Shallow mount subwoofers are a type of subwoofers that are specially designed to have a shallow mounting depth for mounting in tight spaces. Thus, they’re ideal for mounting in a car where space is limited. They’re shallow enough for mounting in the car doors and under the car seats. Let’s discuss some of their advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of Shallow Mount Subwoofers
Shallow mount subs come with several advantages including:
They can be mounted in tight spaces
Just like their name suggests, shallow mount subs have a shallow mounting depth. They require minimal mounting depth and don’t demand a lot of airspace behind them. Thus, they can be easily mounted in tight spaces. If your car doesn’t have enough space to install regular subwoofers, you can install shallow mount sub in the doors, in the back dashboard, or under the car seats. You can also install them in a tightly packed car trunk.
Neat Installation
The compactness of shallow mount subs makes them less visually intrusive. They’re not very noticeable, making them ideal for anyone who wants neat and clean subwoofer installation in their car. Their compactness won’t interfere with the interior décor of your car.
They deliver tight bass
These subwoofers are ideal for mounting in sealed enclosures. Also, their shallow mounting depth means that the airspace behind them is minimal when installed in tight spaces. Thus, they deliver tight bass. If you prefer tight bass over loud, booming bass, then these subwoofers would be your ideal choice.
Lightweight and Portable
Shallow mount subs are very thin. Thus, they generally have a lower mass than regular subwoofers made of similar material. Consequently, they’re lightweight and easy to carry. You can easily move them from your car to your garage or anywhere else as needed. On a similar note, they won’t add much weight to your car. You’ll easily install them in your car door without noticing a lot of changes in the weight of the door.
Disadvantages of Shallow Mount Subwoofers
Here’re some of the disadvantages of shallow mount subs:
They’re not very Loud
Shallow mount subwoofers are generally installed in tight spaces. Thus, they don’t move a lot of air behind them. Consequently, they don’t deliver loud, booming bass. As such, you would want to consider a regular subwoofer if you want loud, earthshaking bass.
Not ideal for use with Large and ported Enclosures
Shallow mount subs are only effective when mounted in a slim enclosure. On a similar note, slim enclosures sound best if they’re sealed rather than ported. Thus, these subwoofers are only ideal for mounting in slim, sealed enclosures.
Conclusion
Shallow mount subwoofers come with several advantages and some disadvantages. Overall, they’re ideal for portability, tight bass, and saving on space. However, they’re not ideal for anyone looking for loud, booming bass. Nevertheless, they deliver decent bass.
Michael Evanchuk is a San Francisco-based sound engineer with 20 years’ experience installing, troubleshooting, and repairing commercial, automotive, and household sound equipment. Evanchuk owns an auto stereo center, where he offers highly competitive car audio installation and repair services. He has written dozens of articles on different sound engineering topics, all of which have been published in leading journals, blogs, and websites.