EH reader asked:
I have always had Velodyne subwoofers, and now I have ordered 2 DD12+ and I hope I have made the right choice. Because at the same time I am reading the web and people are praising JL Audio to the sky. Are they so very good, and in that case have I made a poor choice?

CE Pro’s Bob Archer says:
Both companies make excellent products. The trick with a subwoofer is its placement within the room. You’ll need to find a place for the sub if it’s possible where it can fill your seating area with what you feel is the right amount of bass output, and from there you can compensate with the DD-12’s room correction software (an equalizer program that ensures that it works to its fullest potential).

If you can’t use a combination of mechanical room placement and EQ (the equalizer), then the equalizer by itself still has the power to enable you to calibrate/tune the subwoofer’s performance so that it responds smoothly in your room with the volume and low-frequency extension (ability to play deep bass notes) as you desire.

If you feel you are not getting the most out of the sub you should contact an authorized Velodyne dealer and/or a dealer that is Home Acoustics Alliance (HAA) trained or THX Level II certified. They have the skill sets to properly set up a subwoofer in a home environment.

EH Reader Chris asked:

Is there any material that I can place under or around my subwoofer to help produce more deep bass tones?

Bob Archer says:
Hi Chris, low frequency performance is mostly related to your room size, room shape and to a lesser extent the materials, which make up the room such as drywall, concrete, wood floors, carpeted floors, etc.

Auralex does make a couple of products that can decouple your subwoofer from the floor. The product is called the Subdude for consumer applications and in the pro music world the company offers a similar product called an isolation riser.

These products range around $50 to $100 and what they do is separate your sub from the floor to stop the transmission of vibrations and resonances into floor, which can cause vibrations and other sounds to muddy up your bass performance.

You can find these products at an Auralex dealer or you can visit an e-retailer like Musicians Friend or American Musical Supply.

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