows/blankets at approx. ear height from your normal seated position.
Step 7. Play some bass heavy (although dynamic with low and middle bass) music or your favorite sequence of a movie that you would really like to have shine when being played during a normal listening/watching session.
Step 8. Get on your knees and crawl around your room, literally. Be careful not to trip over any speaker wire, HDMI Cables, or RCA Cables in the process. Go over to where your subwoofer was originally positioned and move towards and away from the wall while listening. Move toward the outer wall or toward the center of the room. Keep in mind all the while that you are searching to hear where the low frequency output is smooth, but still extended, and not a single one-note boom, but remember s-m-o-o-t-h is what you're listening for. One that sounds natural, and extended to the lowest of low's and highest of mid-bass.
Step 9. The position where you are searching may be on your side wall, front wall, to the side of your listening position, or even way in the back/side/front of your room. Just keep in mind that where ever your head is, is where you subwoofer will ultimately be placed. If the position is not suitable to place a subwoofer for whatever reason you will have to find the next best compromise. Leave something on the floor as a marker to remember all of these places and quickly walk over, crouch down, and give each place a listen during your best sounding experiences and pick a spot that is suitable for aesthetics etc.
Step 10. Plunk down your subwoofer where you found your best spot during a variety of listening materials and you're all set. Return back to your listening position and enjoy your new smooth sounding subwoofer that neither has room boom, or any empty spots in audio playback!
appendix A: Using a hard object such as an end table etc may be easier to place your subwoofer at ear level in your listening position, but it will not be the best way. Think about this; we are simply reversing the sound travel of your subwoofer to go from point B to A. This sound bounces and reflects off of several objects between those two points, one being your body itself during normal listening sessions. If you use a hard object to place your subwoofer in your listening position, you are introducing something that will not be there when you actually place your subwoofer in it's final position. Your body isn't hard and reflective, therefore the objects that you place under your subwoofer to elevate it to ear level shouldn't be reflective either, hence the pillows/blankets. On a side note, we will not be responsible for anyone dropping their favorite shiny brand new subwoofer on their floor/foot/cat etc...so build your listening position elevation rationally and as stable as possible!
This article may be used on your website/blog or other place IN FULL CONTEXT ONLY and MUST contain the following links to avoid copyright infringement. Written by: www.diyhometheatersupply.com 09/10.
