I am asking if a big car (ex: full size station wagon) or a small car (ex: 1990 vw golf 2-door) is better for bass? I am talking about the full bass spectrum 20hz-100hz. I always thought a bigger car was better because it takes about 8-10 feet for 20hz to fully produce, but it always seems a lot of people think a small car would be the loudest, so can you clarify this for me and others.

I know here where I live most people use Fiat Panda for serious DB drag. It has something to the resonance frequency of the car I think. In theory, I think a big car would be best, because you can build a enormous enclosure and have the subs right behind the driver seat.

well, It always seems like the farther away it si from the drivers seat the deeper the bass gets. I have noticed this in all of my cars, and even if i lean closer the the windshield it gets louder.

well, It always seems like the farther away it si from the drivers seat the deeper the bass gets. I have noticed this in all of my cars, and even if i lean closer the the windshield it gets louder.

I may be wrong but that might have something to do with the bass traveling from speakers to windshield and then bouncing off of winshield but hey I may be wrong, just wanted to throw that out there.

SUVs are large vehicles and it requires hardly anything to get them loud.

IT's something you won't know til you compare it.

Also, with a larger vehicle, you won't never have to worry about space being an issue with ideas you may ever have.

well, It always seems like the farther away it si from the drivers seat the deeper the bass gets. I have noticed this in all of my cars, and even if i lean closer the the windshield it gets louder.

I may be wrong but that might have something to do with the bass traveling from speakers to windshield and then bouncing off of winshield but hey I may be wrong, just wanted to throw that out there.

I read somewhere that sound waves don't reflect off the windshield.

Well I guess I was wrong then, learn something new everyday.

From what I have experienced and read over the years, I believe that you get more db's in a small car, but you getter better reproduction of the sub-bass frequency's in a larger vehicle, especially suv's and station wagons. it's just my thought on it, and I was wondering if some complete audiophile who has some degree or something actually knows the real fact.

you getter better reproduction of the sub-bass frequency's in a larger vehicle,

Not really. Its all in the install.

As for which is louder, it isn't the size of the car but more the specific vehicle and again the installation. For instance CRX's are notorious for getting loud, Explorers are as well. Both more so than other vehicles that are nearly the same size. The correct combination of acoustic resonance, panel resonance, and location for installation is huge. VERY, VERY install dependent.

In other words, the answer isn't small car or big car but it depends. And the depends isn't just one variable, but many.

well, It always seems like the farther away it si from the drivers seat the deeper the bass gets. I have noticed this in all of my cars, and even if i lean closer the the windshield it gets louder.

I may be wrong but that might have something to do with the bass traveling from speakers to windshield and then bouncing off of winshield but hey I may be wrong, just wanted to throw that out there.

I read somewhere that sound waves don't reflect off the windshield.

I guess I was wrong, you learn something new everyday. Thanks

Not really. Its all in the install.

As for which is louder, it isn't the size of the car but more the specific vehicle and again the installation. For instance CRX's are notorious for getting loud, Explorers are as well. Both more so than other vehicles that are nearly the same size. The correct combination of acoustic resonance, panel resonance, and location for installation is huge. VERY, VERY install dependent.

In other words, the answer isn't small car or big car but it depends. And the depends isn't just one variable, but many.

Is there any golden rule to follow to get the best installation in a particular vehicle or is it just lots and lots of testing?

Not really. Its all in the install.

As for which is louder, it isn't the size of the car but more the specific vehicle and again the installation. For instance CRX's are notorious for getting loud, Explorers are as well. Both more so than other vehicles that are nearly the same size. The correct combination of acoustic resonance, panel resonance, and location for installation is huge. VERY, VERY install dependent.

In other words, the answer isn't small car or big car but it depends. And the depends isn't just one variable, but many.

Is there any golden rule to follow to get the best installation in a particular vehicle or is it just lots and lots of testing?

I have heard sub up and port back in SUVs and wagons, but not really anything else.

Edited January 4, 201015 yr by Don Ganso

Lots and lots of testing plus some more testing when you get done with that testing.

I tried the sub up in my station wagon and the bass got a lot quieter, I think it being 1.5 feet from the ceiling caused bass cancellation or something.

I tried the sub up in my station wagon and the bass got a lot quieter, I think it being 1.5 feet from the ceiling caused bass cancellation or something.

Sub up works pretty solid in my wagon, and I saw sub up working for a dude with a camaro on the audioque site, but I guess I should do more testing lol.

I suppose there are a thousand "almost right" combinations and that one elusive "best fit".

Not really. Its all in the install.

As for which is louder, it isn't the size of the car but more the specific vehicle and again the installation. For instance CRX's are notorious for getting loud, Explorers are as well. Both more so than other vehicles that are nearly the same size. The correct combination of acoustic resonance, panel resonance, and location for installation is huge. VERY, VERY install dependent.

In other words, the answer isn't small car or big car but it depends. And the depends isn't just one variable, but many.

Is there any golden rule to follow to get the best installation in a particular vehicle or is it just lots and lots of testing?

I have heard sub up and port back in SUVs and wagons, but not really anything else.

The golden rule is all sorts of math you need really sophisticated software to decipher including a decent model of the space. So for the normal 'user' nothing is golden. Lots of generalizations and some work sometimes.

well I won't bother with complete ultimate perfection until I buy my cadillac deville, which won't be until april or may.