Power
Rated power of the subwoofer. Technically, this is the highest average (rms) sound power at which the device can work normally (without sound distortion and damage to components) for an unlimited time. Simply put, the more powerful the subwoofer, the louder it is. The choice for this parameter depends primarily on the size of the space / room that is planned to be covered; detailed recommendations for different situations can be found in special sources.
Also, the power is directly related to the characteristics of the amplifier used with the subwoofer. For active subwoofers (see "Type"), this item actually indicates the nominal power of the built-in amplifier; the speaker itself can be more powerful, but it doesn't matter anymore. For passive models, the power rating corresponds to the highest amplifier power that can be connected to the speaker without the risk of damaging it at high volume.
Impedance
Subwoofer AC impedance. This parameter matters primarily when connected to an external amplifier: if the impedance is lower than that of the amplifier, sound distortion is possible, if the impedance is higher, the subwoofer may sound quieter than we would like.
Frequency range
The range of audio frequencies reproduced by the subwoofer. As a general rule, the wider the frequency range, the richer the sound and the more detail the speaker can convey. However, it is worth remembering that subwoofers as a class are designed for low and ultra-low frequencies in the range from 20 to 150 (sometimes 200) Hz. Therefore, in fact, a significant difference in sound is noticeable only with a large difference in the reproducible ranges (for example, 20-200 Hz and 50-150 Hz).
Also, do not forget that an extensive frequency range is not yet a guarantee of high-quality sound; and in some cases (for example, if the main speakers of the speaker also cope well with low frequencies), it may be completely redundant.
Speaker size
The diameter of the speaker(s) installed in the subwoofer.
It is believed that the larger the speaker (
15 ",
18 " and more), the more power it can produce and the deeper the bass will be on such acoustics. However, in modern subwoofers, manufacturers use various tricks that allow achieving good sound depth even with relatively small speaker sizes (
10 ",
8 "). Therefore, it is possible to compare different models only if they differ significantly in this indicator; and even then, in such cases, it is worth paying attention not so much to the speaker diameter as to the price category. The golden mean among sizes is
12-inch subwoofers.
Phase adjustment
The ability to shift the sound produced by the subwoofer in phase — usually by 180 °, but in some models the option is also available by 90 °.
Sound vibrations can be represented as a sinusoid. In some cases, the sinusoids from the subwoofer and from the main speakers may be out of phase — for example, with a difference in distance, inconsistency in the operation of amplifiers, etc. This degrades the sound quality. And
the phase adjustment allows you to correct the situation and coordinate the subwoofer with the rest of the components of the speaker system.
Adjustable crossover
The presence of an
adjustable crossover in the design of the subwoofer.
A crossover is a device that divides the audio signal into separate frequency bands and directs each band to "its own" speakers. See "Crossover Frequency" for more on this. Here we note that the adjustable crossover allows you to change the upper threshold of the frequencies supplied to the subwoofer. This allows you to optimally match the bass speaker with the main speakers — so that, on the one hand, the bass does not overlap, on the other, there is no gap between the subwoofer and the rest of the acoustics.
Crossover frequency
Cutoff frequency of the crossover installed in the subwoofer (or supplied with it — for passive models, see "Type").
The crossover splits the audio signal into separate frequencies so that only the bass goes to the subwoofer and only the main range goes to the speakers. Such a device is mainly equipped with home models (see above). And the crossover frequency is the upper threshold of the frequencies fed to the subwoofer. This information is important for matching with the rest of the speakers: ideally, the lower threshold of the main acoustics should correspond to the upper threshold of the subwoofer, otherwise the frequencies will either overlap or dip in them (neither of which contributes to sound quality). For the convenience of matching, the crossover can be made adjustable (see above).
Passive speaker connection
Ability
to connect a passive speaker system directly to the subwoofer.
Only active models equipped with a built-in amplifier have this possibility (see "Type"). Such an amplifier in this case operates over the entire frequency range and is equipped with a crossover that separates the signal into a “bass” and main range. Bass is fed to the subwoofer's own speaker, and the rest of the frequencies are sent to the outputs for connecting passive acoustics. The role of the latter can be played by high-level terminals or Speakon connectors (see below), depending on the class and purpose of the subwoofer.
Anyway, this function allows you to do without an external amplifier for passive speakers, which is sometimes very convenient.
