JBL Soundzone SMS1 Owner's Manual

Also see for Soundzone SMS1: Technical manual

Contents

SubwooferThe SMS1 System consists of a single Subwoofer for each four Satellites. In a room of 2500-ft2 or less,one subwoofer may be capable of “filling” the room with bass. However, regardless of the subwoofer’sdesign, there will be more sound close to the Subwoofer and less sound further away. The best case is tobe able to place the Subwoofer in an area where people will generally not be, and essentially the samedistance away from all the places that people typically will be. Usually, however, this scenario is not easilyfound in most real rooms. The best thing to do is to place the Subwoofer in an area that is going to have thefewest people near it. This may allow for the Subwoofer volume to be up enough that it does produceuseable signal at the furthest point from it.Another option is to use more than one Subwoofer. If one complete SMS1 System is being used, thenanother single SMS1-SUB subwoofer can be added to the system. By using two Subwoofers at oppositepoints in the room, a more even distribution of low frequency sound can be achieved.Subwoofers should generally be placed near large structural surfaces. This helps the Subwoofer, using thestructural surface as a boundary resonator, to achieve higher overall levels. The more surfaces the better.Placing the Subwoofer against a wall is better than the middle of the room, near a wall and a floor or near awall and the ceiling provides more output than being in the middle of the wall, and in the corner of two wallsand a floor or a ceiling results in the most output. Another important aspects for a Subwoofer is that it doesnot need to be aimed. Sound leaves from a Subwoofer in a spherical manner. But, do not place the Port ofthe Subwoofer up against any surface that would block it. Also, if using two Subwoofers (or more) it isusually best to place them asymmetrically within the room. This will help eliminate standing waves, which cancause pockets of high bass volume and pockets of low bass volume throughout the room.Figure 6A & 6B – Subwoofer Placement in Rectangular RoomFigure 6A – Placement of a Single Subwoofer Figure 6B – Placement of Multiple Subwoofers9