# Find The Bass Gap Between Your Speakers And Subwoofer
A subwoofer should not sound like a separate box in the corner. Bass should stay even as notes move from your main speakers into the sub. This test sweeps from 200 Hz down to 10 Hz so you can hear the exact zone where the handoff becomes weak, boomy, localizable, or silent.| What you hear | What it usually means | What to try first |
|---|---|---|
| Bass vanishes around 70-100 Hz | Subwoofer and speakers may be cancelling each other near the crossover. | Flip phase, adjust distance/delay, then repeat the sweep. |
| Bass gets boomy around one narrow band | Room mode or too much overlap between speakers and subwoofer. | Lower crossover slightly or move the subwoofer/listening position. |
| Bass seems to come from the subwoofer location | Crossover may be too high or subwoofer level may be too hot. | Try 80 Hz or lower and reduce subwoofer gain. |
| Deep bass fades below 30-40 Hz | Normal extension limit for many subs, especially compact models. | Check the subwoofer specification before chasing a problem that may be physical. |
# What The Dropout Frequency Tells You
Use the marked frequency as a tuning clue
If the marked point is close to your AVR crossover, the problem is probably integration: phase, distance, polarity, level, or the slope of the filters. If the marked point is much lower, you may be hearing the subwoofer running out of output. If the problem changes a lot when you move your head, the room is dominating the result.
# Common Crossover Ranges
| Speaker type | Typical crossover starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small satellites | 100-150 Hz | Tiny cabinets usually cannot play clean upper bass at theater levels. |
| Bookshelf speakers | 70-100 Hz | Often enough bass for a clean handoff without making the sub easy to locate. |
| Floorstanding speakers | 50-80 Hz | Larger woofers can handle more mid-bass, but the room may still prefer subwoofer bass management. |
| THX-style setup | 80 Hz | A practical default that works well for many systems and keeps deep bass routed to the sub. |
# Crossover Problem Or Room Problem?
Crossover or phase issue
The weak spot appears near the crossover frequency and improves after changing phase, polarity, distance, or crossover setting.
- Usually repeatable from the same seat.
- Often centered around 60-120 Hz.
Room cancellation
The weak spot changes dramatically when you move your head, change seats, or move the subwoofer a short distance.
- Very position dependent.
- Often solved by placement more than settings.
Best way to run the test
Sit where you actually watch movies or listen to music. Do not stand next to the subwoofer. A crossover that sounds good beside the cabinet can still leave a hole at the sofa.What to change after the sweep
If the hole is near the current crossover, try 10 Hz changes and repeat the sweep.
Try the subwoofer phase switch or delay setting if the weak band sits near the crossover.
If the bass gets stronger in one seat and disappears in another, move the subwoofer before changing every AVR setting.
After placement or crossover changes, rerun room correction so the receiver measures the new setup.
Use the marked frequency to guide tuning, then confirm with music, movies, and familiar bass lines.