About Subwoofers

Advanced sound systems are composed of a number of electronic parts that all work together to create the best overall sound quality possible. The mix of parts are what make each sound system unique, and many people find it fun to completely customize their own, whether it is at home or in their car. One of the most important pieces of any decent system is the subwoofer, which is responsible for handling low bass sounds.

History

The subwoofer was born out of consumer complaints that surrounded the bass response in speakers that were popular during the time. In the 1960s, the subwoofer was invented in Los Angeles by the owner of a store whose customers were complaining about just that. In the 1970s, subwoofers became widely known as it was used in theaters to relay deep bass sounds to the audience. During the 1980s, subwoofers allowed people playing compact discs the ability to relay bass with at home speakers. It wasn't until the 1990s that the subwoofer found its way into home theater systems, but by the 2000s they became widely used at home, in car audio systems and in clubs and music venues.

Significance

In the past half a century, the subwoofer has completely changed the way people listen to and play music. Without them, low bass sounds would not be as clear and audible as they are today. If people recorded music or sound with a heavy bass, the entire sound would be muddled and not work correctly. The subwoofer, however, created clear, distinct bass sounds that can be altered by whomever is working the system the subwoofer is a part of. Listening to music anywhere has never been the same.

Identification

Subwoofers are fairly easy to identify if you know what you are looking for. They are basically typical woofers, which are speaker drivers, which are made to be on average between 8 and 21 inches in diameter. It is possible for them to be as large as 60 inches, though. These woofers are then set into a sound enclosure, which can be made of wood, plastic or some similar material. This gives the completed subwoofer a boxy, squarish appearance.

Function

Subwoofers are designed to affect sounds that usually lie between 150 and 20 hertz. These are bass sound levels, though typically they do not reach as low as 20 hertz. This sound is then amplified either by an internal amplifier or by one that is attached separately. This makes the bass louder. Afterward, the sound is equalized by hand, which changes the sound slightly to respond to the room that the sound is playing in.

Considerations

While subwoofers do a lot for the quality of sound, it should be understood that there is no perfect way to increase the bass output of a subwoofer without increasing distortion in the sound. As the cone sizes in the subwoofer grow and the output coming from also increases, the sounds becomes distorted and fuzzy. Every subwoofer has positive and negative aspects to it. Before purchasing a subwoofer, you should know exactly how you want to it to affect your bass sounds so that you can purchase the best subwoofer for the particular job.

Resources

• Shop for Home Theater Subwoofers