Most often, a subwoofer is installed in a car when its owner is not satisfied with the sound quality of the standard audio equipment, since the car radio, together with the installed speakers, does not allow listening to music in the cabin at a high level. Small full-range speakers cannot reproduce bass frequencies well, and when the volume level is increased, severe distortion occurs. Some people buy an amplifier first and then a subwoofer, others do the opposite. How to choose an amplifier for a subwoofer in a car and not make a mistake when buying. A very important point is the selection criteria for the low-frequency unit.
What amplifier is needed for a subwoofer
Automotive low-frequency amplifiers can be of the following types:
- Single channel
- Dual channel
- Four-channel
Low-frequency designs for sound amplification with a different number of channels are used extremely rarely. Selecting an amplifier for a subwoofer depends on several factors. First of all, this is the power of the woofer.
Devices with one channel (monoblocks) are designed to connect only one speaker system. Most often it is the subwoofer. The choice of a monoblock for a subwoofer is justified in the case when the front and rear speakers of the car system provide high-quality and comfortable sound in the cabin and only good bass frequencies are missing. The monoblock is assembled according to a class “D” circuit, allows operation with a low-impedance load of about 1-2 Ohms and provides high output power. The unit has a built-in effective low-frequency crossover and the ability to connect an external gain control. How to choose an amplifier for a subwoofer.
The two-channel module is designed to connect two speaker systems. Most often they are used to connect a powerful subwoofer via a bridge circuit or to drive a loudspeaker with two voice coils. A four-channel ULF can be used in different configurations. These can be 4 speakers or two front speakers and a low-frequency channel connected by a “bridge”. A block with four amplification channels is often used to connect two subwoofers. A five-channel unit can be used in case of complete abandonment of the standard car sound reproduction system. This allows you to replace the front and rear speakers with better ones and add a low-frequency channel to the sound system.
Rating of car amplifier manufacturers
Choosing a manufacturer is another important step when purchasing a car amplifier. We have compiled a selection of the 10 most reliable companies on the market according to experts:
- Sony _ A popular Japanese manufacturer that produces all types of equipment, including audio amplifiers. Sony devices are famous for their excellent build quality and advanced features.
- Pioneer . A large Japanese brand, one of the leaders in the audio equipment market. Pioneer produces audio amplifiers of all types: inexpensive, mid-priced and premium models. By purchasing equipment from the manufacturer, you can be confident in its quality and durability.
- Alpine . French manufacturer with a worldwide reputation. In the Alpine range you can find amplifiers of all types. The company produces mono amplifiers and multi-channel models to suit any budget.
- Ural . A Russian company that produces amplifiers no worse than American and Japanese brands. The peculiarity of Ural products is that they are created taking into account the climate and the condition of Russian roads. This ensures that the device will last a long time if used carefully.
- Hertz . Italian brand, a major player in the audio equipment market. Manufactures high-quality speaker systems, subwoofers and other devices. Hertz amplifiers are famous for their reliable assembly and good performance.
- Blaupunkt. A German audio equipment company with almost 100 years of history. Blaupunkt has many inexpensive but high-quality models in its assortment. Therefore, if the budget is limited, then it is worth buying amplifiers from Blaupunkt.
- Swat . Another domestic manufacturer included in the rating. The company's equipment is developed taking into account the harsh Russian climate, so it lasts a long time if used carefully.
- Keenwood . Japanese audio manufacturer, founded more than 70 years ago. Keenwood amplifiers are reliably assembled and are not inferior in functionality to models from Sony and Pioneer.
- JBL . This American manufacturer is remembered by users for its portable speakers and headphones. However, JBL also produces car amplifiers, and they are quite good, with an adequate price.
- EDGE . British manufacturer of car acoustics. The sound amplifiers of this brand are reliable and durable (most models have protection against overheating and voltage surges).
There are other reliable manufacturers that were not included in the selection. For example, ACV, Magnum or Mystery.
How to choose an amplifier for a subwoofer
To understand how to choose an amplifier for a subwoofer, you need to understand its main characteristics. In addition to the number of channels, the following parameters can affect the quality of the sound reproduction system:
- output power
- frequency range
- Distortion factor
- Availability of filters
- Number of power supplies
Output power is considered a subjective parameter, since equipment manufacturers mislead buyers by indicating output kilowatts. You need to select a device only by its rated power, which is measured at a distortion factor of 1%. When measuring maximum or peak power, distortion is not taken into account at all, so listening to music on it is impossible.
The frequency range of car amplifiers for a subwoofer is approximately the same and corresponds to those sounds that are well perceived by the human ear, however, many manufacturers indicate exorbitant frequency values in order to unjustifiably increase the price of their products. The harmonic distortion factor depends on the power. The higher the power, the higher the percentage of distortion. On household ULFs, the distortion factor is measured at a frequency of 1000 Hz at rated output power.
The choice of amplifier for a subwoofer depends on the availability of useful options. Special filters and adjustments are very important for high-quality reproduction of low frequencies in the device. There may be several of them:
- LPF
- Bass Boost
- Subsonic
An LPF or low pass filter cuts off the range above a certain value. So, if a low-frequency channel must operate in the band from 40 to 150 Hz, then everything above interferes with the operation of the channel. In fact, the filter is not able to completely remove high frequencies, but only greatly reduces their level. BassBoost is an equalizer designed to boost low frequencies. The spectrum of a low-frequency signal contains overtones that are not audible to the human ear. They negatively affect the performance of the loudspeaker and can cause damage to the cone. To remove these frequencies, a Subsonic filter is used.
When selecting a multi-channel amplifier for a subwoofer, you need to pay attention to the number of power supplies. An ideal amplifier should have a separate power supply for each channel. This is due to the fact that the power consumption of each channel is different and the low-frequency path, as the most active, will take up most of the energy. In this case, the power supply to other channels will be reduced, which will negatively affect the sound quality. Good quality four-channel systems are equipped with two power supplies, one of which powers the low-frequency channel and the other powers all the others.
A good low-frequency block should have two types of inputs on each channel - a high-level input (HighLevel) and a linear input (LineInput). This will allow you to easily build the desired configuration of the car’s sound system.
conclusions
The devices in question have many differences. At the same time, it is difficult to say unequivocally which device is better. To understand the differences between devices, it is worth considering the following:
- The monoblock helps enhance the bass.
- A monoblock is a single-channel device. At the same time, the remaining amplifiers have up to 6 connection channels.
- The main parameter of a monoblock is the input power. For an amplifier, sound quality is especially important.
- Amplifier class is A or AB. Monoblocks are often classified as class D.
- A subwoofer or speakers are connected to the amplifier. Only a subwoofer can be connected to the monoblock.
It is also worth considering that for 2 or 4 Ohms it is considered inappropriate to buy low-frequency amplifiers. If the device has a sufficient number of channels, it is possible to combine the connection of speakers and subwoofers.
How to choose an amplifier for a subwoofer based on power
When choosing, it is important that the output power of the device matches the load power. Which amplifier to choose for a subwoofer. There are three points of view on this problem:
- ULF power should be less
- These parameters must be equal
- The speaker power should be less
The rated power of ULF and dynamics are somewhat different from each other. For an amplifier, this is the value at which the output distortion coefficient does not exceed a certain value. The loudspeaker's rated power allows it to operate for a long time without permanent damage. The moving speaker system can be destroyed by mechanical or thermal effects. In the first case, this occurs due to the amplitude being too large. In this case, the diffuser or flexible suspension is destroyed. Thermal stress causes excessive heating and burnout of the voice coil.
What amplifier is needed for a 700 watt subwoofer
The main cause of overheating is clipping of the low-frequency block. This happens when the channel power is not enough. As the volume level increases, the amplitude of the signal is cut off, and its shape begins to turn from sinusoidal to rectangular. In this case, high-frequency harmonics appear at the channel output, which also causes overheating and breakage of the voice coil. For this reason, the option when the ULF power is too low is completely excluded.
If the power of the amplifier and the low-frequency speaker are equal, the following happens. The output of a car ULF is usually calculated based on the supply voltage of the car's on-board network. But in real conditions, it will not be possible to obtain a value of 14.4 volts at the supply terminals. The voltage will fluctuate noticeably during the performance of musical fragments, especially with strong bass. If additional devices such as windshield wipers, headlights, and heater are turned on in the car, the voltage will be even lower and the amplifier, as in the first case, will go into clipping. Therefore, equality of power must also be excluded.
To select an amplifier for a subwoofer in terms of power, a ratio is selected when the amplifier output is greater than the power of the subwoofer. An excess of 1.5-2 times will be normal. The only possibility here is to damage the loudspeaker - by sending too powerful a signal to the speaker. When the speaker is not overloaded, the sound is reproduced with excellent quality, the output transistors do not heat up and the chance of damaging the voice coil is minimal. For a 700-watt subwoofer, you need to take a 1.0-1.5 kW amplifier.
What amplifier is needed for a subwoofer 1000
To select an amplifier for a 1000 W subwoofer, you need to focus on a very large output of the low-frequency device. The corresponding device would be a low-frequency device of 1200-1500 watts. The Pioneer Gm D8601 sound system fully satisfies these requirements. The monoblock provides an output of up to 1200 watts into a 1 ohm load, is equipped with a built-in crossover, a low-pass filter and a Subsonic system for suppressing ultra-low frequencies. When selecting a subwoofer and amplifier for a car, you need to use large cross-section power and speaker cables to avoid possible energy losses. Selecting an amplifier for a subwoofer online is a simple calculator where you need to indicate the device’s supply voltage and current consumption. As a result, you can find out the power and resistance.
Number of channels
Monoblock
A single-channel amplifier is made specifically to work with a subwoofer; therefore, it has one channel and is characterized by increased power, sometimes to the detriment of sound quality. Choose it if you need a lot of loud bass.
Two channel amplifier
There is an opinion that a two-channel amplifier operating in a bridge (more about bridge connection) sounds more pleasant than a monoblock. It is worth choosing it as a separate amplifier for a subwoofer when you want “better quality” sound, perhaps at the expense of power or budget.
Four channel amplifier
You can connect a subwoofer to a four-channel system with a bridge, and use the remaining couple of channels for acoustics (for example, connect mids and tweeters through crossovers), thereby covering the entire audio system with one amplifier. But such an amplifier with enough power for a normal subwoofer will have a high price.
Five channel amplifier
This amplifier has a dedicated channel for the subwoofer and can provide channel-by-channel amplification (a separate channel for each speaker) of the entire system if you have a “two-room + sub”. A utilitarian solution, but this is not suitable for powerful, pronounced bass, since the all-in-one form factor does not allow you to squeeze in large fillings. But if you don’t have a loud and quiet system, you can choose this option, although the choice in five-channel systems is relatively small.
What amplifier is needed for a 1300 W subwoofer
In order to load such a low-frequency channel, you need a unit with an output of up to 3000 watts. You can select an amplifier for a subwoofer from monoblocks. The older model PioneerGmD9601 is suitable for this. You can also use a two-channel or four-channel ULF with a corresponding output, and connect the low-frequency channel using a bridge circuit. In order to select a subwoofer, amplifier and speakers, it is best to choose products from one manufacturer. To avoid problems during the operation of the sound system, you need to purchase products from well-known brands in specialized stores.
Price
Unfortunately, no matter how much you would like the opposite, the stubborn law of “better is more expensive” operates in the car audio market; there are exceptions, but they are quite rare. Therefore, you won’t be able to cheat fate and get super quality at a bargain price.
To figure out what price range to choose a subwoofer amplifier in, understand that an audio system only sounds as good as its weakest component. In other words, the advantages of one component cannot offset the disadvantages of another. This means that if you have an amplifier for 100,000 rubles, and a subwoofer for 3,000 rubles. then this combination will sound at 3,000, so balance and proper budget allocation are always necessary. Therefore, it all depends on your “appetite”.
