Turn the volume up and the couch rattles. Move one seat over and the bass disappears. That’s not your imagination—that’s the room. A few thoughtful moves can make the low end feel tight and even without buying anything new.

Start with the Room, Not the Spec Sheet

Rooms amplify some notes and cancel others. Corners usually add output; the middle of a wall can calm boom. We’ll use those tendencies to our advantage and then do a quick tune‑up so the sub blends instead of drawing attention to itself.

Smart Locations to Try First

• Front corner near your main speakers. Great when you want more punch, but you may need a bit of EQ to tame excess boom.
• Off‑center along the front wall. Often the best balance of weight and control; start a couple of feet from the corner.
• Mid‑point of a wall (front or side). Can smooth out peaks in tricky rooms—especially if corner placement sounded muddy.
• Running two subs? Put them at opposite walls (front left/back right) or at the midpoints of opposing walls for more even bass across multiple seats.

Do the Crawl (It Works)

Set the sub on your main seat, play a bass‑heavy loop, and crawl along the front wall, corners, and first third of the sidewalls. Where the bass sounds full but not boomy, mark the spot. Move the sub there and listen again from the seat. It’s quick, low‑tech, and surprisingly accurate.

Blend it with your speakers

• Crossover: Start at 80 Hz for small/medium speakers. Large towers may blend better at 60–70 Hz. Avoid a gap—if it sounds hollow around voices, raise the crossover; if it’s thick, lower it a touch.
• Phase/Polarity: Flip 0/180° and pick the fuller, tighter hand‑off at your crossover. If your sub has a variable phase knob, sweep slowly until kick and bass guitar feel locked in.
• Level: Turn it up until the bass is present, then back it off a hair. The right setting makes drums feel quick, not smeared.

Mini‑FAQ

Can I hide the sub in a cabinet? Not ideal. Enclosures can rattle and restrict airflow. If you must, leave breathing room around the driver/ports and secure the cabinet.

Why not fix everything with the sub’s volume knob? Because room nulls (cancellations) don’t get louder—they just cancel more. Placement and phase solve what volume can’t.

Want help taking the guesswork out of it? Let the team at Davis Audio design the perfect speaker and subwoofer placement to optimize sound quality in your home!