We present an unusual design of an open-type subwoofer-type woofer, built on the basis of a 15-inch B&C 15PLB76 speaker. The loudspeaker has 400 watts, the amplifier has a total of 1000 watts and uses only a small portion of that power. The design means detailed and natural bass, small size, weight and ease of setup.
Key Differences Between Speakers and Subwoofers
Subwoofers (or subwoofers) and speakers produce sound, but that's where the similarities end. If your music has a lot of bass and sub-bass, regular speakers won't handle it. Speakers focus on mid and high frequencies, which is why they are used in computers and televisions. The components are perfect for voices, but you'll notice something is missing if you listen to the music.
If you want to hear low frequencies, you need to add a subwoofer. The subwoofer is only designed to reproduce the deep bass found in most music genres for a more balanced sound (more on the different types of subwoofers in our guide). One key difference to keep in mind is that you can use speakers without subwoofers, but you cannot use subwoofers without speakers.
Subwoofers
A subwoofer is designed to do one thing - reproduce low frequencies, and the frequency range of a subwoofer is often dependent on price. In fact, we have explored various subwoofers in one of our other articles. Professional subwoofers do have a higher price tag, but also have a frequency range of 100 Hz and below. Less expensive subwoofers typically range from 20Hz to 200Hz, which is sufficient for most types of music.
Most subwoofers are enclosed in a wooden case that protects the sensitive component, with a port or vent for sound. There are also two types of subwoofers: passive and active. The difference between them is that active subwoofers are equipped with a built-in amplifier. It can improve sound quality, but it also costs a little more than passive. There are other differences, which you can learn more about in our guide.
Of course, adding a subwoofer can greatly improve the sound quality, especially if you choose one from a reputable company like Polk Audio (on Amazon). Since the subwoofer handles the low frequencies, it frees up the speakers to reproduce the mid- and high-range frequencies for which they are better equipped by default.
As a result, the sound will sound cleaner and clearer, and the sound will fill more of what is called "sound image". While most casual listeners won't be able to hear the difference between higher-end speakers, a high-quality subwoofer is easier to tell apart due to the fact that lower-range frequencies are much easier to hear.
pros
There are benefits to adding a subwoofer to your sound system.
- The bass is deeper and the midrange sound is improved as it reduces the load on the connected speakers.
- The overall sound is improved at all frequencies.
- Reducing the load on the speakers thanks to the subwoofer allows you to increase the volume level without distortion.
- Because the subwoofer operates in a separate frequency range than the speakers, the sound is crisper and clearer than what you hear from full-range speakers.
Minuses
While subwoofers do improve sound quality, the components can have some issues.
- You cannot use the subwoofer separately. It only works with a connected speaker.
- Subwoofers are not always well designed, and this can mean problems with sound quality. This may even make them difficult to configure.
Advantages of compact buffers
Active subwoofer in a car under the seat
The career of any new product in car audio goes through several stages:
- Surprise of the public - wow, they came up with it! The news will “promote” the product until the technology ceases to be news;
- The second stage involves full acquaintance. If I may say so, the public will demand the device “on the carpet” at this stage in order to evaluate its declared advantages, to test it “by the tooth.” And at this period of career growth, many devices do not pass such an exam and are forgotten about, which explains the stop in production due to the gradual fading of demand;
- Finally, the third stage, from which no known device is immune, involves leaving the stage, no matter how shining and cloudless the device’s career may be. Time passes, priorities and demands change, fashion and everything connected with it undergo dramatic changes.
Active subwoofer in the car under the seat
Note. In the recent past, cassette recorders, CD changers, and video devices took place in such careers in car audio.
Today is the time for compact subwoofers to hit the carpet, having already matured enough and taken root in the world of car audio.
Compactness
Active subwoofer under the seat
First, let's figure it out, since when did compactness itself become a species-forming characteristic? It turns out that it did not become so on its own, but the transition from quantity to quality retains its relevance, if not in dialectics, then certainly in mentalities. Let's give an example of the volume of well-known standard subs:
- As a rule, if the buffer has normal technical characteristics, then the volume is equal to 90-100 liters, which definitely puts an end to the functionality of the trunk (nothing else will fit here), and it is impossible to install such a large speaker in the cabin;
- There are speakers with a volume of 30-60 liters, which is a little better. But again, it will take up a lot of space in the trunk, and access to the cabin is still closed to it;
- Speakers with a volume of 15-20 liters can be hidden in a secluded corner, but still in the same trunk.
Active car subwoofer under the seat
Note. Only when the volume of the buffer reaches a single digit is entry into the salon guaranteed. There is nothing left for him to do in the luggage compartment, because he easily fits under any of the front seats.
It is interesting that in this case attention is focused not only on compactness and size. The shape of the speaker is also important
So, no matter how small in size it may be, its square or “barrel-shaped” shape can negate all its advantages. A compact subwoofer must be flat and that's it!
Active car subwoofer under the seat
As surprising as it may be to hear, the form begins to dictate the content. In other words, the material of the housings will depend on the shape of the speaker. As a rule, the boxes of compact subs under the seat are cast from an alloy of aluminum and magnesium.
Note. It's easy to explain. If the body were made of plywood, as is customary, then, given the low height of the box, the walls would account for about 3-4 cm of thickness or, roughly speaking, half the volume of the body.
Subwoofer lanzar vctbs 8active, under the seat
Accordingly, the shape begins to dictate the speaker installation technology. In this case, everything is simple:
- Mounting the speakers involves installing them on a plane. In this case, the sound emitter must be directed upward;
- In no way should the head be positioned horizontally or even at a slight angle, as is the case with standard subs.
Emitters
As a rule, the drivers or heads in underseat subwoofers (see Installing an active subwoofer in your car yourself) are 8 inches. They are most often made in a “slim” design, which contributes to their convenient location in flat, thin cases.
Note. On the other hand, there are also heads whose size is much larger. 120 mm or 165 mm emitters are also placed in compact buffers.
Active subwoofers under the seat
You should not expect the following from both the first (8-inch) and second emitters:
- Serious sound pressure;
- Low nonlinearity indicators.
Naturally, much will depend on the design of the emitters themselves, but this does not exclude general patterns. Most underseat subs have a maximum sound pressure of 100 dB and no more.
Speakers
If you have a TV, computer, or even a smartphone, it has at least one speaker. Like subwoofers, there are two types of speakers: active and passive. Active speakers have a built-in amplifier, while passive speakers do not. Turning on the amplifier also means that the speaker or subwoofer must be connected to an external power source.
Both types of speakers have the same goal: to produce high-quality sound. Loudspeakers can reproduce high and low frequencies, only the intensity and clarity differ depending on the range. Lower frequencies will sound muffled or barely audible, while higher frequencies will be clearer and more defined, and instruments and sounds in this range will stand out more in the mix.
Unlike subwoofers, which can often only be purchased one at a time, speakers come in pairs to provide a more balanced sound. Each speaker is on a separate channel, left and right, so both work together to provide stereo surround sound, as opposed to a single speaker, which is called mono. If you add a subwoofer, you will have surround sound.
pros
Speakers have several advantages that start with price. Even if you want to replace factory-installed speakers, the components are often cheaper than installing a subwoofer. More importantly, you can also hear most frequencies with a regular pair of speakers, but the bass won't be as pronounced.
Depending on what you use the speakers for and the style of music, you may not need a subwoofer. Excellent speakers with solid low-frequency response, such as the Polk Audio T15 (on Amazon), can also do the job quite well.
Minuses
As long as you use quality speakers, there are very few downsides. The main reason is that you won't be able to hear deep bass either because the speakers are designed to reproduce higher frequencies. When speakers are used to deliver low-range frequencies, sub-bass sounds may appear muffled, unclear, muddy, or simply indistinct. More importantly, if the volume is too high, it can cause distortion or what is called "clipping."
Subwoofer under the car seat - always with music
Subwoofer under the car seat - installation of an active subwoofer in the car makes it possible to significantly improve the quality of the sound picture in the car interior. Juicy and elastic bass is formed, and rich dynamics and rhythm are clearly visible in the sound.
And what is important is that the rattling sound produced by plastic panels, which is typical when installing a subwoofer, is not observed. Therefore, I would like to share my experience of installing a subwoofer under a car seat.
The principle of installing a bass speaker under the seat
In order to integrate an active acoustic bass system under the driver's seat, you will need to purchase the appropriate acoustics or make it yourself. Personally, when I started implementing this project, I decided not to invent anything special in terms of making an audio system. Therefore, I did a simple thing - I bought an industrial-made bass speaker with dimensions suitable for installation. Moreover, the configuration of this subwoofer included all the necessary fastenings for the device. All this greatly facilitated the installation process. Moreover, in such a non-standard place as a niche under the driver’s seat.
Before you start installing the subwoofer under the car seat, it is advisable to carefully study the instructions that came with it. This way you will probably already know how to properly connect the amplifier and car radio, so you will avoid mistakes. Next, you will need to remove the seat from the passenger compartment, under which you intend to mount the subwoofer.
Wiring
Now you need to correctly route all the necessary wires and install the sub in the designated place. It must be secured in such a way that you can easily service it in the future. That is, you should be able to easily reach controls, fasteners, etc. with your hand. Otherwise, when you need to change, for example, the operating mode of the active subwoofer or there is a need to turn it off, then in this case you will need to remove the seat. And this will already constitute some inconvenience.
In this regard, you should accurately align the location of the device, which would correspond to its optimal position with free access to it. After this, start attaching it. First, you need to trim the rug a little, and then use screws to screw the dynamic emitter to the panels. In some cases, due to the design of the seat, it will be necessary to upgrade the strips that prevent the speaker from standing up normally.
In some car models, it is not possible to easily attach the subwoofer to plastic elements, then you can use wood material as the basis for mounting the subwoofer. But first, for an aesthetic appearance, cover the wooden base with felt in the corresponding color of the interior floor covering.
Power fuse
A 10A fuse must be installed in the subwoofer fuse block, which is connected in series to the positive supply voltage wire circuit. Voltage is supplied to the active subwoofer via a separate wire with the function of turning on the voltage when turning the key in the ignition. The control unit receives power via a wire connected to the cigarette lighter. In my car, the power cord ran along the left side of the cabin. In this case, it was necessary to slightly bend the covering material, and then temporarily dismantle the plastic facing elements of the threshold.
The entire wiring harness must be laid in a safety corrugated tube. This is due to the fact that water gradually accumulates near the thresholds of the cabin, which can harm the on-board wiring. The output of the power amplifier is connected to the subwoofer using speaker wires of the required cross-section. On the front panel of the device there is a knob for adjusting the bass.
At the final stage of installing the active subwoofer, you should check how the entire system works; if there are no complaints and everything works fine, then we put the seat in place.
How subwoofers are used with speakers
When subwoofers are used in conjunction with speakers, you will immediately notice an improvement in sound quality. This is due to the fact that subwoofers relieve speakers of the need to work with low frequencies. This allows your speakers to focus on the mids and highs they were designed to reproduce.
How to set up subwoofers
If you decide that subwoofers are necessary for optimal sound quality, or maybe you just want to hear more of the frequency spectrum, setting them up is usually easy. You may need to do a little tweaking to get the perfect sound, but connecting the components won't take much time.
Connect a subwoofer
Connecting a subwoofer to your home theater receiver is very simple. You simply connect the cable from the receiver to the subwoofer using the appropriate outputs and inputs. Not all receivers have subwoofer outputs, in which case you'll need a set of speaker cables. You connect cables to the receiver and subwoofer, and from the subwoofer to the speaker.
Most likely, the subwoofer came with diagrams depicting various setup options for ease of reference. If this is not the case, you can also do a little research online to find out the best way to set up subwoofers with matching speakers.
Adjust the subwoofer
You should see at least two dials on the subwoofer, although more expensive models may often come with additional ones. Find the volume and crossover frequency scales. The crossover frequency determines the maximum range that the subwoofers will reproduce. You'll have to spend a little time fiddling with the dial to get the "accurate" range.
The choice of crossover frequency also depends on which component the subwoofer is connected to. When it comes to adjusting volume, it's a process of trial and error. The best advice is to start with a medium volume and increase or decrease it until you get the sound you want.
How to check sound quality
Once the subwoofer is connected and configured, it's time to check the sound quality. This will also largely depend on the placement of the subwoofer. You want to make sure the subwoofer is not blocked by furniture, knickknacks, or other components because it will mute the sound even if the volume and crossover frequency are at ideal settings.
When you check the sound quality, it is recommended to sit in your favorite seat. Additionally, you want to play music over a wide range of frequencies. Many audiophiles recommend classical music because of the many different instruments available, including double bass, cello, and violin, to name a few, that cover almost the entire frequency spectrum.
Listen to whether the bass is clear and the treble clear, if you notice muffled or unbalanced sound, you may need to change the arrangement a little. If you are still not sure about the sound quality, you can download several applications on your smartphone that will listen for you. The app will analyze the different frequencies and notify you if any adjustments are required.
Connection instructions
For active subwoofer:
- Disconnect the PC from the network, prepare the audio system - buffer, speakers, wires.
- Connect the cables from the speakers to the subwoofer and the panel on the back of the system unit. Manufacturers, for the convenience of users, often produce plugs and connectors of the same color, so connecting such audio systems is a pleasure.
- Use a 3.5 mm Jack cable (white plug) to connect the speakers and sound card.
- Connect the sub to the card connector marked sub.woofer or sub. If this is not available, then the port for the side speakers is used.
- Connect the system and system unit to the network.
For passive subwoofer:
- Make sure your computer is turned off.
- Connect the sub and amplifier, and then connect it to the analog panel with a 3.5 mm Jack cable. Insert the second tulip into the amplifier. The method is suitable if the receiver has a connector for low-frequency devices. Otherwise, see the section on how to connect speakers to a computer.
- The sub connects to the central input (yellow) on the rear panel of the system unit. Don't forget to connect the cables to the microphone and line jacks.
- Plug in the system and boot the PC.
For passive speakers:
- Turn off the PC and prepare the receiver and speakers.
- The acoustics are connected to the amplifier using appropriate cables.
- The receiver is connected to the system unit.
Conclusion
Without speakers, your devices would have no sound. Almost all of your devices, from laptops and TVs to smartphones and tablets, have speakers. And while you can listen to a wide range of frequencies, there is a downside, and that is that the bass won't be as clear without adding a subwoofer.
Adding a subwoofer to your audio system is easy. The components may be more expensive than a pair of speakers, but if lower frequencies are important, this is what you'll want to buy. Lower frequencies will be deep and clear, and you will also notice an improvement in the mids and highs. If you're an audiophile or a bass-heavy person, you'll want to add a subwoofer to your audio system.
Recording source: https://thehometheaterdiy.com
