Subwoofer Placement Calculator
Find where to place your subwoofer for the best bass. Enter room dimensions and get optimal positions.
Longest dimension of your room
Width of your room
How many subwoofers you have
Your subwoofer design type
Your primary goal
Where you primarily listen
Can you place subwoofer in corner
Where is the best place to put a subwoofer in a home theater?
The "subwoofer crawl" is the most reliable method: Place your subwoofer at your listening position, play bass-heavy content, then crawl around the room floor. Where it sounds best is your optimal subwoofer placement. Generally, front corner gives the most bass (up to +6dB), but one-third room length gives the flattest response. Multiple subwoofers at multiple positions can smooth out room resonances.
Why do I get uneven bass in my room?
Room acoustics cause "room modes" - standing waves at specific frequencies that reinforce or cancel bass at certain positions. A 20Hz wave needs about 28 feet to form a full wave. These modes create peaks and nulls throughout the room. Multiple subwoofers, equalization, or acoustic treatment can help. The worst spots for bass nulls are where pressure waves cancel (typically 1/4 and 3/4 into the room).
Does subwoofer placement matter less with multiple subwoofers?
Yes! Multiple subwoofers can dramatically improve bass quality. Two subwoofers in opposite corners can reduce the peaks and nulls caused by room modes by over 6dB. Four subwoofers (one in each corner) can nearly eliminate the worst room resonances. Even two subwoofers at different positions can smooth response significantly. Placement becomes less critical with more subwoofers.
What if I cannot place my subwoofer in the ideal location?
Use a subwoofer with room correction (Audyssey, Dirac, ARC Genesis). Consider a sealed compact subwoofer that's easier to place. Try the subwoofer crawl to find the best available spot. Use bass traps in corners if corner placement causes bloat. A good subwoofer in a suboptimal position often beats a great subwoofer in a terrible position. Room correction can help but can't fix extreme placement issues.
How far should a subwoofer be from the wall?
Ported subwoofers usually sound best away from walls (1-2 feet minimum) to allow port airflow and reduce bass boom. Sealed/subcompact subwoofers can be placed closer (even in corners). Down-firing subwoofers need clearance equal to their height. Experiment - small position changes (6 inches) make a big difference. The "subwoofer crawl" will tell you the optimal distance.