Subwoofers bring a new dimension to your audio system

Subwoofers are a special type of speaker that creates the heart stopping sounds of T-Rex stomping through your house. Or a fighter jet kicking in the afterburner. Or any number of special effects from the latest DVD blockbuster. Subwoofers are responsible for the awesome booming base, rumbling thunder, crashing meteors. You name it. If it's low and loud, then a subwoofer is doing it. Technically speaking these speakers reproduce low frequency sounds in the range from 20 to 200 Hz. This takes the pressure off your other speakers so they can be smaller.

There are two main types of subwoofers: powered and passive. You want a powered subwoofer, if it fits your budget. It includes an amplifier which lets you adjust the loudness, filter out unwanted frequencies and equalize output. A passive subwoofer, on the other hand, takes its power from the receiver and doesn't offer most of the features of it's powered brethren.

Do I need a subwoofer?

In a word, yes. Subwoofers are a prime component of any high performance sound system. They let your main speakers be driven higher instead of making them try to handle the lower frequencies. Without a subwoofer, the receiver isn't able to power the speakers in their full range.

Plus if you're wanting Dolby Digital surround sound, a subwoofer is a necessity because it handles the low frequency effects (meteors, explosions, rumbles). You can get by without a subwoofer, but your audio experience will suffer because of it. If cost is an issue, I'd suggest geting lower priced main speakers AND a subwoofer rather than high priced mains and no sub.

Where should I place my subwoofer?

Anywhere. Since low frequency sound is not directional, you can place the subwoofer just about anywhere you want. In a corner, under your seat, just about any place. When it's emitting sounds you won't be able to localize it. That is you shouldn't be able to close your eyes and accurately point to where the sound is coming from. This is in contrast to main speakers which handle higher frequencies. For those you can instantly and easily point to the source.

How to I set up the subwoofer?

Your best bet is to simply plug the speaker into the receiver or processor output marked "subwoofer". You can experiment with other options, but start with this one first. Also, make sure you've set up your bass management settings properly. If you don't let your system know a subwoofer is installed, then it probably won't send a signal to it. No signal, no sound. Basic stuff, yes, but sometimes it's easy to overlook the obvious.