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Should I Add a Second Subwoofer to My Surround System?
This reader is adding Blu-ray and upgrading his audio to 7.1, and wants to know if a second subwoofer (to go 7.2) makes a big difference.
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December 17, 2009 | by Robert Archer

I am in the process of upgrading my home entertainment system. I want to get as much out of the Blu-ray and HDTV as possible. I have been doing some research on the 7.2-channel surround systems and I am wondering if the extra powered subwoofer would make a very big difference. My listening/viewing area isn’t that large, and currently I have a non-HDMI receiver with 5.1 and it works really well for my space. I understand that Blu-ray has more sound information and 7.1 is the new thing, but is 7.2 better?—Keith, Ga.

A. Keith, one subwoofer may be enough for you depending on the room size—you mentioned yours is smaller, so you may not want to be overwhelmed—and your preferences for bass. If possible, having the extra sub will allow you to create a smoother, deeper soundstage (even if it’s a 5.2).

Blu-ray technology does offer better sound through more information if your system has the capability to decode the Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio formats. These new formats are less compressed than Dolby Digital and DTS and they sound more dynamic and detailed.

There are two ways to decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio: one, buy a receiver with built-in decoding. These receivers will include HDMI as part of their feature sets and that could allow you to buy a less-expensive Blu-ray player.

The other way to decode these formats is to buy a more feature-laden and expensive Blu-ray player that incorporates built-in decoding. In this type of scenario you will need six RCA cables to run from the player’s multichannel audio outputs into the analog multichannel inputs of your receiver or preamplifier/processor.

Most systems in today’s home aren’t 7.2, but there are many 5.1 or even 5.2 for those that choose to go that route.

To answer your question more simply, 7.2 isn’t necessarily better, and the improved performance you are talking about most likely refers to the compressed Dolby and DTS formats in comparison to hearing the lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-Master Audio formats.



Robert Archer - Senior Editor, CE Pro
Bob is a dedicated audiophile who has been writing about A/V for Electronic House sister publication CE Pro since 2000.



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Comments (11) Most recent displayed first.
Posted by FarmerBob  on  02/23/10  at  08:21 PM

The 7.2 spec is for a 2 channel (stereo) subwoofer not double the amount of sub. I have seen that you don’t necessarily “overwhelm” yourself with bass, but it becomes muddy, boxy and/or unpleasant if not throttled or tuned/phased properly. Also the problem that I have every so often is that when the ability to severely augment the standing wave at the subsonic level is present, it can have a canceling effect, where you get less or nothing. So too much bass can go past being unpleasant and just plain cancel itself out. You will need to find that “happy medium” of the room and work with it to get optimum bass which may not be as much as you would like due to the fact that the room many not be able to accommodate your wishes. More speakers is not always the solution. But this day and age technology and the newer ways of baffling sub cabinets can produces killer bass with very little. It just takes the right kind or setting thereof. Not more speakers. But . . . . personally I love bass that can stop your heart and love my Klipsch MCM W Bin with two 18” Horn Loaded Cetec-Gauss drivers. Now that’ll stop your heart . . . break windows . . . crack concrete . . .

Posted by robert archer  on  02/08/10  at  01:07 PM

To clarify the last post is wrong. Low frequencies don’t have modes, small rooms have nodes and these modes are the result of soundwaves that interact with one another.

Room placement is also very important and there are two ways to compensate for low frequency problems when employing room placement techniques; move the seating area to a position where the seating is in between the peak and null points of the modes (you can determine this in an scientific, but effective method of walking around the room to find spots where the bass is louder) or you can move the sub to different positions within the room until a satisfactory position is found.

If more bass is required the sub can be placed in the corner where it can get boundary reinforcement from the two sidewalls, the ceiling and floor. This type of placement can add as much as 18dB increase in output.

Second subs are added to a room to smooth out standing waves (soundwaves that meet at their 1/4 point). Usually two subs are employed opposite one another or in positions parallel to one another.

The perfect scenario for a room using multiple subs is the use of four (to create identical mirror points).

In a small room there are many cases where one sub is enough to effectively handle the low frequency requirements in a home environment, especially when EQ solutions like the Audyssey technology is used in conjunction with a basic home theater system.

Posted by Dave Ladely  on  02/08/10  at  12:47 PM

I’m afraid he’s wrong about 7.2 not necessarily being better, and the additional subwoofer would not be overwhelming as long as the sound is balanced properly.  For example, if the level was reduced to near zero, would two subwoofers overwhelm?  That demonstrates the error of that claim. The comment about the second subwoofer helping reduce nodes is correct; low frequencies have nodes, which are a real problem that is not fully addressed by placement.  The fact is that the MORE subwoofers, the less the effect of nodes. Of course, the sound needs to be balanced with the rest of the speakers as I noted.  A simplistic analogy would be one sub acting like one pebble tossed in a pond - the waves act like nodes.  Then drop two pebbles: the waves will be a bit more diffuse, a good thing.  Toss 10 pebbles; the waves will be much more diffuse.  Of course, the hit of even a second subwoofer is actually on the pocketbook, otherwise, its all pluses for sound..

Posted by gibroni  on  01/12/10  at  10:52 PM

Here’s a different approach., a midbass woofer.  You didn’t mention the current sub that you’re using (or I just missed it).  Depending on the low frquency extention of your current subwoofer and the crossover point of your main speakers you may be able to fill a hole in the secnd octave.  HSU research offers a midbass woofer to handle 40 Hz to 80Hz allowing the subwoofer to handle 20 Hz to 40 Hz.  The reviews I’ve read claim that it makes an astonishing difference in the impact of a surround sound system.

Posted by Michael Moore  on  01/12/10  at  10:59 AM

Get another sub.  Put against the wall that is 90 degrees from the your current sub you have now.  You have just eliminated most of the wave nodes in the room.  Also try to keep them out of corners(with two subs you will not need the “corner loading”).


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