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Subwoofers are an essential component of the modern car audio system. It enhances the quality of the songs and plays the otherwise inaudible low sound frequencies. A subwoofer acts as a loudspeaker, but the main difference between the normal speaker and a subwoofer is the type of sound frequency it plays. A subwoofer usually generates sound frequencies which range between 60 - 150 Hz.

Cars usually come attached with small speakers that do not produce low frequencies. Therefore, it is often beneficial to use a separate speaker for listening to the low frequency sounds. Subwoofers come in different sizes and thus they can perform optimally according to the surroundings.

While buying subwoofers one should have a detailed knowledge about subwoofers and about the sound system. It is not advisable to have a blasting effect of sound in your car. Car audio system must have amplifiers, woofers and subwoofers to get the right kind of sound effect inside the car.

As subwoofers are available in different sizes one should also know what the right size for his car is. Common sizes available are 8-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch and 15-inch. The larger the subwoofer, the lower the frequency it will produce. The size of the subwoofer will also depend on the size of the car and on the amplifier and the woofers. The right size will produce the right effect. One should also decide how many subwoofers to buy. Generally, people buy one or two subwoofers for their car stereo system. One is adequate for those who listen to classical, rock, or country music, while two are more suitable for those who like listening to rap, pop, or techno.

Now let us look at the different features of a subwoofer. Subwoofers normally have the features of ordinary speakers. First of all it will have a basket - the metal frame that holds all the components of a subwoofer together. The basket’s firmness and resistance to resonance help determine the subwoofer’s sound quality.

The box volume listed with each component of subwoofer indicates the recommended interior volume in cubic feet that an enclosure should have to get the best output from the subwoofer. One thing to be noticed is the damping factor which is the ability of an amplifier to control the movement of a subwoofer. The accuracy increases with a higher damping factor. An amplifier’s damping factor will decrease as the subwoofer’s impedance decreases.

While typical speaker drivers have one voice coil, some subwoofers have dual voice coil. Parallel wiring or dual coil is provided for maximum amplifier output. The ffrequency range is the range of sounds from the lowest to the highest that the subwoofer is capable of reproducing. The actual range can vary depending upon the type of box, crossover point, and the vehicle the subwoofer is installed in.

In order to get the polarity right, the positive speaker terminal must be wired to the positive amplifier terminal, and the negative speaker terminal to the negative amplifier terminal. Peak power is the amount of power the subwoofer can handle as a brief burst during a musical peak. An external power amplifier is required to drive any raw component subwoofer.