Optimized multi-sub systems can use much smaller subs at some locations

Evidence

The approach offered by Allison (1974, 1975) and Ballagh (1983) involves choosing the position of the loudspeaker with respect to the boundaries in a manner that minimizes the variations in frequency response at the listening locations. Obviously, the goal is to arrange for the woofer-to-boundary distances, floor and walls, to be as different as possible, while not being multiples of each other. The more different these distances are, the less will be the effect. Finding an optimum result may involve some trial-and-error in practical listening. It may also result in visually unappealing, asymmetrical, or incorrect (in terms of stereo or multichannel imaging) locations for the loudspeakers. — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1068 (#expands, via linked claim)

Not long after the preceding events took place, I moved to California to work for Harman International as corporate vice president of acoustical engineering. I carried with me the notion of having substantial control of room resonances without the visual and real estate commitments to large bass traps. A room could be an ordinary room, visually and acoustically, with ordinary acoustical properties and problems, until the “play” button was pressed—then it could become extraordinary. … He first tackled the case of simple rectangular rooms, and after substantial analysis, involving simulations using from one to 5,000 subwoofers (acoustic wallpaper?), concluded that two or four subwoofers—identical, and identically driven—created a central zone in which seat-to-seat variations were usefully reduced (Welti, 2002a, 2002b). This means that equalization can benefit several listeners. — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 958 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Subwoofer placement itself can be optimized alongside DSP settings; Optimal woofer placement makes boundary distances as different and non-multiple as possible — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1068; Optimizing any two of room, subwoofer, and seating yields the third (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Subwoofer placement itself can be optimized alongside DSP settings #expands (0.85)
• Optimal woofer placement makes boundary distances as different and non-multiple as possible #expands (0.82) — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1068
• Multiple identical subwoofers reduce seat-to-seat bass variation #expands (0.80) — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 958
• Delayed, inverted subwoofer arrays can cancel standing waves in rectangular rooms #expands (0.78) — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1604
• Optimizing any two of room, subwoofer, and seating yields the third #qualifies (0.75)