What is a subwoofer and do I really need one?

Subwoofers are an essential part of any good home theatre system. As the name suggests, their sole purpose to to add very low frequency sound supporting your other speakers. It's the stuff that can shake the floor / walls / ceiling and you as a listener feel. Subwoofers are specially made to only produce these frequencies i.e. 20-160Hz. When watching a movie and an explosion takes place, the subwoofer will be moving lots of air, hence creating lots of low frequency bass.

When properly set up and balanced with your other speakers, the sound coming from your subwoofer will blend in with the other speakers. A balanced system should deliver a warm, deep and crystal clear sonic experience. Unless you own very high end speakers (> $10 000 /pair), without a subwoofer or a poor quality subwoofer, that warm and rich sound will often be missing. Things tend to sound very thin and tinny and in some cases it becomes tiring to listen to it for more than an hour or so.This isn't ideal if you're watching a 3 hour movie or a state of origin game.

Connect Multimedia are registered dealers for Velodyne, Kef, Yamaha, Boston Acoustic and Triad subwoofers. Contact us via email for a price list or call 1300 884 200 and we can have a chat about which sub would be best suited for your situation. We also have a DIY information section with tons of information on how to set-up a home theatre yourself. Included in this section of our site is how to install your subwoofer correctly.

What does the ".1" mean in 5.1 or 7.1?

In a 5.1 or 7.1 system the ".1" represents the subwoofer which is commonly abbreviated to "sub". Connect Multimedia have designed and installed a few 7.2 systems recently whereby the ".2" means we use two subwoofers. Often placed centrally at the front and rear of the home theatre, in the ceiling or on the floor, it's a great way to improve the balance of low frequency bass in the room. Controlled and balanced bass doesn't mean it's loud. Often people draw this conclusion and confuse the quest for clarity and balance which sounds good turned up flat out or down low as well.

Moving your subwoofer/s around the room (whilst connected to a long power cable and subwoofer cable) to find the premium location can also have a dramatic effect.

What do subwoofers look like and are their alternatives for discrete installations?

They come in all shapes and sizes, but usually are in the form of a black cube that sits on the floor in the front of the room close to your other speakers.This is not the only type of subwoofer however, Connect Multimedia can design and install in-ceiling, in-floor, in-cabinet and in-wall subwoofers as well. This is a great solution for common area rooms or rooms that are used for living spaces and the room can be quickly and discretely be converted to a fully fledged home theatre, even without a speaker or piece of electronic equipment in sight (except for your remote control of course) . Combined with in-wall / in-ceiling speakers and all of your electronics located in a cupboard else where, people are starting to see the advantages of not having large speaker boxes on the floor, large multimedia cabinets to hold amps, DVD players, Austar boxes etc directly under the TV or projection screen. Visit our speaker webpage to see examples of in-wall and in-ceiling speakers or have a look at our photo gallery which features a few of these types of installation.

What cables and connections do Subwoofers require?

Subwoofers also usually require mains power, this is because subs usual have a dedicated amplifier built into the unit.  Connect Multimedia usually liaise with your electrician to install a powerpoint in an appropriate location. This means you won't have cables draped across your floor.

A special subwoofer cable is also required to be connected from your subwoofer to a special connection on your home theatre amplifier. Having said that, Connect Multimedia can also source a wireless solution, all that is required is power at the subwoofer location.