Everything About Subwoofers from A to Z

Choose a subwoofer and enclosure
The sound quality and volume of bass depends not only on the specific component sub you get, but also what style and size of enclosure it mounts in. For background in what to look for in a subwoofer, see Subwoofers FAQ. Then go to Subwoofer Enclosures. for help finding out which sub enclosure will work best for you. For further help in deciding which sub to get, you can look at our Subwoofer Shopping Guide or watch our How to Choose a Subwoofer video.

Choose an amplifier
Mono, 1-channel amplifiers are designed to work best with subwoofers and often feature filters and tone controls specifically made to handle bass. You will want an amp that can provide at least 75% or as much as 150% of the subwoofer's top RMS wattage rating.

To learn more about amps, check out Car Amplifiers FAQ. For help in picking which amp to get, see our Car Amplifier Shopping Guide or watch our How to Choose an Amplifier video.

Plan out the wiring scheme to be sure the sub and amp can work together
Subs come in different impedances and in dual and single voice coil models, in order to work in a variety of systems. An amp puts out more power to a low impedance sub than to a higher impedance sub. So, to find out how much power an amp can deliver, you have to know how the sub will be wired. To make some sense of all this you can refer to Dual Voice Coil Subwoofers and Wiring Subwoofers — What's all this about Ohms?

Now you might need to adjust your choice of sub or amp, so they'll work together properly. Changing your set-up on paper is a lot less challenging than exchanging purchased gear. Check out the different ways subs get wired in our Subwoofer Wiring Diagrams. They can help you decide which way will work best for the gear you've chosen.

A powered subwoofer is an easier solution
For many people, a small, self-contained, powered subwoofer will provide enough bass for their system. After positioning the powered sub, all you need to add would be power cables and signal wires. You'll find help in understanding what that entails by watching the Crutchfield video How to Add a Powered Subwoofer to Your Car's Sound System, and looking through some General Amplifier Installation Tips.

Vehicle-specific enclosures with subs
Instead of the usual sub in a box, a vehicle-specific enclosure fits perfectly into a convenient spot in your specific vehicle, housing a high-quality sub. Some enclosures even include a built-in amp, for the ultimate in stealth bass. You don't lose much space (if any), the sub is perfectly matched to its enclosure, and it has a factory look that won't tell potential thieves you have an expensive sound system.

Amp power wire kits
It is absolutely essential for an amplifier to receive its full share of electricity through large power wires, in order to operate properly and safely. The wattage of the amplifier determines what the proper size power wires should be. Amplifier manufacturers usually recommend a particular power cable size for each of their amps. Or, you can use our Cable Gauge Chart to figure out the power cable size that's best for your system.

Amp wiring kits contain most of what you need to hook up your amp. Some kits even come with signal wires, the RCA patch cords that allow the signal to get from the receiver to the sub amp. To learn more about wiring kits watch our Amplifier Wiring Kits video.

Fuses are for your safety
Always install the in-line power fuse near the battery. If something failed back by the amp, you don't want a live, high current wire stretched throughout your car and engine compartment possibly heating up and starting a fire.

The signal wires
The music has to have a way to get from the receiver to your sub amp. If you have an aftermarket receiver, it probably has RCA outputs you can use. Plan on getting new, high-quality patch cables. If you have a receiver with no RCA outputs, you can tap into the existing factory speaker wires, with new speaker wires, to use for a high-level input to your amp. The amp, of course, has to have a speaker-level input feature for this to work. All signal wires should run through your vehicle as far away from any power cables as possible, to prevent noise.

The speaker wires
If your sub system is going to put out more than 1,000 watts RMS, you can use 12-gauge speaker wire. But 16-gauge speaker wire works well for most installations. Take a hint and order twice as much as you think you need. You never know when a sub or amp's position will need adjusting and you'll be thankful you have the extra length.

And don't forget tools
There are some tools and connectors that will make your sub installation go much easier and neatly. Check out what you might need in our video Car Stereo Installation Tools.

Stressing your vehicle's electrical system
Capacitors should only be used if your lights dim a little on hard bass hits. For more information, see Capacitors FAQ. If your lights dim a lot whenever the music plays, then your sound system is overwhelming your vehicle's electrical system, and could damage the battery and alternator. Refer to Car Lights Dim When the Music Plays for some suggested solutions to that problem.