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| Speaker Placement |
 Your subwoofer
A powered subwoofer impact greatly on the home theater system, but is one of the least demanding speakers to position. Since low bass frequencies are omni-directional, you can normally place your subwoofer just about anywhere in your home theater room, with good results.
• Locating your subwoofer near a wall will generally result in more bass, and placement near a corner — where three room boundaries come together — will get you even more. Remember that even though the bass increases as you place the sub near a wall or corner, the quality of bass may be slightly "boomier" and less managed. Aim for a spot where you get a compromise between quality and quantity of bass.
• You can also place your sub in your listening spot, play some music, move around the room, and listen. You'll probably notice that the bass sounds a little bit different as you move around from location to location within the room — where it sounds the best may be where you want to place your subwoofer.
• Many powered subwoofers have a phase control — normally a 2-position switch. Select the setting that produces the most bass while all your speakers are playing.
 Your room
Keep in mind one thing about setting up your speakers that your room plays a crucial role in how your system will sound. Your room's shape, layout, and where the speakers are located in the room are all factors that will influence a home theater system's performance.
• Locating your front speakers next to a wall will slightly enlarge their bass output. This can improve the sound of smaller, bass-shy satellite speakers, but can muddy the sound of floor-standing speakers. Conversely, bringing speakers out from the wall may lessen their bass response but improve clarity.
• A room with too many reflective surfaces, such as windows and tile, can add harshness to the sound or make it seem too bright. Adding carpets or drapes can help your system sound much more natural.
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