Whether you’re an audiophile or just looking to get more out of your listening experience, upgrading your car’s sound system can make a world of difference. For most vehicle manufacturers, audio speakers are not considered a priority when producing a car. There is often a difficult balance between cost and quality and, as a result, factory speakers are often substandard. One simple way to enhance the quality of your audio system without breaking the bank is to add a subwoofer. This innovative loudspeaker is a game changer for bass lovers and EDM enthusiasts, enabling audio systems to reach a lower frequency and adding depth to the sound.
What is a subwoofer?
Your standard speakers don’t have the power or capacity to reproduce low frequency tunes, making bass heavy songs sound flat and distorted. This is where the subwoofer comes in. It’s frequency range is normally from 20 Hz to 200 Hz. Instruments that fall within this range include pipe organs, kick drums, bass guitars and more. When it is combined with a high-quality stereo, you should be able to actually feel the bassline.
Subwoofers work using a receiver or amplifier. The subwoofer receives low frequency signals from the receiver/amplifier via an electric current. It then amplifies and converts the current into sound waves using a magnetic coil. The coil does this by creating vibrations.
When purchasing a subwoofer for your car, there are several things to consider such as the size of the speaker, the RMS/amplifier power, the sound pressure level (SPL), and its enclosure type. Larger appliances will have a richer bass tone due to their larger capacities. This is why subs are usually installed at the back of the vehicle, either in the boot or under the seats. The SPL rating indicates the amount of power needed to produce a sound at a certain volume. Devices with a higher rating are more sensitive and therefore require less power.
Subwoofer illustration taken from buycarparts.co.uk
Active vs passive subwoofers
There are two main types of subwoofer: active and passive. Passive devices have to be connected to an external power source such as an external amplifier. In this sense, they are similar to conventional speakers, however, a lot more power is required to sustain them.They are commonly used in home theatre systems. Active appliances, on the other hand, include a built-in amplifier or other power source. Their design makes them easier to set up as they don’t require as many cables or a powerful receiver. However, they typically cost more than passive subwoofers.
