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Mac Bird · 01:04 PM

I just bought an iSub to go with my Apple Pro Speakers. I have an enclosed computer armoire with limited deskspace (see below). There is room behind my 17" Apple Studio Display, but will the iSub cause problems with my monitor?

Any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Click the image for a larger photo.

GORDYmac · Jul 29, 2003, 01:14 PM

Behind the armoire, on either side--unless someone's bedroom is on the other side of that wall. Preferably use the side that is viewable to the rest of the room, iSub is a beauty. You would really limit the subwoofer by placing it inside the armoire. It needs air--and walls--to function properly.

Nice armoire BTW.

JLFanboy · Jul 29, 2003, 01:14 PM

Your sub should never go on your desk. That's not what it's made for. A sub needs to go on the floor. I don't really see how you're going to manage that, unless you've got some holes in the back of the armoir. Maybe you should drill a small hole for the USB cord.

Speakers on the desk. Sub on the floor.

Mac Bird · Jul 29, 2003, 02:44 PM

The computer is in our guest bedroom; we don't have an "office". The bedroom is small, hence the upright armoire. I could move the top shelf down a little and drill a hole, but that's not my first choice. I was wondering if the iSub's magnet will distort the monitor if I place the iSub behind it.

Sorry, GORDYmac...no exposed computers in this house. Thanks for the compliment on the armoire. It's imported Brazilian pine. I bought it at Overstock.com

Socially Awkward Solo · Jul 29, 2003, 02:50 PM

Originally posted by JLFanboy:
Your sub should never go on your desk. That's not what it's made for.

Not really true. If it is on your desk and it is giving up enough of a boom then it is fine. If not placing it in an exposed space such as under the desk on a hard surface it will boom even more.

Mine sounds great on the desk next to me and is far to sexy to go on the floor.

zigzag · Jul 29, 2003, 09:45 PM

Adjacent surfaces reinforce subwoofer output. A sub placed in a corner (three adjacent surfaces) will be reinforced more than a sub placed along a wall (two adjacent surfaces) or in the middle of a room (one adjacent surface). Same principle applies to desktops, etc.

Reinforcing a sub this way is not necessarily desirable - it can reinforce the sub's peaks rather than smooth it out. My large surround sub is placed out near the middle of the room. All you can do is experiment.

If you put a sub inside an armoire, you're more likely to get boomy sound because (a) there are a lot of close, reflective surfaces, and (b) the armoire itself might reverberate.

Again, experiment and see what sounds good to you. Just remember that the closer it is to reflective surfaces, the boomier it will tend to sound.

Angus_D · Jul 30, 2003, 11:15 AM

Originally posted by Socially Awkward Solo:
Not really true. If it is on your desk and it is giving up enough of a boom then it is fine. If not placing it in an exposed space such as under the desk on a hard surface it will boom even more.

Mine sounds great on the desk next to me and is far to sexy to go on the floor.

My floor is carpeted, so there's no way I'm putting my sub on the floor

dav · Jul 30, 2003, 11:26 AM

Originally posted by Mac Bird:
There is room behind my 17" Apple Studio Display, but will the iSub cause problems with my monitor?

my isub is directly behind my 15" apple lcd, fits nicely. the isub won't cause interference/discoloration with your display as it might with a crt.

Mac Bird · Jul 30, 2003, 11:37 AM

Originally posted by dav:
my isub is directly behind my 15" apple lcd, fits nicely. the isub won't cause interference/discoloration with your display as it might with a crt.

Cool. Thanks!

GORDYmac · Jul 30, 2003, 04:01 PM

The purpose of a subwoofer is to enhance the omnidirecitional qualities of lower frequencies. If the sub is right behind your monitor, all you hear is bass drowning out your music, right? You'd have to turn it way way down to balance it out. If you do that, then, you really don't need a subwoofer--that is, unless you loves da boomin' bass!

As subwoofer should not be that close IMHO. Placing it on the floor or at the end of a desk tends to far enough. Mine is on the floor in front of me. Sounds great.

Mac Bird · Jul 31, 2003, 04:01 PM

Originally posted by GORDYmac:
If you [limit the omnidirectional bass] then, you really don't need a subwoofer--that is, unless you loves da boomin' bass!

Me - not really.
Wife - loves da boomin' base.

This is only an occasionally used computer, so the audiophile qualities aren't a big deal. I'll see how it works behind the monitor and let you know my thoughts.

zigzag · Jul 31, 2003, 09:18 PM

Originally posted by GORDYmac:
The purpose of a subwoofer is to enhance the omnidirecitional qualities of lower frequencies.

I would rephrase that. A subwoofer's primary purpose is to produce lower frequencies that your ordinary speakers can't produce.

It just so happens that lower frequencies are less directional than higher frequencies. In other words, it's harder for your ears/brain to detect where low frequencies are coming from. That means that, for stereo imaging purposes, you don't have to be as careful about where you place a subwoofer as you are about placing your regular speakers. Your regular speakers usually need to be facing you from equal distances to get a stereo effect, while a sub can be placed almost anywhere in the room without diminishing the stereo effect.

However, that's just for imaging purposes. The subwoofer's output level and smoothness will still be affected by the placement considerations that I discussed earlier.

G4ME · Aug 4, 2003, 01:03 AM

on average you get about a 6 db gain when you conner load a sub, (place it in a corner) but you will also pick up the room nodes more.

So my suggestion is put it anywhere you want, you hopefully wont be using this to crank out the SPL cause if you do say good buy to your isub.