The subwoofer is an important part of many car stereo systems, but the subwoofer enclosure is actually just as important. The type of bass you get from the sound system actually does not depend only on the subwoofer, but on the enclosure as well. Many subwoofers cannot deliver full bass because the sound from the back of the speaker can actually cancel out the low frequencies that come from the front of the speaker, which makes enclosures very important.

There are also many types of subwoofer enclosures that you can choose from, some of which may, or may not work for what you want.

Sealed boxes offer a very deep and precise bass because it is an airtight enclosure that houses the subwoofer. This is best for any music that uses a tight and accurate base. There will not be a booming response in the bass, but there will be a deep bass extension. Amplifiers are needed for this to achieve optimum performance.

Ported boxes offer forceful bass and use a vent to reinforce the low bass response of the subwoofer. You get much more output out of this than you do in a sealed box, and this works excellent for rock, heavy metal and any other hard music.

Bandpass boxes offer an extra shot of bass because the woofer is in a dual-chambered box so that the sound waves emerge from the ported side to create an extra loud sound within the very narrow frequency range. These types of enclosures tend to cause the subwoofer to boom and it is perfect for rap, hip hop, reggae or hard rock.

You can also choose a free-air subwoofer if it is going to be in the trunk against the rear seat. The trunk of the car will actually act as an enclosure for the subwoofer and it will isolate the sound from the back of the speaker for you. These save space and have a very low frequency response. However, if you are going to do this, make sure the subwoofer is designed for free-air use, otherwise you may not have the best sound that you could.

When you are putting together your car stereo system, you need to ensure you take into consideration the enclosure. It is just as important as the other items we have talked about in this website, including the tweeter, amplifier and the types of speakers you have.