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Sound Deadening Technology and Terminology

Deadening Terminology

There’s no denying that sound deadening is one of the easiest ways to enhance the comfort of your vehicle and improve the performance of your car audio system. Many kinds of deadening have been available over the years. Let’s take a close look at some of the most common technologies and explain the terminology used to define the different sound deadening solutions.

What Are Constrained Layer Dampers?

The most popular sound deadening materials fall into the class of constrained layer dampers (CLD). In most designs, CLD deadening materials are made from a sandwich of a dense and flexible base layer that is bonded to a sheet of thin aluminum. The base layer, in most cases, is made of butyl rubber. Butyl is a synthetic rubber with very low stiffness, so it can bend and mold to the contours of the surfaces it is adhered to. The aluminum layer gives the material a structural component, allowing it to span openings in door panels without sagging.

CLD materials add mass to the objects they’re attached to and reduce their ability to vibrate. The concept is similar to how a heavier piano or guitar string resonates at a lower frequency than one that is very thin and light. Imagine how a bass guitar would sound if you wrapped the E string of a guitar in dense rubber? From a technical perspective, the damping material converts the energy from the sound vibrations into heat, though this happens on a microscopic level.

Once damping material has been added to a large, flat surface like a door panel, a rear fender, the trunk lid or the roof of a car or truck, it’s harder for sound energy outside the vehicle to make that panel vibrate. If the panel doesn’t vibrate as much, less sound will be transferred into the vehicle, and the interior will be quieter.

Deadening Terminology
CLD sound deadening comes in all shapes and sizes. Resonix offers squares and rectangles to suit different installation needs.

What Are Noise Decoupling Solutions?

The second popular type of sound control product is decoupling materials. In most cases, these are closed-cell foams with a strong adhesive. When applied between the chassis and trim panels, or anywhere that two surfaces contact each other, the foam will help prevent annoying buzzes and rattles.

It’s important to remember when choosing a decoupling foam to make sure that it’s a closed-cell design. You don’t want it to absorb or trap moisture in any way. Trapped moisture can lead to mold, corrosion and damage to the vehicle.

Deadening Terminology
Companies like SoundShield combine CLD with a foam decoupling layer in a single product. Elevated Audio used this all-in-one sound deadening to improve the comfort of this Honda.

What Are Sound Barriers?

The third and least popular of the sound deadening materials are sound barriers. These products work independently of the vehicle chassis and panels as opposed to being bonded directly to them to reduce noise. Sound barriers typically feature a dense lead or vinyl core that is suspended between two layers of foam. The foam isolates the dense core from the vehicle and allows it to absorb energy in the form of noise. Sound barriers are also good at blocking heat transfer into a vehicle. Many hot rod builders will cover the transmission tunnel where the exhaust runs with a sound barrier to help keep the interior of the vehicle cooler.

Deadening Terminology
Burchett Customs in Knoxville, Tennessee, treated the floor of this C2 to a layer of Dynamat Xtreme CLD and Dynapad sound barrier material.

When we mentioned that sound barriers are the least popular, that isn’t because they don’t work well or offer significant benefits. They are fantastic and can dramatically improve the comfort of your vehicle. Because they’re usually installed on the floor of a vehicle, their installation requires that the carpet be removed from your car or truck. This is a time-consuming process as the seats, center console, trim panels and the lower part of the dash need to be removed. If you’re after the quietest and most luxurious driving experience, it’s a worthwhile investment. If you are having a vehicle interior built from scratch, you may want to consider this as part of the upgrade.

Deadening Terminology
Musicar Northwest in Portland, Oregon, treated this 2017 Tesla Model S to a layer of CLD in the doors to help reduce noise transfer into the vehicle and improve the performance of the Dynaudio speakers they installed.

What To Look for When Shopping for Sound Deadening

There are a few things to take into consideration when you’re shopping for deadening materials. The absolute most important criteria are the adhesion properties of the CLD you choose. There have been hundreds of cases where low-quality products have fallen off of door panels and roofs. In some cases, the deadening has melted completely and turned into a tar-like sludge. The results can be incredibly expensive to repair, and upholstery and carpet can be permanently stained by the sticky, goopy mess. Likewise, deadening that falls into the window mechanism in a door car leads to damage.

One tip: If the CLD has a strong odor, you may want to avoid it. Many damping materials that contain bitumen smell bad and have problems staying in place when they get hot in the summer.

Finally, you want to make sure the material you purchase is fire retardant. The last thing you need is your car going up in flames because a spark or heat from a short circuit sets your sound deadening on fire. Get a small sample of the deadening material and try to ignite it with a lighter. It might smolder for a second then go out. Self-extinguishing is the key here.

Understanding Sound Deadening Terminology Makes Shopping Easier

With a basic understanding of how sound deadening technologies work and a grasp of the common terminologies used in the car audio industry, you can now shop for a solution. Dozens of companies offer sound deadening, which comes in different thicknesses and densities. We’ll leave you to work with your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer to choose a product that works for your application.

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.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, RESOURCE LIBRARY

Are Smaller Subwoofers Faster than Large Ones?

Fast Subwoofers

When choosing a subwoofer system for your car or truck, picking the right products can be the difference between accurate and musical bass or a sloppy, boomy mess. Over the decades, small subwoofers have gained a reputation for being described as faster than those with larger cone diameters. Is woofer speed a thing? Can we measure it? Don’t fret; we’ll explain what you’re hearing.

Subwoofer Diameter vs. Frequency Response

Each high-quality subwoofer on the market is optimized to play a certain range of frequencies. For most companies, the engineers balance the design so that there is a good mix of efficiency and low-frequency extension.

Changes to the weight of the woofer cone and voice coil will dramatically affect how low a speaker will play. The graph below shows a 6.5-inch subwoofer and a 6.5-inch midrange, both with similar power handling ratings and excursion capabilities of about 9 mm.

Fast Subwoofers
The midrange driver in red is much more efficient than the subwoofer in orange.

The subwoofer output is down 3 dB at about 79 Hz, where the midrange starts to roll off at just over 130 Hz. The subwoofer cone assembly weighs about 50 grams, whereas the midrange cone assembly is about 20 grams. As is clearly evident, a heavy cone assembly will play lower, but you sacrifice efficiency. In order to play bass frequencies at high levels, you need speakers with more surface area. This is one of the main reasons why subwoofers are typically quite large.

The graph below shows the output of five different-size subwoofers from the same brand. Each subwoofer in this simulation is getting 150 watts of power.

Fast Subwoofers
Predicted output of 6.5-inch (red), 8-inch (yellow), 10-inch (green), 12-inch (blue) and 13.5-inch (violet).

It’s clear to see that efficiency increases as the subwoofer size gets larger. What’s harder to see in this graph is that the low-frequency cutoff gets lower as the subwoofer size increases.

The graph below shows the same five subwoofers with their outputs normalized to the same level. The -3 dB points are 80 Hz for the 6.5-inch, 85 Hz for the 8, 59 Hz for the 10, 54 Hz for the 12, and 46 Hz for the 13.5-inch woofers.

Fast Subwoofers
Normalized output of five different-size subwoofers to show changes in low-frequency extension.

Frequency Response vs. the Perception of Speed

Maybe you’ve heard stories and jokes about someone building a system with a 15-inch sub for deep bass and a pair of 10-inch subs for “fast bass.” If all the drivers are being used below 80 Hz as subwoofers, then there’s no need to mix and match sizes.

If you’re listening to a recording of a drum kit and are hoping for a perfect recreation of the original sound, you need a subwoofer system that plays flat to just under 40 Hz to capture the fundamental of a kick drum. To play the floor tom accurately, your subwoofer needs to play down to about 60 Hz.

Fast Subwoofers
The frequency content of a kick drum (in red) and floor tom (in yellow).

Imagine if you cut off the subwoofer at 60 Hz with a steep high-pass filter and attempted to play the kick drum recording. It would sound more like the tom with more emphasis on higher-frequency content. This is what happens when you compare the output of a small subwoofer with a larger one where the system hasn’t been equalized to deliver the same response. You won’t hear as much deep bass from the smaller speaker, so there will seem to be more emphasis on higher-frequency instruments.

This is the same reason why sealed (acoustic suspension) subwoofer enclosures are perceived as being “tighter” than vented (bass reflex) enclosures. The vented enclosures play louder and lower, changing the overall balance of the system.

Speaker Speed – What’s That?

In absolute terms, a small speaker can move faster than a larger speaker. This is the reason we have large woofers and small, lightweight tweeters. A speaker’s “speed” limit determines its upper-frequency response limit, not how accurately it can reproduce low frequencies. You’d never use a 12-inch subwoofer as a tweeter. So, yes, a big sub isn’t “fast enough” to be used as a tweeter. However, if you shave off a bunch of weight, it can move back and forth faster, and it becomes more efficient. Many PA systems and pro-sound speakers use 12-inch midrange drivers.

The Importance of Proper Equalization

When a professional installer finishes an installation, he or she will usually set the equalizer on a DSP as one of the final steps. Assuming the subwoofers in the system have the excursion capability, and there’s enough amplifier power, they will tune the system to deliver flat bass response, usually down to 30 Hz. In a scenario like this, most subwoofer systems, even with different-sized speakers (not in the same system, please), will sound similar. So, is subwoofer speed a thing? No, it’s isn’t. If you try to use a subwoofer as a midrange, well, then, you have system design problems.

If you’re planning on upgrading your car audio system, drop into your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer and talk with them about picking the best subwoofer for your car or truck. They can help you choose a size that will deliver the low-frequency output you want for the space available in your vehicle.

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.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, RESOURCE LIBRARY

What is Car Audio Amplifier Bridging?

Amplifier Bridging

For decades, stereo and multichannel amplifiers have offered the option of bridging to deliver significant power to a single speaker. Whether you refer to it as bridging, a bridge-tied load (BTL) or strapping, the process is the same. Curious how it works? Read on and we’ll explain.

How Most Stereo Car Audio Amplifiers Work

If you were to look at the signals on the positive and negative terminals of one channel versus the other, you are likely to find that they aren’t the same.

In amplifiers that are bridgeable, a popular configuration is to have the Left Positive and Right Negative speaker connections connected to the ground plane (a virtual ground, not the same as the chassis ground) inside the amp. The other two connections receive audio signals from the output devices.

Amplifier Bridging
The signal that the speaker reacts to depends on the relative difference between the speaker terminals and not the signal as referenced to the ground connection.

When the signal on the Left Negative speaker terminal on the amp in the image above moves positive, the speaker will cone will move inward. When the signal on the Right + speaker terminal on the amp moves negative, that speaker will also move inward.

Common Amplifier Bridging Configuration

When your installer wires a single speaker to your amplifier in a bridged configuration, he or she only uses the terminals with signal on them. Because the signal on one channel is inverted relative to the other channel, the voltage present across the speaker terminals has the potential of being twice what is available on a single channel.

Amplifier Bridging
As the signal on one speaker terminal goes positive, the signal on the other speaker terminal goes negative. This configuration allows for twice as much voltage to be applied to the speaker.

How Much Power Does a Bridged Speaker Receive?

The amount of power an amplifier produces is determined by the voltage the amp can produce and the impedance of the connected speaker. This statement assumes that the power supply in the amp can provide adequate current to the load.

In our example amplifier, let’s make the assumption that the positive and negative voltage rails are set at +21 volts and -21 volts. The output voltage on each channel can swing between plus and minus 20 volts relative to ground. The maximum power this amplifier can produce per channel when connected to a 4-ohm speaker is calculated using the maximum output voltage squared, divided by the load impedance. In this example, we have 20 volts squared divided by 4 ohms. This works out to 100 watts.

If you have a 4-ohm speaker wired in a bridged configuration, it can receive a maximum of 40 volts. This is because the signal on the positive speaker terminal goes in the opposite direction as the signal on the negative terminal. If we apply the same math, we get 40 times 40, divided by four, which is 400 watts.

What’s With Amplifiers ‘Seeing’ a Load?

You will find that most people in the audio industry refer to amplifiers “seeing” a load. In our original two-channel stereo wiring configuration, each channel has a single 4-ohm speaker connected to it. As such, each channel sees a 4-ohm load. When we bridge an amplifier, you will note that the minimum impedance for this configuration is double that of each individual channel. Our model amp can drive a 4-ohm load for each channel, but only a single 4-ohm speaker when bridged. Have you ever wondered why?

While amplifiers are designed to increase voltage, the amount of current their power supply can pass to the output devices is often a limiting factor. If we look at a single channel of this amp when connected to a 2-ohm load, the amp needs to provide 10 amps of current to the 2-ohm speaker when the output is at 20 volts. If we were to wire that 2-ohm speaker in a bridged configuration, we now have a maximum of 40 volts across its terminals, and we’d need 20 amps of current from each side of the amp. If the amp isn’t capable of delivering 20 amps per channel, it will either distort, overheat, go into protection or become damaged. If we wire a 4-ohm speaker in a bridged configuration, each channel only has to produce 10 amps of current.

Amplifier Bridging
Each pair of channels on this four-channel Helix C Four amplifier can be configured to run in stereo or in a bridged configuration.

Audio Signals When Bridging an Amp

For a speaker connected in a bridged configuration to function optimally, you will want to make sure that the audio signals going to the left and right channels are identical. Many high-quality amplifiers will have a mode selection switch that will let you select from Stereo, L+R or Mono operation. In the Stereo setting, the signal from the left RCA input goes to the left output channel, and the right RCA input goes to the right output channel. When you select L+R, the signals from both the left and right inputs are mixed together inside the amp and sent to both channels. Finally, in most applications, the Mono option uses only one of the input terminals and feeds that signal to both speaker outputs.

Amplifier Bridging
The end-panel of this Hertz HCP 2X includes a Mono button that routes the signal from the left RCA input to both output channels.

Bonus Amp Information

Back in the ’80s and ’90s, most car audio amplifiers were quite large. They were designed to produce lots of current because, well, size and heat weren’t an issue. When you connected a single 4-ohm speaker in a bridged configuration, most of these amplifiers would produce roughly four times as much power as that speaker would receive if connected to a single channel.

As amplifiers have become smaller, the size of their power supplies has decreased dramatically. As such, many compact amplifiers can’t deliver the current required to quadruple power. You’ll see ratings like 65 watts per channel when connected to a 4-ohm speaker, but only 95 watts per channel when driving 2-ohm speakers. In this example, the amp would only produce 190 watts when bridged as opposed to the 260 watts (four times 65 watts) you might have hoped for. This doesn’t make the amp necessarily sound worse; it’s simply a trade-off based on the desire for smaller chassis sizes and lower prices.

Upgrade Your Car Audio System with a Bridgeable Amplifier

If you’re considering upgrading your car audio system with a subwoofer and you have a two-channel amplifier, your installer is likely to choose to wire that sub in a bridged configuration. In most cases, with a high-quality amp, you’ll get all the power you need to crank your music up to concert volume levels. If you’re shopping for an amp, drop by your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer to get some advice on the solution that is best for your application.

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.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, RESOURCE LIBRARY

Upgrade your Golf Cart with Audio and Lighting

olf Cart Upgrade

Whether you’re spending an afternoon on the links with a couple of friends, towing your race car back to the pits, or you just have to have the coolest Club Car or E-Z-GO on the block, your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer can help. From audio systems and lighting upgrades to heated seats and lift kits, a whole world of accessories and custom solutions make getting around more fun and entertaining.

Golf Cart Audio System

Whether you want to check the weather before you hit the back nine or blast some music in the pits while getting ready for the next race, your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer can help. In terms of source units, you’ll want to look at some of the marine solutions from companies like Sony, Kenwood, Pioneer and Clarion. Full-size radio options include sources like Bluetooth, an AM/FM tuner with Weatherband and a CD mechanism. USB ports let you connect and charge a smartphone or play digital audio files from a memory stick.

Golf Cart Upgrade
The Sony DSX-M80 Bluetooth receiver features a High Power amplifier that can crank out 45 watts to each speaker, so your music is crystal clear.

If space is limited, you may want to look at one of the compact source units from companies like Hertz, JL Audio, Fusion or Kicker. These source units are designed with a controller and a hide-away power module, or as an all-in-one solution that can be mounted in the dash or an overhead console.

Golf Cart Upgrade
The Hertz HMR 20 is a UV- and water-resistant marine-grade source unit with Bluetooth audio streaming, an AM/FM tuner with Weatherband and a USB port for digital audio file playback.

If space is at a premium or you’re going for that stealth look, companies like JL Audio, Wirez and WetSounds have hide-away Bluetooth receiver options. You can pair your smartphone to the receiver and play music stored on the device or from a streaming service like Pandora, iHeartRadio or Tidal. Some Bluetooth receivers have control buttons to let you change tracks and volume without the need to grab your phone.

Golf Cart Upgrade
The JL Audio MBT-CRXv2 is one of the most popular Bluetooth receivers. It doesn’t have the capability to power speakers directly, but it’s the perfect complement to a compact amplifier solution.

Golf Cart Speaker Options

This may sound like deja vu, but the speakers chosen for your audio system are the most important component in determining sound quality. A great source unit and amplifier are wasted if the speakers on the vehicle don’t deliver smooth and natural performance. Just as with the source unit, you’ll likely want to choose a marine-grade speaker for your golf cart so you won’t run into problems if they get wet. Another key feature of marine speakers is that high-quality options are designed to handle prolonged sun exposure without fading, cracking or turning yellow.

Golf Cart Upgrade
Our friend Paul Niwranski built this speaker pod for his four-seater E-Z-GO golf cart.

For a speaker to work properly, it needs to be mounted in a way that prevents the sound coming from the back of the woofer cone to mix with and cancel the sound coming from the front. If there’s a storage compartment in the dash of your golf cart, this might make a great enclosure. Another option is to have a fabricator create a pod that fits into the roof or behind the seats. Finally, soundbars can be installed at the front of the vehicle to deliver your music.

Golf Cart Upgrade
The MUD6SPBT soundbar from MTX includes four 3-inch midrange speakers and a pair of tweeters to deliver great sound. A built-in amplifier and Bluetooth receiver make this a great all-in-one solution.

Speakers Need Amplifiers to Sound Great

Unless you have a genuine high-power radio, you are going to need an amplifier to make your system sound good. Many companies offer compact multi-channel amplifier solutions that would work perfectly on a golf cart. Before you rush out and buy something, keep in mind that your installer will need to find a place to mount the amp. You also have to remember that the size of the battery on the cart dictates how long the system will play. An efficient amp is a great choice for extending playtime.

Golf Cart Upgrade
The ARC Audio Moto 720 is a four-channel amp that boasts more than 93% efficiency. The amp can crank out a mind-blowing 150 watts of power per channel.

Your retailer can help you choose an amp that will fit perfectly and sound great. Don’t forget to include high-quality interconnect cables and all-copper power wiring in your budget to ensure that the system functions reliably for many years.

Accent and High-Output Lighting

If you’re rolling back to the clubhouse just as the sun sets, there’s no denying that some unique accent lighting will make your cart really stand out. LED lighting strips and pods can be changed to almost any color under the rainbow. These lighting solutions combine red, green and blue elements, and you can use a wireless controller or an app on your smartphone to select the hue you want or have the light change colors through random patterns or to the beat of your music.

Golf Cart Upgrade
Audio Express in Texarkana, Texas, upgraded this Textron E-Z-Go with a high-output headlight to make driving after dark safer.

If you’re planning on heading out after the sun sets, dozens of high-output lighting options are available to ensure that you can see safely. An LED light bar mounted at the top of the windshield is a great option to help you see long distances or light up a large area. You can choose from spot or flood patterns to suit your application.

Seat Heaters and Golf Cart Accessories

Not every upgrade to your golf cart needs to be fancy. Your local mobile enhancement retailer can add a power port or high-current USB plug to keep a phone charged. Heated seat pads are a nice upgrade for those cool spring or fall mornings. If you use your cart to get around the neighborhood, a backup camera is a great addition to help you park and maneuver the vehicle safely.

Golf Cart Upgrade
Tunes-N-Tint in Lakeland, Florida, added a set of high-output air horns to this 2012 Yamaha golf cart. This is the compressor and air reservoir for the system.

Upgrade Your Golf Cart Today

Whether you want a big audio system with a subwoofer or a way to keep your smartphone charged while you whack a few golf balls, visit your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer today and find out about the ways you can upgrade your golf cart.

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.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, RESOURCE LIBRARY, UTV Audio

What Are the Advantages of a Three-Way Front Stage?

Three-Way Front Stage

When it comes to upgrading your car audio system to deliver amazingly realistic performance, many people choose what’s known as a three-way front stage. In the simplest of terms, this refers to there being three speakers on each side of the vehicle. As we explained in our article about the need for different speaker sizes, your audio system requires woofers and tweeters to reproduce your music properly. The question is, why add dedicated midrange drivers to the mix? Read on to learn the answer.

Three-Way Front Stage
The RS Series speakers from ARC Audio offer amazing performance and accuracy, combining the RS 6.0 for midbass, the RS 3.0 for midrange and the RS 1.0 tweeters.

The Source of Sound

One key advantage of using a dedicated midrange speaker with a woofer and tweeter is that the small speaker can be placed on the dash or at the top of the door. These locations can deliver the perception that the voices are coming from a point higher in the vehicle than if you were relying solely on a woofer mounted in the door. Ideally, your audio system should — when designed, installed and calibrated properly with a DSP — seem to reproduce a soundstage that spans the middle of your windshield from pillar to pillar, or beyond.

In a two-way speaker system with a woofer and a tweeter, audio frequencies below 3,500 Hz may seem to come from the doors. This causes the height of the soundstage to be stretched vertically in the vehicle, and it detracts from the sense of realism. Adding a set of midrange speakers can raise the soundstage.

Consistent Frequency Response

Every speaker in the world, from every manufacturer, experiences a phenomenon called directivity. Directivity refers to the shape of the sound being created by the speaker with respect to the frequency of the sound. Take, for example, a 6.5-inch woofer. At low frequencies, the sound created by a speaker emanates in a spherical pattern that would, if possible, extend behind the speaker itself. This characteristic is part of why the shape of the mounting surface for a speaker is so crucial to its performance.

Three-Way Front Stage
This polar response graph shows the shape of the sound created by a speaker relative to the angle of the listener. This is the radiation pattern based on frequencies with wavelengths more than twice the diameter of the cone.

As the output frequency increases, the shape of the sphere moves from being equal in a 360-degree circle around the speaker to a ball in front of the speaker. The sound created outside this ball doesn’t cease to exist, but it is definitely attenuated (quieter).

Three-Way Front Stage
Even when the wavelength is the same as the cone diameter, the dispersion pattern remains relatively spherical, but attenuates beyond 45 degrees
Three-Way Front Stage
As the output frequency wavelength approaches twice the cone diameter, the dispersion pattern starts to narrow even more.

A further increase in frequency results in the ball narrowing to what would be perceived as a spotlight shape. Unless you are in front of the speaker, these audio frequencies will be quieter.

Three-Way Front Stage
When the wavelength is one fifth of the cone diameter, the output is balloon shaped and listening off-axis may result in this high-frequency information not being audible.
Three-Way Front Stage
At wavelengths of one tenth of the cone diameter, the output pattern is very directional. At even 30-degree’s off-axis you will hear very little.

Directivity is an issue because, in almost every vehicle, the speakers aren’t aimed on-axis with the listener. For a door-mounted woofer, we may be at as much as a 70-degree angle. If this speaker is operated with a tweeter and filtered at 4,000 Hz, we may be sitting in a position where there is very little output.

The chart below shows, in general terms, the maximum frequency you want to use for a given size of speaker in order to maintain smooth frequency response throughout the listening environment.

Three-Way Front Stage
For optimum performance and predictability, the upper-frequency limit for a speaker is a frequency with a wavelength that is 1.75 times the cone diameter. Put another way, you want the next speaker to be able to play low enough that this speaker’s directivity doesn’t become a problem.

Increased Low-Frequency Output

For the product specialist designing your audio system, selecting a woofer, midrange and tweeter for a three-way front stage may, depending on the brand being used, allow for a slight improvement in bass performance from the woofers. Since there’s no need for the 6.5- to 8-inch woofers to produce midrange frequencies much above 400 Hz, the cones can be a little heavier, so they play deeper than a similarly sized speaker that needs to play to 4,000 Hz.

Some companies switch from using a phase plug on their midrange drivers that play higher frequencies to adding a dust cap. The dust cap adds mass to lower the resonant frequency of the driver.

Another advantage, especially for those audio systems without a subwoofer: Your installer can turn up the output of the woofer relative to the midrange to increase bass output.

Three-Way Front Stage
The Audison Voce AV 6.5, AV 3.0 and AV 1.1 make a great three-way front stage solution.

Though the image below doesn’t exactly follow the laws of physics, it shows how the output of a three-way speaker system delivers even sound distribution at the listening position.

Three-Way Front Stage

The image below shows, in the same artistic fashion, how upper-midrange audio information from a door-mounted woofer may not be clearly audible at the listening position.

Three-Way Front Stage

Three-Way Front Stage System Design

Many companies offer three-way speaker sets that include passive crossover. Passive crossovers allow all three speakers on each side of the vehicle to be powered by a single amplifier channel. In most cases, the crossover points are fixed with passive networks, though some do include options for midrange and tweeter output levels.

To optimize the performance of a three-way front speaker set, it’s best to use a six-channel amplifier along with a digital signal processor. The features of the processor allow your installer to fine-tune the output of each speaker to deliver accurate and natural frequency response at the listening position.

Upgrade Your Car Audio System Today!

If you’re after the most realistic, detailed and accurate car audio system performance available, drop by your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer and ask about upgrading your vehicle with a three-way speaker set. Once it’s installed and calibrated, the results will be amazing!

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.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, RESOURCE LIBRARY

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Testimonials

A love of sound only few can know…

Bryan has been a friend of mine for most of my life. He and I have ventured several stereo systems our entire lives. We both share a love of sound only few can know. We have worked together, installed together, learned lessons, experienced life as a whole. In my life travels, I have still never met a better man, installer, and person. I am proud to know Bryan as a friend and business owner.

Adam Francis

806 Autoworks
5
2016-09-27T02:12:51-05:00

Adam Francis

Bryan has been a friend of mine for most of my life. He and I have ventured several stereo systems our entire lives. We both share a love of sound only few can know. We have worked together, installed together, learned lessons, experienced life as a whole. In my life travels, I have still never met a better man, installer, and person. I am proud to know Bryan as a friend and business owner.
https://www.806autoworks.com/testimonials/go-1sixty8-audio-dont-go-anywhere/

Thank you for all the hard work yall are doing

I've been accessories manager at a Toyota Dealership going on 3 yrs now, and the majority of my remote starts have been done by Bryan over the years. Whenever I have questions Bryan always makes himself available to help, whenever there is an issue, he would never give me the run-around he would simply tell me to bring it by and he would fix it whether minor or major. He is extremely thorough with his installations which is the most important factor when installing aftermarket electronics in Toyota vehicles as Toyotas are very sensitive in their electrical configurations. He has won several awards for his work and his actions back up everyone.

Christopher Clark

806 Autoworks
5
2016-09-27T02:18:41-05:00

Christopher Clark

I've been accessories manager at a Toyota Dealership going on 3 yrs now, and the majority of my remote starts have been done by Bryan over the years. Whenever I have questions Bryan always makes himself available to help, whenever there is an issue, he would never give me the run-around he would simply tell me to bring it by and he would fix it whether minor or major. He is extremely thorough with his installations which is the most important factor when installing aftermarket electronics in Toyota vehicles as Toyotas are very sensitive in their electrical configurations. He has won several awards for his work and his actions back up everyone.
https://www.806autoworks.com/testimonials/thank-you-for-all-the-hard-work-yall-are-doing/

Very Professional

Bryan has worked on a few vehicles for me, and his work has always been very professional. Everything he has done for me looks like it came straight from the factory that way, and the service he has provided has been fantastic. I would recommend anyone needing any type of audio work to give him a call you won't be disappointed!

Mathew Miera

806 Autoworks
5
2016-09-27T00:49:55-05:00

Mathew Miera

Bryan has worked on a few vehicles for me, and his work has always been very professional. Everything he has done for me looks like it came straight from the factory that way, and the service he has provided has been fantastic. I would recommend anyone needing any type of audio work to give him a call you won't be disappointed!
https://www.806autoworks.com/testimonials/best-experience-ever/
5
3
806 Autoworks

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806 Autoworks
7527 Canyon Dr.
Amarillo, TX 79110
Phone: 806-418-6850
Email: bryan.t@806autoworks.com

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