Here are some CDs and DVDs you can use to evaluate subwoofers in stores, to set up and test the one you choose, or to scare your neighbors. Pick out a couple and listen to a few tracks over and over. It'll drive your wife crazy, but trust me, it's a lot easier to hear the differences between subs by playing a few tracks you know well than by playing a lot of different material.
Photos by Tony Cordoza What do these ten subwoofers, ranging from $399 to $1,690 in price, from 8 to 15 inches in Driver size, and from 1 to 5 cubic feet in overall size, have in common?
Yes, an R2D2-sized subwoofer with an 18-inch driver and a thousand-plus watts of amplification can look and sound awfully impressive - and can cause some pretty serious seismic damage to boot. But let's get real: how many of us can afford something like that?
The day has finally arrived when you can legitimately call yourself a Home Theater Enthusiast. You've got your HDTV, and you've upgraded from a nice enough home-theater-in-a-box system to a decent set of surround speakers.
There's more to setting up a subwoofer than just plugging it into your system and turning it on, but it's not rocket science. Follow the steps below, and you'll get solid, powerful bass with a minimum of headaches.