A low-frequency acoustic system is an integral part of any sound complex. Rich and rich bass makes speakers for a music center, computer or car showroom sound different. You can buy a bass speaker at a specialty store or make it yourself. Acoustics of any type can be passive or active. A passive speaker is a box in which a woofer is installed. Terminals for connecting an external audio signal source are located on one of the walls of the structure.
Typically, a passive design requires a low-frequency amplifier to operate, since most audio devices do not provide sufficient signal strength to operate a high-power loudspeaker properly. You can make any speaker system yourself, but to make an active speaker you will need an amplifier. To make a subwoofer with your own hands, you must first purchase a low-frequency speaker, since the housing calculations are performed using an electrodynamic head.
Photo gallery
Photos of homemade subs.
Acoustic device installed in the luggage compartment
Finished subwoofer in a casing covered with carpet
Powerful speaker in a box that occupies the entire luggage compartment
Security measures
Nuances that must be taken into account when installing and connecting the device:
- The use of non-working tools or malfunctioning devices is not allowed.
- When working with piercing and cutting objects, you must follow safety precautions. The wires on power tools must not be damaged. The plug from a drill or jigsaw fits into the socket easily and smoothly.
- Before performing the task, you need to make sure that the car’s battery is disconnected. This will prevent damage to the speaker system.
Installation and connection
When connecting the device to the speaker system, you need to prepare:
- a set of cables - three conductors go in one winding to connect power to the car radio, as well as to the battery;
- safety element;
- capacitor device;
- electrical tape or heat pipes;
- wire cutters;
- plastic clamps;
- set of wrenches.
Subwoofer cable connection map
To connect the conductors, use the following diagram:
- The cable from the sub goes to the amplifier. If this device is located in the cabin, then it is necessary to lay the conductors through the technological holes in the luggage compartment. To hide the cables, they are laid under a plastic lining. To do this, the decorative trims are removed using a screwdriver and the screws are unscrewed. Do not lay wires in the area of moving parts of the body to prevent damage to them.
- Then the cable from the amplifier goes to the radio. The connection output is located on the back of the audio device. The car radio will have to be dismantled, as well as the center console.
- The positive power conductor must be protected from damage when routing. To do this, it is recommended to wrap it in corrugation.
- A safety device is installed on the positive conductor. It is important to place it closer to the battery.
Features of accommodation
The active type of devices is located almost anywhere. But the quality of the reproduced bass and music in general depends on the location of the passive subwoofer.
Several places for mounting speakers are allowed; they are described in the table.
| Installation | Peculiarities |
| In the central part of the cabin, in front | This option is optimal if you want to connect the device to the front speakers. This installation location will ensure a high level of audio file playback. But in most modern cars there is no free space in front to install a subwoofer. This option is more relevant for SUVs or minibuses |
| In the luggage compartment, pointing the speaker itself forward | This installation method is popular among our compatriots. It is suitable for all types of cars |
| In the luggage compartment, but with the column facing backwards | A good option for cars made in a hatchback body. Thanks to this type of arrangement, the sound wave will not encounter obstacles in its path during playback. Installing the subwoofer rearward in the luggage compartment is not suitable for coupe or sedan vehicles. As a result, the sound is deformed, which is due to the specific design of the compartment |
| Under the seat, on the floor of the car | Not a bad option if you need to hide the device, but it is not in demand among car owners. The sub itself is located flush with the floor. And as a result of installation under the chair, sound waves encounter various obstacles on the way |
| On the rear shelf in the car | This placement option is optimal for all vehicles, regardless of the body. The main condition for this is that the shelf must be wide and durable. This way it can handle low-frequency bass without distorting the sound quality. |
When choosing a place to install a subwoofer, you need to make an accurate calculation, this will allow you to understand how safe the low-frequency energy will be for surrounding devices. This is important, since resonance from the device box will cause damage not only to the installation site, but also to other body elements, for example, glass.
Start of assembly
First, the body is assembled from purchased plywood or other material. The store can make cuts of all parts of the future subwoofer according to the provided dimensions.
Now you can assemble the box:
- The prepared parts are fastened together with self-tapping screws. If everything went well, then they proceed according to plan.
- Mark the points where the speaker and bass reflex will be installed.
- It's a good idea to have a router handy to make cutting the holes easier. If possible, make circles with a compass so that the shapes are even.
- The diameter is measured by the speaker and inverter. The included vacuum cleaner will help get rid of dust.
- The sides of the box are glued together with epoxy resin. Before this, all sides are cleaned so that there are no sharp corners.
- After drying, the structure is further tightened with long self-tapping screws.
As you can see, making a box for a subwoofer is not difficult. The main thing is to have some skills in working with wooden material and carpentry tools.
How to make a small subwoofer
The easiest way to make a simple compact subwoofer with your own hands is in the form of a closed box, since the size of such a structure will be minimal. When making a bass speaker, the diameter of the speaker is taken into account. This parameter is decisive in choosing the column size. To make a mini subwoofer with your own hands, you need to use small-diameter speakers. For a homemade low-frequency speaker, 5 or 6 inch heads are suitable. Such small drivers are not capable of producing full and rich bass, so compact devices are used as an addition to personal computers or laptops.
You can make a small subwoofer with your own hands from any material, since the power of small-sized speakers is usually small and it is not necessary to use thick MDF panels or multi-layer plywood. To increase the acoustic volume, the internal space of the housing is filled with fibrous material. You can even make a small subwoofer from polycarbonate with your own hands.
DIY active subwoofer circuit
In addition to the loudspeaker, the active speaker design includes a low-frequency amplifier. This allows you to send a weak signal to the device from the linear output of any signal source. How to assemble an active subwoofer. The design of the speaker can be anything, but when calculating the volume of the case, you will need to take into account not only the space occupied by the speaker, but also the size of the amplifier.
A homemade active subwoofer can be used both at home and in a vehicle. The element base of the integrated design allows you to assemble low-frequency amplifiers without deep knowledge of radio engineering. The devices have a simple circuit diagram, do not require adjustment, and after proper installation they immediately begin to work. You can assemble a small subwoofer with your own hands using the TDA1519A chip. It contains two low frequency amplifiers. In this circuit, the speaker is bridged, which provides 15 watts of output when powered by a car battery. Signals from the left and right channels are summed and sent to the level control. A passive LC filter is used to cut high frequencies. You can make a low-frequency speaker yourself, or you can make an active subwoofer using a speaker with a dynamic head. To do this, it is enough to install a low-frequency amplifier in the housing.
