Did you just buy a brand new subwoofer for your car? I understand that you will be on an urge to set up your subwoofer and start cranking your tunes right away.
But directly cranking your tunes on without giving it a "Break in" period could significantly lower your sub's performance. So, as experts recommend, you should break in your subwoofer before starting to use it to experience it to its full potential. It may last from 24 hours to 2 days.
The most common thing that happens if you don't break in your subwoofer is that you risk lowering the woofer's lifespan and bass quality.
In this guide, we will learn more about that in detail. I will also explain all that you need to know about the breaking-in process.
What does it mean to break in a subwoofer?
Like most machines, subwoofers are also made up of moving parts. These internal parts might feel stiff initially. So, the response they give to the electric current that comes from the amplifier may not be adequate.
The working mechanism behind this is called "the spider." Am I using technical jargons and confusing you? Well, don't panic a subwoofer spider is nothing but the ring type woven material that is placed below the subwoofer's cone. Now this spider is responsible for keeping the voice coil centered in the magnetic gap.
It works in suspension and makes the cone move to and fro to produce sound. Hence, it is obvious that a subwoofer must be given a warm up time before you start using it. This is necessary to get the best quality sound from your subwoofer.
Why should I break in my subwoofer?
You may have purchased a good subwoofer for home theater experience. Still, if you wish to get the product's desired sound experience and longevity, you need to follow a subwoofer break-in procedure.
The greatest perk of breaking in a subwoofer is, you have to do it only once, and you're sorted. You would never have to do it again. The first thing you have to do is break in the subwoofer then and adequately play it continuously for a certain period. This releases the suspension in the amp unit and enhances the sub woofer's performance and bass output. The durability of your subwoofer is also considerably increased by doing this.
How to break in a subwoofer?
"Breaking in" can be easily done by following the five-step method :
It is very common to make mistakes when connecting your new subwoofer, as it is your first time. But remember, if the connection part goes wrong, no use of the rest. So, take time and connect the cables properly. I would suggest going for 16 gauge speaker wires for this job. Also, connecting the speakers in phase will help you to give the connections properly.
Note: While giving the connections, make sure you don't "short out" your amplifier.
While choosing the track for this "sub break-in testing," choose something that has a consistent beat. A reggae track is a fantastic choice.
The idea is the track should contain enough bass to make the subwoofer's driver work. Some folks may propose that you employ "pink noise" like the sound of beach waves, leaves moving in the wind, etc. However, I wouldn't suggest them because you'll need music that forces the driver to work harder.
Whatever track you choose, don't crank it initially to the highest volume that's not recommended. Just play the music track at a moderate volume for about 10-15 minutes. Now, this is a warm-up phase for a subwoofer, when the polymers in suspension start to loosen up. Once this is done, you can move on to the actual break-in process, the Full Break-in.
Play your music for about two hours. But now, you need to crank up the volume to twice the moderate volume you used earlier. After a point of time, you would notice an increase in the sound quality of your sub. This happens because of the increased flexibility of the mechanical components.
This is the final and the most important step. You now need to play the soundtrack continuously for 10-12 hours at a moderate volume. You would eventually find a gain of 1-2 dB in sound once this time gets over.
How to break in a car subwoofer?
Before you begin, you will require a few things. First make sure the speaker's power load is good enough for your subwoofers. Secondly, find a music track with a low-frequency bass.
There are two ways to break in a subwoofer.
Let's start with the easier way.
The following steps need to be followed for this method :
Even though this is a fairly easy method, it requires a lot of patience, so here is an alternative method you can follow :
Suppose you find "a week's time" is too long for you. Then this method will be useful for you. You will need a tone generator app for this method. There are many tone generator apps available in Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. An external amplifier is also required, as well as a cable to connect it with your phone.
Now what you need to do with this equipment:
- Install your subwoofer between two seats on a flat piece of wood. You want them to be able to move freely without restrictions. Weigh down the board, so it doesn't move before you begin the break-in process.
- Set your generator app to produce a low-frequency tone (30 hertz is ideal) and listen to it at a low volume for a few hours. Increase the volume every couple of hours till you've had a good excursion. Carry this on for the following 24 hours.
- You will need enough electricity to run the amp and the speakers for this to work.
What happens if I do not break in my subwoofer?
You risk decreasing your subwoofer's lifespan and lowering the bass's sound quality if you don't break it in. While failing to break in a new subwoofer would not cause significant damage, it will definitely prevent it from performing at its best.
And if you are a music lover, this won't be acceptable for you. We know you're eager to start hearing those beautiful bass lines, but trust me when I say it's worth your money (and time) to wait.
CONCLUSION
Although some might still argue that subwoofers don't need to be broken in, most experts in the field will tell you that you must. Not only does this allow the sub to develop extrusion to the maximum, but it also gives you more volume while consuming much less electricity.
And the process is easy to conduct, so why not give it a go for the sake of quality music.
Hello readers, welcome to my blog! I’m Stefan. I’m in hard love with the music and used to collect all kinds of musical instruments at my garage. While looking for the best instruments, initially, I’ve struggled a lot. Like me, some of you might be struggling to choose the best musical equipment. So, keep reading my articles and get the best musical instrument that is worth your pay.