Car subwoofers: characteristics, types, types

Types of devices

There are two types of subwoofers:

1. Active. An active subwoofer is a full-fledged acoustic system, which includes a speaker in the housing and a built-in power amplifier. Almost all models of compact active subwoofers use 8-inch speakers. Standard devices are most often produced in standard sizes of 10 and 12 inches. Prices for such devices range from 3 to 12 thousand rubles.

   
   An active subwoofer looks like a big cylinder

2. Passive. This category has a fairly large selection of subwoofers, the differences of which lie in their characteristics and designs. The usual speaker sizes in this segment are 10 and 12 inches. The cost of such devices is from 2 to 40 thousand rubles, and in the last price category the most powerful subwoofers are usually presented, having two speakers at once.

   
   Passive subwoofer resembles a hexagonal prism

The main differences between active and passive subwoofers:

1. An active subwoofer has a built-in amplifier, while a passive subwoofer must be connected to external sound amplifiers.
2. An active subwoofer is easier and faster to set up.
3. If the system is configured with maximum precision and of sufficient quality, then the passive subwoofer produces a more voluminous and dense sound. It is rare to achieve the same effect with an active system.

Price

GU Pioneer DEH-80PRS119 900Midrange Hertz SPL Show432 800HF Alphard T-34211 980Amplifier Apocalypse AAK-OGO1500.2D140 990Amplifier Machete M8417990Amplifier Apocalypse 5500.1D165 990Subwoofer Pride T12 (Apocalypse SA 312)249 980 (56 980)Door cards (+ wiring and other expenses)1 (2)35 000AGM batteries366 000Generator DC Power 270XP143 000TOTAL:373 630 (380 630)

With such a system it will be possible to voice over parties, go to competitions and take prizes. In terms of sound, it will give odds to many nightclubs and concert venues. When you drive up, you can be heard from a block away. As they say in such circles, this is money that is heard.

HOW CAN YOU SAVE?

We calculated the prices for new components, but you can also save money by buying the same thing on the secondary market. If you don’t know much about car audio, then it’s better to take with you someone who understands this and can check everything, otherwise they may deceive you and sell you a non-working speaker or amplifier.

You can choose used components on Avito, Yula or in specialized VKontakte groups (one of the largest is “used car audio”), as well as on the bass club forum. Every day, dozens of advertisements for the equipment you are looking for appear throughout Russia. Of course, it’s better to choose in your city, then you can make sure the product works. But if the required product is available at the other end of the country, it is better to resort to the help of a guarantor. A guarantor is a person who understands car audio and has a certain authority, usually there is only one in the city. For a little money, he will go, look at the goods, make sure that the seller is honest and, if everything suits you, he will pick up and send you the goods. You can find a list of people with contacts on specialized forums.

For example, a Pioneer80 in excellent condition can be found for 12 thousand rubles instead of 20. And the Apocalypse5500.1D amplifier can be replaced with its previous generation - AE5500.1D, which costs 33-35 thousand on the secondary market. DCPower generator is easy to find for 30 thousand.

Thus, you can save up to 40% of the cost of the entire audio system. In the last, maximum version, this will already be a very significant amount.

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Design features of devices

To understand what parameters to use to choose a subwoofer for your car, you need to thoroughly understand how it works. By design, subwoofers are divided into four types:

1. Closed, with a sealed housing. The subwoofer is mounted in a box of a given volume. It dampens the closed sound wave behind the speaker. However, devices with a closed design are not the best subwoofers for cars. They are rarely used due to low efficiency. A closed subwoofer box extinguishes a closed sound wave
2. Bass reflex. These are closed boxes with a tunnel (bass reflex) of a certain size. Thanks to the tunnel, increased pressure is created on the speaker used, which allows you to raise the sound level at a given frequency in the range from 50 to 120 Hz. The enclosed space increases the pressure exerted on the cone, which reduces the likelihood of sound distortion. The occurrence of mechanical damage to the speaker is also excluded. In this case, the phase inverter corrects the rise in the frequency response (amplitude-frequency characteristic) and relieves the diffuser from excess pressure. All this leads to a significant increase in the efficiency of the subwoofer. Bass reflex box reduces sound distortion
3. Stripes. These are subwoofers with speakers tucked inside. The most complex type of device, it requires additional space. This is explained by the need to combine the features inherent in the closed-type design and the bass reflex. The basis for the product is a box with a bass reflex tunnel. A speaker is installed inside, which also acts as a partition. Thanks to this design, there is a closed, sealed space behind the speaker, which adds rigidity to the cone. A volumetric compartment is formed in front of the speaker, which has an output due to the presence of a bass reflex.

   
   Subwoofer bandpass requires additional space

4. Subwoofers with a passive radiator, having a second passive speaker designed to reduce the resonant frequency. The installation of such systems is practiced in E-class cars (for example, Mercedes-Benz E-class).

   
   Passive subwoofer driver reduces resonant frequency

The main advantages of using closed subwoofers in cars:

• simple calculations of the volume of the structure;
• low probability of speaker overload;
• high level of low frequency reproduction.

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Which brand of car subwoofer is better?

There are not many manufacturers in the car audio system market, but competition, unlike the late 90s, has become much higher. Previously, Alpine was the main trendsetter in subwoofers. Elegant, reliable assembly of devices, high-quality metal and plastic elements, a wide frequency range, many additional settings - the list of advantages of this company’s products is simply endless. Along with it, Pioneer and Sony, which produce top-end active and passive subwoofers with excellent sound, show themselves worthy. There are also devices from Mystery, Supra, JBL and Kicx, but they are noticeably inferior to their more famous competitors.

Manufacturers may be different, so you should not compare subwoofers only by brand. It is important to follow several criteria to help you find the best speaker system:

1. Reproducible frequency range . For exclusively low-frequency devices, it ranges from 20-40 to 120-150 Hz, for devices with a wider profile (i.e., also operating at high frequencies) – up to 800-1500 Hz.
2. Standard size . Usually it varies from 20 to 30 cm. It is best to select it according to the size of the place in which you plan to install the device.
3. The presence of a crossover . If this device is provided with an acoustic system, the sound will be of the highest quality, but it doesn’t matter at all if this device is not there: a high-quality subwoofer will cope with the task without it.
4. Sensitivity . The more sensitive the subwoofer, the more micro-vibrations it perceives. This allows you to make the sound alive and give natural and pure tones.

Specifications

When purchasing a subwoofer, you should pay attention to the following characteristics:

• peak power (W). It is with the help of peak (maximum) power that buyers are attracted. After all, car owners first of all want to know whether the system can “rock” the car with bass in order to attract the attention of others. Peak loads indicate at what level the speaker can operate most efficiently. Most often, they are approximately 3 times higher than the indicators that are optimal for long-term operation, however, devices with such characteristics are often at the very top of the rating of subwoofers for cars;

  
  Table showing the dependence of the peak powers of subwoofers on the volume of the premises

• rated power (W). The manufacturer tries not to focus on the rated power - this indicator is not as impressive as the previous one. But it is this information that tells the buyer what level of sound the selected speaker can produce without distortion. At the same time, it can operate at higher powers in optimal mode. Most car enthusiasts who decide to purchase a subwoofer are not looking for high power. Therefore, the optimal devices are those for which this indicator ranges from 200 to 300 W;
  

  By the way, for expensive high-quality speakers there is no significant difference between peak and nominal loads, which cannot be said about cheap models. This is explained by the fact that a high-quality speaker has the ability to reproduce high-quality bass even at very high powers. This means that its rated loads are close to peak values. At the same time, the peak power of inexpensive speakers can be even higher than that of higher quality speakers. However, the rated power will certainly be lower.

• sensitivity (dB). The speaker's sensitivity determines its volume. However, we should not forget about the negative impact of volume on sound quality;
• range of reproduced frequencies (Hz). The frequency range of speakers used in subwoofers ranges from 20 to 200 Hz. The depth of bass that interests the car owner directly depends on what the lower value is. In addition, the housing used to house the speaker and the volume in which it is located are of great importance. It is these indicators that determine how the subwoofer will reproduce certain frequencies;

  
  The diameter of the subwoofer diffuser is an important technical characteristic

• diffuser diameter (inches). Another important parameter is the diameter of the diffuser. This is what many users associate with the power of a subwoofer. The most popular sizes are 8”, 10”, 12”, 15”. True, one cannot deny the presence of some scatter to a lesser or greater extent. The presence of a small diffuser means that the power of the bass output will not be very high.
  

  There are sizes that are recognized as optimal, that is, they allow you to produce a sound that suits the majority of car owners. So, 10” is the best option for those who like not very powerful bass, and 12” is for those who like it “hot”.

Minimum and maximum frequency reproduced by the subwoofer

The frequencies at which mid-range speakers experience a significant drop in sound pressure are in the range below 100 Hz. That is why the maximum frequency of the speaker should not be lower than this value. And often it is significantly higher - thanks to the low-pass filter, you can adjust the cutoff level yourself. And it should be on any active subwoofer or subwoofer amplifier. Which frequency to set depends on the properties of the speaker system and everyone’s personal preferences, but the general principle is to give the subwoofer only what the rest of the audio system cannot handle.

Minimum frequency is a more important parameter. If it is above 35 Hz, then you shouldn’t expect outstanding “lows” from the subwoofer - it simply won’t be able to reproduce them.

How to choose the right subwoofer for your car

In order for the selected subwoofer to sound high quality and look organically in the interior of the cabin, it is enough to follow a few rules:

1. The power characteristics of the subwoofer must match the operating parameters of the low-frequency amplifier. In this case, it is necessary to take into account all output channels of the amplifier. That is, if it has 3 channels with a power of 100 W each, then the subwoofer should have at least 400 W. In addition, both rated and peak power must be taken into account.
2. The equivalent volume of the subwoofer is calculated taking into account the power of the speakers. However, the car interior has volume limitations, which means that before purchasing speakers it is necessary to calculate their maximum allowable dimensions. It is also very important to choose the right location for installing the device.
3. When choosing the type of subwoofer, you should take into account the desired level of sound quality and the parameters of the head unit. If it has enough power to drive it, a passive speaker system can be used. If the power is not enough, it is recommended to use active options, or you will have to use an additional amplifier.

Location of the subwoofer in the cabin

For proper operation of the subwoofer, it must be installed taking into account the specific body type:

1. In station wagon cars, the subwoofer should be directed with the bass reflex and speaker towards the rear of the car.
2. If the body is a hatchback, it is best to position the device so that it is directed towards the roof of the car or the trunk door. If directed towards the back of the seat, loss of sound quality may occur.
3. The sedan body assumes that the subwoofers are directed towards the rear seat. In this case, the gap between the subwoofer and the seat should be at least 8 cm.