Why Is It?

[Str8Up 10+ year member]

Why is it that the wave coming off the back of a speaker or subwoofer is louder than the wave coming off the front?

I've noticed that with all my speakers and subs when I broke them in free-air in my house. I'd listen to the sub, then I'd turn it around, and the wave coming from the back of the cone was always louder.

I guess that's why some people mount subs backward sometimes.

I just bought 3 Elemental Designs 9kv2's to go in my reardeck (those things are NICE and play SO LOW for 8's). I'm sitting here listening to them in my room, and it's the same way. The rear wave is louder than the front wave.

Why is it?

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[deaf tones 10+ year member]

too many answers...

a car is too small to give the driver the full wave of a bass note. turning them around in the trunk gives the wave more distance to travel to give a bigger impact...you know what I mean?

in the house...if you turn the speaker around facing the corner that will kind of act like a different kind of box in a sense. Also see above.

This may make sense...but if the sub is facing facing the corner of the wall it can make the wall resonate and add sound. Quick test of this is take a *shrug* 6" mid and play it free air...then press it against the wall (facing the wall) and play it...notice the difference?

sound travels differently on a reflection than directly at you. It may actually sound "louder" because of the reflection.

 

[Str8Up 10+ year member]

I think I know what you're talking about. But I think we're talking about two different things.

I'm saying....when I listen to a sub free-air with my ear to the front of the cone, and then turn the sub around and put my ear to the back of the sub, the wave coming off the back of the sub has always been louder.

I think that's why I've seen people mount the subs in reverse. Like with the cone facing inside the box, and the magnet of the sub outside the box.

I'm wondering if I should have my subs mounted backwards...

I don't mean which way to face the box in the trunk. I understand that aspect. I'm talking about the front wave of the speaker compared to the rear wave //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[Acidburn 5,000+ posts]

i'd bet it's psychoacoustics or something, or you just have your ear closer when listening to the back wave

inverting does not change the sound at all (except for the increase in airspace inside the box)

 

[deaf tones 10+ year member]

oooooohhh gotcha //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif long night hehe...

i'll sleep on it and field that ? tomorrow.

one thing to think about. does it 'sound' louder inverted...or is it actually metered louder? (i know you didn't actually meter it like that, but something to think about)

 

[deaf tones 10+ year member]

i'd bet it's psychoacoustics or something, or you just have your ear closer when listening to the back waveinverting does not change the sound at all (except for the increase in airspace inside the box)

yeah what he said //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif ...i'm out lol