How To Fix Subwoofer Distortion?

Whether you’re driving a car while listening to your favorite music or watching a movie with your family or friends, distortion is an unpleasant sound we don’t want to hear.

There are many reasons behind the subwoofer distortion. If there’s a problem, there’s a way to solve it. So try to worry less and implement tricks to eliminate the distorted sound.

As an audio expert, I will explain how to fix subwoofer distortion. However, you can also read car subwoofer tips by clicking here.

Enough talk. Let’s dive in!

What Causes Subwoofer Distortion – 10 Reasons

Before you can start implementing the things to recover your sound system, it’s essential to know what causes the speaker distortion. As I said earlier, many reasons can cause distorted sounds. However, the top of them are:

1. Overdriven Subwoofer:

Many beginners need to learn how overdriven car subwoofers can cause many problems (Distortion is one of them). When a subwoofer is overdriven, it can cause bass distortion and reduce sound clarity.

It usually happens when you provide too much power to the speaker, it can cause the subwoofer cone to move beyond its linear range, resulting in uneven movements and increased noise.

The result is distortion with a noticeable decrease in clarity. The distortion can be heard as a “clipping”, “grunting”, or “booming” sound that is usually louder than the music being played.

2. Mismatched Amplifier:

Another common reason is to use a mismatched amplifier. Suppose you’re using an amplifier that is overpowering your subwoofer or an amplifier that is under-powering your subwoofer. In that case, you are using a mismatched amplifier with your subwoofer.

Distortion can occur when a subwoofer is connected to an amplifier with power that isn’t up to the task. This mismatch between the amplifier and subwoofer will cause over-driving of the device, leading to unwanted sound.

As a result, not only will you get poor sound quality in the form of distortion, but it can also cause damage to your car speakers and car amplifiers over time.

3. Improper Subwoofer Positioning:

It is another top reason that can cause subwoofers to produce distorted sound. Subwoofers are powerful, low-frequency speakers with a wide range of sounds they can make.

When you place them incorrectly, however, they can create rattles, vibrations, and other distortions that adversely affect sound quality. If a subwoofer is placed too close to walls and furniture, the sound waves it produces can be reflected off of those surfaces, creating distortion.

Another issue is when a subwoofer is placed inside corners or in tight spaces—the sound waves will become trapped and cause sound waves to overlap, leading to distortion. Similarly, placing a sub too close to the listener can create a “boom” that can be uncomfortable to listen to.

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4. Electrical Interference:

It is not false to say that electrical interference can also cause distortions if there is too much electrical noise is being introduced into the audio system’s input signals.

Things like fluorescent lights, computers, and other nearby electronic equipment can cause distorted sounds. The interference can also be caused by poor grounding or improper wiring of the audio system’s components and connectors.

5. Melted Voice Coil:

As discussed above, an overdriven subwoofer can cause it to overheat, resulting in a melted voice coil. When this occurs, the cone’s suspension becomes distorted, resulting in poor audio playback and distortion from the woofer.

Because it’s difficult to cool down an overheated voice coil quickly, it is essential to ensure that the subwoofer is not being overdriven for extended periods. Excessive heat from incorrect amplifier settings and using a model designed for a lower power rating can all lead to melted voice coils.

6. Strained Cone:

It is also one of the most common reasons for distorted waves. This type of distortion occurs when the subwoofer cone cannot move freely due to excessive strain on the system, which various factors can cause.
No. of reasons that can strain the cone:

• The most common strain on speakers is physical damage, such as cracks or tears in the cone material. This distortion can be caused by over-amplifying your system, using too much power, playing loud and distorted music, or dropping the subwoofer on a hard surface.
• Another strain cause is when the speaker cabinet is enclosed in a tight space. This causes the air pressure in the cabinet to build up and can put excessive stress on the cone.
• Too much bass or treble can also strain the speaker’s cone.

7. Incorrect Crossover Settings:

Subwoofer distortion also occurs when you use incorrect crossover settings. The crossover setting determines what frequencies will be sent to each speaker and is essential for achieving optimal sound quality. Unfortunately, if these settings are not set correctly, it can lead to distortion in the audio.

8. Loose Components:

Loose components such as screws and nuts can also produce distortion. These components are used to hold the speaker to the enclosure tightly.

If these components become loose, the subwoofer is at risk of producing distorted frequency. This is because loose parts can cause the speaker cabinet to vibrate unevenly, leading to distortion.

9. Using a Wrong-Sized Sub Box:

Many folks believe subwoofer enclosure doesn’t have any effect on sound quality. Well, they are wrong. The subwoofer box can significantly improve the sound or make it worst.

When you choose a subwoofer box for your car audio system, the box’s size and shape are critical to getting the best performance from your sub. If the enclosure is too small or too big, it can cause sound distortion and muddy your music. When a subwoofer moves in and out of its box, its air pressure changes, resulting in distortion.

If the box size is inadequate or too large, it can create high pressure, affecting how the woofer vibrates and alters its sound output.

Using a car subwoofer in an incorrect-sized box also creates an imbalance between bass volume and other frequency ranges. The bass will overpower different frequencies and make your music sound distorted. The box size also affects the subwoofer’s power handling capacity.

10. Poor Acoustic:

Having a poor acoustic environment can also cause subwoofer distortion. If the room has poor acoustics, sound waves can bounce off walls and other surfaces, which causes interference with the original signal. This type of distortion is known as standing waves and can cause a messy sound in your car audio system.

12 Proven Ways to Fix Subwoofer Distortion:

Now that we know the main reasons behind the subwoofer distortion, it’s easier to solve the problem. However, you can fix subwoofer distortion by following these tips:

1. Replace Malfunctioned Component:

Replacing malfunctioned component with a new one can restore the subwoofer to its original, clear-sounding condition. It’s essential to identify which part is distorting and replacing it.

One way to do this is by listening carefully and noting which parts of the sound are distorted or unclear. This can give you a general idea of which components may be malfunctioning.

Sometimes, you may need to use a multimeter or other testing device to determine which component is causing the problem. Once you’ve identified the faulty part, it’s time to replace it with a new one.

You can use a soldering iron to remove the old part and then attach the new one. It is essential to ensure that all of your connections between these components are secure. Otherwise, you may still need to solve the problem.

2. Use Isolation Pad:

Using an isolation pad between a subwoofer and the floor is one of the most effective ways to reduce distortion in the sound. Subwoofers have powerful bass, which can shake the room if unrestricted.

This shaking can cause vibrations that interfere with other nearby speakers and components, leading to distortions in sound quality. An isolation pad between the subwoofer and the floor can absorb these vibrations, preventing them from distorting the sound.

Isolation pads are typically foam or rubber with a high energy absorption level.

3. Use Sound Dampening Method:

However, using an isolation pad is an effective way to dampen the sound waves. Moreover, you can use other dampening methods, such as acoustic foam panels, bass-trap, and acoustic insulation materials like fiberglass, cotton, or wool.

Acoustic foam panels absorb low-frequency sound waves by converting them into heat energy. The material also reduces reverberation within a room, reducing the reflections and echoes caused by low-frequency sound waves.

Additionally, a bass trap can help reduce unwanted low-frequency sounds in a room. A bass trap is a material that absorbs low-frequency sound waves and helps to prevent them from bouncing off walls and other surfaces.

Finally, acoustic materials absorb sound waves by converting them into heat energy and reducing their intensity. The material also acts as a barrier to sound, preventing it from bouncing off walls and other surfaces.

4. Use a Proper Crossover Settings:

When setting up a home theater system or car audio with speakers and car subwoofers, it is essential to ensure correct crossover settings. The crossover setting determines where the subwoofer handles the low-end frequencies (bass), and the other car speakers handle the high-end frequencies (treble).

You should set the crossover settings to match the speaker range. This helps ensure that the proper frequencies are sent to the right speakers.

You need to adjust the crossover settings accordingly if you have a subwoofer with a lower frequency range than your other speakers. This will allow the subwoofer to handle all low-end frequencies and reduce distortion.

5. Turn off Bass Boost:

Bass boost is a feature in audio systems, especially subwoofers, which amplifies the bass frequencies to create louder and deeper sound. While this can be great for music that requires a lot of basses, it can cause too much distortion with other types of music or speech.

However, if you’re having trouble with distortion, turning off the bass can be a life savior to eliminate or reduce the problem.

6. Don’t Use High Bass Settings:

If you have disabled the bass boost feature and still facing the sound distortion, why don’t you check the bass settings? One of the most common problems that plague car subwoofers, especially in car audio systems, is distortion.

An unpleasant sound can occur when too much bass is played, resulting in a muddy and distorted frequency. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce or even eliminate this distortion.

The trick here is to use something other than high bass settings. High bass settings can be very tempting since they make music sound fuller and more prosperous. But if your subwoofer is not designed to handle the extra low-frequency sound, it will distort the output. Keep your bass settings slightly lower than you need for optimal performance.

7. Set Proper Amplifier Gains Settings:

You must set up the amp gains correctly to achieve your desired sound. Correctly setting the amplifier gains doesn’t only help to reduce distortion but also can provide you with optimal sound quality.

When setting the amplifier gains for a subwoofer, it is essential to remember that each speaker has an optimal power output and impedance level.

Generally speaking, amplifiers should be set to maximize the power output for your specific subwoofer model. If the gain settings are too high, the subwoofer can receive more power than it can handle and will distort.

If the gain settings are too low, then the amplifier will not be able to provide enough power for the subwoofer to produce sound at its total output.

8. Tighten Your Loose Connections:

The simplest solution most people ignore is not to tighten the loose connections. Tightening the connection between your subwoofer and amplifier can help eliminate this distortion.

If you use a speaker wire and RCA cables, ensure that they are securely connected to both devices before turning on your system. Tighten all screws or terminal connections until they are snug but not over-tightened.

9. Use an External Amplifier if Sub Is Passive:

Listen! You will get distorted audio if you use a passive subwoofer with only your car’s factory stereo. Passive subs rely on power from an external amp to make sound and need much of it to reach their full potential.

If the power output being sent to the subwoofer is insufficient, it cannot handle the signals being sent to it, and a problem will occur.

An external amplifier helps ensure the subwoofer has enough power to handle what is being sent to it. This can prevent distortion and ensure that your speaker system produces clear accurate sound.

An amplifier also offers more flexibility when it comes to adjusting the volume or making other sound adjustments, as it is not limited to the built-in power of the subwoofer.

10. Use an Active Subwoofer:

For some reason, you don’t want to get an external amplifier for your passive subwoofer. You can eliminate the distortion by replacing your passive subwoofer with an active subwoofer.

Built-in amplifiers power active subwoofers, and the signal is processed before it reaches the speaker. This is great for maintaining high-quality sound, but it can also distort if your setup isn’t correctly tuned or your system doesn’t provide enough energy.

11. Use a Low Pass Filter:

Another excellent method to fix subwoofer distortion is to use a low-pass filter (1). A low pass filter is a device that allows only lower frequencies to pass through while blocking higher frequencies.

Also, low-pass filters can improve the audio quality of subwoofer systems by ensuring that bass signals are evenly dispersed and do not overpower other frequencies.

As a result, you will hear the lower tunes more clearly. The low pass filter also ensures that only those frequencies within the range of human hearing are heard, which reduces the possibility of feedback.

12. Upgrade Sound System:

If you have tried all the above tips and still not got the sound you prayed for, it’s time to upgrade your whole car stereo. Upgrading your sound system is one way to tackle subwoofer distortion.

Newer car audio speakers and amplifiers are more efficient, producing clearer and higher-quality sound. Additionally, upgraded components may support features that can reduce clipped signal – such as crossover filters and built-in equalizers.

Note: You must also ensure the speaker’s gain control is correctly adjusted to match the amplifier’s power output. Additionally, you may want to experiment with different crossover frequencies to ensure that your system is balanced and producing optimal sound. I hope that you enjoy the tutorial on how to fix subwoofer distortion.

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(1) Low-pass filter