Car Subwoofers
When you stop at a light and the car beside you is shaking, the chances are that the thumping in your chest comes from its subwoofers. Subwoofers are among the most important car audio parts and accessories because they are the ones everyone notices. However, it's important to remember that your subwoofers are part of a complete car audio system, and to sound their best they need other accessories to work in concert.
Subwoofer EnclosuresYour subwoofer enclosure is more than just a mount. It's actually vital for getting the bass response you crave. Sealed boxes give you the best sound reproduction because the enclosure prevents the back of the speaker from cancelling out the front. Ported enclosures are less accurate, but are louder; they work well with hip-hop and R&B. A bandpass box is larger, featuring both sealed and open chambers. They focus the volume in specific frequencies.
Subwoofer AmplifiersWhen a car subwoofer makes your vehicle shake, it doesn't pull all that power out of thin air. It needs an amplifier to drive it, and the wrong amplifier can turn your subwoofer into a sub-tweeter in a heartbeat. You need enough watts to drive the speaker cones, and the amplifier has to be strong enough to do it against the resistance of all the speakers in the circuit.
Subwoofer PlacementOne advantage of subwoofers is that unlike other speakers, you don't have to be as careful about where you put them to get the best sound. Bass isn't directional, so you can't really tell if your subwoofers are in the trunk or under the seat. You just feel the sound all around you. As long as the wires can reach and you have enough room for the enclosures, you are golden.
Picking SubwoofersThere are many good brands of subwoofer out there. You can find excellent models, ranging from 8-inch car subwoofers to 15-inch car subwoofers and build a system around them easily. Just know what you want and what your vehicle can accommodate before you install it. The subwoofer is the foundation of your sound, but it needs the whole system to flourish.