Is this true? Downfiring vs front firing..

[mj79]

Someone told me depending on the floor that. Downfiring sub has a tendancy to make you feel the bass more and it will be more " boomy" because it will give a better rolloff. While a front firing sub tends to be louder due to it firing I to the room. I understand all subs have different sounds but is this rule at all correct?

[Driver_King]

Subwoofers produce non-directional sound that is not dependent on how the driver is placed. Shortest answer: no.

[cartman781]

I prefer down firing but that's just me, no science to back it up just my opinion

[Rob J in WNY]

With a downfiring subwoofer port, and the sub resting on carpeting, make sure that the bottom of the enclosure (and port) is high enough so that it doesn't "sink in" up to the carpeting. This will restrict the free flow of air through the port, affecting the audio quality - usually for the worse. Elevating the subwoofer on either a stand for this purpose, or even a wood panel (like I do), when on carpet will prevent this.

Sonically, there should be no important differences, except perhaps that if the particular sub has problems with "chuffing" (audibly turbulent airflow through the port opening), a downfiring port may make it less of an audible nuisance.

[Big Daddy]

The placement of a subwoofer in the room is the most important factor in the level of bass output. The orientation of the driver does not play an important role.

If you have children or pets, buy a down-firing subwoofer. If you don't have children or pets and enjoy looking at a woofer, buy a front-firing subwoofer. In general, the quality of the bass sound is not affected by the driver's orientation.

This is a quote from Sunfire, a manufacturer of high-end subwoofers:

The woofer cone can be mounted one of two ways. The first way is called, down firing and the second is called front firing. Subwoofer cones that are down firing are typically on the bottom of the subwoofer cabinet. When they are front firing they are on the side of the cabinet. One of these is not necessarily better then the other. It's just a matter of design and your own personal taste.

Here is what Dr. Poh Hsu of Hsu Research said in an interview by GoodSound:

SE: I've noted that many subwoofers with good reputations for music applications use down-firing rather than front-firing drivers. Is this just coincidence or does it reflect a particular design philosophy?

PH: I feel that's just a coincidence. In the case of the VTF-2, the down-firing design was chosen to save money. A down-firing woofer doesn't need a grill to protect it. The upcoming VTF-3 will have a forward-firing woofer because the box is larger. We feel it would look too plain and large without a grille.

And finally, a discussion of down-firing versus front-firing subwoofers on Hsu Research forum:

http://forum.hsuresearch.com/archive...php/t-540.html