You just bought a new TV and want to settle for a minimalist look by purchasing a good soundbar. But you heard from a friend that a subwoofer is essential for producing a good bass.
Now you are wondering, “Are soundbars better with subwoofers?” Or maybe you want to know if buying an “All in One” soundbar would be a better option with good quality sound and budget-friendly.
You will miss a large part of the audio if you don’t have subwoofers. This article will explain six reasons you should go for a soundbar with what subwoofers.
Are Soundbars Better With Subwoofer?
What is a subwoofer anyway? It’s a type of loudspeaker that is designed to produce low-pitch bass and sub-bass frequencies:
- between 20-200 Hz for general consumer products
- under 100Hz for professional live sound
Subwoofers are not made to be used separately. Instead, they are designed to improve the low-frequency bass range of existing systems that generate higher-frequency sound.
The sound device takes up all the audio that can’t be reproduced by the little speakers built into the bar itself. This is because the speakers inside are only made for mid- and high-range sound.
Most of the soundbars alone can produce as low as 40Hz, which doesn’t sound good, and low frequency will probably be super weak.
Check the bass difference in your soundbar by plugging and unplugging the subwoofer, and you will know it’s there!
No soundbar by itself will be able to provide the same amount of vibrations in the air for explosions, powerful bass-impacting sounds, etc. You will feel the sound much more strongly if you use a subwoofer.
Related: Best Soundbars Without Subwoofer
Soundbars are often better with subwoofers, and here's why:
Improved bass: Soundbars have a limited capacity for producing deep, rumbling bass due to their design. A subwoofer can significantly enhance the quality of the sound that a soundbar system produces as a whole.
Subwoofers produce the low-frequency notes that are responsible for the increased intensity of sounds like explosions, musical beats, and dramatic moments in films.
Immersive Experience: When you have a subwoofer in your system, it will seem as though you are in the thick of the action. It provides a further layer of depth and realism to your audio, so making the audio of your preferred films and television shows more immersive.
Ability to change: Many soundbars allow you to connect an extra subwoofer, giving you the flexibility to adjust your audio arrangement to your tastes. You are able to make changes to the subwoofer’s settings in order to get the desired balance of bass and treble.
Better Sound Quality: A subwoofer relieves the soundbar of the responsibility of producing low frequencies, allowing the soundbar to concentrate on producing sounds in the midrange and at high frequencies. This ultimately results in audio that is crisper and more detailed across the board.
What does a subwoofer do with a soundbar?
If you are still confused about “do I need a subwoofer with a soundbar,” here are six reasons why Are Soundbars Better With Subwoofer.
1. Talking about the quality of sound, the subwoofer most definitely propels the quality of the sound system from average to extraordinary.
The devices focus on low-frequency audio emission to provide a wide array of audio frequencies, which boosts the quality of your sound.
But of course, it will happen only when you have a high-end subwoofer well-incorporated and well-paired into the entire system.
2. A subwoofer is a speaker specifically made for low-frequency audio emission. The subwoofer is a highly specialized audio gear that can produce a perfect resounding bass.
It can add more “thump” to sound effects in your favourite movies or extra “bump” to your favourite recently released songs.
A subwoofer can change sound systems in this way to make them substantially higher capacity.
However, a subwoofer’s low-frequency audio output is unnecessary for a surround sound system setup. But a real enthusiast would tell you that no system is complete without one.
3. The advantages of using a subwoofer will enhance your audio experience above and beyond what you might expect.
One of the many reasons a subwoofer can even be used with a Soundbar is to provide a broader spectrum of audio frequencies; It results in a more robust overall sound quality.
4. Enjoy high-quality audio from the beginning of your home theatre installation because a subwoofer will last you for many years.
Nothing makes you happier than hearing realistic bombs explode, bullets pelt walls and deep character dialogue during the most famous moments of movies from the past 20 years. Gamers and avid moviegoers can enjoy the excellent bass a subwoofer provides.
5. The subwoofers are more pocket friendly than you might think. You can get it for a great price compared to the most expensive standalone brands, and it more than lives up to expectations in terms of quality.
Adding one of them to your current system is a reasonably priced choice. This also means you can save some money on the initial purchase by considering a soundbar without a built-in subwoofer system.
6. You can customize your sound settings much more than in built-in soundbar speakers. You can go overboard with the settings to the point where you will find yourself changing them every time you sit to watch some movie– with a subwoofer, it becomes a breeze.
Some movies come with hard-to-understand dialogues. Here a subwoofer comes in handy where you can easily adjust your base settings so that each conversation becomes crystal-clear.
Additionally, some people mount thor soundbars at places which are hard to reach; having a subwoofer can add a layer of flexibility in that area.
Five Tips to consider when choosing the best subwoofer for your soundbar
1. Soundbar connections.
Some soundbars include exclusive outputs that make connecting an SVS or other powered subwoofer hard to connect.
The SVS SoundPath RCA Audio Interconnect Connection or a similar cable should work with practically any subwoofer, including all SVS models, so look for a soundbar that can accept one.
Related: How to Mount Soundbar Under TV?
2. Cabinet size.
Soundbars’ minimal visual impact on a room may be the main factor in their popularity. If lifestyle factors are significant, you’ll want a small subwoofer that can be subtly hidden in a home’s design.
Because they have substantially lower cabinet dimensions and footprints than their ported counterparts, sealed cabinet subwoofers are often the ideal option for this reason.
3. Listening preferences and playback levels.
5.1 home theatre surrounds sound speaker systems; even a pair of full-range stereo speakers have a higher output than soundbars.
So you don’t need a large subwoofer to boost bass response and impact. Of course, a bigger, more potent subwoofer can be the correct choice if you enjoy bumping dubstep.
Also, this could be a good option if you enjoy watching action flicks at reference volume levels.
4. Room Size.
The bass from a small subwoofer might not be able to excite a large finished basement or an open-concept living room with chest-thumping, seat-rumbling bass.
If your space is ample, consider a larger subwoofer or even dual with two smaller subwoofers to get an even bass response throughout the listening area.
5. Subwoofer Accessories.
Installing a wireless subwoofer kit is one method to reduce visual impact and expand placement options in a room. This eliminates the need for a subwoofer interconnect cable, which is especially helpful if the subwoofer is on the other side of the room from the soundbar.
Even though it’s uncommon, connecting two subwoofers to a single subwoofer output on a soundbar is possible by installing an RCA Y-adapter.
Related: How to Connect Sony Subwoofer To Soundbar Without Remote?
Final Thoughts
There are many reasons to add subwoofers to your soundbar. You can go for a soundbar package that includes a subwoofer. Or you can get a soundbar without a subwoofer but add one afterwards, ensuring that your soundbar has that capacity.
Regardless of your route, a subwoofer is a specialist speaker that helps in giving you the rich, immersive surround sound experience that many music and movie fans enjoy. If you love entertainment, feel free to get yourself a soundbar with a subwoofer and give it a try!
We hope this article helped you with Are Soundbars Better With Subwoofers.
FAQs
Do soundbars come with subwoofer?
Some soundbars include built-in subwoofers. Some soundbars lack subwoofers, while others have external subwoofer add-ons.
What is the difference between subwoofer and soundbar?
Although soundbars come with many speakers that may provide excellent sound, a subwoofer helps produce low frequencies that many soundbars cannot.
Jason Reynolds
I have been working in the electrical and Audio/Visual field for over 19 years. My focus for EagleTVMounting is to provide concise expertise in everything I write. The greatest joy in life is to provide people with insight information that can potentially change their viewpoints. Our #1 goal is just that!