What to Consider When Buying a Subwoofer

A Fast Guide to Customizing Your Audio System with Aftermarket Subs

You’ve updated almost everything you can think of when it comes to your car’s audio system, but it still feels like something is missing. That’s because you haven’t installed the perfect aftermarket subs.

Car subwoofers add dimension to your listening experience, and beef up your vehicle’s bass. However, it takes a lot more than choosing the best subwoofer brands to get quality sound. Here’s a crash course on what to consider when you’re thinking about subwoofer installation in New Orleans.

How Do Car Subwoofers Work?

The sound that comes from your subwoofers is based on three major categories: the size of your subwoofers, the size of your enclosure, and the amount of power supplied to your subs. Here’s a fast guide on subwoofer vocab.

Subwoofer Driver or Passive Subwoofer

This is just a single subwoofer, and won’t work correctly unless it’s installed in a subwoofer enclosure. You’ll also need to get an external amplifier to give your subwoofer power. They range from 8 inches to 15 inches in size. The bigger your sub, the more air it can move to make deeper bass notes.

Amplifire

You need an external power source for passive subs. It’s important to choose an amp that can give your bass enough power to produce low-frequency sounds without drawing the power supply completely. Talk to your car audio expert about what amps are best for aftermarket subs.

Powered Subwoofer or Active Subwoofer

You can save a lot of space with powered car subwoofers, because they seamlessly combine your subs and amplifier. However, they have limitations on the amount of bass they can produce.

Subs for Specific Types of Vehicles

These subwoofers are made to fit in certain vehicles like trucks or SUVS and are designed to save space. They look sleek and stylish, but don’t offer big bass.

Sound Dampening Material

Sometimes, heavy bass can cause loose objects in your car to rattle, which can be annoying and take away from sound quality. Sound dampening materials, like rubber, are specifically designed to fit around your subs and speakers to absorb vibration.

Give Me the Details About Subwoofer Enclosures

Aftermarket subs need to be installed in a perfectly sized enclosure to produce excellent bass and perform optimally. If you cram your subs into a small enclosure, they won’t have enough air behind them to make quality sound.

It’s true that the bigger your enclosure, the deeper the bass notes are. However, if you choose an enclosure that’s too big, your subwoofers exceed their mechanical limitations, which results in poor sound quality.

Are New Car Speakers the Same as Car Subwoofers?

Your car stereo speakers are great for producing mid-range and high-pitched sounds, but they can’t play deep bass notes. That’s because bass requires serious power. Unfortunately, car manufacturers haven’t been able to figure out how to fit the right components in your small speakers to power quality bass.

Without aftermarket subs, you’re missing out on some of the most important parts of your favorite music and not getting the full experience from your infotainment center. You’re also draining power from your speakers when you kick up the bass. The right aftermarket sub installation makes every part of your audio system work at full capacity, so you get the best sound possible.

Can I Install Aftermarket Subs Myself?

Yes, you can find instructions online on how to install subwoofers, but you should leave enhancing your car’s audio to the professionals. Here are just a few things to that go into getting subwoofer installation right the first time:

• The right enclosure dimensions for quality sound

• An expert understanding of electrical theory, acoustics, and metalworking

• Correct tools for proper installation

• Access to high-quality audio components

Where Can I Find the Right Car Subwoofers for the Ultimate Listening Experience?

Ready to level-up your ride? Then come to Mobile One Auto Sound for incredible subwoofer installation in New Orleans! Our experts can customize an audio system that will blow your mind, not your speakers. We have only the best brands in aftermarket subs, amplifiers and speakers to match your car, truck, SUV. Come see the best subwoofer brands like JL Audio and Pioneer.

If you have more questions about our services or are ready to schedule an appointment for your vehicle, schedule an appointment online or visit one of our three locations in Metairie, Gretna, and Covington. A team member will be happy to help you get started on finding the perfect aftermarket subwoofers for you! Remember to ask about rear-seat entertainment, remote start, and window tinting, too!