So, you are looking to add some bass to your car audio system.  Well, subwoofers are a great place to start adding that wanted bass.  Overdrive Electronics will give you some tips on what to look for and what to choose for your system.  If you didnt' know, subwoofers are just speakers that have only one purpose and that is to produce low frequencies.  There are many different types of subwoofers to choose from, so it is crucial that you pick one for your needs.  Lets remember that the biggest is not always the best for every vehicle or situation.  The great thing about subwoofers is that they can add great sound to any musical style.  Most think that subwoofers are just going to add deep bass to their music, but it all depends on how you put it together.  Lets discuss a few key factors to consider before jumping into the subwoofer search.

There are a few different ways to get subwoofers in your vehicle, so make sure you choose which one fits your needs.

Pre-assembled subwoofer and enclosure combo:  These are usually referred to as enclosed subs, which has a subwoofer pre-mounted in an enclosure and you can purchase it that way.  This is the best method for anyone that doesn't have time to work on a custom built system or enclosure for their subs.  This type is somewhat of a plug and play type.  Don't get me wrong about that though, because it takes time to install a subwoofer in your car, but having an enclosed sub, it takes a little less time.

Building a system from scratch:  This way is what a lot of car audio enthusiasts do because they can design how they want their system to look and sound.  The first step is to choose what type of component subwoofer that you want in your audio system.  The common sizes are 8" to 15", but you can obtain larger sizes if you wish.  After you choose your subwoofer, then you will need to select or build an enclosure, which is commonly referred to as a box.  These can a few different forms, such as sealed box, ported box, bandpass box, and then free-air.

Space Saving Sub systems:  Sometimes you have to think about the space constraints that you vehicle may have.  Subwoofer systems can take up a lot of space, but there is a solution.  You need to look for powered subs for your vehicle.  Now these work the same way as all other systems, but usually the amplifier and subwoofer are built into an enclosure to minimize the space that it takes up.  Most of the time, the subwoofer is smaller than most, like 8".  They still provide great bass for a stock audio system, but they do not perform as well as larger systems and do not provide large amounts of bass.  If you are looking for that and have the space for it, then go with a custom system or pre-assembled.

We are going to cover some common terms used with subwoofers, so you will be able to choose the right one for you and your car audio system.  You will see the term Power used often.  Now if you want a system to really work great, then you do not need to lack in the power department.  The key thing about power is that you need to focus on the RMS rating and not to the peak power rating.  The reason this is the case is because RMS measures continuous power handling and it will give you a better picture on what you subwoofer can do.  Another term to look out for is Sensitivity.  The higher the sensitivity level, the less power is required to produce the same results as a sub with a lower sensitivity level.  Please also pay attention to Frequency Range, which provides you with some insight to how low your subwoofer can play.  Along with everything else, please make sure you look at the Impedence.  Most subs are rated at 4 ohms, but there are some others that you can find as well.  The best thing to do is make sure you get an amplifier that matches up with your power level and impedence.