4 Mistakes that Kill Bass - Car Audio Subwoofer Improvements!

When you install an aftermarket subwoofer or speakers into your vehicle you want to get as much performance as possible. Unfortunately though there are four things that can easily lead to poor bass response. In this video we talk about how to potentially fix a lack of bass or subwoofer output.

▼ Tools and Materials:

🔊 Want more? Check out these links:

🔊🔊🔊 FULL VIDEO SERIES PLAYLISTS:🔊🔊🔊

Here at Car Audio Fabrication I teach you how to Master Car Audio in an effort to Design, Build, and Install your ideal car audio system. Whether you are a hardcore basshead or a HiFi focused audiophile I would love to have you subscribe and join our community!

--SUBSCRIBE--

--SUPPORT—
Early Access to Videos, Secret Videos, Direct Messaging for Questions:

--LET”S CONNECT!—
Instagram: @caraudiofab
Snapchat: @caraudiofab

Music:
Switch It Up - YouTube Audio Library
Dark Lotus Sting - - YouTube Audio Library
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Car Audio Fabrication – Master Car Audio – Design, Build, Install

[NVzla]

Big shout out to bassheads who began their life as an audiophile using home speakers in the trunk. ✌
EDIT* Extra shout out to all of you out there who dropped a comment like you drop bass.*

[airdreams]

Even though I'd been into stereos since the late eighties, I still watch a lot of these videos. You're never too old to learn something new or possibly see something you've overlooked or even forgotten. Not to mention things have changed over the years. Not drastically but enough that it does make a difference.

[tonytostada]

This is wonderful information my og grandma can now correctly install her 2 18" subs into her hatchback and listen to her classic tunes of a timeless era.

[surianath]

I won’t lie, this is one of those expensive hobbies

[cheetor]

I'm actually quite impressed by this video... this dude actually knows what he's talking about(which I've found, somewhat lacking in the car audio world).. and He's good at communicating what he knows in plain English without confusing people by the more maths heavy aspects of Thiele/Small parameters that bamboozle many folks.

[matt]

Rule #1 for bass - there is no replacement for displacement. Cone area and XMax are critical. If you want big bass, the largest woofer you can fit into the car is the approach to take. But consider sensitivity as well. Some subs have great specs, but sensitivity so low you are going to have to put huge power into them to generate the same SPL as a lesser woofer.

Rule #2 Adding subs is not as effective as having a good sub in there the first place. Double the subs is NOT double the bass. You get like, 3-6 dB more output. So, generally speaking, I'd rather spend about $200 on an awesome sub than $100 on two OK subs in a car environment. You save room and money. In a home environment, the logic shifts - 2 good subs are generally better than one great sub, because you can get more even in-room response even without EQ.

Rule #3 Double the power is NOT double the bass. 100 watts to 200 watts gleans 3 db or so if the sub can handle it. 200 to 400 gains another 3 db, again, if the sub can handle it. Yes you want to match amps to speaker capability to the greatest extent possible, but in my experience you mainly just want to be sure you can achieve the volume you'd like to listen at without clipping anything.

Rule #4 Marcus forgot to talk about a very important spec - Sensitivity! Assume you have a sub that can do 85 dB @ 1 watt. Then you have a sub that can do 95 dB @ 1 watt. All other things equal, the higher sensitivity sub will play louder with less power than the less sensitive sub. Remember, the "first watt" is really important in the speaker world. With 100 watts, you can drive another 20 dB or so, so speaker A is at 105 dB and speaker B is at 115 dB! For the next 10 dB, you need 1, 000 watts, and not many speakers can take that kind of power. A lot of subs out there can do something like 82-86 dB/watt, so cone area and stroke become the next predictors of achievable output. A speaker with 3 dB greater sensitivity is like being able to cut your power in half for the same output. That matters planning your system (AND your budget). Yes Yes I know - cars routinely can hit well over 100 dB, and even 120-150 dB. But for the "average" guy like myself, I need a system that can probably play 70-80 dB on average, with 95-100 dB peaks. It will be vastly easier to get there with more, not less sensitive speakers that make better use of less, not more power! I mean how many of you have a 150-200 amp alternator? Exactly.

Rule #5 This I am less sure about. In a car, you get crazy amounts of cabin gain. So, assuming your subwoofer measured perfectly flat, at what frequency, and rate, should the bass be allowed to roll off? "Full range" music generally reaches down to about 40 hz. Do you need incredible output at 20 hz? No. Do you need some response in the 30hz range? Yes, for the synthetic bass stuff. What is a good rule of thumb, or "target curve" for an in-car subwoofer? According to Audiofrog, you can expect a good 5-20 dB of cabin gain from 60hz down to 20 hz (increasing gain for decreasing frequency). That's a ton. You can easily be down 5-10 dB from 60hz down and still expect to hear good output in the sub-bass frequencies. If you are all about sound quality, a slow roll-off will be rewarded with a "natural" bass boost. IF you build a ported box, which roll off at 24dB/octave, than only a bigger box will generally let you achieve extension. But then the extension might increase the "boom" so much you'll need to play with levels / EQ to get a proper integration.

Rule #6 - Group delay. Yes you can build any box you want, designed for output or convenience, or sound quality or whatever. But having a lot of group delay (above 400-500) probably leads to a "slow" "muddy" sounding bass. Not all woofers are going to like being ported. And not all ported woofers are going to sound stellar unless designed a certain way. Sealed boxes tend to have low group delay, but less "slam", and the "tightness" can sometimes take a bit of the fun out. Personally, in a car, I lean toward ported boxes that allow for some added energy in the 30-50hz area. I hate to plug a company, but the JL Audio Microsub, the 8 inch, truly impressed me with Bass that had some guts, could ALMOST reach all the way down in the songs I played with the most bass, and still managed to sound pretty tight and well behaved as if it were designed for sound quality. If WINISD is correct, it had a pretty slow roll off, and low group delay down to 30 hz or so. A great design, in other words.

No one cares. But I am sharing anyway! Thanks.

[jasonwaters]

Mistake 5 the gain and bass boost on the amplifier should not be cranked all the way up. Seen too many subs get clipped to death because the gains weren't set properly.

[rogerlane]

Hey, I made it to the end of the video. Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to explain car audio. I learned much of it through trial and error as a kid. I'm now 52 but still love my music LOUD! Loud isn't enough though. It has to be very clean and have enough bass to rattle my old bones. I've watched several of your vids thus far and the only thing I'd add is this....Be careful when upgrading your alternator. An alternator that has too much output can destroy your car battery and lead to overcharging issues. So, if you upgrade your alternator and end up replacing your car battery a couple times a year, you likely have a overcharge issue.

[TeeJay-ripl]

I was tryna learn about speakers, I think I’m just gonna learn Chinese instead

[stevenwashington]

Thanks for the videos man. I used to install professionally, but that was 20 years ago. Some things have changed, some hasn't. But watching your video's is giving the confidence to tackle my new project. I am doing a custom install in the floor of my cargo area of a 2004 Ford Explorer, while still having full use of the area by not having an enclosure just sitting there.

[danielprivate]

Also, new speakers and especially subs have a break in period. The difference in sound between the day you install and tune and a month or two later is noticeable. Be prepared to retune your settings several times in the first year of your install.

[donaldmiddleton]

Thank God someone that knows what they are talking about

[brandonc]

Just want to say thanks for the videos... Took out my Mach speakers in my Mustang convertible, upgraded the head unit, upgraded speakers and did it through two different installers; I realized only after that I needed to do much research before jumping in (Planning phase of your other video), as the sound is lack luster... With COVID freeing up my time, decided to jump back in to make a great sound experience in my car and your videos are helping the path.

[ultimo]

Honestly I wish the videos were longer. I learn alot but I'm always itching for more

[chrishunt]

Please do a video on speaker power and watts. People go around the internet with 20, 000 watt audio in their car. And I come from a professional audio background in theater and concert. and know for almost certain fact that this is not possible in a car running off 12 volts DC, and maybe 250 amps if they really went all out on their alternator. I don't think that most people realize that a normal auditorium system runs off of maybe 600 watts. And most concert systems use maybe 5000. Full on ampitheaters use at most 40, 000 and that's to broadcast deafening audio to 15, 000 people. And these settings practically need their own transformer stations to do it. Not to mention entire rooms of professional grade amplifiers to accomplish this. Even auditorium systems that run on up to 5000 watts typically run off of 6, 50 amp circuits. And systems larger than that typically get into three phase or parallell three phase current to feed all this amplification. That adds to 416 volts. And yes I know that is alternating and not direct. But there is a disconnect here. I cannot see how a car can legitamately power audio past around 5000 watts rms. The math just doesn't seem to check out. And if these systems are actually running true 20, 000 watts, why aren't these people having blood come out their ears? As 20, 000 watts can deafen you from 100 yards. And provide bass to rattle your bones from even further. Hell back in school I made panels fall from the ceiling in an auditorium running 14 inch subs at 2000 watts at 4 ohms. But if I go out and buy 2000 watt subs for my car running at 4 ohms each it barely compares. Where is the disconnect?
Not to mention if I tell any audio engineers I have 4800 watt subs in my car they laugh. Because if I ran 4800 watts in a couple JBL M Pro's in my car, I would probably break a window. Not to mention go completely deaf.
If you actually read all this I'm impressed because this seems to be an avoided topic between these two professional audio worlds. And I have yet to find someone that will actually explain it.

[jbambamtex]

Made it to the end! We can always pick up a tip here and there. Besides I like hearing someone who is educated!
I’m a long time bass head (just turned 50), but still watch your videos. My first system was 2 Stillwater Designs (Kicker) 10’s on a Punch 45 (Rockford Fosgate) behind the seat of an s-10. My last was 4 X v.3 18’s (no wall) on an SFB 8k @1ohm, lots of highs and mids on 3k, 320 alt, 4 AGM’s, and 2/0 in a Tahoe.

[KidFury]

Not only did I make it to the end, I loved every second of your explainations. I am a 40 year old confessed basshead. I had multiple "systems" in my teens and early 20s. I made a lot of mistakes then and after 20 years of missing that chest pounding bass I am planning to have a bit of a 'mid-life crisis and reinstall some window cracking thump. However, this time I will do it right and your videos are extremely helpful in my journey. BTW I am thinking of starting with a single 12" sundown nsv4 (properly boxed and powered) to start. I think that should be enough.

[briancyr]

I also made it to the end. Just bought a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee and totally not impressed with the stock Alpine 9 speaker stereo. I used to be a DJ back in the day. Also has a kicking Alpine stereo with JL Audio 10” subs in my YJ in the 90’s. I know what sounds good. These videos are helping me make the decision to upgrade to something that is going to satisfy my ears. Keep’ ‘‘em coming Mark.

[jeffhoffman]

I'm a new be but watching and listening to the words of wisdom from you helped me big time .I am hooked on this and thank you for doing what you do and I have watched your videos to the very end every time and will continue to do so most importantly. Your videos have brought me closer to my little brothers and now we talk about car stereo system every day .I have a boat that I want to be heard from space I already have leds so I can be seen from space. I wish you could help me with the system so that could be my number best thing for myself and this helps me with my depression and has helped me deal with drugs that I have been battling my whole life. I'm 53 and drugs use is a problem because of my father taking his life in 1981. Cocaine is the problem and no matter what or who go drugs are everywhere. Music has always made me feel. And the last couple years. Have been hell .the videos you post have given me back some purpose in my life. Drugs have taken everything that made me happy away once I got the stereo fix from your videos. Life is different. It has even made me clean my life. My home. My car and do on thank you so much .. only wish one thing. Please help me with my boat this spring. Unfortunately I live in boring bay City Michigan. Blocks from the Saginaw river. In NA I learned this what are you gonna do when drugs don't work anymore .... Your words and wisdom. Is better then any drug I have ever done. That's the truth. Thanks and I sure hope you read my story. I would feel again I don't have feelings anymore .the only thing I do love is water. And u don't want to lose that. Like everything else in my life

[jace_Henderson]

Another good way to test the polarity of your speakers if they are labeled wrong is to take something like a 9v battery and see where the + and - of the battery is when the speaker moves and stays up.