Subwoofer Rattling

Can I use "Great Stuff" in my trunk to reduce raTTLinG? I'm looking to reduce trunk rattles in my dodge car. It seems dodge trunks are the worst I have dealt with so far. Maybe it's just me or my car.. but yeah.. the trunk rattles so bad! I can imagine that it will only sound better with it insulated.

I heard from a buddy that I can use a product called GREAT STUFF to insulate it. I'm about to go buy a couple cans of it and go to town cause I'm so sick of the rattling. Help is very much appreciated.

Nathan H.

Answer:

Thanks for the great question Nathan. Trunk rattling is one of the most annoying noises I think I may have ever heard. And I'm sure that I am not the only one that would agree with that. On top of that,

Subwoofer Bass Will Be Louder When Properly Insulated As you can see by my great image that I drew up.. that bass insulation helps the subwoofer bass really sound to it's full potential. With bass sound running around all that trunk crap and into metal sections of the trunk, it will tend to vibrate a ton of stuff making it sound like crap.

To FINALLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, yes yes yes yes you can use great stuff to seal off that trunk. But know a couple of things before jumping into it**

1. The stuff is messy. This task is usually performed by bass junkies to "bass vehicles" and they really watch what there doing so that the Great Stuff doesn't OOZ out of your panels and into things where you do no not want it.

This stuff has a tendency to do what it wants as soon as it hits air. The reaction makes for a messy equation at times. Maybe wrap up what you don't want to get covered in this stuff.

2. The removal of this stuff is HECTIC to say the least. Don't count on getting this stuff out and having the after math of it look good. Plan on it just being where it is forever.

That is the advice I can give.. It's not too much or too great, but this great stuff is sort of a new idea in the making. I will be trying it myself in some spots as well. Well guys, adding watts is not the answer to your rattling. Insulation is.

Thanks for sending in the great question and visiting our sites!

Blown Subwoofer Is it worth paying someone to fix my blown subwoofer? Hey guys, I have a Alpine Type R 12 that is my baby and I have blown it. Is it worth the price to pay someone to fix it? Or is it something I can do on my own.. I am pretty handy when it comes to electronics or should I sit this one out?

Hung C.

Answer:

Thanks for visiting the site Hung and emailing us your question. With so many people all over the globe BLOWING their subwoofers, the thought of "fixing" the subwoofer always comes to mind. Almost like fixing a car when something goes wrong with the vehicle.

Yes the subwoofer can be fixed just like anything else. No matter what, I have learned there is someone out there that will fix it no matter what.

I'm afraid the biggest set back for you though is the price. This variable needs to thought out of fixing the subwoofer versus just buying a brand new one.

Negatives:

1. Price.

Why pay someone to fix your subwoofer when you can just about buy a brand new one for the price to fix it. NOT TO MENTION, once they fix it.. is it going to work as good as it was before? Or will it just poop out again? Then your stuck with more lost money. This is just a simple spending trick when it comes to common sense and electrical products.

2. Will it work like like new?

As I said above, will it work like it did before?? What if you pay the person to fix it and it just happens again in a month down the road. BAM, now you just payed a person to fix the sub and you need to have it fixed again. You make the choice..?

3. Will it happen again after being fixed?

This one is pretty simple to understand. I see way too many people do this. They pay someone to fix the woofer itself but then go hook it up the same way it was before.. WHICH IS WHAT WRECKED it before..! Sorry to use caps, but it pisses me off. Doing this will just wreck the sub again the SAME EXACT WAY.

MY OPINION:

My Fix to this is to just buy a new one. I could see if you payed a thousand dollars for a special made 18 inch woofer that handles thousands of RMS power but this is just an Alpine Type R (no offense to you or alpine). These subs don't retail for more than 200$ usually OR AROUND THAT.

By the time you go and pay someone to fix it, you might as well just buy a new one. I bet you to pay someone to fix that sub will be more money than just buying a new one. Maybe I am totally wrong, but this is my opinion.



One of my subs is making wierd noise?? I have dual subwoofers in my trunk and one of them is making a wicked noise.. It's almost like a clanking noise. The subwoofers are Rockford Fosgate P2's and these things are my babies! The one that makes a noise only makes the noise when I turn the volume up to around the half way point. What could be wrong with it..? HELP

Erik "e-bass" Jones

Answer:

Thanks for the great question "e-bass" lol. I like the nickname too. Is that a nickname someone else gave you or you named to yourself? The question is a pretty common question one and happens to a lot of people. The mostly likely reason why the sub is making this noise is a reason your most likely not going to like.

Blown subs and I repeat "blown subwoofers" tend to make this "wicked clanking noise" you speak of. Hate to say it, but that's what my vote goes to. I'm guessing you have been pushing these subs to their max for a while for too long.

You really gotta watch subwoofers that are not heavy duty magnets like higher end subs. These subs produce great amounts of great sounding bass, but they are not made to handle large amounts of power and that may have been why your sub blown.

Even if the subwoofer is not blown, the odds of fixing it are pretty slim. This what sucks about the whole subwoofer design. These things need to be fixed by professionals that know what there doing.. and that usually does not come at a cheap price.

Sorry to break the bad news to ya, but that is just my best guess as to what is going on with your subs. I know you said they were your babies, but it just boils down to you saving your money and getting another of the same or .. upgrading to RF higher end equipment. Since you now know what you are working with.

Thanks for the great question!

Hey, I thought maybe you could help me with my subwoofer problem. I have an 03 tiburon with stock infinity sound system which is very nice but I wanted more bass so I got a 10" Dual subwoofer and box that is bandpass.

It was around $100 and I was told it would sound good cause I have a hatchback but the problem is, I can't hear the words or hardly my music over the buzzing of the subwoofer. I turned it all the way down and it still sounds horrible. Is there a reason why this happens or is it just a cheapo sub?

Also, I'm not sure what brand my amp is but I know its decent and I have a pioneer deck.

Thank you!

Megan:D

Answer:

Thanks for visiting the site and sending us your question Megan. Your question is a pretty unique question, and I like that.. little something new for a change. When reading your question a couple of questions came to mind right away.

For instance, What do you consider buzzing to be? And have you heard different subs to judge how yours sound different too? Anyways I don't have the answers to those questions but it's not a big deal. I'm pretty sure I know what is going on.

The whole bandpass mixture with the Dual subwoofers is sort of a "laggy" bass. First of all, bandpass boxes sort of do that to subwoofers. These boxes are pretty much designed to make the bass noise as loud as it CAN BE heard from long distances away.

For example, you will hear that bass better from 5 blocks down the road better than the same sub in a sealed box.. where as you would only hear it 1 block down the road. Bandpass boxes really only work in "open spaces" where they can move air WHICH you have so that was a good idea.

There are a couple of different answers to this:

1. I would check your amplifier settings making sure you don't have the "audio" going through the subwoofers too BUT ONLY the bass setting. Most of the time it will be a push dial and something along the lines of "LPH" or "LPF" or some along those lines. If your subs are playing the audio and the bass through them.. there working as speakers and subwoofers.. there only subwoofers.. for bass. Hope I explained that good enough.

2. Dual subwoofers suck. I know it's mean but.. it's rainy today and I don't feel like being nice haha. They truly are not good though. Why does walmart sell them for 30$ or whatever they are? I know.. cause there junk.

3. You just don't like the bandpass sound. It takes a certain person to like it. And in certain vehicles they do sound funny. It's kind of a clanky bass that I myself do not like.

4. Maybe there is really a buzzing noise. This may happen because of of certain wires touching things they should not be or.. the subs are messed up or the amp is going to crap.. so many different things it could be..

My advice Megan would be to return that stuff if possible or just sell it and maybe move the next step up to sony xplod or the rockford fosgate p1s. It's ALMOST the same price range but the components are a billion times better. I just installed the xplod woofers in my gf's car for her bday and she couldn't be happier and I am honestly impressed.

Greaaaaat question though Megan, thanks for getting my brain working today. Oh and cool name too (my gf's name too). Let me know what you think by maybe leaving a blog post or emailing me. Thanks.