Subwoofers..

[Carrotchomper]

Can you tell I've been off the forum for a fortnight? All these random thoughts with no outlet!

When I got home today and turned my amp/home cinema system (Separates, with mahooosive speakers) back on the powered Celestion 100W subwoofer had developed a bit of a "Random buzzing" fault, so I switched it off.

I've been listening to music all afternoon, and it just doesn't sound right without it... Having just sorted out and fired up the sub again the difference is amazing...

I think my next car might have one. I understand the "Not just for Barryboys" line now!

As you were

 

[Inkyskin]

It's when you start putting neons around your subs that it starts to become barry Or when you start adding TV screens in unnecessary place - such as the front bumper...

 

[Gollom]

It's when you start putting neons around your subs that it starts to become barry Or when you start adding TV screens in unnecessary place - such as the front bumper...

Could you have video-in-motion then?

 

[Carrotchomper]

Now, screens flashing "Encouragement" and "Advice" notices to fellow motorists and pedestrians would be an excellent start!

 

[verytalldave]

Can you tell I've been off the forum for a fortnight? All these random thoughts with no outlet!

When I got home today and turned my amp/home cinema system (Separates, with mahooosive speakers) back on the powered Celestion 100W subwoofer had developed a bit of a "Random buzzing" fault, so I switched it off.

I've been listening to music all afternoon, and it just doesn't sound right without it... Having just sorted out and fired up the sub again the difference is amazing...

I think my next car might have one. I understand the "Not just for Barryboys" line now!

As you were

Unfortunately, most "sub-woofers" are nothing more than one-note bass bins. Usually tuned to give a boost at around 40-50Hz.Maybe a bit lower on some of the bigger units. This can clearly be heard as barry boys drive past in their Clios and Saxos belting out some obscure DnB track at 100 watts.
This is not true bass by any stretch of the imagination and is a pain to behold.
I am a member of another forum which deals specifically with high end fidelity and sub-woofers are a no-go area. Your normal speakers SHOULD be capable to extend down to give you rich real bass without resorting to artifical boost add-on units. If they dont, then change the speakers. Dont add on "sub-woofers".
Not unless you intend spending a small fortune on good quality speakers that WILL reach down to frequencies sub 20hz properly.
THIS is what you need if you want real earth shattering bass............
http://imf-electronics.com/Promon/index.html

 

[st13phil]

THIS is what you need if you want real earth shattering bass............
http://imf-electronics.com/Promon/index.html

Ahhh... Tranmission Lines: true trouser-flapping bass performance

Many years ago I had a pair of TDL Studio 0.5's on home demo but unfortunately my then lounge was too small to withstand the prodigious bass extension and I couldn't get them far enough from the back wall to get rid of a nasty boom. Sounded wonderful in a bigger room though, and the Studio 1's were even better.

 

[Howard]

I have a set of TDL RTL 3's in rosewood at home , made before TDL was bought out and the name cheapened ...

Love them , great speakers ... not a clue how they work , but i beleive they are transmission lines .... any way , they rock .

 

[crammy69]

I am a member of another forum which deals specifically with high end fidelity and sub-woofers are a no-go area. Your normal speakers SHOULD be capable to extend down to give you rich real bass without resorting to artifical boost add-on units. If they dont, then change the speakers. Dont add on "sub-woofers".
Not unless you intend spending a small fortune on good quality speakers that WILL reach down to frequencies sub 20hz properly.

Ive also been looking at options for getting better bass reponse in my Coupe. Have been recommended these speakers, in the spec on the Manufactureres website it says:
Frequency response / Übertragungsbereich:65 - 21.000 Hz

Does this mean that it will have the bass respinse you descibe? or am I totally misunderstanding?

 

[Sp!ke]

Unfortunately, most "sub-woofers" are nothing more than one-note bass bins. Usually tuned to give a boost at around 40-50Hz.Maybe a bit lower on some of the bigger units. This can clearly be heard as barry boys drive past in their Clios and Saxos belting out some obscure DnB track at 100 watts.
This is not true bass by any stretch of the imagination and is a pain to behold.

Unfortunately in many cars there really isnt much of an alternative to a sub bass unless you want to spend some serious money.

I invested in one for my coupe and it absolutely transformed the sound. OK, its not perfect but bang for buck, it more than satisfies my requirements.

 

[bolide]

Does this mean that it will have the bass respinse you descibe? or am I totally misunderstanding?

You will get virtually no bass out of a speaker less than 8" diameter

For a coupe you have a couple of options:

* mount a subwoofer in a box below the parcel shelf and vent it into the cabin through the first aid kit opening

* mount a sub directly into the parcel shelf and use the boot area as the speaker enclosure. This is known as infinite baffle

Lots of info at www.talkaudio.co.uk/vbb

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[crammy69]

You will get virtually no bass out of a speaker less than 8" diameter

For a coupe you have a couple of options:

* mount a subwoofer in a box below the parcel shelf and vent it into the cabin through the first aid kit opening

* mount a sub directly into the parcel shelf and use the boot area as the speaker enclosure. This is known as infinite baffle

Lots of info at www.talkaudio.co.uk/vbb

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

Cheers, given that the rear speakers are the original (not great ) ones, would it be of any value to just remove these speakers and put one of those boxed active subs in the boot? would sufficient 'bass' pass through the holes left by the speakers under the remaining factory grills?

 

[bolide]

Cheers, given that the rear speakers are the original (not great ) ones, would it be of any value to just remove these speakers and put one of those boxed active subs in the boot? would sufficient 'bass' pass through the holes left by the speakers under the remaining factory grills?

Probably not, no

The normal complaint with saloons & coupes is "No Bass!" You need to load the speaker into the car to hear the bass - hence linking the speaker to the body of the car via the First Aid kit opening

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Sp!ke]

I removed the first aid box and the backing of the lid in order to allow sound into the cabin. I also cut two further 6" holes in the shelf and covered them with small 6" speaker covers I had laying around.

This combined with the Infinity 10" sub works pretty well. Not earth shattering performance but plenty good enough for me.

 

[verytalldave]

Ive also been looking at options for getting better bass reponse in my Coupe. Have been recommended these speakers, in the spec on the Manufactureres website it says:
Frequency response / Übertragungsbereich:65 - 21.000 Hz

Does this mean that it will have the bass respinse you descibe? or am I totally misunderstanding?

It depends on how the frequency response was measured. Some manufacturers are more honest than others. Rarely do companies specify how they arrived at the figures and less mention anything like how flat the response is. Another factor worthy of note is that the interior of a car is about the worse possible environment you could devise to listen to music seriously. The enclosure you sit in is far too small to allow the bass to fully develop and "breathe". Its not worth spending too much on any audio product for a car and the speakers you quote will be more than adequate for your use. One also has bear in mind the law of diminished returns. A speaker costing £200 wont be twice as good as another costing £100. So you have to be sensible and spend an amount which relates to your own particular circumstances. If all you want to do is listen to Heart on you daily commute, then those will be fine. If however you are into heavily modified cars and see your ICE audio equipment as an extension of your p***s then you can easily spend £10K and more.
The son of one of my neighbours drives around in an old hatchback, probably worth no more than £500 in its basic form. He has spent thousands on the audio system. It all depends what you want.

 

[Alps]

The best way of getting bass into a merc is to remove the rear speakers, I replaced rear shelf speakers with rear door speakers , and upgraded the front speakers. I also dynamatted the rear shelf (amongst other things) and removed anything that rattled (first aid kit can be made NOT to rattle, so its still there). If you havent got anywhere to position rear speakers, then spikes way sounds good too.

If you totally remove rear speakers, then any rear seat passengers will only hear bass, not a good experience on a long journey!

 

[Alps]

If however you are into heavily modified cars and see your ICE audio equipment as an extension of your p***s then you can easily spend £10K and more.
QUOTE]

Dave, not all people into modified cars and ICE are as you describe them, so please watch what you say.

Ive spent a good deal on the ICE in my car because used to spend more time in my car than at home. If you drive alot, and like your music, then theres nothing wrong with spending money on your ICE.

Dont tar Barry boys with the same brush as genuine enthuisiasts with quality ICE installs.

 

[verytalldave]

Thats not quite what I said.

However, if I have offended by my remarks then I apologise.

My comments where primarily aimed at those where the cost of their audio install exceeded the value of the car, possibly by a factor of 10:1 or more and sit around in supermarket car parks late at night seeing who has the loudest ICE.

 

[Alps]

Thats not quite what I said.

However, if I have offended by my remarks then I apologise.

My comments where primarily aimed at those where the cost of their audio install exceeded the value of the car, possibly by a factor of 10:1 or more.

apology accepted, I can see where your coming from, but also keep in mind quality car audio is expensive and after a few years of owning a car can become worth more than your car!

example - i spent roughly 16K on my car abt 7 years back and its worth 4-5K now, my ICE would cost in excess of 6-7K to buy new, so initially it was worth less, but now ppl would see it as worth more than my car.... and its an on-going thing, im always upgrading, adding bits as the years go by.

 

[verytalldave]

Thank you.
Its not so much the cost, or even the relative cost, its how well the installation is accomplished. I am sure your install is of excellent quality and probably sounds fabulous. However, its those that dont really know what they are doing and spend huge amounts on an install that sounds less than good. Unmatched amplifiers and speakers. Poorly cabled and more lights than Blackpool seafront. It when a barry boy drives past windows down with the ICE up full blowing their poor speakers onto their stops on every boom. Thats what gets me.

 

[Alps]

agreed, pet hate is a slapped in cheap install which plays distortion. even cheap speakers can sound ok if they have been installed and setup correctly