Sunday, April 24, 2011

Do I Need Two Subwoofers?

By Ben Jackson


Ever since the advent of sound and television, technology has advanced greatly. Though hard to believe, there was once a time that mono speaker systems emitted from a small black-and-white television were all that existed. But then people began to experiment, and from this came stereo sound, from the left and right sides. These advancements gave a much higher level of realism to all who watched any television. As time continued moving forward, so did the technology of the day, with VHS, Laserdisc, and, soon after, DVDs coming into play. Because of the ability to move the movies from the theater to the home, surround sound began to play a much more elevated role in home entertainment. Sound went quickly from two channels to three, adding a center channel, then to four, adding rear speakers. Subwoofers began to come into play, giving a stunning new dimension to the movie-watching experience.

These days, theater technology isn't quite as simple as it used to be, and, as such, it's easy to be unsure. Especially in a constantly-expanding field, it's easy do ask: do I even need one subwoofer? Well, it's likely you've concluded the necessity of a subwoofer, but you may wonder just how many you need. With such an emphasis of the most bang possible for your buck, dual subwoofer systems are becoming more and more popular, but why? And does the craze really pertain to you? We'll help you understand, right now, through a simple checklist, whether you can get something out of a second sub.

Congruency

The first and most important question you will want to review is that of support; that is, "will my system even support a second subwoofer?" By default, most home theater receivers support, at most, a 5.1 surround sound system, giving only a single channel, though newer receivers are beginning to support larger, more advanced speaker set-ups, such as a 7.1, 9.1, or even 9.2 channel, giving an extra output for a possible second subwoofer. But, even if your receiver doesn't offer this second output, don't think you can't still receive the benefit of a second subwoofer; with a simple Y-adapter, you can turn that single subwoofer output into two, and in so doing, bring out the bass in your system.

Room Configuration

Aside from compatibility, you might ask just what a second subwoofer could add to your home theater, and you're right to do so. For some, a second subwoofer might not add much that they don't already have, as a smaller room, or more efficient configuration, can take sufficient advantage of a powerful enough sub, but for larger rooms, or less-potent subs, your bass output can likely be less-than-even. Apart from modifications you might be able to make to your current configuration, you may eventually reach a point where, in order to get the effect you desire, you'll need to expand your bass. Or maybe you're just looking for a deeper or larger sound. Either way, a second sub could be just the way to go.

Some Things To Remember

Remember, however, that just by adding a subwoofer to your set-up, it doesn't guarantee the effect you're looking for, as, if all you do is purchase the same or very similar type of sub, you're only going to increase your volume, not deepen your range or effect. In order to get the most benefit, you'll want to look for a second sub that outdoes the sub you already have in its range, and thus gives you the deep effect you're looking for. Don't forget to plan your wiring out either, as a lack of surge protection to one or both of your subs could leave you, one day, with a damaged or destroyed subwoofer. No matter what you're looking for, however, LavaSubs can help you to find just the sub to complement the system you already have.




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