The answer to this question is heavily dependent on your requirements and sound system usage. For instance, if you are a bass fanatic then is certainly a must for you, given you have the budget and space to own a subwoofer. We will do our best to help you to decide whether you need a subwoofer to integrate into your current sound system.
You should have the available floor space to accommodate an active subwoofer and as for the budget, it will be entirely up to you. Please set a comfortable amount you are willing to invest in a subwoofer. The higher your budget, the better and more powerful the subwoofers you could aim for. And so without further ado, let us begin.
Table of Contents
What is a Subwoofer?
A subwoofer is a speaker that is tasked to deliver the lower frequencies. It is also used to supplement the bass performance and/or deliver low frequencies that your main speakers are unable to produce or deliver them prominently. The crossover setting is usually set at 80Hz and the subwoofer will deliver low frequencies from this level downwards (80Hz-20Hz). How deep it could reach down into the bass extension will depend on how good the subwoofer is, there are models which could deliver below 20Hz subterranean low frequencies. You can set the crossover settings to higher than 80Hz like 100Hz, 120Hz, etc. Some AV receivers come with room correction technology and may set the crossover frequency of your subwoofer automatically for you.
We highly suggest going with active subwoofers as they have in-built amplifiers to power themselves and won’t drain the power from your AVR/amp. Producing subsonic bass at high volumes requires a lot of power and this might cause your AVR or amplifier to clip. Which might damage your speakers due to underpowering. You have everything to gain by going with active subwoofers.
Why you will need a Subwoofer
We will be sharing with you now the reasons and situations why having a subwoofer is a good idea. Listeners who are using satellite and/or compact bookshelf speakers will know how limited these loudspeakers are when it comes to bass performance. Usually, small loudspeakers are unable to deliver lower frequencies with authority and weight, this is where adding a subwoofer into the mix will improve this situation. Even when you are using floor-standing speakers, having a sub can be a good idea as not all floor-standers can produce full-range sound. Those that could, are expensive, and integrating a subwoofer to deliver the missing lower frequencies can be a more affordable option.
If you are using your sound system to watch movies then having a subwoofer will help to improve your home theater experience. High-octane action movies are bass-heavy and can hit down to 20Hz bass notes which most loudspeakers are incapable of delivering. If you often listen to music with very deep bass notes, you will also benefit from having a sub be part of your stereo sound system. You should get a sealed cabinet subwoofer for this case, as it is agile, fast, and capable of delivering articulate bass responses. For critical music listeners, you might want to get a subwoofer stand to improve the bass quality and performance.
A subwoofer could also help to add more presence when listening to your favorite tunes and let you ‘feel’ the music. When watching movies, the added air pressure coming from the sub can make certain movie scenes more exhilarating and dramatic. As mentioned earlier, if you are a bass fanatic, you should certainly think of owning an active sub as it could provide you with more bass slam and impact. Even if you are mainly using your sound system to play video games, having a subwoofer would help improve your gaming experience. Not to mention, video games are becoming more ‘movielike’ and have plenty of subsonic bass frequencies being mixed into them.
There are other applications such as having a house party and you want all your guests in the room to feel the music. The reasons for getting a subwoofer to be part of your sound system can be very practical and you should take some time to consider them. It could be for professional reasons where you will need a powered sub for accurate audio mixing. A subwoofer can also be used to ‘protect’ your speakers since it will take the load off your AV receiver by taking over the bass reproductions role.
Auditioning a Subwoofer to help with your decision
Sometimes the best way to decide is to have a listen and use your ears to see if having a subwoofer would improve your listening experience. We suggest starting with SVS subwoofers as they make incredible high-performance active subs at a reasonable price. You can use the following movies to test the subwoofer or use them to simply show off its capabilities.
To Conclude
We hope we have managed to help you to answer your question: Do I need a subwoofer? If you are sharing the use of your sound system with family members or loved ones, you should have a discussion with them as they might give you their opinions on whether getting a subwoofer is necessary. Do you have friends who own a subwoofer or two? Then talking to them will be a good idea too. They should be able to share with you their experiences and you could even pop by to check out their subwoofers. Have a fun HiFi journey ahead of you, Cheers!
