What to look for when making your purchase
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Every stereo systemcouldprobably benefit from the addition of a subwoofer to it.

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But is it really worth the cost to add one to your specific setup?
What is a Subwoofer, Anyway?
Subwoofers are a special key in of speaker capable of reproducing the lowest audible frequencies.

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The ideal subwoofer for your system depends on the characteristics of the room and your preferences.
Are Subwoofers Worth It?
Subwoofers are crucial to the home theater experience.

Amazon Echo subwoofer.Amazon
When you go to a movie theater, you feel the sound emanating around you.
Subwoofers are responsible for the deep bass that shakes you and hits you right in the gut.
The best home subwoofers cost hundreds of dollars.

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If you have a large home theater, you may need a high-end system.
For smaller rooms, choose a self-powered subwoofer that doesn’t require a separate amp.
We are huge fans of bass, so to us, yes.
A subwoofer is totally worth it!
Polk Audio
If possible, take a CD with a lot of bass information to the retailer.
Then, test how the bass sounds through various subwoofers before you buy one.
Passive Subwoofers
An external amplifier powers apassive subwooferin the same fashion as other speakers in your system.
This setup frees the receiver from supplying the needed amplifier power for the subwoofer.
Low-frequency bass output needs more power to reproduce low-frequency sounds.
No Stereo?
In down-firing subwoofers, the sound radiates downward toward the floor.
Both types deliver similar results.
Nonetheless, front-firing subs are usually placed in the front of the room.
Down-firing subs deliver the best results when placed in a corner or side wall.
A passive radiator can be a speaker with the voice coil removed or a flat diaphragm.
All frequencies above that point are routed to the main, center, and surround speakers.
Typically, a good subwoofer has a crossover frequency of about 100 Hz.
Optimal placement depends on room size, floor jot down, furnishings, and wall construction.
Many home theater receivers provide two subwoofer outputs, making it possible toconnect two or more subwoofers.
Wired or Wireless?
A growing number of powered subwoofers offerwireless connectivity.
The wireless capability eliminates the need for a long connection cable between the subwoofer and the receiver.
The transmitter connected to the home theater receiver transmits low-frequency audio signals to the wireless subwoofer.