What Are the Best Positions for Subwoofers in the Truck?
Whether you’re a truck owner or a car owner doesn’t matter. For audiophiles, the truck subwoofer can play a significant role in making their music experience even better. You might be wrong if you think you can use the same subwoofer positions as a car for your truck.
Some of my friend own trucks. They always complain to me about having low-end bass in their trucks. Whenever I check the reason behind it, I always come up with the most common mistake: subwoofer placement. They don’t even know which is better, between front or rear placement.
You might also be using the wrong position. However, keep in touch with the whole article, where you can learn about subwoofer directions and placement in your truck.
Let’s dive in!
Which Way Should You Face Your Subwoofer in the Truck?
Before you know the ideal truck subwoofer placements, I need you to learn the direction your sub should face. Sometimes, people use the optimal sub-placement but still complain about the poor sound. I don’t want you to become the victim. However, if you want a good placement in an extended cab truck, you may want to make a well-informed decision. Below are the most suitable ways to face your subwoofer in the truck:
Facing Subwoofer Towards the Truck Driver:
For audiophiles, there may be better options to use. However, some people really prefer front-firing subwoofers. One of the main advantages of facing a subwoofer toward the truck driver is that it helps to create an immersive soundstage.
The bass frequencies can travel directly to the ears of the driver, providing them with a more robust listening experience. Moreover, directing your subwoofer this way can be especially beneficial for long truck drives, where music or podcasts can help to keep the driver alert and focused.
Additionally, having the subwoofer directed towards the driver can also reduce sound levels for those outside the vehicle, helping prevent noise pollution. Moreover, facing a subwoofer towards the truck driver can also help minimize any rattling or other unwanted sounds caused by vibration.
Facing the Subwoofer Towards the Cab’s Corner:
This is one of my most favorite directions to put my subwoofer, especially in the truck. Why? This option allows the bass waves to bounce off two walls and spread more evenly throughout the room rather than having only one wall reflecting its sound.
This strategy boosts both the loudness and clarity of the sound from the subwoofer. Since bass is omnidirectional, you don’t have to worry about having it face a single direction in the room.
Additionally, ensure you leave enough space behind the subwoofer to allow its bass waves room to breathe and spread evenly. If you’re looking for the best sound quality from your subwoofer, face it toward the cab’s corner.
Facing the Subwoofer Towards the Back of the Truck:
This is the most favorable option amongst bass lovers. And why shouldn’t it be? As the low frequency reflects by the rear wall, resulting in a great music experience.
When facing the subwoofer toward the back of a truck, it will allow bass frequencies to reflect more complex off hard surfaces. This way, you get slightly louder bass levels and improved balanced sound quality.
Additionally, rear firing subwoofer may reduce the sound generated in front of the truck, which could help minimize noise pollution in certain situations. Ultimately, the best direction for the subwoofer depends on each individual’s preferences and requirements.
Considerable Placements for Sub in Your Truck:
Now that you know the directions, it’s time to make them work while subwoofer placement. Below are the best positions for a subwoofer enclosure in the truck:
In the Back Corner:
The most common placement allows for deeper bass quality and better sound projection. When placing a subwoofer in this position, ensure that the unit is securely mounted and that there is enough space around it for airflow.
Doing this will help to prevent any rattling or buzzing of the subwoofer. It is also essential to ensure that the unit is adequately insulated from vibrations, as this can cause a loss of sound quality.
Additionally, when using multiple subwoofers, it is always recommended to angle them away from each other for better stereo imaging. Lastly, ensure you position the car subwoofer at least two feet away from walls and other objects to avoid sound reflections.
Under the Seat:
This placement will allow you to save your space while getting the most out of your subwoofer. For example, I would pick the spot under the seat for subwoofers in Ford F150 Supercrew. Anyway, here are some benefits if you place your subwoofer under the seat of the truck:
- Firstly, it will give you better sound quality as it is closer to the truck driver than if you put it elsewhere in the vehicle. Also, this will provide you with a more immersive experience, and you will significantly appreciate the bass response due to its proximity to you.
- Secondly, it also helps to reduce cabin noise as the subwoofer will be closer to the floor, which acts as a barrier against engine and road noise.
- Additionally, having the subwoofer under your truck’s seat will save you space in other areas of your vehicle and give you more room for storage or seating if needed.
- Finally, accessing the subwoofer for maintenance and upgrades is much easier when it’s in a convenient spot, like under your seat.
In the Trunk:
Another most favorite spot for placing your subwoofer is the truck’s trunk. However, the subwoofer can take up some space in it, but it’s worth it. Also, you need to learn how to face your subwoofer in the trunk for an even better music experience.
Putting your subwoofer in the trunk can be a great way to get extra bass power out of your system. It happens because it creates an enclosed, airtight space inside the trunk that helps to amplify the sound coming from the subwoofer.
Under the Bed:
One popular option is putting the subwoofer under the bed of your truck. While only a few trucks have this option available, it can be incredibly beneficial for those who do. First, putting it there gives the woofer more room to create deeper sounds.
Additionally, installing the subwoofer under the bed will not take up valuable storage space inside your truck. Moreover, placing the subwoofer enclosure in such a way will help keep it protected from weather and other elements.
Experiment with Different Positions:
These were the most beneficial spots for your truck subwoofer. However, there are some chances where you feel these are not suitable options. This is because every human being has different music preferences. In this case, the best you can do is start experimenting with the different types of positions.
You can place it under the dashboard, on the rear seat, or even install a subwoofer inside the doors (You need to use free-air subwoofers). So get yourself to work and start finding out your personal preferences.
How Can I Make a Subwoofer Sounds Better in My Truck?
There are many ways to make the car subwoofers sound better in the truck. Some of them are:
Proper Positioning:
Yup! You must give some time to figure out the better placement. Correctly positioning a subwoofer in your truck is key to getting great sound. The excellent arrangement allows the bass notes to carry clearly and evenly throughout the cabin, resulting in a fuller, richer sound.
It also keeps distortion from taking over, which can make the music sound muddy and distorted. By positioning your subwoofer correctly in the truck, you can enjoy a great listening experience.
Build a Custom Enclosure:
Sometimes, truck owners struggle to achieve the desired sound even after everything is perfect. Using the wrong enclosure design can be a headache.
For example, if you have one of the best truck subwoofers for deep bass, building a custom subwoofer enclosure for your truck can significantly improve its sound quality and performance. By creating a space specifically designed to contain and amplify the bass produced by the subwoofer, you can enjoy louder and more powerful audio from your truck.
Not only that, but building a custom enclosure also helps to isolate the sound of the subwoofer from other components of your vehicle, giving you a cleaner listening experience.
Try Different Equalization Settings:
Adjusting the equalizer settings properly can help to improve the sound from your subwoofer and get a better bass response. Every person has their own music taste. According to the music type, you must set your equalizer. You can quickly set up your bass and treble settings just by playing with your equalizer settings.
What Mistakes to Avoid While Positioning the Subwoofer in a Truck?
If you are a beginner, there are some chances where you can make mistakes while positioning your subwoofer in the truck. Below are the most common ones:
Placing the Subwoofer in a Small or Cramped Area:
This is the most common mistake newbies make putting the subwoofer in an area where frequencies cannot reflect correctly. The size and shape of your truck cab can significantly affect a subwoofer’s sound quality.
As a general rule of thumb, the larger the area around the subwoofer, the better it will sound. When you place a subwoofer in a small or cramped space, such as inside the cabin of a truck cab, the sound waves cannot move freely and create a distorted or muffled sound.
Additionally, suppose the space is too small for the subwoofer. In that case, it may not be able to generate sufficient bass and treble frequencies which could also lead to an unpleasant listening experience.
Not Considering the Truck’s Interior:
You must be very careful while placing your truck subwoofer. You need to evaluate every part, including the truck’s interior (1). Considering the interior design and materials used in the truck’s interior, you can ensure that your subwoofer will perform optimally and last longer.
Not Considering the Subwoofer’s Direction:
As mentioned above, using the right direction is also necessary when placing your subwoofer in the truck. Even the highest quality subwoofer won’t be of any use if it’s not installed correctly. Choosing the right direction for the subwoofer is key to getting a great music experience in your truck.
General FAQs
Where Is the Best Place to Put a Subwoofer in a Truck?
The best place to put a subwoofer in a truck is usually in the vehicle’s cab. This position is ideal for producing the best sound quality, as it puts the subwoofer close to the other speakers to create more bass and lower frequencies. Additionally, placing a subwoofer in the cab helps reduce any rattles or vibrations, resulting in a more even sound.
Which Way Should Subs Face in a Truck?
Subs should always face forward in a sealed or bandpass subwoofer box (towards the front of the truck). This direction builds air pressure in the cabin and pushes air through the subwoofer, allowing for higher sound output.
If you use a vented or ported subwoofer box, you should face the subs facing the back of the truck. This way, you will allow air to flow out of a port in the enclosure. The airflow from the port helps increase sound pressure levels and allows for deeper bass sounds.