- The wattage rating tells you how much power the subwoofer is capable of handling without being stressed. Most subwoofers include two separate ratings. The RMS rating indicates how much power the subwoofer can handle continuously under normal operating conditions. A separate peak power rating indicates the maximum amount of power the subwoofer can handle in very short bursts, such as a kick drum hit. Both ratings should greater than or equal to your amplifier's RMS and peak power output.
- Frequency response indicates the audio frequencies the subwoofer is capable of reproducing. Subwoofers are only designed to reproduce the very lowest frequencies, and as such, do not generally have wide response ranges. Frequency response will be listed using two different numbers, both measured in hertz. An example would be 30 Hz - 125 Hz, with the first number indicating the lowest frequency the subwoofer can reproduce, and the second number indicating the highest.
- Impedance is a measure of electrical resistance, measured in ohms. When choosing a subwoofer, it is important that the impedance match your amplifier's impedance. For example, if you select a subwoofer rated at two ohms, ensure that your amplifier is also rated for a two-ohm load. You may see the Ω symbol used instead of the word ohm in many instances.
- Speaker efficiency is measurement of how much volume a speaker is capable of creating when fed a specified amount of power. Volume is measured in decibels, and efficiency is expressed as a measure of volume at a distance of 1 meter when a speaker is amplified with one watt of power. More efficient speakers have higher decibel ratings, and need less power to create high volume levels. Efficiency may be expressed as a decibel rating only, or may include the 1 meter and 1 watt qualifier. For example, efficiency may be expressed as simply 99 dB or more completely as 99 dB at 1 W/1 M.
Wattage
Frequency Response
Impedance
Efficiency
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