Things To Know Before Purchasing A Subwoofer For Your Car

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Things To Know Before Purchasing A Subwoofer For Your Car

When you are trying to find out what type of subwoofer to purchase for your car, there are a few key things to keep in mind. Let's go over some of the important details when considering a subwoofer for your car.

Difference between component and coaxial speakers

There are subtle yet important differences between the two of them.

Installation

Component speakers use separate tweeters, crossovers, and woofers to reproduce a loud sound. In comparison to the non-component system, you need to invest time and effort into installing these speakers.

Sound quality

Without a doubt, the use of a couple of tweeters, subtweets, and other tools, this system reproduces a clear sound.

The non-component speakers are unable to put out a good bass and are of bad quality.

Power handling capacity

One of the main differences between these speakers is that the latter is designed to handle up to 250 watts of peak power and 110 watts of RMS power.

What is the difference between 2 Ohm and 4 Ohm Subs?

There's no rocket science in this subject: car audio subwoofers have either 2 and 4 ohms impedance.

These speakers are usually connected to enhance the amplifier power output. Commonly, car owners connect two 2 ohm subwoofers to create a 4-ohm load on the amplifier.

Either option is acceptable. However, the bass you get t is determined by this option.

If you want a moderate volume bass with the highest quality, then a 4-ohm subwoofer will be your choice.

A 2-ohm rating doesn't have much resistance in its circuit. Plus, the amplifier can feed the subwoofer with more power without much resistance. So, since the resistance is less, the subwoofer is louder.

As a newcomer, you may have common questions about subwoofers. In this guide, we the most frequently asked questions with regards to 10-inch subwoofers for your convenience.

Do I need an external amplifier when I am buying a subwoofer?

The answer is yes if you are buying a passive subwoofer. In most cases, a passive subwoofer requires an amplifier to be driven. This is because the low-level signal coming from the audio system isn't adequate for it, and thus no power will get to the speakers that produce sound.

The amp allows your music player or other devices to connect to this speaker without any issue due to all of its connections already being there on it. So, should I get an active subwoofer instead? Yes, if you do not have prior expertise!

Should I get 10 inch or 12 inch subwoofers?

First, consider the space in your truck where you will fit the subwoofers. Remember that subwoofers need enclosures for the best performance.

One of the key differences between a 12-inch subwoofer and its 10-inch counterpart is that it has more bass power due to being able to take up an increased cone area. Besides this, there's not much difference in sound quality if you compare two subs within the same series (like Rockford Fosgate Punch).

One of the most important factors when it comes to bass is how much air you can move. This depends, in large part, on your driver size and weight. A 12 inch woofer will do a better job moving more volume than a smaller 10".

The only time we would recommend going with less space for our subwoofers is if there are other considerations such as power output or vehicle restrictions that might not allow enough room for bigger drivers.

Should I get a shallow mount subwoofer or a regular subwoofer?

A regular subwoofer, like most of the ones reviewed in this article, is designed to reproduce hard and clear lower-pitched frequencies. In contrast, the shallow mount subwoofers are made with portability and space-saving attribute in mind.

Basically, a shallow mount subwoofer is a type designed to have a low mounting depth or shallow mounting depth. That is, ideally designed to fit in small, tight spaces like doors or behind the backseat. 

A shallow mount sub is easy to install and reproduces an enjoyable bass and sub-bass not having to invest in other audio equipment, like an amplifier.

What are the best settings for my subwoofer?

Here are a few basic guidelines for your subwoofer:

Begin with your speaker level

Distorted signals can destroy speakers, subs, and eardrums, and it interferes with the sounds of musical instruments.

If you decide to power your subs with an amplifier, make sure that the amp's gain is properly tuned to prevent distortion.

Play some tunes and turn up your receiver's volume until you hear the sound distorting; then, lower the volume until the music sounds clean again. Take note of where the receiver volume is when there is no distortions happening.

Open the low-pass filter and flatten the signal

Turn the subwoofers amp's knob to its lowest, most counter-clockwise position.

Switch the low-pass filter on and point it as high, clockwise, as it can be.

Turn off the bass knob all the way down.

Reset the remote control to a middle position. After this, you will now have the choice of boosting or cutting the bass on depending on the song.

Change the receiver's bass tone to its middle, zero, or "flat" setting. If it has a subwoofer level control, program it to "no gains" or middle.

Make sure that you turned off the crossover, low-pass filter, or boost on the subwoofer output.

As a general rule, low-pass filters, crossovers, or bass boosts on the receiver and the amplifier are not met to be used all together. Pick one or the other to avoid phase distortion.

Adjust the bass and subsonic filter

Carefully turn up the bass knob to drum sound likeness.

Bass boost is where distortion comes in, so be careful. If present, lower the sub amp's gain until it goes away.

If you have ported subwoofers, use a subsonic filter to counter overly loud low notes and help decrease the note levels at which the enclosure resonates.

By fine-tuning all the filters, your bass drum sounds should be dry or loose, depending on your preference.

Match the receiver volume and the subwoofer level

Start by turning up the receiver's volume to a maximum, distortion-free position. Then, begin to slowly turn up the subwoofer amp's gain until you recognize that the bass sounds balanced in comparison to the rest of the music.

Do I need to hire a professional to install subwoofers?

Brands always suggest speaking with a professional technician for installment. Remember that you are going to deal with electricity, and it is always best to let an experienced sound expert handle this type of business.

If your subwoofer is not a shallow mount, you will need to build an enclosure that properly fits the sub, wire it, and test out the equipment.

Most car owners seek a professional also because there are so many tools that you will need to assemble the subwoofer. In the end, the investment in these types of tools, the time, and it's just not worth the time and money.

Nevertheless, if you feel that you can handle it by watching tutorials online, go for it, but at your own risk.

What are the bass frequencies on an equalizer?

The bass sounds, also known as the low frequencies, are all sounds below 200 Hz. It's important for car audio installers to know how these frequencies are heard by the human ear, as it helps them tune a system accordingly.

They're also responsible for adjusting the bass level of different speakers in order to maintain balance and quality sound. Bass notes are important and should be equalized with care. Too much of a good thing can end up being bad for your listening experience.

The low frequency range is an essential part of any given track, but if it's too boomy or muddy, then you'll destroy the clarity in more subtle parts like vocals. A good technician will know how to tame those frequencies so they don't ruin a song because there are many ways that this can be done.

For example, EQing certain sounds, which might include vocal tracks as well as more bass drums, among others, can have dramatic impacts on overall sound quality for your listeners!

Which is the hardest hitting 10-inch subwoofer?

American Bass XFL1022 is the best 10-Inch hardest-hitting subwoofer on the market. With a 1000W RMS and 2000W max continuous power, it will deliver your favorite bass like never before with its 31.6 Hz to 300Hz frequency range.

If you are looking for an ear-splitting, wall decimating system without the added hassle of making your neighbors mad, then look no further. This peppy performer delivers 1k/2k power peak watts at a maximum SPL that will make it difficult to have any idea what is going on inside that Wall they're tapping against!

The XFL series subs come with a black powder-coated steel basket and vents to create distortion-free bass. It has participated in many competitions and world records at different arenas, performing power and sound quality like no other.