Including a soundbar with a subwoofer to enhance your listening experience is a fantastic idea, but one thing that you need to think about is where to place it.
The placement of a subwoofer can enhance or hamper your listening experience.
This is a tricky part when setting up a subwoofer because you want to get the best possible sound from it. You don’t want to suppress awesome sound by placing it in the wrong location.
That said, this article uncovers the best placements for your subwoofer based on your unique space and setup. Read on to find out.
Things to Consider in Placing a Subwoofer with a Soundbar
The subwoofer’s placement depends on numerous factors, and locating the best spot for it might require a little moving and testing the sound.
Before I discuss the best places to place a subwoofer, here are the things that you should consider when setting up your audio devices.
Room Size
The best subwoofer placement generally depends on the size of the room.
If you have a smaller room, there aren’t many options and there might be just that one place. That means you will have to settle for a particular free position in which the subwoofer will produce the best sound.
On the other hand, bigger rooms offer more space for you to add a subwoofer. The sound can travel more easily in bigger rooms, and you can move the subwoofer to whichever place you want.
Type of Room
The best placement for a subwoofer also relies on the type of room.
Placing it in a living room or lounge area can be tricky. You have to consider the style and decor of the room so you have to put the subwoofer in a discreet yet consonant position.
In contrast, placing the subwoofer in a home theater can be a piece of cake because the room is designed for that purpose.
Where to Place a Subwoofer with a Soundbar
When setting up your subwoofer with a soundbar, some specific areas in the room can help these devices generate an astounding sound.
I’ll be discussing them as well as the pros and cons of these placements.
Front of the Room
This is one of the most popular subwoofer placements if you also have a soundbar.
When the subwoofer faces the room, its sound unites with the front speakers and the center channel from the soundbar.
This enables the vibration to travel everywhere in the room and reach everyone’s ears.
Back of the Room
You can also place a subwoofer in the back of the room.
But when the subwoofer is behind a piece of furniture, such as a couch or chair, it may not deliver the best sound as it won’t mesh well with the sound from other speakers.
On the whole, a subwoofer placed in the back can sometimes provide deep and thumping bass, but its beats won’t have the same effect on everyone’s ears.
Left or Right from the TV
Two additional best positions for subwoofers are left or right from the TV. You can check both sides and test to see which one you like better.
These placements might not be ideal for your room if you’re still sensing sound localization.
Accordingly, you may have to move the subwoofer again and separate it from the soundbar to a corner of a room.
Corner of a Room
When you settle on a corner subwoofer placement, make sure to keep the distance between the subwoofer and the wall for an immaculate sound.
The prominent corners are those facing the room and the seating area. If the subwoofer is far from where you usually sit, the sound won’t be as great.
Placing a subwoofer in a rear corner, closer to the seating area, prevents “dead spots” so any acoustic problems can disappear.
Does a subwoofer need to be centered?
When a subwoofer is centered, the position can boost the bass. And if it’s close to your front-channel speakers, timing delays and phase cancellations will be minimized.
Nevertheless, the subwoofer shouldn’t be centered.
Your room space might not be adequate for a centered subwoofer, and there might still be sound delays. A slight left or right movement can fix the issue.
Should the subwoofer be on the floor?
Numerous manufacturers have designed subwoofers with soundbars to be placed on the floor.
If you use a subwoofer stand or pad, the sound from the speaker can improve significantly.
Down-Firing or Front-Firing Subwoofer: Which is Better?
This is really a matter of personal preference and purpose.
For you to choose the best type of subwoofer for you, you should know the differences between the two.
Down-firing subwoofers play from the bottom, while front-firing ones play from the front.
Down-firing subwoofers may “shake the ground”, and deep tones and low distortions can be felt. These are highly recommended for home theaters as they can give you unforgettable cinematic moments.
On the other hand, front-firing subwoofers emit low-pitched signals in the air which bounce from the walls and other objects in the room and then travel to you.
This type of subwoofer is recommended if you want an exceptional music-listening experience.
Down-Firing Subwoofer Placement
These subwoofers can give you the best sound when they’re lifted on a pad or placed on hard surfaces such as wood, carpet, or tile.
Placing a small rug under a down-firing subwoofer can prevent sound distortion.
In addition, all of the placements mentioned above can also apply to down-firing subwoofers.
Front-Firing Subwoofer Placement
These subwoofers shouldn’t be glued to a wall if you decide on a corner or next-to-a-wall placement.
The best position for a front-firing subwoofer is often in the center of the room but other placements in harmony with your space can also work.
Final Thoughts
Figuring out where to place a subwoofer with a soundbar will require a little experimenting as the best placement depends on a lot of things.
You have to consider the size of the room, the available space, and the design, plus your listening preferences.
There’s no universal answer to where should a subwoofer be placed. Sometimes, you have to try out all the possible placements and see which one works best.
If you have any questions on subwoofer placement, feel free to comment below and I’ll be more than happy to answer them.
A passion for writing and ongoing research projects gives Catherine an incredibly broad knowledge of all things. She has authored an incredible number of articles and can be found in the wilderness when not attached to technology or listening to podcasts.