How Can I Put My Subwoofer in a Cabinet? – Easy Steps

The one who buys a subwoofer is always getting confused about its basic fundamentals and placement.

There is a long list of questions about subwoofers, like how to set up, install and place them. People buy them because, in comparison to other audio devices, they produce more punchy and deep bass. They are not easy to handle because they are larger in size.

Therefore, people keep them in cabinets so they can hide them and get more bass. If you are one of them, you should read this article first before doing this.

What is a Subwoofer Cabinet?

A subwoofer cabinet is actually a wooden box in which it is placed or fitted.

The majority of the cabins are made up of wood but you can use steel or some other hard material to make it.

Remember:- Wooden cabinets are one of the most ideal enclosures, the rest are not so good, they may produce echo or can be much more expensive.

Can I Put My Subwoofer in a Cabinet?

Yes, you can put your subwoofer in a cabinet. There is no confusion about it.

Firstly, you have to examine whether the sound quality of my subwoofer is still superb.

If you feel any kind of unclearness or distortion in the sound after putting it on then you should put it out immediately because this enclosure is not perfect for your subwoofer.

Putting a subwoofer in a cabinet is not an issue but it’s customizing and positioning is the toughest job.

If your subwoofer is working excellently in the cabinet and the size of the cabinet is also perfect then you don’t need to worry about anything.

Things to be Consider

As I already discussed, putting a subwoofer in a box is not a piece of cake. You have to consider many things before doing this.

These are the following things you can’t neglect.

Knocking

After putting it on, turn ON the subwoofer and increase its volume and bass. Now observe whether the box and subwoofer are rattling or not.

If both or one of them is rattling, it is a bad signal. You have to put it out and change your cabinet.

Knocking or rattling will cause permanent disturbance for listeners and it is also not good for the health of the box and subwoofer.

Reasons for Knocking:-

• It may due to a loose box.
• It may due to the imperfect positioning of the subwoofer.
• It may be due to an unequal surface or floor on which you placed it.

Pro Tip:- Custom-made boxes are far better than ready-made. In custom-made, there is no size problem and you can fit your device in it perfectly.

Placement

Here we divide the “Placement” in two manners.

Placement of Subwoofer in the Cabinet

The first thing is the correct and ideal positioning of your subwoofer in the box.

Ensure that your subwoofer is totally fitted in the box. The spider should be visible from the outside as a whole.

Placement of Cabinet in Room

Now talk about the cabinet’s placement. After placing your device in the box successfully, place the box where you get your dream sound.

Placement is the most important point on which your whole audio setup relies. Follow these things:-

• Place your cabinet in the front-facing position.
• If your floor is carpeted, you should keep it on the floor. Otherwise, you should place it on a height, unless the bass and sound are excellent.
• You can place it in a wall or corner-facing position but there should be enough gap between your subwoofer and wall, so it can breathe easily.
• After placing it, test it manually and check the sound quality. If everything is OK then you don’t have to worry. But in case of any distortion or unclearness in the sound, you have to change the location or position of the box again.

Air Flow

This is another factor that affects the sound quality of your subwoofer.

As you know subwoofers are termed bass producers. While producing bass they produce the sound waves of larger wavelengths.

There should be some openings from which these waves can flow out.

So ensure that your subwoofer has medium size openings for this purpose.

Note:- Opening size should be equal to the size of the subwoofer’s driver.

Some other Important Considerations

While making a custom-made cabinet use the best woody material for long life. First, measure the size of the subwoofer and then make the enclosure accordingly. The box should be at least 3 to 5 cm thick.

If the surface (where you place your box) is not even, you can keep rubber pads under the box to make it stable, so it can’t rattle.

Try to make a heavy cabinet because lightweight cabinets produce knocking and aren’t too long-lasting.

Types of Cabinets

Sealed Cabinets and Ported Cabinets are the two main examples of cabinets.

1- Sealed Cabinets

The cabinet which has no hole or port for the airflow is called a sealed cabinet.

In this, the subwoofer produces high bass but the condition is that the subwoofer should be of high power.

Only high-power subwoofers can give high output in sealed cabinets because there is no space for breathing and the subwoofer has to give its maximum output.

These types of cabinets are said to be more perfect than ported cabinets.

2- Ported Cabinets

The cabinet which has a hole or port through which air can pass easily is called ported cabinet. This is the most common type of cabinet. If you have a subwoofer of low or medium power then you can use it.

Through holes, you can connect your subwoofer with an amplifier to boost the bass.

Holes can also help the subwoofer to produce clear sound, in this case, sound waves don’t interact with walls to produce an echo.

How to Select a Perfect Cabinet?

These are the following things you should keep in mind while buying or making a subwoofer.

• The cabinet should have enough space for the sound to come out.
• Its size should be compatible with the subwoofer. It should be made up of premium wood.
• It should be heavyweight.
• It should be good looking for your room. It should be easy to place anywhere.

How to Put a Subwoofer in the Cabinet?

Why Should I Put My Subwoofer in a Cabinet?

If there is too much dust in your house or room you can place your subwoofer in a cabinet to prevent dust. Otherwise, it may cause serious internal damage.

People use cabinets to increase the bass of their subwoofers. The cabinet also prevents your device from external or physical damage. It increases the lifespan of your subwoofer.

It helps to hide your subwoofer so your room looks more sophisticated.

Reasons to not do it

I explained the pros, now it’s time to tell you some cons of doing this.

If your subwoofer is loose in the box then it may create vibration and disturbance. The incorrect size of the cabinet will cause you many technical problems.

Most people don’t care and pay no attention to the maintenance of their subwoofers because they think our subwoofers are safe in the cabinet.

But the truth is that dust present in the box damages the subwoofer the most.

Ways to Hide Subwoofer

If you are going to order an enclosure for the sake of hiding purposes, then I will not suggest you order it.

Because there are many other easy and simple ways to hide your subwoofers.

Under the Sofa

You can hide your subwoofer under the furniture like a sofa, table, or anything else.

Furniture provides the natural environment for producing punchy bass. Because there is a natural way of airflow (ventilation) and you don’t bother to manage wires also.

In the Wall

If you are an expert then I will suggest you do this. Otherwise, you should hire an expert. For this purpose, you have to blow up your wall. This is not cost-effective also.

But the good point is this your subwoofer will be mounted and hidden professionally in the wall. You don’t even need any kind of regular maintenance but you can’t move your subwoofer anymore.

In the Ceiling

This is only recommended when you have more than one subwoofer, or you have a home theater system.

Because only one subwoofer will not produce as much bass in the ceiling and you will get bored. Same like in the wall mounting is also very expensive.

Behind the Curtains

I think this is one of the best places for hiding your subwoofer. Zero investment and struggle.

Almost every room has curtains, you just have to pick your subwoofer and place it behind the curtains.

The curtains will act as a natural obstacle for producing high bass. This is easy to manage and you can also move your subwoofer when you want.

In the Trunk (For Cars)

The trunk is the best place for hiding your subwoofer in the car. This is said to be the most secret place in the car.

Almost every sedan and SUV car has a large trunk where a large subwoofer can easily be hidden. For the sports car, I will recommend you place it in the leg space because there is no trunk in a sports car.

Should I Completely Enclose My Subwoofer?

It depends upon your subwoofer.

If the subwoofer is of high power and low frequency then you can completely close it. Because high power subwoofers have the ability to produce high bass even in an enclosed environment. But if your subwoofer is not too bass-producing, then I don’t recommend you to completely hide or enclose your subwoofer.

Otherwise, you have to listen to a distorted or unclear sound. I don’t recommend you put your subwoofer in a box and close the door.

Putting a Subwoofer in a Cupboard

Putting a subwoofer in a cupboard is just like a cabinet. You have to follow all the rules and instructions I recommend for the cabinet.

If you already have a cupboard in your house, then you don’t need to buy or make a new cabinet for it, you can place it in the cupboard. This is the most cost-effective.

Final Verdict

Putting a subwoofer in a cabinet consists of many things. You have to keep many things in mind while doing this.

Always choose the best cabinet or make it by yourself so the chances of error can be reduced. I also explained the reasons for not putting it in the box, now it’s up to you how you can tackle it by yourself.

I will say that always care for the subwoofers and other audio devices like your family members. Always choose the best option for your device.

Frequently Asked Questions