Subwoofers

Subwoofers - Why do I need one?

Have you ever played a favourite track on your car stereo and been less than thrilled at the resulting experience. Changing all the speakers with better ones certainly improves the clarity and stereo imaging but there is still something missing. The Bass is all but non existent in most installations and in an effort to improve things we all reach for the bass control ?whack it up ?then find the loudness button ?switch that on...And?. now we have some bass all right...Soft soggy boomy bass with no definition that muddies up all those nice clear mids we had a few moments ago. Car speakers are simply too small to handle the entire frequency range efficiently. A dedicated Subwoofer that is designed to produce lashings of the lower end frequencies will add the power and excitement without straining the rest of the system. If you want to feel the passion and dynamics of the music in your car then you will be needing one of these very soon indeed. Dance and rock fans will probably need no further encouragement from me with this point but if you classical fans are still with me this includes you too! All forms of musical expression sound oddly lacking if that bottom octave is missing and the solution is simple?you need a Subwoofer!

Which Subwoofer should I choose?

All about enclosures:

Sealed boxes: For deep, precise bass
A sealed box is best for any music that demands tight, accurate bass. Expect flat response, deep bass extension and excellent power handling. Because a sealed box tends to need more power than a ported box, you'll need to use an amplifier with plenty of watts to get the most bass out of your sealed enclosure. Some sealed systems can give you great bass from a relatively tiny box, which helps you save space for luggage.

Ported boxes: For forceful bass
Ported boxes use a vent (called a port) to reinforce low bass response. You get more output than you would from a sealed box at any given amplifier wattage. Some people prefer the sound of ported boxes for rock, heavy metal, dance or any hard-driving music.

Bandpass boxes: maximum impact!
Bandpass boxes are a special type of ported box designed for maximum slam. The woofer is mounted inside a dual-chambered box, with the sound waves emerging from the ported side. The sound that comes out of the port is extra loud within a narrow frequency range. Because bandpass boxes are super efficient within that range, they tend to boom. Their aggressive sound is great for rap and hard rock.

Free-air subwoofers
A free-air system consists of woofers mounted to a board attached to the rear deck or placed in the boot against the rear seat. The boot of the car acts as an enclosure which houses the subwoofer. Free-air systems save space and have flat frequency response. The woofer must be specifically designed for free-air use.

Do I need an Amplifier for my Subwoofer?

Most definitely,Yes !
Choose an amp with a power rating that matches or exceeds the rating quoted for the Speaker. Some subwoofers can be purchased with an amplifier built in. This makes life a little easier for you when selecting and installing but tends to limit the possibilities for any future upgrades.

Does size matter?

Yes I am afraid it does! However it is important to understand that whilst it is true that the bigger the woofer the deeper the bass, it is also true that the bigger the woofer the slower it is to respond to transients. In other words..It ain?t as quick off the mark! Smaller is punchier and faster. True hi fi lovers will use 8 and 10 in subs singles or multiple sets to achieve best results while rockers and clubbers will probably demand the heavier impact of 12 or 15 in models.

Bass is Bass ?why should I spend more on branded products?

The best advice is always spend as much as you can reasonably afford to avoid any disappointments. It will not take you long to discover that not all subs are created equal. The better brands always sound tighter, better focussed and more musical than the cheapies?you have been advised?check out our reviews or forum for recommendations