Subwoofer under car seat

Design and principle of operation

The device is compact in size and has a small amount of internal space. The design of a car subwoofer includes the following elements:

1. Frame. It is small in height and rectangular in shape.
2. Speakers. Products with a diameter of 15 or 20 cm are used.
3. Radiators of power switches. The built-in amplifier components are displayed on the side walls of the device.
4. Regulators for signal frequency and phase shift.

The compact under-seat subwoofer is suitable for installation in any car. The device has average technical characteristics; it does not show any special results. The subwoofer functions like this:

1. The bass is not loud and rich. The device is not capable of pumping the interior volume.
2. The operating frequency range is upper bass. The small body does not allow the device to reproduce low-frequency sounds.
3. The device has low power. Most often this figure does not exceed 150 W.

The above technical characteristics are enough to play audio files. The devices are quite popular among drivers.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the equipment in question include the following characteristics:

• short length of installation cables;
• saving useful trunk space;
• the ability to improve the sound quality of radios in a Gazelle, minibus or truck without luggage compartment.

Disadvantages of under-chair subwoofers include:

• lower sound quality (compared to full-fledged low-frequency amplifiers);
• vibrations that irritate the driver or passenger during operation of the equipment;
• difficulty of setting (you will have to crawl under the chair and turn the controls, some models are equipped with a remote control);
• overheating of the device when the climate system fans are operating;
• difficulties when installing in cars with low seats;
• risk of equipment damage when the feet of people sitting behind touch.

Install the amplifier in the car

Advanced car audio systems typically include an amplifier next to the head unit and associated speakers, which allows for greater intensity and quality of sound in the car. When buying a car amplifier, buyers usually face a big problem, and this is due to the fact that there is a very wide selection of this type of equipment in car audio stores. When choosing a car amplifier, you should familiarize yourself with its parameters and adapt them to your requirements. Our budget for a car amplifier is not without importance. It is worth familiarizing yourself with professional terminology so that when you review the technical characteristics of individual amplifier models, you will have an understanding of the characteristics of the amplifiers.

The main role played by a car amplifier is to process a low level signal into an equal high level signal. In general, amplifiers range from 20 watts per channel to thousands of watts per channel. The amplifier can be equipped with one channel, and the best devices have up to eight channels. Two- and four-channel power amplifiers are the most popular, although a mono subwoofer amplifier, which in many cases is used to create a professional car audio system, is a must.

A car amplifier has many of the characteristics of this type of device. These include built-in active crossovers, equalizers, signal processing and audio level inputs. When purchasing an amplifier, you should definitely look at its power rating. Not all power ratings listed on different amplifiers will be created equal. Manufacturers of low-quality car amplifiers use less than ethical marketing ploys to inflate the wattage ratings of their products. In reality, however, these amplifiers are much weaker than those produced by well-known companies in the market. The only true measure of an amplifier's power is its continuous power rating, called RMS.

A very important issue when choosing a car amplifier is its quality. Generally, a good sign of quality is that as the weight increases, the RMS power increases at the same time.

The quality of an amplifier is demonstrated by the size of the fuses used. This amplifier does not use 10A fuses, but 40A or higher. When purchasing equipment, you should consider the brand's reputation, which is most often associated with the high quality of the device.

The most important characteristics of car amplifiers include: bridging, channels, class, connectors, crossover, distortion, performance, output power, power supply, amplifier input and output, and output mode.

Bridging, called Bridgeable in English, is a feature that allows you to freely connect multiple channels to one that will have a higher output power. In general, a bridge is used to drive a subwoofer, but can also be used for any type of speaker.

Channels, or Channels, define the flexibility of the installation. Basically, the more channels an amplifier has, the more installation flexibility it will have. Simply put, the more you go, the better it is for you, because there will be no problem in the future to expand our car audio system.

The class, called Class, is a function related to the class of operation of the amplifier. There are many classes, but the most common are Class A, A/B and D. It is worth noting that amplifiers in Class A operation consume the least amount of energy, increasing their run time when the engine is off. They also have better sound quality compared to A/B amplifiers. However, they are very rarely found in car audio setups. Class A/B amplifiers are more efficient than Class A. Perhaps because of this, they are the most popular in all installations. Almost all car amplifiers available on the Polish and foreign market belong to class A/B. The last of these classes, class D is reserved for very strong amplifiers that drive a subwoofer and can reach a performance threshold of around 80%. A characteristic feature of Class D amplifiers is that the smaller they are, the more technologically advanced they are and produce less heat than amplifiers of other classes.

Amplifiers can have different connectors, that is, they can have different connectors. This is a kind of connector between the audio output, for example from a radio, and a power amplifier. The best known is the bolt terminal block and is a series of different plugs that screw onto bolts. They can be removed and replaced without damaging the amplifier itself.

A feedback loop, often called a filter, can be useful in a car audio system, but only if there are multiple speakers installed. They need a specific frequency to operate properly, and only a crossover acting on only one channel actually divides the frequency.

Amplifier distortion is called "Distortion" or using the abbreviation THD, which is a measure of the amount of change in the signal at the amplifier's input. Numbers below 0.1% have no meaning here because they are not audible to humans. Typically this number may be around 3% and we may not be able to catch it. A high quality amplifier will have 0.1% distortion.

When purchasing a car amplifier, we should be interested in its performance, that is, the ratio of input power to output power. This is power from the batteries to the speakers. If an amplifier is rated at 100 watts and 50% efficient, draws 200 watts from the battery, it processes 100 watts to the speakers. Unfortunately, the remaining 100 watts are wasted as heat is generated while the amplifier is running. Of course, the higher the amplifier's performance, the better.

The amplifier's output power determines the output power, which should be within four ohms. This power covers all channels directed from twenty to twenty thousand hertz.

The amplifier's power supply can be classified as either an IC or a MOSFET. The Ic chip allows for around twenty watts per channel, while the MOSFET is a joint design and has a much smoother sound than the chip design.

An amplifier input and output are a set of connectors that accept or pass low preamplifier levels from a source or processor, or to another amplifier or processor.

Output mode is a feature available under different names, but each time it allows the amplifier to generate a stereo signal or drive, for example, a subwoofer speaker (or center channel) from only two channels of the amplifier.

The recommended type of car amplifier is a tube amplifier, also known as Tube Amplifiers, which are among the most expensive devices available in the market. Its design does not contain parts such as vacuum tubes. The sound obtained due to this is specific, it is called a warm sound.

Best models

The rating includes models with the largest number of positive reviews.

Pioneer TS-WX70DA

The device takes first place in the ranking of the best compact subwoofers. It can be placed under any seat. The manufacturer does not declare any special operating conditions. The 15cm diameter speakers are powerful enough to produce deep bass. The positive qualities of the product include:

• no protruding parts;
• small sizes;
• stylish design allowing for open installation;
• rich bass;
• several operating modes.

The disadvantages of the Pioneer subwoofer include the low quality of the installation cables, the control panel on a wire, and deterioration in sound quality with increasing power.

Pioneer TS-WX210A

The model has a minimum amount of internal space. This allows you to place the subwoofer in any car, without taking into account the height and method of installing the seats. The rich bass produced by the 8-inch speaker is adjustable. Other advantages include the following:

• high sound power;
• the ability to change the cutoff frequency;
• increased power;
• small body size;
• reliable fastening.

Negative qualities include the lack of installation cables included, only the bottom part is attached, a wired remote control, and a high price.

Mystery MBS-204A

Low cost makes this model popular among buyers. It represents good value for money. However, installation of the product will require special skills. The advantages of the model under consideration include:

• stylish neat design;
• presence of a built-in amplifier;
• the presence of a separate volume control with an LED element;
• good sound quality.

The following points are considered negative qualities:

• poor quality of cables included in the kit;
• bad fuse;
• increased brightness of the LED component on the volume control panel;
• the occurrence of interference that can degrade sound quality.

Alpine PWE-V80

The model is capable of replacing an amplifier located in the luggage compartment. A power of 160 W is enough to pump the interior of an SUV. The device is not suitable for lovers of soft classical music. The sub produces powerful, rhythmic sounds. The advantages of the model are the following qualities:

• presence of a built-in amplifier;
• stylish flat body;
• high power;
• normal sound quality.

The disadvantages are the harsh sound of the bass (due to a small volume of air), pronounced vibration (installation of feet or a rubber backing is required), and high price.

Pioneer TS-WX130DA

The device is used as an auxiliary component of an audio system. It is not capable of producing rich, rich bass. To obtain the desired sound quality, use the buttons located on the remote control. There are functions for phase shifting and changing the cutoff frequency. This sub for installation in a car contains the following positive qualities:

• neat small body;
• ease of installation and connection;
• presence of an amplifier;
• several operating modes and settings options.

The disadvantages include low power, deterioration in sound quality when choosing maximum parameters.

Installing an active subwoofer under the seat

Installing an active subwoofer in a car can significantly improve sound quality. Rich, realistic bass appears, and the sound itself is saturated with dynamism and rhythm.

At the same time, the rattling effect of plastic panels, which is typical when installing a subwoofer with your own hands, is absent. In this article on our website we will tell you how to install an active subwoofer under the driver's seat.

To install an active subwoofer under the seat, you can either make your own acoustics or install ready-made speakers. We decided not to complicate our lives and purchased a ready-made subwoofer for our car with compact dimensions. The presence of all the necessary subwoofer fastenings makes it easy to carry out installation work even in such an inconvenient place as the recess under the driver’s seat.

Before proceeding directly to the installation work, we recommend that you study the instructions provided with the subwoofer, which will make it easier to connect it to an amplifier or head unit. Then you can begin the actual installation work. You need to remove the driver's or passenger's seat depending on the location of the subwoofer.

We lay all the necessary cables and position the subwoofer with our own hands so that you can have free hand access to the control switches. Otherwise, to change the operating modes of the subwoofer or turn it off, you will need to remove the seat, which is not always possible.

Therefore, try to optimally position the subwoofer, access to which should always remain free. Next, you can begin fixing the subwoofer. We trim the rug and attach the speaker to the existing plastic panels. In some cases, it is necessary to remove strips that interfere with fixing the speaker.

In some cases, it is impossible to fix the subwoofer to plastic strips, so you have to use a wooden base to attach the subwoofer. In this case, you can decorate the wooden base with felt, which in appearance is in harmony with the upholstery of the floor in the cabin.

A 10A bulb was used as a fuse for the subwoofer. The active subwoofer itself is powered by a separate wire with the corresponding switching mode when turning the ignition key. The control wire is connected to the cigarette lighter. In my case, the power was routed along the left side, which required bending the trim and removing the plastic sill panels.

I recommend laying the wires in a protective corrugation, since water accumulates in the area of ​​the thresholds, which can damage the power cables. Don't forget about the fuse box, which is installed on the power wire. This will completely protect the subwoofer from power surges. Connecting the subwoofer to the amplifier with your own hands was done using several copper acoustic cables, which were soldered into the connector connector.

The bass control was installed on the front panel. All we have to do is connect all the wires to the subwoofer, cigarette lighter and amplifier with power. At this point, most of the installation work is completed. We check the functionality of the subwoofer and if the acoustics work well, you can mount the removed seat back. The active subwoofer is now installed under the seat. You can enjoy high-quality sound in your car.

Installation and connection

To install a subwoofer in the rear seat armrest or under the driver's seat, perform the following steps:

1. Preparing the car. Remove the felt covering. The bottom of the car is glued with a material that suppresses vibration.
2. The positive power cable is removed from the engine compartment. It is equipped with an additional fuse. It is recommended to cover the wire with a corrugated protective tube. The cable is laid near the standard harness.
3. The ground wire is connected to a bolt located under the seat or near the dashboard. It is also protected by a corrugated tube.
4. Place the fastening elements included in the equipment kit.
5. The subwoofer is connected to the radio with a power cable. This makes it possible to turn on the speaker when the key is in the ignition.
6. Connect the signal wires to the head unit connectors. In this case, the manufacturer’s recommendations are taken into account.

Before drilling holes in the bottom of the car, you need to study the operating instructions for the vehicle. Sometimes there is a gas tank under the driver's seat. Work must be carried out with care, using small self-tapping screws.