Advice on sub placement

[Dust]

Got my new SVS PB13-Ultra. Wife was like -->

Currently the sub is where my other sub was located (to the left of the left-main speaker). The sub is too large to stay in this location. I have one other location to place my sub. However, I could use some advice on which way to point it in relation to my sitting area and my left-surround speaker.

Below you will see a room layout with four different options. The drawings are to scale. All the speakers are in red. I've added a half-circle to the sub to indicate the front of the sub.

Any suggestions on which option would be optimal in my room will be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[HAMP]

Wow!!!!
You do have an issue with that beast and I see why you are asking for advice, it's too large to keep moving it around to find a good spot.

Sorry I didn't help with your question, but don't forget to update your gall. with the new pics.

[dubldown]

For starters, subs are "non directional" speakers. Which means they don't have to be facing your sitting position to be effective.

I've always had the best sound from my subs when it is in a corner in the front of the room. Obviously in your setting you have a fireplace in the only corner along that front wall.

Leaving it on a flat wall like in your diagrams may cost you a lot of sound from it, based on my experience.

What I always do is just move it around the room and listen for the best sound I can get. Your ears are always the best decision makers.

[Big Daddy]

You can use the subwoofer crawl technique:

• Move the subwoofer to your normal seating position.
• Play some CD, DVD or Blu-ray with a lot of bass.
• Move around very slowly to different positions in the room that you plan to put the subwoofer.
• Mark the position that you hear the loudest bass sound.
• That is your optimum position for the sub.
• Move your sub there and calibrate your sound.

A more accurate way is with an SPL meter and test tones to get the flattest frequency response. The explanation is in A Guide to Subwoofers (Part II): Standing Waves & Room Modes. Scroll down to the middle of the original post. You will see the section on Optimum Position of One Subwoofer. There is also a link to a video by Axiom Audio on the subwoofer crawl technique.

For calibrating your subwoofer, go to the end of the original post in a A Guide to Subwoofers (Part I).

[Hawk]

You should email your diagram to the SVS folks. They are very good in assisting with this exact situation and are very fast to reply.

[David Craig]

Probably any of those locations would work.

One point to consider is whether or not people will think it is a table and start to put drinks and scratchy objects on it. That annoyed me a lot with my Sub.

After a room rearrangement the Sub ended up no where near any of the chairs so that problem has gone away.

It used to really aggravate me to see people leaving purses and drinks on my sub.

[aramis109]

Sub-crawl technique with a two-person lift sub may not be feasible.

I've read that middle of the room is usually not so hot in terms of subwoofer response. However, having it that close to you AND facing you (since it's front firing) as Option #4 is showing would get my vote. If not there, maybe behind your right front speaker? It's hard to tell if that'll work or not as it may be in the hall.