W-Body Car Audio
| W-Body Car Audio |
| Car Audio Basics |
| Subwoofers |
| Aperiodic Subwoofers |
| Infinite Baffle Subwoofers |
| Ported Subwoofers |
| Sealed Subwoofers |
Subwoofers
Why do I need a subwoofer?
Simply put, a subwoofer reproduces the lowest frequencies of the audio spectrum, and provides the oomph that most midbass and midrange drivers cannot reproduce.
What subwoofer is the best for my needs?
That depends. What is your goal? If you want SPL, go for a ported enclosure. If you want SQ, go with an aperiodic enclosure. If you're on a budget, go with a sealed enclosure.
If you have limited trunk space, an infinite baffle sub or aperiodic enclosure would be the best choice.
What determines my Subwoofer's box type?
You'll need to know two things: The driver's Fs (free-air resonant frequency) and Qes (the electrical damping factor). These two numbers are used to derive the Efficiency Bandwidth Product (EBP).
EPB = Fs/Qes
- EBP<50: The driver will perform best in a sealed enclosure
- EBP between 50 and 90: Flexible in selection, though higher numbers like ported boxes
- EBP>90: use this only in a ported enclosure, unless you like horrible bass.
Other notes:
If you can, make sure your subwoofer is crossed over no higher than 80hz. Any higher and it will draw attention to itself, pulling your soundstage back. Subwoofers don't reproduce higher frequencies too well. Don't fret if your midrange or midbass speakers can't play down to 80 hz. Even if they're at 120hz, you'll still have enough overlap to compensate.
Also, placement of the subwoofer is less critical than that of your midrange and tweeters, since frequencies below 120hz are less directional, especially in a small listening area such as a car.