# Anyone into aftermarket car audio? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 22, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-into-aftermarket-car-audio/713344 "2015-02-22T16:12:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-into-aftermarket-car-audio/713344/1 "2015-02-22T16:12:54Z")
I was considering changing the subs of my system and going to a high efficient route. I already have a Class D amp but the subs I have are too withdrawn listening to rock music and sucking up juice from an already strained alternator. I was considering a high efficient pre loaded enclosure. Like a ported or bandpass 95-100+ sensitivity so I can use a low watt amp. Every time I search around, I’ll find one that might work but then find that it’s discontinued and no one is selling it. I don’t want Bazooka though, their tubes are tuned too high, too thin and don’t seem to have any low extension. Also, I might consider a slim sub or do an isobaric with them using an existing box but would prefer something matching and tuned from the factory but most aren’t very sensitive considering the low power requirements. Any idea’s, experiences or suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-into-aftermarket-car-audio/713344/2 "2015-02-22T16:22:48Z")
those “high output” bandpass systems tend to be tuned very narrow and are boomy “one note wonders.” They’re so underdamped that they’re annoying to listen to. honestly if you want output and extension from something which will fit in a car, you need a speaker designed for a sealed enclosure (meaning heavy cone mass) and you need to throw power at it. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-into-aftermarket-car-audio/713344/3 "2015-02-22T17:58:21Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this is seeking advice and opinions, it is better suited to IMHO. Moving thread from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion. ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-into-aftermarket-car-audio/713344/4 "2015-02-22T20:33:16Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > those “high output” bandpass systems tend to be tuned very narrow and are boomy “one note wonders.” They’re so underdamped that they’re annoying to listen to. > > honestly if you want output and extension from something which will fit in a car, you need a speaker designed for a sealed enclosure (meaning heavy cone mass) and you need to throw power at it. No ported has lower extension but of course it needs to be made correctly such as tuning freq. port size…etc. The entire quality of bass is all about the box design. BP boxes can also be accurate if made correctly but is much harder to design, besides it’s a sub, you don’t need a wider range that goes above 60-80hz anyway. I already have sealed, it’s only benefit is flat freq curve and box size, along and a 1200 watt amp but as I mentioned, that’s what I"m trying to get away from. I was just looking for suggestions on high sensitive pre loaded enclosures. Audiobahn has one that is 102 db but not sure what the tuning is and no one is selling it anymore ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-into-aftermarket-car-audio/713344/5 "2015-02-22T23:31:07Z")
> [@HeXen](#): > > No ported has lower extension but of course it needs to be made correctly such as tuning freq. port size…etc. The entire quality of bass is all about the box design. BP boxes can also be accurate if made correctly but is much harder to design, besides it’s a sub, you don’t need a wider range that goes above 60-80hz anyway. > > I already have sealed, it’s only benefit is flat freq curve and box size, along and a 1200 watt amp but as I mentioned, that’s what I"m trying to get away from. > > I was just looking for suggestions on high sensitive pre loaded enclosures. Audiobahn has one that is 102 db but not sure what the tuning is and no one is selling it anymore reflex enclosures **can** have lower extension but the size of the box tends to be a lot larger. for a given speaker, if you try to make a ported box the same size as a sealed you won’t get any more low-end extension and you’ll also have the danger of the port unloading (the port no longer helps control the speaker cone below its tuning frequency.) there’s no free lunch with this stuff. either you get low-end extension at the cost of sensitivity, or you get higher sensitivity at the cost of low end extension. besides, if you’re already throwing 1200 watts at what you have and you’re not happy, I don’t know what else to tell you. > [@](#): > > BP boxes can also be accurate if made correctly but is much harder to design, besides it’s a sub, you don’t need a wider range that goes above 60-80hz anyway. still, if you tune a bandpass enclosure for high output, you’re generally going to end up with a high-Q system which will be a droning mess. ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-into-aftermarket-car-audio/713344/6 "2015-02-24T01:20:10Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > reflex enclosures **can** have lower extension but the size of the box tends to be a lot larger. for a given speaker, if you try to make a ported box the same size as a sealed you won’t get any more low-end extension and you’ll also have the danger of the port unloading (the port no longer helps control the speaker cone below its tuning frequency.) > > there’s no free lunch with this stuff. either you get low-end extension at the cost of sensitivity, or you get higher sensitivity at the cost of low end extension. > > besides, if you’re already throwing 1200 watts at what you have and you’re not happy, I don’t know what else to tell you. > > still, if you tune a bandpass enclosure for high output, you’re generally going to end up with a high-Q system which will be a droning mess. I’m aware but I was also specific in my question so I thought. I never mentioned I wanted a sub the size of a sealed. All I asked about was enclosures with the higher rated sensitivity so I can make the most out of low wattage. I never said anything about expecting 1200 watts worth of performance, I don’t want that much bass anymore, I just want low end to compliment the fronts and it’s compressed MP3’s so worrying about SQ obviously isn’t going to do any good. There are many home theater, passive radiator subs that are 116db /1 watt input…was looking for a similar equivalent of efficiency like they used to have back in the 90’s just so that my front’s don’t overwhelm the subs. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-into-aftermarket-car-audio/713344/7 "2015-02-24T01:49:43Z")
> [@HeXen](#): > > I’m aware but I was also specific in my question so I thought. I never mentioned I wanted a sub the size of a sealed. All I asked about was enclosures with the higher rated sensitivity so I can make the most out of low wattage. I never said anything about expecting 1200 watts worth of performance, I don’t want that much bass anymore, I just want low end to compliment the fronts and it’s compressed MP3’s so worrying about SQ obviously isn’t going to do any good. There are many home theater, passive radiator subs that are 116db /1 watt input…was looking for a similar equivalent of efficiency like they used to have back in the 90’s just so that my front’s don’t overwhelm the subs. please link to a couple of these subwoofers. 116 dB/w/m is above even what the best (giant) folded-horn subwoofers can do. > [@](#): > > I’m aware but I was also specific in my question so I thought. I never mentioned I wanted a sub the size of a sealed. All I asked about was enclosures with the higher rated sensitivity so I can make the most out of low wattage. I know, I’ve already told you. the only way the enclosure can give you more than the speaker’s inherent sensitivity is by putting it into an underdamped alignment (Qtc \> 1.2) which means it’s going to tend to drone around the speaker’s in-box resonance. and doing so means you trade off low-frequency extension. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-into-aftermarket-car-audio/713344/8 "2015-02-24T02:00:27Z")
there are some free online webapps to let you play around with enclosure design. [http://www.carstereo.com/help/Articles.cfm?id=27](http://www.carstereo.com/help/Articles.cfm?id=27) > **[Speaker Enclosure Volume Calculator](https://www.bcae1.com/spboxnew2.htm)** > > Thie page of the bcae1.com site helps you to calculate the volume of your speaker enclosure. Further tips are included to help you build a strong, reliable, good looking enclosure. if you want to get more into enclosure/system design, you can try WinISD: [http://www.linearteam.dk/?pageid=winisd](http://www.linearteam.dk/?pageid=winisd) it’s less friendly but gives you a lot more information.