left image

Home  

 


 

 
 

The Home Theater Subwoofer - Types and Features

by Milos Pesic
(home-theatre.need-to-know.net)


Polk Audio PSW125 12-inch Powered Home Theater Subwoofer


Home theater enthusiasts are increasingly recognizing the importance of the home theater subwoofer to the whole movie viewing experience.

What captivate the audience while watching a movie in a movie theater are not just the images on the screen but the sound that surrounds them as well, especially the deep low sounds or the bass.

The home theater subwoofer produces the bass, or the lowest frequency range, and is therefore critical in engaging the audience.

A home theater speaker system is made up of different components, each with a specific function – one for the main soundtrack, another for the sound effects and the main dialogue. The home theater subwoofer is especially responsible for creating just the bass segment of the soundtrack.

Obviously, a home theater subwoofer is not as booming or loud as those used at real movie theaters but they are capable of producing very powerful sounds, too, enough to bring your neighbors over and ask you to bring the volume down a little.

Types of Home Theater Subwoofers

There are two main types of home theater subwoofers – the passive subwoofer which uses an external receiver or amplifier to power it and the self-contained powered subwoofer;  a good powered subwoofer is the Polk Audio PSW125 12-Inch Powered Home Theater Subwoofer pictured above.

The usual problem with the first type is that the amplifier does not produce enough power to handle the deepest bass of the subwoofer. A powered home theater subwoofer does not have this problem because it is already built in with a perfectly suitable amplifier.

Features to Look for in a Subwoofer

Apart from the issue of self-powered, there are other features to look for in a home theater subwoofer such as the ability to produce sound downwards or from the front and sides of a mounted subwoofer. You can also choose a home theater subwoofer with an extra port that pushes out more air than a sealed case to increase the bass response. A necessary feature of a good subwoofer is a crossover with a frequency cut-off of around 100 hertz, to channel all frequencies below the said frequency to the subwoofer.

When shopping for a home theater subwoofer, test different units using a DVD or a CD - that you are familiar with - with a lot of bass portions so you can check the quality of the speaker. In addition, make sure the dealer has a return policy acceptable to you just in case the unit does not work in your home theater environment. The user’s manual will guide where to place the subwoofer but, typically, you would need to do some experimentation with the placement yourself.

Milos Pesic owns a popular and comprehensive Home Theater web site. For more articles and resources on home theater systems, projectors, seating, home theater reviews and much more,  you may visit Milos Pesic home theater site at http://home-theatre.need-to-know.net


Article date: May 20, 2008

Click here to read or post comments.

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Home Theater Sites
.



 

 


Find us on Facebook
Follow us on twitter

Home
HDTV Guides CRT TVs
LCD TV Guide
Plasma TV Guide
3D TV
Flat-panel TV Reviews Plasma TV Reviews
LCD TV Reviews
Best HDTVs
Projection Systems Projection TV
RPTV Reviews
DIY Projection TV
Projector Reviews
Projection Screens
Digital and Satellite Television Digital TV Guide
Satellite Television
Home Theater Audio Surround Sound
AV Amplifiers
Speakers
Wireless Home Theater Wireless Speakers
Headphone Guide
Media Players
Home Theater Guides Home Theater Design
Equipment Racks
AV Cables
HDCP
Set-Up DVDs
Power Protection
Books and Magazines Books / Magazines
Catalogs
Home Theater Ideas! Home Theater Sites
HT Pictures Gallery
Useful Links
Movie Posters MoviePoster Guide
The Poster Store
Shopping Online Price Search
Refurbished Products
Online Store
Website Information About Me
Website Content
Site Use & Dislaimer
Privacy Policy
Advertise
Site Search
Contact  Form
Site BLOG
E-zine Subscription
.

[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines



Please Note:

Double-underline links appearing on this site represent additional information and special deals related to the page content; this added information is being supplied directly by Kontera.

To view this information, please place your cursor over these double-underline links.


 

 

 







Stay tuned to Practical Home Theater Guide

New content will follow soon!