How To Break In A Subwoofer: Top Full Guide 2023

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Assuming you have a subwoofer that isn’t already broken in, there are a few ways how to break in a subwoofer under this article.

One way is to play music through it at moderate levels for a prolonged period, gradually breaking it in. Another way is to use a subwoofer break-in disc, explicitly designed for breaking in subwoofers, and can be played at high volumes without damaging the subwoofer. Whichever method you choose, breaking in your subwoofer will help it perform at its best.

The Importance of Breaking in Your Subwoofer

So you’ve just installed a new subwoofer to increase the bass and overall sound quality of your car’s audio system, and you’re ready to crank up the volume and blast your favorite tunes. However, there must be a break-in time before it may be completely operational.

You may wonder what it means to break in a subwoofer and how you do so.

We’ll explain what this means, why it’s important, and how to do it to help you appreciate the value of breaking in a subwoofer.

Intro to Subwoofers

A subwoofer is a low-frequency loudspeaker built to provide lower frequencies (bass) that a typical audio system cannot reproduce.

They’re a common addition to many automotive audio systems and are available in various sizes and designs. The most popular sort of subwoofer, however, is an unpowered component subwoofer.

What It Does

Subwoofers provide not only a louder sound but also a stronger bass, allowing you to not only hear but also feel your music. Most subwoofers will generate bass frequencies ranging from 60 to 250 hertz.

Because bass is a tough frequency range for your factory stereo to replicate, having a subwoofer is ideal for listening to bass-heavy music. Still, it’s not the only significant feature.

A subwoofer also alleviates the load on your current speakers, which would otherwise struggle to reproduce lower frequencies, thereby boosting your whole system. This allows your audio system to produce a more vivid, full-bodied sound with less distortion, especially at higher frequencies.

A professionally fitted premium subwoofer system with a high-power amplifier and the head unit is suggested for the greatest overall sound.

What It Means to Break in a Subwoofer

Like any other piece of equipment or machinery, subwoofers are made up of moving components, which might be stiff when they are fresh new. Because of this stiffness, the components may struggle to react adequately to the electric current from the amplifier that drives them. This is due to a component known as the spider, which functions as a suspension and enables the cone to move back and forth to make a sound.

As a result, to get the finest possible sound, subwoofers need to be broken in. Consider waking up in the morning and spending some time browsing your phone before getting out of bed. Fortunately, breaking in a subwoofer is only necessary once, after which you won’t have to worry about it again.

After properly placing the subwoofer in your automobile, the breaking-in procedure entails playing it for some time. The biggest advantage is that it helps release the unit’s suspension, improving overall performance and bass output. This will also help your subwoofer last longer.

So, what exactly is the breaking-in procedure? For starters, the breaking-in phase might take several weeks or more. Therefore patience is required. You will notice its performance changing and finally stabilizing throughout this period.

With that said, these are the measures you should take to break into a new subwoofer properly.

How Should You Break in a Subwoofer?

First, we’ll go through how to break in subwoofer faster for a sound system. Following that, we’ll go through several ways for breaking in automobile subwoofers.

When you bring the subwoofer home, do not connect it in and set the volume up to maximum. Even if you do not damage the sub, you will not get the best performance. Instead, take these five steps:

Check the Connections

It’s easy to make a mistake while connecting your new subwoofers in the excitement of receiving your new equipment. For example, 16-gauge speaker wires are appropriate. In addition, speakers must be linked in phases. You also don’t want to short out your amplifier. Your subwoofers will be rendered useless.

Find a Recording to Loop

When looking for anything to break in your subwoofer, search for something with consistent and repeating deep bass. Even if you appreciate Beethoven’s fifth percussive opening, you need something with a deeper and more consistent rhythm. A reggae song is an excellent choice. Just make sure there’s enough bass to make the driver move.

Some folks may advise you to employ “pink noise.” However, since the driver generates bass by displacing energy, you must play the music that forces the driver to work.

Play On Moderate Volume

Play the chosen song at a moderate volume for fifteen or twenty minutes. This helps the driver become used to the amp and start the warm-up process. This allows the resins in suspension to begin the loosening process.

Do a Full Break-In

It’s time to become a bit more vocal. For around two hours, play it at the double the normal volume. If you leave during that period, you will notice that the subs are louder when you return. This is due to the mechanical components, which will be discussed later, being more flexible.

The Final Break-In

Finally, a break-in. A last 10-12 hours of moderate-level play will round up the process. This extra working time might result in an additional 1 to 2 dB boost.

How to Break In a Subwoofer

You’re ready to start the break-in process after your subwoofer is built, put in the right-sized enclosure, and receive adequate power from your amplifier. Begin by listening to strong bass music at a medium or moderate level for two hours every day for a week, or until you’ve achieved 12 hours of gameplay.

After then, gradually increase the volume, but not by too much. Continue the technique every day until your subwoofer’s cone and rubber surround no longer feel rigid.

Once you’ve arrived at this stage, you may turn up the bass and enjoy your new sound system.

As you can see, breaking in a new subwoofer isn’t all that difficult. It’s rather straightforward. While it may take some time that you’d rather spend enjoying your new subwoofer, breaking it in is critical and should not be overlooked. Because without this break-in time, your new subwoofer may not be able to meet your bass output requirements.

How Much Improvement Will I See?

Although no one can guarantee the results of your subwoofer, REL claims that after breaking in its subs, they often measure 4-6 dB more power and an extra half octave range. The 123Toid YouTube channel conducted a test based on their findings. They discovered that breaking in a subwoofer influences the size of the box you need to create.

Other Common Mistakes People Make When Installing Car Woofers

Wire Issues

It is critical to ensure that the speakers’ polarities match to provide greater sound quality. If the polarity of a speaker is flipped, it will act against its corresponding counterpart. While one speaker is driving out and the other is driving in. Thus they will be working against one other.

Piece of Integration Proper polarity does not just apply to speakers. The integration component, like the line output convertor, must have the proper polarity.

Incorrect speaker wiring. If you’ve verified and the polarity is accurate throughout, another issue might be that the speaker was connected improperly at the manufacturer. Positive and negative terminals are often labeled erroneously. To check that this is not the case, use a polarity test instrument such as the AUTUT Polarity Tester Phasemeter (Amazon).

Phase Issues

Assume your subwoofer is playing in the 20-80 hertz range while other speakers produce noises over 80 hertz. Because the subwoofer and speakers are not in the same area in the automobile, the sound waves will clash. Here are a few possible solutions:

Invert the polarity. The polarity of the subwoofers and speakers does not have to be the same. Instead, similar speakers must have the same polarity. Reversing the polarity on the subwoofers might sometimes help. Subwoofer phase switching may help to resolve phase difficulties.
The subwoofer should be moved. Before permanently installing your subwoofer, experiment with its location inside the car.
Digital Signal Processor (DSP). You may delay the front speakers using a processor (DSP), such as the AudioControl DQDX Digital Signal Processor (Amazon), so that sound from your subwoofers can reach the front of the vehicle. Time alignment is the process of delaying the sound. Because these processors may be costly, try the other two options first.

Subwoofer Enclosure Type and Installation

The kind of enclosure you select for your subwoofer and how it is manufactured and installed may all create phase difficulties. A ported subwoofer box, for example, typically has a superior output for many subs, but not all. Before constructing a subwoofer box, examine the frequency response of the subwoofer.

Box construction. A poorly sealed box will let in a lot of air. Only air should enter the box via the port. Make sure your cuts are straight and exact while building the box. When putting the box together, have enough caulk on hand to seal all the corners.
Bracing. If the subwoofers are not properly supported inside the enclosure. A powerful subwoofer’s output will be affected by a box that may be squeezed and deformed.
Box with a lock. Acoustic energy is lost when a box is not attached to your car.

Bad System Design

For optimal production, your equipment must cooperate. For example, if you have a loud, muscular subwoofer but an average amplifier, your woofers will not produce their maximum output. Your power source and delivery system must also handle the power that your system will demand.

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FAQ

How long does it take to break in a subwoofer?

Some speaker manufacturers will suggest a 10-hour break-in time. If you decide to do this, that should be plenty of time for your subwoofer to settle in.

Are you supposed to break in subwoofers?

As a result, to get the finest possible sound, subwoofers need to be broken in. Consider waking up in the morning and spending some time browsing your phone before getting out of bed.

What happens if you don’t break in a sub?

If you do not break in your subwoofer, you risk decreasing its lifetime and diminishing the sound quality of the bass. While neglecting to break in a new subwoofer will not cause major harm, it will mean that your subwoofer will not operate to its full potential.

How do you break in speakers fast?

The simplest solution is to play music. However, to properly subwoofer break in procedure, you must play anything with a wide dynamic range, robust deep bass, and a powerful high end. Music capable of both will be able to push the speaker to its limits routinely.

Conclusion

You can break in a subwoofer in a few different ways, but the best way is to increase the volume over time slowly. This will allow the subwoofer to slowly adjust to the new sound level and prevent any damage to the speaker. After a few days of breaking in the subwoofer, you should be able to enjoy the full range of sound it can produce.

How To Break In A Subwoofer? Top Full Guide 2023