Subwoofer FAQs – Everything You Want to Know About Subwoofers

A subwoofer is a loudspeaker that gives a distinct bass sound as it focuses on recreating low pitched sounds. Even though the word “subwoofer” is technically the speaker driver, the word is used to describe the driver with an enclosure. Subwoofers gain popularity in the 1970s after being developed in the 1960s. They more or less became global as a part of sound systems in the 2000s.

An active subwoofer comes with a built-in amplifier. However, a passive subwoofer only contains the speaker driver and the speaker enclosure, and so they need an external amp.

The Root Mean Square (RMS) rating on the subwoofer will tell you how much power it can handle. It is best to use an amplifier that has the rating. The sound volume increases with the RMS. You should turn the volume down if the bass sounds distorted.

Because the combined surface area of the two 10” subs will yield more sound pressure than the single 12” sub, the two 10” subs will give a cleaner sound with more punch. On the other hand, the single 12” sub may sound deeper because it can strike deep notes. It should be noted that the enclosure type, power handling, size, the space you use, and your perception determine which sub gives strikes harder.

An aftermarket stereo is recommended to give a good listening experience. However, there are several ways to connect your sub and an amplifier to your factory stereo. After tapping into your speaker wires, you can use a line output converter to send a lower strength signal to the amplifier. You can also use a powered subwoofer with speaker-level inputs.

Subwoofers come in different size and shapes. You can find small powered and enclosed sub (8 inch subs) that can fit under the seat of your vehicle or behind it. There are also shallow mount subs. Just measure the space you have available to know exactly which will fit your needs.

Unless you have a sealed and soundproof trunk, the sound from the sub should travel easily through the materials that make up your trunk and backseat without any problem. You can also punch holes in the rear deck of your vehicle and cover them with an acoustically transparent material if you think sound waves are being blocked.

Your individual preference in music and bass sound will determine which one you choose. A sealed sub is compact, so it fits in more places; it gives a precise and clean sound; it requires more power for high volume. A ported sub is louder and requires less energy; it produces more boom and so it works better with R&B, hip hop, and rap music; it is harder to tune. A band pass sub box is often large; it is louder at specifically tuned ranges of frequencies.

The location of the vent does not affect the sound once it flows freely and it reaches the internal structure of the sub. It should be noted that direction to which the vent aim in your vehicle may affect the sound.

A subwoofer is a combination of one or more woofers placed in an enclosure. The enclosure allows the subwoofer to deliver a richer and full bass than a woofer by significantly increasing the sound pressure level.

Individual preference determines which shape works for you in terms of sound or style. The regular round shaped cone usually gives a more accurate sound. The triangular and square-shaped cones are more stylish to some persons and tend to fit into smaller spaces.

A mono channel amplifier is preferred because they are usually class D amps. This means that they have excellent efficiency and a high power to heat ratio which is definitely what you need when dealing with low signal frequencies that require a lot of power.