What Size Subwoofer Do I Need? 4 Sizes To Your Bass Sound
There are many factors that affect the decision and selection of a subwoofer for your entertainment space. Size is one of them. This factor greatly affects the ability to transmit sound and the quality of the bass. So, you can’t make a random choice. What size subwoofer do I need? The answer depends on the volume space around you. The larger the area, the larger the device size should be.
To learn more about this issue, let’s continue reading the article below!
Does Subwoofer Size Matter?
Acoustic sound speakers background
Size is definitely an important factor when considering subwoofers. It determines the quality and range of the bass the device produces.
Essentially, the subwoofer’s speaker, the circular cone that helps create the sound, is its driver. The larger the size, the larger the driver will be.
Your woofer takes a lot of energy to move sound through the air. The larger the driver, the more powerful the power.
Yet, how big is a subwoofer enough? Luckily, you have some easy-to-understand examples to compare and estimate numbers accordingly.
If you need a hi-fi system or home theater in a room between 150 and 230 square feet, a 12-inch sub is a perfect choice.
It is the perfect combination of both power and price. So, choose this size if you are just getting used to the world of subwoofers.
How To Determine Room Size?
When talking about subwoofers, many people use cubic feet as an alternative to square feet. You can use the formula below to calculate:
- Cubic feet (ft^3) = length × width × height (ft)
In addition, you also need to consider the additional space if the room where your equipment is connected links to that space.
Some other calculations will use cubic meters. If you are also using this unit of measure, divide the cubic feet by 35.3.
We will divide the room size into five categories to make the calculation and classification easier. Each area will come with a separate audio solution to meet listeners’ needs.
Sound wave
Extra-Small (Under 1200 Cubic Feet)
Your listening position may be as short as 8.5 feet from the TV in small rooms like this. Choosing a sub for this space is easy and versatile for many purposes.
The best options are sealed subwoofers. You can even use both devices at the same time if you want.
Another notable factor is sound quality and speaker compatibility. Super low bass, in contrast, is not a critical requirement.
Small (1200 – 2000 Cubic Feet)
In small rooms, subwoofers with sizes ranging from 10 to 12 inches are the most reasonable choice.
Do not rush to think about too large devices, the benefits you receive are not necessarily enough. You also run the risk of facing problems such as gate noise.
Medium (2000 – 4000 Cubic Feet)
With a medium footprint, you’ll have plenty of choice and freedom in installing audio accessories and bass traps.
If possible, equip a lot of subs in the space to bring a more realistic experience of playing games, watching movies, and listening to music.
Drivers have to work hard to propagate sound waves throughout space. So, 12 inches is favorable because it has enough power.
Many subwoofer sets also come with a variety of drivers. Although two 6-inch subs are not comparable to a full-sized woofer, it will be a huge plus compared to a single 6-inch woofer.
Many people will prefer to choose sealed models over ported models because they have a more compact and flexible design.
Large (4000 – 6000 Cubic Feet)
If you want to create a powerful and crazy bass sound throughout a large room, it will need a lot of woofers to increase the pressure.
Bass mode is also closely related to the size of the room. Square areas will have serious variations, such as dark spots and dead spots around space.
In that case, you’ll need at least two good woofers to deliver an even response.
If your financial situation doesn’t allow it, the trick is to choose the largest subwoofer to maximize the power you get.
Extra-Large (Over 6000 Cubic Feet)
You’ll need more equipment for particularly large living rooms and cinemas to deliver strong pressure.
Two subwoofers are standard. If you want 20Hz and deeper bass, double the number of devices.
What Size Subwoofer Do I Need?
Black subwoofer speaker car audio system
After learning about the size of the space, it’s time to dive deeper into finding the right subwoofer size.
There is no single woofer that is optimal for all situations. In fact, you need to choose the right equipment for the surrounding living space situation.
Remember, no speaker will be able to perform to its full potential if it is floated in a room that is too large or confined to a cramped box.
They’re well-equipped to maximize workflow and produce excellent bass when placed in just the right amount of space.
With that in mind, here are four common woofer sizes and their standout features.
8 Inches
An 8-inch subwoofer will accentuate the tone and sound of classical jazz or rustic acoustics. Their compact and flexible size also delivers quick feedback.
With this size, you should equip the device for spaces with a volume space of 0.375 cubic feet.
10 Inches
A 10-inch subwoofer is perfect for fans of country or rock music.
This size allows the device to respond quickly to the heavy drum tones you often hear in most rock and country songs today.
If you are wondering, “What size subwoofer do I need for my car?” then this is the answer.
This unit can move additional air to create a more resonant sound when heard live. This feature is key for you to hold concerts while driving.
12 Inches
A sub with a size of 12 inches will meet the music listening needs of anyone. It is suitable for a volume space of about 1.25 cubic feet.
This device can move the sound waves flexibly and faster than the 10-inch version to keep up with fast rap beats.
However, they can still handle drums more smoothly than the 15-inch version.
15 Inches
Your bass standards must be exceptionally high if you are a rap lover. The 15-inch devices are extremely powerful in this respect.
Its large size allows it to move the air faster than usual and can keep up with the tempo of this type of music.
You will also need this size of woofer if there is additional airspace.
Factors To Decide Subwoofer For Your Room Size
To choose the right subwoofer for your room size, keep the factors in mind.
The sound wave set back an office chair
Wattage
Most subwoofers that you come across on the market have built-in amplifiers. This unit will provide power for the speaker driver to work.
That unit of power is the watt (W), and it is one of the most important factors to choose the right woofer.
Two power types that often appear on specifications are Peak and Root Mean Square (RMS).
RMS is the factor that you should pay attention to the most. It indicates how much power the device will consume when kept at a moderate volume level for a long time.
Conversely, the peak is the woofer’s total power when you turn the volume up to maximum. None of us are going to do this all the time.
The volume and capacity are not related at all. The wattage is the subwoofer control range that you can align.
The higher the power, the clearer the subs emit sound, even at maximum volume. However, higher power levels come with a higher budget.
Most consumers are generally satisfied with a 250-600 watts power rating. It works well but doesn’t cost much to maintain.
Explosiveness
The explosiveness is an interesting factor when it doesn’t depend on size. In fact, it is up to the manufacturer to decide how they want to operate the response curve.
Usually, within the same brand, this possibility increases if the subs you own have a higher RMS power in the amplifier.
Frequency Range
Sound always has a frequency, and the unit of frequency is Hertz (Hz). Of course, we cannot ignore this factor when choosing a subwoofer.
Bass is equivalent to low frequency. With that in mind, it’s not hard to see that the lower a subwoofer achieves a low Hz, the better the sound it will produce.
The lowest frequency that our ears can hear is 20 Hz. Most current subs can drop down to 25 Hz.
The lower the frequency level, the higher the cost for the device. So, if you are not picky about this, choose more affordable versions that fall in the 40 Hz range.
Keeping in mind the highest frequency the woofers can run when installing them, mark the point where the bass starts and the speakers stop playing. This point is also known as a crossover.
FAQs
If you have any questions regarding woofer sizes, you can search for answers.
Car audio system
What Size Of Subs Are The Best For Bass?
For subwoofers, the larger the device size, the higher the bass quality. However, you will have to make a trade-off with the surrounding space.
The size that balances both requirements is 12-inch. The 12-inch subwoofer delivers resonant sound yet fits most rooms.
Such large devices often do not respond well to sound. Therefore, they are suitable for slow-paced music genres such as Blues, R&B, Rhythm, and even Rap.
Which Way Should Your Subwoofer Face?
Basically, you should place the woofer facing the main listening area for the best sound effect.
Do not face the device to the inside of the wall, as the sound will bounce back and cause discomfort. Remember that the speaker’s placement plays an important role in their performance.
For a more visual guide, check out the video below.
Conclusion
Choosing the right subwoofer size will be the premise for a truly satisfying music space. Depending on the size of the area and the type of music you love, the product selection will change.
Hopefully, after reading this article, choosing to buy a woofer will no longer be a difficult problem for you. Thank you for reading!
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