The Audiophiles Guide

The standing wave battle

Paul McGowan

Bass that booms, bass that disappears—welcome to the standing wave battle. This episode dives into the physics of low-frequency chaos, drawing on The Audiophile’s Guide to explain why certain notes vanish while others overwhelm the room. Standing waves are pressure zones caused by your room’s dimensions, and they’re the enemy of accurate bass. But they can be fought. With careful speaker placement, listening position tweaks, and the right subwoofer setup, you can win the battle—and hear what you've been missing.

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