#active subwoofer

[watthifi]

The Benefits of Using an Active Subwoofer in Your Sound System

 Enhance your audio experience with an active subwoofer. Discover the benefits of models like the Cambridge Audio Minx X201 Subwoofer, featuring a built-in amplifier and compact design—perfect for home theaters and music systems.

https://chatterchat.com/read-blog/48890

[subwoofermania]

ELAC's core subwoofer technology is actually not new, and the current implementation is the third generation of it. But since it is being developed by one company, it has not yet gained popularity among the masses. We are talking about an absolutely revolutionary approach to subwoofer tuning.

[shahbazsarfraz]

Pioneer TS-WX400DA

Active Subwoofer

[charlesmwa]

The Role of Subwoofers in Live Sound: Why Bass Matters

When it comes to live music, the experience is about more than just hearing the sound. You want to feel it. From the deep thump of a bass guitar to the rumbling beat of a kick drum, bass brings music to life in ways that higher frequencies simply can't. This is where subwoofers come into play, becoming essential to any live sound system. But why exactly does bass matter so much? And what role do subwoofers have in delivering that all-important low-end?

What Is a Subwoofer?

Before diving into their role, it’s important to understand what a subwoofer is. In simple terms, a subwoofer is a specialized speaker designed to reproduce low-frequency sounds, often referred to as bass. These low frequencies range from about 20 Hz to 200 Hz, which are tones that regular speakers (woofers and tweeters) struggle to reproduce with clarity and power. 

Subwoofers are larger than typical speakers because moving air at low frequencies requires a much larger surface area. The result? Subwoofers deliver that earth-shaking, chest-thumping bass that transforms a good performance into an unforgettable one.

Why Bass Matters in Live Sound

Adds Power and Energy to Music: Low frequencies are critical for adding depth and intensity to live performances. Whether it’s a rock concert, a DJ set, or an outdoor festival, the presence of bass energizes the crowd. People can physically feel those deep vibrations, which heightens the emotional impact of the music. Without bass, the sound would feel thin and flat, lacking the punch needed to drive the audience.

Creates a Balanced Sound Spectrum: Live sound systems are meant to deliver a full range of sound, from the highest cymbal crashes to the lowest bass notes. A well-designed system ensures that every frequency has its place, and bass is no exception. Subwoofers fill in the low end, balancing the mids and highs produced by other speakers. This balance creates a richer, fuller sound that feels complete.

Enhances Rhythmic Elements: In most genres of music, the bass and kick drum are at the heart of the rhythm section. These elements carry the beat, helping the audience stay in sync with the performance. If the bass is too quiet or lacks clarity, the rhythm can feel disconnected or weak. Subwoofers ensure that these crucial rhythmic elements hit with precision, keeping the audience engaged and moving with the music.

Improves Sound Clarity and Control: Believe it or not, subwoofers can also help with overall sound clarity. By dedicating specific speakers to low frequencies, the rest of the sound system can focus on handling the mids and highs. This separation allows the sound engineer to have more control over each frequency range, leading to cleaner sound without muddiness or distortion.

Subwoofers and Venue Size

Not every venue requires the same level of bass. The size and layout of the venue can dramatically affect how much bass is needed.

Small Venues: In smaller indoor venues like clubs or bars, you may only need one or two subwoofers to provide sufficient bass coverage. The sound has less space to travel, so the subwoofers don’t need to work as hard to fill the room.

Medium to Large Venues: For larger indoor spaces, such as theaters or concert halls, or outdoor venues like festivals, more subwoofers are typically necessary. Outdoor environments, in particular, need additional subwoofers because there are fewer reflective surfaces to bounce sound back to the audience. More subwoofers ensure that everyone, no matter where they are in the crowd, gets to experience the full range of sound.

Positioning Subwoofers for Maximum Impact

Where you place subwoofers can have a big impact on how the bass is perceived by the audience. Typically, subwoofers are placed on the ground because low-frequency sound waves are non-directional. This means that you don’t need to aim them directly at the audience—just being in the general vicinity is enough to spread the bass evenly. In larger setups, placing subwoofers in a "sub array" configuration can help ensure even bass distribution throughout the venue, minimizing hot spots and dead zones.

Active vs. Passive Subwoofers

When choosing subwoofers for a live sound system, there are two main types: active and passive.

Active Subwoofers: These come with built-in amplifiers, meaning they don’t need external amplification. They are easier to set up and are often preferred in live sound because they offer more control over the sound and power handling.

Passive Subwoofers: These require external amplification and are often used in larger, more complex sound systems. While they require a bit more setup, they allow for greater customization and flexibility, particularly in big, outdoor events where sound needs to travel further.

The Importance of Tuning Subwoofers

One often overlooked aspect of subwoofers in live sound is tuning. Simply having subwoofers isn’t enough—they need to be properly tuned to the venue and the music being played. Tuning ensures that the bass is strong but not overwhelming, creating a clear and impactful low end without drowning out other frequencies.

Professional sound engineers use tools like EQ (equalization) and DSP (digital signal processing) to fine-tune the subwoofers to the specific acoustics of the venue. This ensures that every seat in the house gets a balanced sound.

Conclusion

Subwoofers play an essential role in live sound, ensuring that the bass frequencies are heard—and felt—by the audience. From adding energy and depth to the music to balancing the overall sound, subwoofers are a must-have for any live sound system. Many professional audio shops like VIP PRO AUDIO offers a variety of subwoofers for every need so whether you’re rocking a small club or filling a massive outdoor arena, having the right subwoofer setup can make all the difference in delivering an unforgettable performance.

The next time you’re at a concert and feel that deep, powerful rumble of bass, you’ll know it’s the subwoofers working their magic. Bass matters, and subwoofers are the unsung heroes of live sound.

[kavyaasingh]

Best bass tube for car

The best bass tube for your car delivers powerful, deep bass, enhancing your overall audio experience. Top brands like JXL offer high-quality bass tubes known for their excellent sound clarity, robust power handling, and durable construction. Look for features such as built-in amplifiers for easy installation, a wide frequency range for rich bass tones, and a compact design that fits seamlessly into your vehicle. These bass tubes are ideal for car audio enthusiasts seeking to upgrade their sound system with minimal effort and maximum impact.

[ashleywool]

Some thoughts and lessons from my first week on Broadway

(in no particular order)

Insecurities don't magically disappear when you hit The Big Dream. But the Big Dream has made it clearer than ever that my default instinct to downplay my achievements is kind of ridiculous. I need to accept that there's just no casual way to talk about my life right now. There is no pretending that any of this isn't a big deal. It's a huge freaking deal, and I earned it, and it's awesome, and I am no less deserving of its awesomeness than anybody else.

Autistic people have more allies out there than we realize. In advocacy circles, we tend to get rather cynical about what people don't understand, or don't want to understand. But there really are so many people who think we are worth listening to, learning from, and amplifying. There are so many people rooting for us, and actively seeking ways to include and affirm everything we are. They know they aren't going to get everything "right" immediately, and they know we won't always have the emotional energy for the hard conversations, but they are THERE, and they are there because they WANT to be. Yes, even on Broadway.

Fun fact: my first survival job was "Starbucks barista." (Other fun fact: the day I made my Broadway debut, Starbucks Workers United announced a massive strike for the very next day.) One thing that my time on Broadway has with my time at Starbucks is that I never seem to have enough Sharpies. At Starbucks, the Sharpies were for marking cups by hand (yes, I'm that old), and on Broadway, they're for signing Playbills at the stage door. (Like I said, there's no casual way to talk about this stuff.)

I honestly underestimated how much Broadway performers have to eat. It's easy to think most Broadway performers tend to be predominantly thin/buff just because the industry is fatphobic--and don't get me wrong, it totally is--but I also don't think most people really understand how athletic it is to do a full musical eight times a week, and what you have to do offstage to make sure you have the strength and stamina for it. It's genuinely harder than I thought it would be to make sure I'm not at a calorie deficit--and my less-than-stellar autistic interoception means that I can't always rely on "hunger cues" the way most people can. I really do have to PLAN to eat. And eat more than I would usually think I need.

I'm getting a lot better at doing my own wig prep. And I'm very excited about how pretty my hair looks at the end of the night when I release it from the pincurls.

Thanks to Mayte Natalio and Team Choreo, I'm also getting a lot better at learning choreography without a mirror. Poor proprioception is common in autistic people and it's one of my biggest insecurities, so it is always very stressful and overwhelming for me to learn choreography without a mirror, especially if I'm in a large group. It's difficult for me to visualize where I am in space and what my movement looks like in relation to others. But the choreo team knows this about me and helps me find other ways to learn and feel confident in the moves without constantly needing immediate visual proof. And that's something I never thought was possible before.

If I had the authority, I would ban pedicabs. Those things are like sensory assault. And they're RIGHT outside our show (and my bedroom window) every night with their lights flashing and their subwoofers blaring. But as a consolation prize to the drivers, I would equip each of them with a food truck. Let them solicit us and our patrons with chicken shawarma and Nuts 4 Nuts instead. That'll certainly get more business from patrons coming out of a show about autistic people.

[adafruit]

🎉 💻🍎✨ Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh - Limited-edition Apple computer (1997)

The Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh (or "TAM") is a limited-edition personal computer released in 1997 to mark Apple's 20th birthday. The TAM was announced almost 20 years to the day after Jobs and Wozniak incorporated the company.

The TAM featured a 250 MHz PowerPC 603ev processor and 12.1" active matrix LCD powered by an ATI 3D Rage II video chipset with 2 MB of VRAM capable of displaying up to 16-bit color at either 800x600 or 640x480 pixels. It had a vertically mounted 4x SCSI CD-ROM and an Apple floppy SuperDrive, a 2 GB ATA hard drive, a TV/FM tuner, an S-Video input card, and a custom-made Bose sound system including two "Jewel" speakers and a subwoofer built into the externally located power supply "base unit".

A thick "umbilical" cable connects the base unit to the head unit, supplying both power, and communications for the subwoofer.

This one was a lot of fun to photo, put together, and check out the video - rare footage!

[satellitefish]

The little internal psychologist poked my brain to remind me that I should get up and do. Because doing is “good”. But the internal psychiatrist poked the psychologist and reminded them that practising relaxing is a valuable exercise and long story short I’m staring at the ceiling while they fight it out.

There are dogs on the ceiling. Well, part of some of the planks making up the wood ceiling have knots and, um, wood lines on them and some of the dark dots look like a dog’s nose and other nearby dots could be their eyes and I can totally see some ears there - oh hold on the internal psychologist has a question.


“The Just Do It principle is based on the theory that motivation doesn’t begin until after you’ve started an activity, so motivation before an activity is a logical fallacy. What you’re looking for as some sort of positive energy to begin undertaking an activity, so I’d to try something out if that’s ok with you?”
“Um, sure”
“Thank you, I’m just gonna randomly poke your brain with this fork”

*
~ bonus scene ~
Psychiatrist: How many psychologists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Psychologist: Shush that’s disrespectful.
Psychiatrist: You don’t even know what disrespect is.
Psychologist: Yes I do. And I can give you two definitions, one based on humans having free will and one assuming not.
Psychiatrist: oh ooh is the no free will one (robot voice) I AM A ROBOT
Psychologist: *carefully reading a dictionary* no


~ deleted scene ~
Ceiling dog go bark. Go bark, go. Go you woofer you! Super woofer because you’re up as opposed to subwoofer that’d be on the floor. No walking on the floor dogs, scarecrow. They’re HAUNTED DOG FLOORS! Someone write a scary movie on that, that’d work I reckon.

*

(Ceiling dog says hi)

[watthifi]

Let's explore the dazzling universe of active subwoofers and their noteworthy advantages for your home sound arrangement. From improving the sound quality and making a vivid home theatre experience to their adaptability in position and simplicity of installation. They are a must-have for both film fans and music lovers. This cost-effective addition brings profound, strong bass into your living space, increasing your sound experience.

[seshaudio]

Reviving this tumblr page 10 years down the line, to post some updates on my upcoming Omnidirectional speaker project

In brief: I want to design and build a set of speakers that play high-fidelity, omnidirectional sound, for the primary purpose of running UK/Jah Shaka style dub and reggae sessions.

I'm currently most set on Awassa Sound System, but really like the relevance and cheekiness of Omniscience Sound/Hifi. I think Awassa has a better ring to it, and an air of mystique, even.

Here's a breakdown of the plan so far:

As for order of operations: Step 1:

Make a cheap and cheerful prototype of the MBL drivers. I just want to cut my teeth on the hardest part, to start building familiarity with the materials, principles, and manufacturing processes that will be involved in the build of the larger, final version.

If my friend who's into CAD and CNCing is willing, have him whip up some test lenses.

Use recycled drivers from old, cheap speakers as much as I can to keep initial exploratory costs down.

Find an active cossover unit that I can use to test different crossover frequencies with the different driver designs

Step 1 will be considered finished when I either have a working, not-awful-sounding radialstrahler, or have decided to abandon that aspect and am comfortable focusing on other methods for making omnidirectional sound.

Step 2:

Work on the other parts of the tower, namely the horn-loaded lens tweeter, the mid-bass lens, and the lower cabinet (lots of flexibility for internal design with the cabinet).

The cabinet (and maybe the horn lenses) will require learning to use a speaker simulation software

The bass scoops can come later, as there's not a lot of point building small/low-power scoops

As soon as I have a sense of what the appropriate crossover frequencies will be, order a custom dub preamp such as the RasFX Mini Pre

Get a set of relatively affordable power amps to drive the whole thing. 4 channels for a single tower to start with

Step 2 will be considered complete when I can gift (for cost of materials) a MK1 pair of these speakers to a friend of mine who's into sound system too - and of course build a set for myself!

Step 3:

Assuming everything goes smoothly in Step 2, work on scaling everything up. Size, power levels, etc. The rough goal is to be able to power a party with around 100-200 people. Maybe more, eventually

Try to figure out a way to be able to retain the functionality of a dub preamp for playing reggae, but also run the system in stereo for when I want to play

Build a set of scoop style subwoofers. The more, the bigger, the better!

Step 3, and thus the main body of the project will be considered complete when I have a fully functional, high-power sound system able to at least impress, though maybe not directly 'compete with', the current generation of younger sound systems like Indica Dubs, Ital Power, Creation Rebel, King Majesty, Sinai, and other such outfits.

-------------------

Step 4:

If everything up until this point has gone very well, and I feel confident with the various technologies, try to develop the designs to a point where it can stand as a single 'totem pole' style tower that can play to a decently-sized crowd of people.

I picture taking something like that to e.g. Boomtown Festival, and decorating it in all sorts of wacky space-age or mystical art. I think the fung shui of a single, central sound source would be really unique in a festival setting.

The big barrier is that omnis, when places inside, rely on walls and surfaces to create the feeling of 'omnipresence'. Outside, I'm not sure that'd work at all, let alone

Step 4 being complete would inherently require my sound to be powerful enough, high-enough-fidelity, and well-known enough to be included when people talk about "well-established" sound systems. The totem pole thing is a bit of a gimmick, let's be honest.

------------------

Imaginary step 5: If my work on this project can inspire more people to think outside the proverbial speakerbox when it comes to building reggae sound systems, I'd be a happy camper!

[denimbex1986]

'Andrew Haigh’s All of Us Strangers made a splash at the Telluride Film Festival in the summertime. It became an immediate critical hit for audiences and was quickly purchased for distribution by Searchlight Pictures. The film is itself a remake of a Japanese film The Discarnates which is itself an adaptation of the 1987 Japanese novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada. This tale of love found and dealing with grief may have been a critical smash, but does it hold up for us mere mortal film fans? Find out below and be sure to give it a watch on Hulu or make a digital purchase wherever you buy digital films!

Film 4/5

Adam (Andrew Scott) is a TV screenwriter living in an apartment highrise in London. He is visibly lonely, clearly struggling not just with his writing but something else. What is that you say? Adam lost his parents when he was very young. While he is now somewhere in his 40’s, Adam is still trying his hardest to find ways to cope and move on. When a fire alarm goes off in the building, Adam sets his eyes on a handsome young neighbor, Harry (Paul Mescal), who asks him if they can spend some time together. Adam says no, and then interestingly, Adam begins to “visit” his parents. They see him as his adult self, but his parents seem to be frozen in time, apparently not far from their age when they died around 1987.

After seeing his parents in a dream or hallucination, Adam happens upon Harry again and this time, they strike up a conversation that leads to sex and the connection is secure and comforting. Harry has his own secret, which we don’t learn until the end of the film, and I won’t give away here. In their time together, Adam frequently sees his parents at his old home, and is warmed by the memories and their conversations as they get to know the adult Adam. They accept his as a gay man, learn about his new love and help Adam build his own coping mechanisms as he goes through his days.

All of Us Strangers is an interesting character study. The film plays out in ways of vision. Adam, still un-recovered from the grief he has experienced since his parents died. He survived the rest of the 80’s, had a career in the 90’s and 2000’s and then now in modern times, he is alone, missing pieces of a complete life. Harry comes to him disheveled and mysterious. He looks lost even if he’s where he’s supposed to be, and even seeing Adam in his own lost state, together the pair are very much in sync together. As their relationship evolves, Adam has to figure out how to let his parents move on from their limbo state, and he has to also learn to live with that loss so he can keep on living.

Video 5/5

The 4K digital presentation of All of Us Strangers is an excellent one. I watched the film via AppleTV and immediately was taken with how gorgeous the color grading is on the film. Filmed on 35mm with a 4K DI, the film looks tack sharp and is framed beautifully in 2.39:1. Andrew Haigh is a thoughtful filmmaker, and he has treated this film with love throughout. The colors are beautiful, the detail is immaculate, and the skin tones are natural, right down to the ruddiness of characters who are touching one another with intensity. There are no instances of noise in the digital transfer.

Audio 4/5

Audio is offered in English 5.1, and French with available English, French and Spanish subtitles.

Dynamically speaking, it’s a streaming mix, so even if it’s supposedly lossless, there will be moments where the sound degrades naturally. There isn’t a great deal of surround activity, with those rear channels mostly grabbing ambience and music. Dialogue sounds excellent as that’s the main draw of the audio mix, and the subwoofer comes to life when music comes into the fold.

Extras 2/5

Extras for All of Us Strangers are short, totaling 12 minutes in length. Roots of the Story is a quick piece on the creation of the film’s roots, from novel to screen and how the changes made for this version are personal to the director. Building Adam’s World takes the first piece a step further and we learn that scenes with Adam’s family are filmed in Haigh’s childhood home. These two featurettes are interesting, but far too short.

Summary 4/5

Overall, the film is a varying movement on emotion. Loss and grief play a huge part in the story and love and acceptance do too. The story is sometimes muddied by the dreams or hallucinations of Adam, and we feel for him as he continues to grieve 36 or 37 years later. Loss doesn’t have a timeline and Adam’s story proves that. All of Us Strangers is a sad film. There are fleeting moments of happiness, but knowing Adam is speaking to the spirits of his parents is sad and the reveal at the end could be gutting to viewers. But even in sadness, you can find beauty, and Andrew Haigh has done that in this film.'

[thistransient]

I am going to attribute my uncharacteristic energy on my Korea trip at least partly to the fact that the temperature was not yet at roasting levels in Seoul. I had very little impetus to pry myself out of the very comfy hotel bed & aircon today. Around 14:00 I finally ventured out for lunch, and then sat in the cafe for a while writing (I had neglected to buy a SIM card, partially out of laziness and partially to force myself to take a phone scrolling break.) I was wearing a shirt that said 台灣大學 (NTU), which a friend suggested might be a conversation starter, and certainly it started a conversation for the people at a table next to me in Mandarin, but I contented myself with eavesdropping.

Afterwards I felt I should do some sort of activity, and took a short walk to a nearby museum before deciding it was closing too soon to justify buying a ticket. Suffice to say it was hot out. I had decided to forgo my mask because almost no one seemed to be wearing them here, but the heat also lent itself to exacerbating the odor of fermenting refuse and piss along my route. I put it back on, deployed my sun umbrella, and retreated for a nap. Or two.

It could be that I had too many social engagements in the days prior to departure, leaving me already exhausted, or that the ubiquitous English here raises the risk/rate of extended interaction (vs pointing at picture menus in Korea and otherwise being left alone), or perhaps simply that I've spent enough time in Southeast Asia in recent years that the novelty has worn off. At any rate, I didn't make any itinerary in advance, and also don't feel terribly pressed to immediately see as much as possible. Having accumulated these excuses, I decided to stop feeling guilty for lying around and just enjoy being in a hotel room significantly larger and 100% less mouldy than my apartment.

Eventually I did have to go out again for dinner, and after discovering closed kitchens at my first two choices, ate at a street stand, fingers crossed for my stomach. (Generally I don't have problems but some dubious satay sticks in Sumatera did put the fear of god into me once.) By means of google review reading I have formulated a vague course of action for the coming days. I just have to decide if I want to stay in this hotel, which is quite tolerable except for the nightclub across the street whose subwoofers remain undefeated even by the staunchest of earplugs...

[melonsw33t]

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