You’ve already got a soundbar. But adding a subwoofer to your setup is going to make your home audio really boom. From blockbuster action games to an afternoon of nail-biting sport, everything you watch and play will sound bigger and better.
But there are a few of things to think about. Where should you put it? Can you use two at once? And how do you actually connect it? We’ve got the full lowdown…
Connecting a subwoofer to a soundbar
This is really straightforward.
For a wired sub, you’ll have to run one or two cables from it straight to the back of your soundbar - which is then plugged into your telly. Or, if it’s wireless (which most are nowadays), it’ll be done through a dedicated app. Just download it, fire it up on your phone, and connect your sub to your soundbar over Wi-Fi. It’s that simple.
Can you connect any subwoofer to any soundbar?
Unfortunately not. You’ll need to use a soundbar and subwoofer from the same brand that are designed to connect to each other. Some soundbars will come packaged with a compatible subwoofer though – making it even easier to get started.
Can you connect two subwoofers to a soundbar?
It depends on the soundbar you’ve got. Some will cater for two – letting you really beef up your sound. Again, you’ll just need to make sure your subwoofers and soundbar are from the same brand and are built to work together.
A pair of subs doesn’t just mean more explosive, deep bass though. Your dynamic range increases too. This makes the difference between soft dialogue and loud, sudden sounds much closer to one another. So, you won’t have to keep changing the volume every couple of minutes. Nice.
Why add a subwoofer to your soundbar?
To make everything you watch or play sound massive. In the same way that a soundbar is an upgrade on TV speakers, a soundbar AND a subwoofer takes your home audio up another notch.
A subwoofer will:
Properly reproduce low-pitched sounds – films and games will be way more cinematic, with powerful low-end sound effects, while bass-heavy tunes will boom throughout your room
Give you a broader, deeper level of sound – a soundbar on its own pumps out front-heavy audio. But when you add a subwoofer to the mix, you can create a surround sound experience that’s a lot more immersive
Where should you put your subwoofer?
That depends on the number of subwoofers you’ve got and the room they’re sat in.
Most people put their subs at the front of the room, facing where you’re sat. This way, they’ll sync up nicely with the sound from your soundbar. For a single subwoofer, you’ll want to put it next to your TV – either side is fine. But, if the sound isn’t doing it for you, move it further away into one of the corners.
What’s good about corners though? Well, a corner will usually help to boost the sound of your subwoofer. That’s because the sound will bounce off the surface and move outwards. Just don’t put it flat up against the wall. Put it about 6 inches away instead. Otherwise, you’ll be sending annoying vibrations around the whole room. Not ideal.
Room for improvement
To get the most from your sub, you’ll need to think a bit about the acoustics of your room. If it’s on the smaller side, there might only be a couple of spots that your subwoofer fits and actually sounds good in. Larger spaces will give you some more options, as the sound from your sub has more space to travel.
Is it just you watching from the sofa? Or have you got space for guests? If you’ve regularly got your mates round for the big game, or like to kickback with some couch co-op gaming, everyone needs to hear what’s going on. Putting your subwoofer in a corner is a good shout for this. That way, anyone sitting in front of your telly will get the best sound.
If you’ve gone for two subs, it’s best to put one on each side of the room. You’ll get the most balanced sound possible. We’d suggest putting one either side of your telly. And that could be right next to it, or further away in the far corners. Or, put both in front of it, with one on the left, and one on the right – with your soundbar in between.
It’s worth shifting your sub (or subs) around and testing it out in different spots though. You might find that the sound is even better in a place you haven’t even tried yet.
Too far from your soundbar?
Subwoofers are either wireless or wired. If it’s wired, you can put it as far from your soundbar as the wire allows. If it’s wireless though, you can put it pretty much anywhere. But it’s worth saying that most wireless subs have a max range of about 30 feet. Any further away than this, and you might face some issues – from delayed sound to your connection dropping out completely. And you don’t want this happening in the middle of a great film, do you?
Give it some space
You might be tempted to put your subwoofer in a cabinet or TV unit. But that’s not a good idea. If you do, everything is going to sound pretty bad. And that’s because you’ll be stopping the sound from moving about your room. It’ll get stuck in the enclosure, making things muddy and hard to hear. Plus because of its power, you’ll get annoying vibrations shaking up the place.
Cramped, enclosed spaces can make your tech overheat too. While putting it in the open lets it breathe and stops this from happening. That should help your sub last much longer as well.
Still not sure you need a subwoofer for a soundbar? Head to ShopLive. Our experts can give you some sound advice to help you get the most out of some new tech.
