


In the 1930s and 1940s, he was the first to state that loudspeakers needed a back as well as a front, otherwise sound waves from the back would interfere with the front ones. Harry Olsen was also one of the major contributors to the design of the audio systems we have today. The AR-1W was a compact subwoofer that could easily be installed on a bookshelf two at a time, unlike the monstrous-sized enclosed speakers previously marketed.ĭr. The AR-1W was second to none in design for years and, in fact, remains highly influential in modern subwoofer design for its use of the acoustic suspension principle. The first company to introduce decent subwoofers was Acoustic Research (AR), which in 1954 introduced the AR-1W, a system that could extend its bass down to 20 Hz without any equalization aids and was literally a woofer efficiently encased in an enclosure. However, like any product, there are various quality grades of subwoofers, as well as types, to suit different requirements and situations. Over the years they have been researched, tested and developed to get the best sound possible. Subwoofers are used not only in car audio but also in home stereos to provide the best bass within a small area such as a room or car.Īlthough subwoofers may seem quite simple, they are actually not as simple as they seem. Subwoofers are used to generate that deep, rich feeling of bass, which is normally out of reach for most average loudspeakers. Anyone who is a fan of car audio or who has known it in passing will know what a subwoofer is.
