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Dubuque's only High Quality Car Audio and Electronics Retailer and Installation Facility

3366 Center Grove Drive - Suite 4 - Dubuque, IA 52003 563-239-1931
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Subwoofer Enclosure Locations – Finding Space For Bass

Enclosure LocationsWhen it comes to bang-for-the-buck upgrades to any audio system, none can beat the dramatic difference of adding a subwoofer. Factory audio systems are getting pretty good at producing a soundstage in front of the listener, and they are EQed well enough not to be painful to enjoy – but one thing they all have in common is anemic, wimpy, thin and muddy bass response. Adding a quality subwoofer system can fix that.

What are optimal subwoofer system enclosure locations? If you think of the stereotypical car audio system, the subwoofer enclosure was usually something that took up most of the trunk or hatch area of the vehicle. You’d pop the trunk, and there would be just enough room for a knapsack or maybe a duffle bag. Did these systems sound great? Absolutely! Did they leave room for golf clubs, luggage or a keg of beer? Not a chance!

Subwoofers for Compact Enclosures

Enclosure LocationsLooking through recent photos of custom car audio installations will reveal that subwoofer enclosures no longer take up space they once did. Why is this? Companies that design and manufacture subwoofers are conscious of the need to provide amazing performance without taking up a lot of space. There are now dozens of subwoofers designed specifically to fit into very shallow locations – like behind or under the seat of a pickup truck. These same subwoofers are also designed to produce deep bass from minimal enclosure volume requirements.

When a company designs a speaker, they have to balance three basic performance criteria – low-frequency extension, efficiency and enclosure volume requirements. In general terms, you get to pick two, and the third will suffer. For a small enclosure driver, it’s often efficiency that takes a small hit. Regaining some of this reduction in output is credited to careful and thoughtful computer modeling and the use of stronger magnets and tighter tolerances withing the motor assembly of the subwoofer. Efficiency isn’t as important as it used to be – we have many high-power amplifiers that don’t cost an arm and a leg.

Conventional Enclosure Locations

Enclosure Locations
Custom enclosure and amplifier rack in SUV hatch.

If you drive a hatchback or SUV, a subwoofer sitting behind the rear seat is still very common. This location works quite well because the output of the subwoofer system is in the same listening environment as it would be in a sedan. Your installer may choose to face the subwoofer in almost any direction – rearward, forward, up or down. Firing the subwoofers down into the floor can act as a bit of a filter for high-frequency energy, so your midbass speakers have to be up to the challenge.

If you drive a sedan, your subwoofer system is probably at the back of the trunk against the rear seats – much like in hatchbacks or SUVs. Again, the direction in which the speaker points varies based on the system design and cosmetic layout. Firing the subwoofers forward provides room to mount amplifiers and processors on the rear of the enclosure.

Another popular application for sedans is to fire the subwoofers through the rear deck or ski pass-through between the seats. These techniques dramatically improve the midbass response from the subwoofer and ease the requirement for large midbass drivers in the front of the vehicle.

A Little Custom, A Little Fun

Working with unique locations can offer a dramatic increase in the available storage area in the vehicle. There are two classic locations for a custom subwoofer enclosure: in the spare tire well or the corner of the trunk or storage area.

Enclosure Locations
A creative installer can fit a surprising amount of equipment in a spare tire well, while leaving the trunk fully functional.

The spare tire well of many vehicles can offer an amazing amount of space for subwoofers. In many cases, a skilled installer can include your amplifiers and processors in that same space. Some thoughtful design and careful planning can leave you with your entire trunk available for cargo. You do need a plan for not having your spare tire with you – but the local auto service is always a phone call away.

Enclosure Locations
This SUV side enclosure takes up almost no usable space.

Building an enclosure in the corner of your trunk can offer excellent performance without a dramatic effect on available cargo space. Installers love to get creative with these enclosure designs. Classically, these enclosures have been molded to the vehicle with layers of fiberglass. Layered fiberglass construction offers excellent use of space, sometimes allowing for a larger subwoofer to be used with the same low-frequency performance, or even for a vented enclosure design. The drawback to fiberglass can be the time it takes for construction, and the smell. Fiberglass resin has a strong odor. It won’t last long, but that aspect is worth keeping in mind.

Another construction technique that is becoming more and more popular is stack-fab. The stack-fab process uses multiple layers of wood. Each is cut to fit the contour of the vehicle, then glued one on top of another until your installer has built up to the top of the desired space. Stack-fab construction can be quite efficient in terms of time. The enclosure is ready to go right away. There is no waiting for layers of fiberglass and resin to dry. Stack-fab isn’t as efficient on internal air space, but produces a very rigid and well-damped result.

Unique Applications and Solutions

Enclosure Locations
In many instances only an inch or two of legroom has to be given up to utilize a footwell enclosure.

What if your vehicle is a little more challenging than most? Say you have a small two-seater like a Miata or an NSX, but want great sound? There is no room behind the seat for anything. What’s an auto sound enthusiast to do? The passenger side footwell can be a great location for a subwoofer. A skilled installer can get a good-quality 8- or 10-inch subwoofer in there while leaving more than enough room for the passenger to sit comfortably in the vehicle.

Wherever you and your installer decide to place your subwoofer enclosure, the addition of good, solid low-frequency musical information will dramatically improve the overall performance of your mobile audio system. Search the Internet and join one of the many car audio groups on Facebook to gather ideas. Once you have a few thoughts, talk with the product specialist and installer at your local mobile electronics specialist retailer. No doubt, the result 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

Passive Vs Active Crossover Networks

Crossover NetworksTo optimize the performance capabilities of a speaker, it should operate within the frequency range for which it was designed. A woofer or subwoofer won’t be able to reproduce high frequencies accurately. A tweeter will self-destruct if you ask it to try to play bass frequencies. For this reason, we use three- and four-way speaker systems in most vehicles. That means using crossover networks.

The purpose of a crossover is to split up the frequencies that pass through it. We are going to delve waist-deep into the benefits and drawbacks of the crossovers commonly used in car audio system component speaker sets.

How a Passive Crossover Network Works

Crossover Networks
This inductor is one of the pieces used in a passive network

A passive crossover network is a component or group of components that is installed on the speaker wires between an amplifier and a speaker. The behavior of these components attenuates portions of the signal going to the speaker itself. Four components are commonly used in passive networks: capacitors, inductors, resistors and protection devices.

The combination and configuration of these components are used to create a low-pass, high-pass or band-pass filter network. Resistors are used to attenuate the output of devices, or sometimes used as part of a frequency-dependent impedance correction circuit called a Zobel network. Some manufacturers include light bulbs, diodes or some form of positive temperature resistors to limit how much voltage a tweeter receives. Completely passive active networks have been available (but that was a long time ago).

How an Active Crossover Functions

Crossover NetworksAn active crossover is a device that modifies an audio signal before the amplifier. It works on line-level or preamp signals only. Active crossovers combine op-amps, resistors and capacitors to alter different frequency ranges of the signal. Unlike passive networks, active crossovers can be designed to increase the level of the signal, but only in the case of powered filters. Active networks are often include other functions, such as remote level controls and bass boost circuits.

Benefits of Passive Crossovers

Crossover Networks
The switches on this passive crossover allow for attenuation.

It is worth noting that each passive network is designed to work at a specific frequency for a specific speaker. If you change the speaker, the filter will not respond in the same way. In some cases, if the impedance of the speaker is significantly different from the one the network was designed for, the speaker may be damaged, or portions of the network may become damaged.

Passive networks are easy to use. You run a wire from your amplifier to the input of the network, then connect each speaker to the output. Other than mounting the network in a dry location that is free from vibration, that’s about all you have to consider.

Some passive networks include some form of output level attenuation. Most use a two- or three-position switch. Some use jumpers. An extremely high-end network may include a variable L-pad or potentiometer for extreme fine-tuning capabilities.

Passive crossovers allow you to split the power of a single amplifier channel to drive two different speakers. Fewer amplifier channels can dramatically reduce the system cost, since you only need a pair of amplifier channels to run a full set of speakers.

Limitations of Passive Crossovers

Since a passive crossover network is designed for a specific frequency, once the parts are chosen and assembled, there is no way to change that frequency without introducing new or additional parts.

Designing a passive crossover can be somewhat complex. The simplest of networks rely on some basic assumptions about the impedance of each speaker at the crossover frequency. Designing a network that compensates for the complex reactive load that speakers create as they move is difficult. It requires computerized modeling software and a way to measure the impedance and frequency response of the speaker at varying drive levels.

High-quality passive crossovers are designed for a specific distance and angle between the woofer and the tweeter. If the network is designed for the speakers to be far apart, moving the speakers close together will cause the signals to sum incorrectly. Even changing the angle of a speaker can have a dramatic effect on the frequency response at the crossover point.

Passive crossover networks have limitations in how much power they can handle. The magnetic fields created in an inductor have a limit. The voltage applied to a capacitor also has a limit. Crossover networks can and do overheat and fail if too much power is sent to them.

Passive crossover networks consume energy. Using a speaker system with a passive network is not quite as efficient as one using an active filter network. The overall efficiency of the crossover network depends on its complexity and the quality of the components used in the network.

Passive crossover networks are somewhat susceptible to noise. If you run a wire with an AC signal on it past the inductor in a passive network, the network can easily pick up that signal and add it to the audio signal. Choosing a safe location to mount passive crossover networks is important.

Benefits of Active Crossovers

Crossover NetworksMost active crossover networks are adjustable. That means by turning a knob or moving a switch, you can change the crossover frequency. This flexibility makes active crossovers suitable for use with almost any speaker system. Most active crossovers also include level controls, so you can easily fine-tune the level of the midrange and tweeter to compensate for different mounting locations.

Active crossovers don’t care how powerful your amplifiers are because they process the signal before it enters the amplifier. Active crossovers are also not very sensitive to temperature variations, so they can be very accurate, all the time. If one of the amplifiers channels in an active crossover system clips, the distortion only affects that single channel.

Challenges of Active Crossovers

Because active crossovers are universal in design, being able to set crossover frequencies accurately can be challenging. Labels on potentiometers are notoriously inaccurate. Most active crossovers have fixed attenuation slopes. You can’t change these slopes to compensate for response characteristics or placement variations. Unless the speaker manufacturer provides it, or you have extensive experience in measuring the electro-mechanical and acoustic response of the set of speakers, knowing what frequency to cross speakers over at can be difficult. Too low and you risk damage to the tweeter. Too high and you get distortion from the midrange. Many speaker combinations also require the over- or under-lap of the crossover frequencies to produce a flat response.

An active crossover requires a dedicated amplifier channel for each speaker. These extra channel requirements can increase the cost of designing a system.

The Perfect Solution

Crossover NetworksIf there is no limit to your budget, the ideal crossover solution for a set of speakers is an active crossover with a Digital Sound Processor performing the filtering. A DSP will offer adjustable crossover frequencies, and most offer adjustable crossover slopes and alignments.

No matter what you choose, it’s a good idea to spend some time with a high-resolution RTA to make sure your system is set up for the smoothest, flattest response possible at the crossover frequency.

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

Convenience System Accessories

Convenience System Accessories

A remote starter, keyless entry or security system is a great way to enhance the functionality of your vehicle. A remote starter can make dealing with weather extremes much more comfortable. A properly installed security system can let you know if someone damages your vehicle or tries to steal it. If your car didn’t come with a remote control to unlock the doors, a keyless entry system can speed up the process of getting into your vehicle and locking it when you leave. An entire list of convenience options can be added to these systems to make them even more convenient and further improve the security of your vehicle.

Cellular Interface

ConvenienceMany companies sell smartphone interfaces for remote start and security systems. These systems work by interfacing between an app on your smartphone and the convenience system in your vehicle. Yes, you have to pay for a monthly (or yearly) service plan, so don’t be surprised by that aspect. These systems will allow you to lock and unlock your vehicle, start it remotely (if you have a remote starter installed), and pop the trunk if that is hooked up.

The best part is that if you have a security system, your phone will alert you with a message if your alarm goes off. Anywhere your car and your smartphone have access to a cellular connection, you can control the system.

Many smartphone interfaces include GPS receivers. Such a receiver can send the longitude and latitude of your vehicle to the app on your smartphone. This information will let you know exactly where your vehicle is and how fast it is traveling. The app also can let you know right away if the vehicle moves when it’s not supposed to.

Some of these systems include the ability to monitor battery voltage, advise you of vehicle diagnostic codes and tell you the temperature of the vehicle interior. A few of these systems include a built-in backup battery and will alert you if the unit is disconnected.

Power Window Control Interfaces

One of the “classic” convenience accessories is the power window interface. This module lets your convenience system roll your windows up and down with the press of a button on your remote. The system can be programmed to roll the windows up when the doors are locked. Many of these window control systems have the option of venting a window an inch or two with a short press of the button on your remote, then rolling the window down completely when you hold the button for a second or two.

Power window modules also can be used to control sliding doors or sun roofs.

Tilt and Motion Sensors

ConvenienceIf you are worried about someone stealing your wheels or towing your vehicle, then a tilt and motion sensor would be a great addition. These sensors calibrate themselves each time the alarm is armed, then trigger the system when the vehicle angle changes by more than a couple degrees. These sensors should not trigger the alarm under normal wind conditions, thanks to integrated software that recognizes when the vehicle is rocking.

Backup Battery Siren

If you are concerned about someone cutting you the wire to your siren so they can work on bypassing the rest of a security system, ask your mobile electronics retailer about a battery backup siren. These sirens will go off if someone cuts the wiring to it. A key on the siren will turn it off.

Radar Sensors Boost Protection

If you have a convertible-top vehicle or like to leave your windows down, a radar or field disturbance sensor is a great way to keep your vehicle protected. These sensors Convenienceusually have two stages of protection. The first will provide a warning to an intruder when something or someone enters the field. The second triggers the alarm right away. Your installer can fine-tune the size of the fields for a given sensor mounting location and vehicle type.

Keypads Add Convenience

Several companies offer convenience keypads that attach to the inside of your windshield. You can type in a code of your choice to arm or Conveniencedisarm the system.

Some keypads have the option of acting as a pager for an owner who has a two-way remote or smartphone interface. These systems use technology similar to what a smartphone uses with a glass screen uses to detect your finger presses.

Proximity Remote

Many new cars have proximity keys that unlock the doors when you walk up to the vehicle. Your installer can add similar technology to an aftermarket keyless entry system. You simply keep a fob in your pocket. When you walk up to the vehicle, it will disarm the alarm without your having to press a button.

High-output Sirens

ConvenienceIf you want to get people’s attention when your alarm goes off, then the addition of a high-output siren is just for you. Some of these sirens are extremely loud, while others offer a sound that is truly ear-piercing! These high-frequency sirens are often called pain generators and are typically installed in the vehicle.

Protecting your vehicle from theft or vandalism is an art. Some installers take great pride in their security system installations. They conceal wiring in the dash very carefully and use wire protection that matches the factory look and feel. Split-loom, flexible-conduit, Tesa tape and vinyl tape are just some of the wire protection options. Installers route wires with factory wiring to further conceal their work.

Adding features and functionality to a security or convenience system is a great way to enhance its performance and usefulness. These are just a few of the possible additions available. Be sure to ask your local mobile electronics specialist retailer about the options they have available.

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, Remote Car Starters, RESOURCE LIBRARY

Are Single or Dual Voice Coil Subwoofers Better?

Voice CoilWhen it comes to buying subwoofers, a lot of people have questions or make assumptions about the benefits and drawbacks of single voice coil and dual voice coil versions. Understanding the differences between them requires a slightly enhanced understanding of how an amplifier works. We cover both topics in this article.

How an Amplifier Works

An amplifier is a simple device that takes an audio signal (from your radio, for example) and increases the voltage. That’s it.

You may (logically) be asking yourself, “Why do we call it a power amplifier?” We get an increase in power because the speakers we connect to the outputs of the amplifier have a low impedance. In car audio, we typically see loads between 1 and 4 ohms. This low impedance, combined with the increased voltage of the audio signal in the amplifier, causes relatively large amounts of current to flow through the voice coil of the speaker. This current flow causes a magnetic field and, subsequently, the voice coil moves toward or away from the magnetic field created by the stationary magnet on the speaker.

(OK, maybe this didn’t stay as simple as originally planned.)

Amplifier Load Determines Amplifier Power

Voice Coil
Ohm’s Law Pie Chart
Let’s use an example of an amplifier that has a peak output voltage of 20 V. We don’t need to worry about the fact that this is an alternating current signal – we will examine this at a single point in time. With 20 V applied to our voice coil, let’s say we have a 4 ohm impedance on this coil. Ohm’s law states that a potential of 20 volts applied across a resistance of 4 ohms will result in 5 amp of current to flow. Using the equation P (Power) = Voltage x Current, we get 20 x 5, or 100 watts of power. If we change the impedance of the load to 2 ohms, we double the current to 10 amps, for a resulting power level of 200 watts.

If you look at the specifications for an amplifier, especially a subwoofer amplifier, you will see power ratings at different load impedances. In most cases, unless the voltage of the power supply in the amplifier is adjustable, amplifiers will make more power as the load impedance decreases.

What About These Subs?

Deciding which subwoofers to buy depends on the amp you are using and the number of subwoofers you are going to use. You want to choose a combination of subwoofers that will let you wire the voice coils together to an impedance that will allow the amp to make the power you want. Let’s look at several examples.

Example 1

Voice Coil
Images courtesy of JL Audio

We have the option of two different fictional subwoofers, each rated for 750 watts of continuous power handling. One subwoofer has a single 4 ohm voice coil. The other subwoofer has dual 4 ohm voice coils.

The dual voice coil subwoofer can have its coils wired in series to produce an 8 ohm load, or in parallel to produce a 2 ohm load. To complete this fictional example, we have an amplifier that will produce 400 watts into a 4 ohm load and 700 watts into a 2 ohm load. We have a small car and want to use a single 12 inch subwoofer in a large vented enclosure to get maximum low-frequency output. What sub should we use?

If we use the single voice coil subwoofer, the amplifier will not make full power in the 4 ohm load. We should use the dual voice coil subwoofer and wire the voice coils in parallel to present the amp with a 2 ohm load.

Example 2

Voice Coil
Images courtesy of JL Audio

In this example, we have the same electronic equipment, but the vehicle is a large SUV. There is a lot of room for subwoofers, and the owner wants to list to reggae, loudly. The owner has listened to a friend’s system and found out that a pair of subs matches his listening preferences perfectly. Which subs should we use?

If we use the dual voice coil subs, we have three options for wiring the four (two on each sub) voice coils together. We could wire all the coils in parallel. Parallel wiring will present the amp with a 1 ohm load. Most likely, the amp will go into protection because the load is too low. We could wire all the coils in series to present the amp with a 16 ohm load – but that’s not going to happen. We could wire the voice coils on each subwoofer in series, then parallel the pair of subwoofers to get a 4 ohm load. A 4 ohm load is not ideal.

If we use a pair of single voice coil subwoofers, however, and wire the subs in parallel, we get a 2 ohm load. Happy amp and happy customer!

Choosing and Wiring Subwoofers

  • Voice CoilYou can use as many subwoofers as you want on a single amplifier.
  • You must use all the voice coils on each sub. If you need a 4 ohm load but have a dual 4 ohm sub, using only one coil is going to cause issues. Bad issues.
  • Wire all the subwoofers you choose so the current going through each subwoofer is the same. In most cases, this means using pairs of subs. In the past, several companies offered dual 6 ohm voice coil subs that could be wired in groups of three to present amplifiers with standard load impedances of 1 or 4 ohms.

Do not wire one dual voice coil subs in series and one in parallel before connecting the subs together in parallel. You will get more current through the (parallel) low-impedance subwoofer. This imbalance will upset the performance of the enclosure and wreak havoc with the reliability and quality of your system. This is unrelated to the wiring of multiple subwoofers, but: Don’t mix and match different subwoofers. Each has its enclosure requirements and response characteristics. There is no way to guarantee that the output of two different subwoofers will sum positively at all frequencies.

So, Which Voice Coil Configuration Is Better?

The answer to the question “which is better” is neither. SVC and DVC subwoofers are simply two different options when buying. They are analogous to a tire manufacturer offering different-sized tires for different vehicles – there is an application for each.

Adding a subwoofer system should be one of the very first things you do to upgrade a factory audio system. When you are ready to make the leap into the realism, impact and dynamics that a great subwoofer can add, drop by your local car audio specialist retailer. They would be happy to work with you to design a system that meets your performance expectations.

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

Product Spotlight: KICKER PTRTP Powered Subwoofer System

KICKER PTRTP

If you wanted one word to describe the best upgrade you can make to almost any factory-installed car stereo, that word would be subwoofer. For 50 years, the folks at KICKER in Stillwater, Oklahoma, have known that a subwoofer system is the first, best upgrade. When it’s a priority to maximize audio system performance while balancing cargo space, KICKER’s PTRTP powered down-firing loaded subwoofer enclosures are a great choice. Let’s check them out!

KICKER PTRTP10 10-inch Subwoofer System

KICKER created two solutions in the PTRTP line. The PTRTP10 features a 10-inch subwoofer, a 400-watt amplifier and a 10-inch passive radiator. The enclosure is 13.25 inches deep, 25.625 inches wide, and only 6 inches tall. Whether it’s sitting at the back of your trunk or under the seat of a pickup truck, you’ll still have room to carry all your sports equipment, tools, luggage or weekly groceries.

KICKER PTRTP

KICKER PTRTP12 12-inch Subwoofer System

If you want a little more kick (pun intended), the PTRTP12 is a perfect solution. This larger enclosure features a 12-inch subwoofer with a matching 12-inch passive radiator and a 500-watt amplifier. Enclosure dimensions are 14.625 inches deep, 27.5 inches wide and 6.5 inches tall. That’s still small enough that you can easily leave it in place on a road trip or vacation.

KICKER PTRTP

Standard Features of KICKER’s Down-Firing Amplified Subwoofer Systems

The KICKER PTRTP enclosures feature CompRT-Series subwoofers. This series of subwoofers delivers full-size subwoofer performance from incredibly compact dimensions. The drivers feature an injection-molded polypropylene cone with eight reinforcing spokes. The cones are attached to ribbed Santoprene rubber surrounds. The ribs help improve linearity and prevent buckling and distortion at high output levels. Power handling is improved, and thermal compression is reduced, by a series of forced-air cooling holes in the bottom plate. These holes let hot air around the bottom of the voice coil and motor escape. Vents in the basket under the spider mounting plateau provide additional cooling and reduce compression issues at high excursion levels. The custom-tooled bumped top plate in the CompRT drivers allows for a stunning 13.35-mm Xmax specification.

KICKER PTRTP
The KICKER PTRTP enclosures use the impressive CompRT Series shallow-mount subwoofers for amazing performance.

The amplifiers built into each enclosure are identical in features and only differ in power production. Both include adjustable RCA preamp and speaker-level inputs via a four-pin Molex-style connector. The preamp input can accept up to 5 volts, and the speaker-level input mode will handle an impressive 40 volts. The amplifier can be activated using the standard 12-volt remote input connection or DC-offset detection. The DC-offset circuitry monitors the speaker-level inputs for the DC voltage common to factory-installed and even aftermarket radios. The bottom line is that KICKER has made this easy to integrate with your factory-installed stereo system. If you ever want to temporarily remove the enclosure, the signal and power connections are on quick-release plugs.

KICKER PTRTP
The PTRTP12 subwoofer system features a 500-watt amplifier with all the integration features your installer needs.

The built-in amplifiers include an adjustable -12 dB/octave low-pass crossover that your installer can set between 50 and 120 Hz. A bass boost control can bump 40 Hz by up to 6 dB. Finally, a polarity control switch will invert the output to improve integration with the rest of the speakers in the vehicle. KICKER has included a full-time infrasonic filter set to 25 Hz with a -12 dB/octave slope. Both solutions include a wired remote bass control to let you fine-tune the system from the driver’s seat.

KICKER PTRTP Passive Radiator Subwoofer Systems

Many older car audio enthusiasts will recognize the passive radiator design used in the KICKER PTRTP enclosures from the first KICKER Box subwoofer enclosure systems created in the ’80s. Passive radiator designs offer similar performance benefits to a vented enclosure. So why use them? Passive radiator enclosures can be much smaller than vented enclosures and deliver equally impressive amounts of deep bass.

KICKER PTRTP
The passive radiator design delivers the benefits of a vented design from a compact enclosure.

So why a down-firing enclosure? The primary benefit is driver protection. You can throw your hockey gear or golf clubs in the cargo area without fear of damaging the speaker cone or surrounds. KICKER has added significant reinforcement to the construction of the enclosure to ensure that you aren’t going to crush it. Cosmetically, the enclosures are classy and subtle, with a durable black carpet finish and rounded corners. You can have the embroidered KICKER logo facing rearward for all to see, or your installer can turn it around for a less conspicuous upgrade.

KICKER PTRTP
The down-firing design of the KICKER PTRTP subwoofer system protects the drivers from damage.

Upgrade Your Car Audio System with KICKER Today!

If you want a compact, high-performance subwoofer upgrade for your car, truck or SUV, drop by a local authorized KICKER retailer and ask about their 10- and 12-inch PTRTP powered down-firing subwoofer systems. You can find a KICKER retailer using the dealer locator on their website. To learn more about KICKER’s amazing car audio products, check out their YouTube channel, Facebook page or Instagram feed.

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, PRODUCTS, RESOURCE LIBRARY Tagged With: KICKER

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5Sixty3 Sound Solutions
3366 Center Grove Drive
Suite 4,
Dubuque, IA 52003
Phone: 563-239-1931

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