What are subwoofers?
Speakers can either make or break the beauty of any home theater
system. Speakers that are too loud can overwhelm a viewer while
speakers that are not loud enough can create a less than enjoyable
experience. But who knows what a salesperson is talking about when
they mention subwoofers, tweeters, and watts? A small amount of
research might help a consumer make a proper speakers purchase that
will satisfy their needs.
Subwoofers are what many speaker purchasers place their focus on.
These basically provide the thumping bass that are the most
noticeable part of a speaker system. Subwoofers specialize in
producing low frequencies of sound. When turned up, the subwoofers
are the ground shaking, floor thumping bass that cause so many
problems among adjacent neighbors in an apartment building.
There are two main types of subwoofers available for most home
theater systems. The first type is a powered subwoofer. This means
that the subwoofer works in direct connection with the amplifier to
maximize the capabilities of both components. In a powered
subwoofer, the setup is also designed to reduce the amount of strain
placed on the amplifier to power the three main components of the
speaker unit – the mid-range, tweeters, and subwoofers.
In passive subwoofers, the sole source of power is derived from a
separate amplifier. In this arrangement, the amplifier accepts more
of the brunt of powering the speaker unit and, as a result, adds
more wear and tear on the amplifier. The bass that subwoofers
provide can be a drain to the amplifier’s system if it is turned up
too high. Therefore, with passive subwoofers, consideration must be
made in regards to the amount of bass that the listener desires.
Researching the amount of bass that an amplifier can provide without
a strain to its resources is vital to maintain a long-lasting
system.
It is also important to balance out the sound in your system. You do
not want too much bass because the other sound frequencies will not
be heard. A level of bass that is too low will be drowned out by the
other frequencies. Subwoofers are not necessary to get a small
amount of bass frequencies. When you leave the bass frequencies to
be played by the normal speaker components, you do not get that
explosive, gut shaking feeling that a properly balanced subwoofer
can provide.
These are the basic types of subwoofers available for any home
theater system. There are several others that have more complicated
and specific functions. Down-firing subwoofers, for instance, focus
the power of the bass in a downward direction. But whatever the
specific needs of the home theater system owner, there are speakers
and subwoofers that can satisfy those needs. Pinpointing your
specific needs and then researching the proper equipment to satisfy
those needs are important steps to creating the perfect home theater
system.
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