SoundsGreat Car Audio Review

So, you’ve decided to add bass to your car audio system. First, congratulations! Without even knowing your specific system details – stock or aftermarket head unit, amplifier, and full or midrange component speakers – we can tell you that, properly installed, the result is virtually guaranteed to please. Adding a subwoofer or two to any decent-sounding stereo system that currently has none is one of the most obvious and simplest enhancements you can do to improve the overall quality of your listening experience.

If this is your first venture into automobile woofers and installation – or even if it’s not — you might be surprised at the variety of things you have to take into consideration. Beefing up your car sound system is not exactly the same as enhancing a home stereo system. One of the first surprises, if you’re brand new to this, might be the choice of a subwoofer enclosure, or “box,” as they are often called.

First of all, in case you’re wondering, yes you need one! Unless you decided to purchase a free-standing subwoofer designed specifically to be mounted without an enclosure, that is. (We’ll discuss those another time, but for now, if you’ve gone that route, we’re going to assume you had your reasons, and you already know what you’re doing.)

So assuming that you’re like most of us, you’re buying a subwoofer that needs a box…and here’s why: like all waves, sound waves bounce off of things and reflect. Another property of waves is that when two waves that meet up with one another, they combined together, with the result that they can either add or subtract from the sound you ultimately hear. The problem with low-frequency speakers is that sound waves coming from the back of the speaker typically reflect off of whatever is around, and left on their own, bounce back in a way that is very likely to cancel out much of the sound coming from the front of the speaker. You wanted bigger bass, and instead what you’ll get is indistinct, muddled sound. Not good.

Enter the subwoofer enclosure, or box. The simplest of these is a sealed enclosure. The speaker is mounted in the box, where all the sound from the front of the cone enters your car, and reaches your ear. And the sound from the back of the speaker…stays in the box, where it can bounce around all it wants until it dissipates, without ever interfering with what you hear.

The sealed box is the simplest subwoofer enclosure, typically the least expensive to buy, and also the easiest to build yourself, if you’re inclined to do so. For pretty obvious reasons, it produces the tightest, most accurate sound. That makes sealed woofer boxes a great choice for most listeners, and pretty much all types of music. For reasons that may not be so obvious to you yet, sealed enclosures typically require more power to achieve the same volume as some other types of enclosures. We’re going to talk about the other those types – vented enclosures (sometimes called ported enclosures), and bandpass enclosures — another time.

Are you looking for a quick, easy upgrade to your factory-installed, or aftermarket car stereo system? Adding bass with a subwoofer is one of the most obvious and ear-pleasing improvements you can make to your auto sound system. And If a simple, hassle-free installation is your objective, a powered sub may be just right for you.

Adding a subwoofer to your car audio system generally involves three components – the subwoofer (or multiple subwoofers), an enclosure, and an amplifier to power the speakers. Powered subs put everything together for you in a single package that generally saves space and makes installation about as easy as it can be. There are lots of choices out there, from budget-friendly tube style amplified woofers, to pre-loaded, amplified ready-to-connect enclosures, designed to match your vehicle, from top brands like MTX Thunderforms. If you want the added depth and richness of sound of a subwoofer with minimal hassle, you should at least consider one of these time-saving options.

And no, it’s not to shake the neighbors from their sleep from three blocks away with earthquake-level subsonic vibrations. With the right amplifier/enclosure setup, some subs — like this 1200Watt 15″ T1 Power Sub from Rockford-Fosgate — will let you do that if you really want to…we take no responsibility for the social consequences, ok?

It’s all about the depth and quality of the sound. Even the best quality, full-range car speakers cannot reproduce low bass notes with the same distortion-free clarity and efficiency as a subwoofer designed specifically for that purpose. Perhaps even more important, by pulling those low frequencies away from the smaller speakers in your car audio system, you greatly improve their ability to reproduce the rest of the dynamic range.

No matter what types of music you like to listen to, you’ll appreciate the substantial difference a subwoofer makes. If you’ve already got a good-quality car stereo system, but no subwoofers, it’s the simplest and most obvious enhancement you can make to your automobile’s sound system – and the payback will be virtually guaranteed. You’ll find plenty of choices to fit any budget, ranging from separate woofer, enclosure and amp components, to enclosed sub and amplified packages that simplify installation. You can even find ready-to-go, powered units designed to match the style and color of your vehicle’s interior. If this is the kind of installation you’re looking for, we’ve had success with MTX Thunderforms, and recommend them highly.