Where Is The Best Position For Subwoofer In Car?
Car subwoofers are currently tremendously popular thanks to their ability to produce low pitches. Car owners into lively music know that riding without bass is tedious. Yet, a question that sparks debates is where the best position for subwoofer in car is and if the wrong placement can reduce your sound experience.
Thus, we’ve compiled this guide to help you choose the correct position for your subwoofers in a car.
How Does The Placement Affect Sound?
It is imperative to consider its position mindfully to get the best audio quality out of your subwoofer.
By researching the different placements available in your vehicle, you can ascertain that the equipment is in the most favorable position to deliver the desired sound.
Many people think that subwoofers produce the same sound in any area inside the vehicle, which is totally wrong.
If you treasure the bass output, you need to keep away from setting a sub with a loudspeaker pointing to the vehicle floor. It would be better if the sub faced sideways or the car’s front.
These placements often offer the highest sound balance throughout the car and help prevent chassis vibrations.
What To Consider Before Placing Your Subwoofer?
Consider how much free space you have in your automobile
When discussing the best placement for a car subwoofer, our audio experts advise you to weigh up the below factors carefully before deciding.
Your Car’s Available Space and Size
The free space inside your vehicle will significantly determine the place of your sub. If you don’t have a generous space, buying a not-too-big model that can seamlessly fit into that space is advisable.
On the other hand, if there is plenty of space inside your car, you can buy more sizable subs, but remember not to use all the free space you have.
Don’t worry about the size of your subs, as it doesn’t affect how forceful or deep the audio output is.
Large Car
You should invest in a sub enclosure specifically designed for sealing subs that are 12 x 15 x 18 inches if your automobile is large and the back has a lot of space.
You can replace the installed sub with a new one if you are not satisfied with the current audio quality, even though the new model is usually for a more sizable enclosure.
Small Car
A solution for small-sized automobiles is to seal your subwoofers with an enclosure of 8 x 10 inches maximum.
Any larger product will require more space and leave little room for your speakers or other stereo equipment.
Number and Type of Subwoofers
While some people prefer to install multiple subwoofers in their vehicles, others would rather have just one.
Again, you’ll need to consider the free space to determine how many subs to install. If your vehicle can handle more than one piece of equipment, go ahead.
But don’t take advantage of your cargo space. If the inside gets too cramped after installing new subwoofers, it’s better to cut down on the number.
Your vehicle’s size also plays a large role in determining what type of sub to choose.
While some people are more fond of sound produced by the speakers’ bottoms (down-firing), others would like the sound to originate from the front (up firing).
What Is The Best Position For Subwoofer In Car?
The best placement for subwoofers in a car trunk is under the front seat or with speakers that face up.
If you wish the bass to be booming and loud, place it so that it heads toward the front or down. If you prefer a greater sound balance, facing the equipment towards the rear is more reasonable.
We shall explore the upsides and downsides of different placement options and how they affect the output. Let’s go!
Under Your Front Seat
The best place in most cases is under your front seat
We’ve tested various placements and found that this option delivers the best audio output (regarding our personal preferences).
You’ll need to install two subs under the co-driver and driver’s seat. We recommend going for products of eight inches – smaller than those in the trunk.
Yet, they will generate a better effect if you want to place the subs under the front seats firing upwards.
Because they are near the center area of the vehicle’s length, they will ensure the same sound effect from the front to the back.
It is best to use the subs with the door speakers accompanying them. The matching components will foster the sound quality significantly.
Yet, the downside is that there have to be two pieces of equipment, not one. Two products will definitely cost more than one single large one.
Besides, you have to tune the two devices’ output settings because they are not similar in different cars.
We want to emphasize that the best sub placement for us is not necessarily the best option for you because different factors can affect the final result.
Notably, your car type is among those factors because hatchbacks are usually smaller, SUVs stand higher, and sedans have a greater length.
Thus, you may not find the sound from subs under the front seat satisfying your expectation. Still, in most cases, it works!
Facing The Rear Seat
Let the subs point to the travelers
Another wise strategy for planning your subwoofers is to let them face the rear seat or toward the travelers in the vehicle. In other words, they confront the automobile’s back.
There’s no rule that subwoofers have to be only in the front or near the loudspeakers. Different sub and automobile designs fit different arrangements.
You can confront your equipment toward your back, and the bass will be pleasant and reach every corner of the car.
In this position, the sound will come out clearer and noisier. And it applies to those who do not mind if there’s staggering bass mixed in.
Towards The Trunk Hatch
We strongly recommend this strategy for those having a cramped space and attempting to save room for other stuff in the cargo space.
Heading the sub toward the trunk hatch will deliver louder bass without too much space.
This arrangement offers high treble and frequencies and crisp sound. Also, it will not rattle loose components in your vehicle.
If you install your aftermarket woofer correctly, you will get such smooth and fresh bass that your travelers wouldn’t know where you installed it.
You’d better experiment with different corners to find the location with the best impact on the audio output.
For instance, with a sub placed in the right corner of the trunk, the drivers hear louder sounds, but the passengers will hear smoother bass responses.
Facing The Boot
Position your sub so that it heads against the back seats
Another popular arrangement is to place your subs to the boot or against the back seats.
This placement will help create audio dispersion in the car and make it sound as natural as possible without any interruptions.
If you are looking for a location where the subs can deliver powerful bass to the driver’s seat, this direction is right for you.
You’ll be content with the hard, noisy sounds flowing along this path. The toward-the-booth direction is the go-to option for numerous bass lovers.
On The Side
This strategy is particularly suitable for some models that stand vertically on the trunk’s side.
The on-the-side arrangement is unsuitable for most aftermarket subs due to the particular shape needed. People often go for it when installing factory subs in high-grade stereo systems.
A prominent advantage of this direction is that it can generate more balanced sounds throughout the car and will barely cause vibrations.
Nonetheless, remember that subs placed on the side will take up plenty of space.
Therefore, this arrangement doesn’t apply to small vehicles unless your sub is no more than eight to ten inches large.
Tips for Positioning Subwoofers in Your Car
Seal your subs properly with an enclosure
- Set the amp’s low crossover to about 100 Hz, then play a song to test the system. This way, you can find an ideal crossover point for your sub.
Learn how to quickly and properly set your sub amp crossover by watching this tech talk:
- Check if the subs move too frequently and listen carefully to the audio to identify any distortion. Most systems function well between 80 and 85 Hz.
- To troubleshoot vibrations, apply a polyurethane-based product to the trunk (though it is relatively costly).
FAQs
Car owners who don’t have much experience in audio technical issues may have many questions about installing subwoofers in cars.
Here are the most commonly asked ones.
Does Subwoofer Placement Matter In Cars?
Subwoofer placement is always a significant factor affecting the sound, regardless of your type of car. There are directions where the bass will sound louder than others.
Do Subwoofers Hit Harder Facing Up?
Subs pointing upward offer more solid sound quality and a storage compartment. That’s why this is one of the best directions to face your equipment.
It helps subwoofers hit harder and louder than when facing the back. The closer the sub is to a seat, floor, or wall, the noisier it is.
How Do I Make My Subs Hit The Hardest?
One of the easiest and most popular methods is to supplement your equipment with phase shifters or filters.
Minor upgrades will also improve its capacity and make it hit harder. For example, buy a new sub enclosure, replace the old voice coil, or change the tiny cone in the front.
Why Is My Subwoofer Not Loud?
There are numerous reasons for subwoofers not sounding loud.
- An improperly polarized array of subs
- Motor failure
- Unsuitable amplifier size
- Underpowered subwoofer
- Poor program source configuration or microphone
- Low-quality room acoustics
- Improper speaker settings
- Lowered-bass level
The Bottom Line
Choosing the best position for subwoofer in car is confusing as what applies to ‘A’ might not apply to ‘B.’
The wrong placement makes you unhappy with the sounds and wastes your money on such an expensive piece of audio equipment.
The wrong placement makes you unhappy with the humble sounds and wastes your money on such an expensive piece of audio equipment.
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