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Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate M2-65 and M2-65B Marine Speakers

Rockford Fosgate M2-65

I remember when only one or two large car audio companies offered products designed specifically for marine applications. These days, there are dozens of brands in that market. From my extensive hands-on research, I can tell you that Rockford Fosgate is one of the brands you’ll want to check out for your boat. Their engineering-based marine speaker solutions are truly unique in the market. This Product Spotlight will examine the M2-Series M2-65 and M2-65B 6.5-inch Color Optix marine speakers.

Rockford Fosgate Marine Speaker Features

As is typical of Rockford Fosgate, they offer diverse speaker solutions to suit every application and budget. The Marine series starts with the affordable M0 line, which features white or black 6.5-inch coaxial drivers. From there, you step up to the M1 line, adding 6-, 6.5- and 8-inch drivers with Color Optix integrated RGB LED lighting. These speakers can handle even more power so that they can play louder. At the top of the marine speaker series are the M2 speakers. In this line, you have 6.5-, 8- and 10-inch coaxial drivers, with the two larger offerings available with a conventional tweeter or a small compression horn.

The M2-65 and M2-65B speakers are 6.5-inch coaxial drivers with your choice of white or black (the B at the end of the part number) grilles. The speaker system includes two drivers, stainless-steel grille inserts, mounting hardware and speaker wire pigtails with high-quality Deutsch connectors.

They are rated to handle 150 watts of power continuously with peaks of 300 watts. Efficiency is specified as 91.8 dB at 1 watt/1 meter. The drivers have a nominal impedance of 4 ohms and require 2.49 inches of mounting depth in a 5.36-inch cutout in your boat.

Rockford Fosgate M2-65
The M2-65B marine speaker set includes a pair of 6.5-inch coaxial speakers, wire pigtails, stainless steel hardware and grille inserts.

Marine Speaker Chassis Design

The woofer basket is injection molded from PA66 with UV inhibitors, a plastic mixture reinforced with 30% glass fiber for added thermal stability, damping and rigidity. As mentioned, electrical connections to the speaker are made via integrated Deutsch connector sockets.

The speaker’s chassis includes cooling vents with a nano-coated mesh screen to help keep water out. The basket conceals a -12 dB/octave crossover for the tweeter. They call this their Integrated Concealed Crossover design.

The speakers have a 12-spoke plastic grille made from ultraviolet- and salt-resistant Centrex plastic. As mentioned, the laser-cut stainless-steel inserts are also included in the package. Just let your installer know what look you want; they can take care of everything during installation.

Rockford Fosgate M2-65
The fiberglass-reinforced PA66 chassis includes Deutsch connectors for the speaker and connection to the Color Optix RGB LED lighting.

Speaker Component Features

The mineral-filled polypropylene woofer cones feature a co-molded thermoplastic elastomer synthetic rubber surround. The surround uses the Vertical Attach Surround Technique mounting geometry where it attaches to the chassis. This feature increases cone area, which improves sensitivity and bass output. A 1-inch diameter, high-temperature Kapton voice coil former is at the base of the cone. The large diameter of the voice coil is the key reason these speakers are rated to handle 150 watts of power continuously. A linear aramid-polyester spider provides good cone control and high excursion levels. The tinsel leads, attached to gold-plated brass terminals in the chassis, are encased in rubber to protect them from water damage.

The 1-inch tweeter in the speaker’s center features a design that Rockford Fosgate calls PXNX. It uses a pair of compact neodymium slugs for excellent efficiency.

Rockford Fosgate M2-65
The 1-inch PXNX tweeter is designed to offer exceptional clarity and great efficiency with its dual magnet motor design.

Color Optix RGB LED Lighting

A second four-pin socket on the speaker chassis provides access to the Color Optix RGB lighting. Your installer can power the lights using the Rockford Fosgate PMX-RGB LED lighting controller. The controller works with the RF Connect app on your smartphone to let you select the light color or illumination pattern. The RF Connect app is available for both Android and iOS mobile devices.

The LEDs are mounted to the underside of the grille. An optically clear, UV-stable coating protects the lighting from water damage. When on, the lighting makes the woofer cone glow in your choice of thousands of colors. You can also use the RF Connect app to select color-shifting patterns.

Rockford Fosgate M2-65
The M2-65B and M2-65 include Rockford Fosgate’s Color Optix integrated RGB LED lighting.

Element Ready Design Ensures Reliable Performance

Rockford Fosgate doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to ensuring that their marine audio products can withstand whatever Mother Nature throws their way. Their Element Ready design covers water resistance and UV and salt exposure. In terms of waterproofing, these speakers carry an IPX6 rating. Ultraviolet exposure testing passes the ASTM G154 500-hour accelerated UV test. Salt exposure is evaluated using the ASTM B117 500-hour salt-fog test. Finally, many marine and powersports speaker manufacturers overlook vibration and impact testing. Rockford Fosgate uses the ISO60068-2-64 Vibration testing standard to ensure that the speakers can take a beating as your boat hits even the gnarliest waves. Rockford Fosgate backs the M2 speakers with a two-year warranty against manufacturing defects.

Rockford Fosgate M2-65
All Rockford Fosgate marine speakers pass their torturous Element Ready testing to ensure that they’ll perform reliably in your boat.

Upgrade Your Boat with Rockford Fosgate M2-65 or M2-65B Speakers Today

If you’re shopping for high-performance marine speakers for your boat, drop by a local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer today to audition the M2-65 and M2-65B speakers. They can design a marine entertainment system with a source unit, high-performance amplifiers, speakers and subwoofers so that your boat sounds the best on the lake or river. To find a retailer, use the locator tool on their website. For more information about Rockford Fosgate products, visit their website, Facebook page, Instagram feed or YouTube channel.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate M2D2-10I and M2D4-10I Marine Subwoofers

Rockford Fosgate M2D2-10I

When choosing subwoofers for a boat audio system, having the correct drivers for the application is crucial to designing a system that sounds good and will last for years. The marine audio fanatics at Rockford Fosgate have a subwoofer solution for every application. We will examine the 10-inch M2-Series M2D2-10I and M2D4-10I subwoofers in this spotlight.

Subwoofer Solutions for Every Application

Before we discuss the M2D2-10I and M2D4-10I subwoofers, we should discuss all available options. The M2-Series includes subwoofers for relatively small sealed or ported enclosures and the I-series for infinite baffle applications. You can choose from 10- or 12-inch woofers with dual 2- or dual 4-ohm voice coils. You can also choose from black or white “sport” grilles. All 16 different M2-Series subwoofers also include a stainless-steel grille insert so you can pick your style before installation.

The M2D2-10I is a 10-inch subwoofer with a white grille and dual 2-ohm voice coils. Its brother is the M2D4-10I, which has dual 4-ohm coils. The same drivers are available with black grilles in the M2D2-10IB and M2D4-10IB.

Rockford Fosgate M2D2-10I
You can choose black or white grilles with either dual 2-ohm or 4-ohm voice coils in the 10-inch M2-Series marine subwoofers.

10-inch Infinite Baffle Subwoofer Specifications

The Rockford Fosgate M2D2-10I and M2D4-10I are rated to handle 400 watts of continuous power with peak power rated at 1,600 watts. The drivers have an efficiency of 90.3 dB and an Xmax specification of 11 millimeters of excursion in each direction. These subwoofers have a stiff aramid-polyester spider with a linear rate to control cone motion without an enclosure. The result is a driver that plays loudly without concerns about the woofer cone bottoming out.

Marine Subwoofer Features

These subwoofers are based around a 30% fiberglass-reinforced PA66 nylon basket. The mixture includes UV inhibitors, so the plastics won’t chalk, fade, crack or discolor when exposed to the sun. The electrical connections are made via Deutsch/Amphenol connectors with gold-plated brass terminals molded into the basket. The basket also has integrated cooling vents protected with nano-coated mesh to keep water out.

The woofer cone is made from mineral-filled polypropylene. The mineral powder adds thermal stability and improves the damping characteristics. A large 2-inch Kapton voice coil serves as the heart of the subwoofer. The tinsel leads from the voice coil to the terminals are encased in silicone to protect them from damage. Rockford Fosgate includes a VERSA switch that lets your installer quickly select between series and parallel wiring to simplify the installation. For dual 2-ohm models, the VERSA switch allows you to select between 1-ohm (parallel) or 4-ohm (series). On dual 4-ohm models, you can select 2-ohm or 8-ohm.

Rockford Fosgate M2D2-10I
The VERSA switch allows your installer to select series or parallel wiring to speed up installation.

The top of the cone is bonded to a UV-stable, injection-molded foam surround. The surround mounts vertically to the edge of the basket. Rockford Fosgate calls this their Vertical Attach Surround Technique, a design that increases the effective cone area while maintaining standard mounting dimensions. The effective surface area of the M2D2-10I subwoofer is 363 square centimeters or 56.72 square inches. Popular competing products have 320 to 340 square centimeters. When it comes to optimizing efficiency, cone area matters.

Designed for Durability

The Rockford Fosgate engineering team takes reliability seriously. Their marine speakers and subwoofers pass torture tests to earn their Element Ready label. These include 500 hours of accelerated UV and salt fog testing, an IPX6 water intrusion rating and durability testing that meets the ISO60068-2-64 standard. A two-year warranty backs the M2-Series marine subwoofers against manufacturing defects.

Color Optix Integrated Lighting

Nobody can think of a wakeboard boat without thinking about style. As mentioned, you can choose from white or black sport grilles and decide whether you want the stainless inserts installed. Rockford Fosgate has integrated RGB LED lighting under the grille in a design they call Color Optix to take things a step further. You can choose from thousands of illumination colors using the RF Connect smartphone app with the optional PMX-RGB lighting controller. You can also configure color-shifting patterns if you want. Of course, the wiring for the lighting, along with the circuit boards, also meets the Element Ready requirements.

Rockford Fosgate M2D2-10I
The M2-Series subwoofers feature Color Optix RGB LED lighting, which illuminates the woofer cone in thousands of colors.

Infinite Baffle Installation Simplicity

We should clarify the definition of an “infinite baffle” subwoofer installation. This refers to mounting the subwoofer in a location where the sound coming from the back of the driver can’t mix with the sound from the front. In short, it’s like mounting the subwoofer in a wall that extends forever. In a boat, a storage locker under a seat is one of the most common installation locations. Many infinite baffle subwoofers are mounted in the podium in a center-console boat.

Rockford Fosgate M2D2-10I
The front storage locker of this Yellowfin fishing boat serves as an ideal installation location for infinite baffle subwoofers.

Upgrade Your Marine Audio System with Rockford Fosgate M2 Subwoofers Today!

Whether you want your marine audio system to play louder or deliver a solid kick, the Rockford Fosgate M2D2-10I and M2D4-10I infinite baffle marine subwoofers are perfect. Drop by a local authorized retailer today to discover how these subwoofers can transform your time on the water. For more information about Rockford Fosgate products, visit their website, Facebook page, Instagram feed or YouTube channel.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

What is Bluetooth?

BluetoothIf you have been around the mobile electronics industry for any amount of time, you will know that certain terms are often used incorrectly. One term that has been over-abused lately is Bluetooth. Product manufacturers, retailers and consumers have developed an expectation of what Bluetooth is, and what it does. Sadly, those expectations can lead to confusion and undesirable results. This article explains what Bluetooth is, and how it is used.

What is Bluetooth?

BluetoothBack in the dark ages, we had to connect electronic devices with wires. We also created wheels from boulders using animal bones as tools. RS-232 was a popular type of communication protocol for devices like modems, printers, scanners and cameras. Two wires would carry data between these devices and your computer. In 1994, Ericsson – a telecommunications and network equipment manufacturer in Stockholm, Sweden – introduced a wireless alternative to RS-232 called Bluetooth.

Bluetooth is a low-power, high-speed wireless communication protocol. Bluetooth operates using short-wave UHF radio waves in the frequency band of 2.4 to 2.485 GHz. Within this range of frequencies are 79 dedicated Bluetooth channels. Bluetooth uses Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum to reduce errors and allow multiple devices to operate within the same frequency spectrum.

Bluetooth is used for short-range data communication between devices like computer and keyboards, video game controllers and consoles, and cellular phones and wireless devices. There are applications for medical applications such as monitoring heart rate, blood pressure and glucose levels. That said, many industrial applications exist between sensors in production systems and control computers.

Bluetooth Profiles

The misconception many people in the mobile electronics industry have is that Bluetooth exists to let cellular phones make calls and stream music to our radios. Bluetooth is far more involved and flexible than that.

Any talk of Bluetooth functionality is a perfect segue to introduce us to profiles. A Bluetooth profile is a set of instructions and commands that operate over a Bluetooth connection. Profiles simplify the communication between devices. In our industry, we are used to four common profiles:

PBAP – Phonebook Access Profile

HFP – Hands-free Profile

A2DP – Advanced Audio Distribution Profile

AVRCP – Audio Video Remote Control Profile

These profiles are used in varying combinations to allow you to connect your phone to your car radio so you can make phone calls and stream music. A few companies that have wanted to provide an Internet connection to their radio have used DUN to accomplish this task.

PBAP Profile

The Phone Book Access Profile allows your source unit to receive phonebook entry information, as well as manage it. Phonebook entries are transmitted and managed by the radio in vCard 2.1 or vCard .0 formats. Missed, received and dialed numbers are listed as well.

HFP Profile

The Hands-free Profile carries monaural audio between the phone and a secondary device. The profile also supports commands to answer or reject incoming calls; place a call; use memory data to place a call, terminate a call or manage phone volume level; and send phone status information, including battery, roaming status and signal strength . These functions are included in version 1.5 of the Hands-free Profile. Future versions, such as 1.7, will include support for wideband speech and the use of external audio compression and decompression codecs.

A2DP Profile

The Advanced Audio Distribution Profile operates within another profile called the Generic Audio/Video Distribution Profile (GAVDP). A2DP is responsible for allowing us to stream audio from a device such as a smartphone to a radio or powered speaker. The basic profile allows for stereo audio to be transmitted at a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz at up to 328 kb/s. The use of a third-part codec such as aptX from Qualcomm or LDAC from Sony may further improve on bandwidth.

AVRCP Profile

Functioning alongside the GAVDP profile is the Audio Video Remote Control Profile. AVRCP is responsible for the display of song title, artist and album information, and control over playback device functions. If you can imagine a button on a DVD remote control, the AVRCP is likely to support it. Most car audio source units include functions like play, pause, fast-forward and rewind. The most recent versions of AVRCP include support for folder navigation and searching.

What Bluetooth Doesn’t Do

Although the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) works to manage the different Bluetooth communication and profile standards, there are variations in functionality between profile versions and, more importantly, between smartphone vendors. This latter fact can be a significant issue for buyers of car audio source units. The expectation that it “should work,” while not unreasonable, is not always possible. To expect a seven- or eight-year-old radio to work flawlessly with a brand-new iPhone 7 or Samsung Galaxy S8 isn’t reasonable. The hardware in the older units cannot be upgraded.

How to Buy Bluetooth

BluetoothIf you are shopping for a new source unit, take any smartphone you want to use with it to the retailer. Ask to pair your phone with the demo unit on display. Check that your entire list of phone contacts transfers as expected. Make sure you can use voice control functions if they apply to your phone. See that you can make calls easily. Finally, check that your phone reconnects reliably to the source unit by cycling power on the source a few times.

If you purchase a new radio and have it installed, only to find out it is not compatible with your smartphone, there is often nothing that can be done quickly. Some manufacturers do release updates for Bluetooth functionality, but these updates are not going to turn a Bluetooth 3.0 system into a 4.0, or add AVRCP 1.4 to a system that shipped with AVRCP 1.2. Do your research before you buy!

If you are looking for a hands-free solution to make phone calls or stream music to your audio system, drop in at your local mobile electronics specialist retailer. Bring your phone, pair the Bluetooth connection and experiment with the options.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Product Spotlight: Sony XAV-AX8500 Multimedia Receiver

Sony XAV-AX8500

Floating-face car radios are popular because of their flexible installation options and relatively massive displays. The Sony team has been hard at work updating their products, and the new 10.1-inch XAV-AX8500 digital multimedia receiver is their latest offering in this hot market segment. Let’s see what’s been added to the platform to keep it at the forefront of the category.

High-Definition 10.1-inch Floating Face Display

The first thing you’ll see in the XAV-AX8500 is its classy 10.1-inch HD display. The screen has a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels. The touch panel has an anti-glare coating and features a capacitive-touch interface. Compared with a resistive-touch interface, the capacitive design obscures the display less, making the information on the display easier to see. The gapless design around the screen lets it blend into the display chassis. Sony leads the industry in clean and classy styling. While it might not be flashy or attention-grabbing on a display board, it looks as though it belongs in your car or truck rather than at the helm of an intergalactic spacecraft.

Sony XAV-AX8500
The 10.1-inch High-Definition capacitive-touch screen features an anti-glare design so information is easily visible.

One of the most interesting features of this model is the multiple adjustments that can be made during and after installation in the dashboard. During installation, your technician can set, in relation to the chassis, the vertical height, the horizontal left to right position, and the depth between the screen and the chassis mount, and can tilt the screen forward and back to accommodate most dashboard slopes.

After installation, during normal use, you can adjust the screen position, with no tools or disassembly. You can swivel the screen up to 15 degrees left or right to fine-tune the viewing angle in relation to your seating position or for a passenger to view it easier, and tilt the screen forward or backward up to 15 degrees as well to mitigate any direct sunlight shining on it or to improve visibility.

The screen interface is similar to what we experienced in the XAV-9500ES Test Drive Review, with five icons across the bottom. You can pull up a complete list of additional source and setting options and swap any of them into these five primary locations. You can also upload custom wallpapers to the radio to add some personalization or choose from several preset color schemes.

This radio includes six physical buttons along the bottom of the display, making it intuitive to adjust the volume, change sources or activate voice recognition for CarPlay and Android Auto. Hard buttons, as they are called, are crucial to using the radio while keeping your eyes on the road.

Sony XAV-AX8500
The chassis of the XAV-AX8500 is a shallow-mount, single-DIN design, making it compatible with many vehicles.

Source Features

Nowadays, most people stream music from online services like Pandora, iHeartRadio or Spotify. The XAV-AX8500 includes Bluetooth streaming with radio-based control over track selection. As a Sony product, this unit also includes the high-quality LDAC codec to improve performance with modern Android-based smartphones.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is included, and wireless connectivity means your phone connects just after the radio finishes booting. Speaking of which, the Quick Wake-up design ensures that you have a rearview camera image and music playing seconds after you start the vehicle.

Of course, you can connect a USB memory stick to play MP3, WMA, WAV, ACC, FLAC, ALAC, DSF and even DSDIFF audio files. You can view AVI, MKV, MPEG-4, WMV and ASF video files to pass the time when parked. Speaking of video, there’s a micro-HDMI input beside the USB-C port on the rear panel that will work with a smartphone, laptop or even a media player. It supports video file resolutions up to 720p.

The integrated AM/FM receiver includes RBDS to show station information so you know what track is playing. Your installer can add a SiriusXM satellite radio receiver at installation time for uninterrupted entertainment from coast to coast.

Sony XAV-AX8500
The XAV-AX8500 will automatically connect to your smartphone for communication, entertainment and navigation through wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Vehicle Integration and Safety Features

A significant highlight of the Sony XAV-AX8500 is that it supports the iDatalink Maestro RR and RR2 vehicle integration modules. If a Maestro RR is available for your vehicle, the radio can communicate with the vehicle computers to display information like speed, engine rpm, etc. In some applications, Maestro RR interfacing includes climate control and vehicle setting menus. Check with the retailer you’re working with for additional details.

Sony XAV-AX8500
Support for the iDatalink Maestro RR and RR2 allows the Sony XAV-AX8500 to communicate digitally with the computers in your vehicle.

Regarding audio features, the radio has a four-channel amplifier rated for 20 watts RMS per channel into a 4-ohm load at less than 1% THD+N. The front, rear and subwoofer preamp outputs can produce 5 volts of signal, so the gains on amplifiers can be set nice and low.

On the topic of audio features, the radio has a 14-band graphic equalizer and adjustable high-pass crossovers for the front and rear powered and preamp channels. A subwoofer crossover with polarity and level control for the preamp signal is also included. Signal delay settings are available for the front, rear, and mono subwoofer output to fine-tune the soundstage and imaging in your vehicle. Be sure to ask your installer about configuring these features during installation.

The Sony has a dedicated backup camera input and two additional video camera connections that can be used with a forward-facing camera or blind spot monitoring solutions. These camera inputs can be integrated with the Maestro module for automatic activation in a supported vehicle, or by the hardwire triggers included in the video harness. The radio includes an external Bluetooth microphone to optimize outgoing voice clarity.

Sony XAV-AX8500
Two-way crossovers, signal delay settings and a 14-band graphic equalizer allow your installer to fine-tune the performance of your car audio system.

Upgrade Your Vehicle with the Sony XAV-AX8500 Digital Multimedia Receiver Today!

If you’re shopping for a high-performance radio for your car, truck or SUV, visit an authorized Sony car audio retailer and ask about the new XAV-AX8500. Be sure to bring your smartphone to experience the intuitive interface and the fantastic responsiveness in person. For more information about this radio or any of Sony’s car audio products, visit their website or Facebook page.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

When it Comes to Subwoofer Specifications, Some Numbers Don’t Matter

Subwoofer SpecificationsIf you are a mobile electronics enthusiast like we are, then it’s quite possible that you enjoy reading product specifications. You can learn a lot about the design and application of a product from the specs. Amplifier power ratings are probably the most popular specs, but there are a lot more. One product specification that tends to confuse people more than help them is speaker efficiency. This article explains what the numbers mean and how you should analyze the appropriateness of subwoofer specifications, one subwoofer to another.

Speaker Efficiency

Subwoofer SpecificationsIn a nutshell, the efficiency specification attempts to quantify how much sound a speaker will produce when provided with a given amount of power. Manufacturers provide the specification in two common methods. The most common are decibels of output when fed with 1 watt of power and measured at 1 meter from the speaker, written as 1 W/1 m. The other specification method involves replacing the 1 watt power measurement with 2.83 volts. For a 4 ohm car audio speaker, 2.83 volts works out to 2 watts of power or 4 watts into a 2 ohm speaker. Make sure to take the impedance of the speaker into consideration with the latter format.

For a subwoofer, we derive this efficiency number with a formula that includes the driver’s resonant frequency, equivalent suspension compliance and driver’s electrical Q. In reality, the resulting number is purely theoretical and applies most directly to output in the frequency range above where most subwoofers play. There is the heart of the matter: The efficiency specification doesn’t describe how loud the subwoofer is at low frequencies. The only way to predict and compare performance is to model the behavior of the driver in simulation software.

Frequency Response Simulation

Let’s compare two 10-inch speakers. For sample A, we will use a very high-quality car audio subwoofer. Since we want to make this example somewhat extreme, we will use a 10-inch pro audio woofer as Sample B in our comparison. We will use BassBox Pro 6 to make the comparisons.

Sample A has a calculated efficiency of 93.21 dB when driven with 2.83 V. Sample B has an efficiency of 95.07 dB. Without modeling the low-frequency behavior of the driver, you’d happily think that Sample B was the louder of the two by 1.86 dB.

We modeled each driver in a sealed enclosure with a volume that provides a total system Q (Qtc) of 0.707. The car audio subwoofer is in 0.694 cubic feet, and Sample B is in 0.378 cubic feet net.

Subwoofer SpecificationsAs you can see from the graph, the output of the two woofers varies dramatically. Sample A is louder at 40 Hz by an impressive 4.95 dB. That is contradictory to the efficiency specification, isn’t it? It is, however, not wrong.

Subwoofer Specifications

When an engineer designs a speaker, the first thing to decide is the application. Will this be a high-SPL car audio speaker, or a pro-sound speaker? The differences make a great deal of difference.

Our sample subwoofers also have dramatically different excursion capabilities. Sample A has an Xmax of 17.6 mm and Sample B has an Xmax of only 4 mm. It is worth noting and reminding everyone that cone excursion quadruples for every halving of frequency. If these speakers were given enough power to play 100 dB at 80 Hz with an excursion of 1 mm, then they would need to move 4 mm at 40 Hz. At 20 Hz, they would need to move 16 mm. An excursion requirement of 16 mm is no problem for Sample A, but will likely rip Sample B to shreds.

Comparing the output of two drivers requires that we ensure the driver can handle the excursion requirements necessary to meet our needs.

Subwoofer SpecificationsIn the case of our subwoofer simulations, due to excursion limits, Sample B can produce a maximum output of only 94.9 dB at 40 Hz. Sample A can produce 108.3 dB at the same frequency. That is a difference of 13.4 dB. This difference is significant. Sample B simply cannot produce 100 dB of output at 40 Hz in this enclosure. Thus, Sample B not a suitable choice for a subwoofer, which makes sense, since it was designed to be a bass guitar speaker.

Choosing the Right Subwoofer

Subwoofer SpecificationsUnless you own speaker-modeling software and know how to use it, it can be tricky to determine the performance of one subwoofer versus another. Even more difficult is attempting to predict how one sounds when compared to another. Frequency response is just one of the many criteria that differentiate one subwoofer from another. Excursion capabilities, enclosure requirements, distortion characteristics and – of course – cost are all factors to be considered.

Many people think that just because it is harder to hear distortion at low frequencies, the design of a subwoofer matters less than that of a midrange speaker. You would be stunned at how a good subwoofer can bring out details in your music that you may have never heard before.

When it is time to go subwoofer shopping, visit your local mobile electronics specialist retailer. Discuss your needs with them and work with them to find a subwoofer solution that fits your application. You will be happy that you did.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.