bass blockers
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=25910
Printed Date: July 15, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Topic: bass blockers
Posted By: erinh
Subject: bass blockers
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 6:46 PM
i just added 2 subs and an amp and have the amp set to low cross at 80hz. Should i add bass blockers to the front and rear speakers? if so, which or both? and what frequency should be blocked at for both?
Replies:
Posted By: Teamrf
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 6:51 PM
I've sold bass blockers as a salesman, but as an installer I've never really used them. Some of the high end head units have a feature where you can change the frequency through the speakers.
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~The Rookie~
Rookie of the year that is...
Don't let the smoke out of your equiptment..it doesn't go back in.
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 7:04 PM
Yes, add them, if it saves your speakers it is a good investment. Sounds like Teamrf needs to have a talk with the salespeople or recommend it himself. A pair of basic bass blockers are better than nothing if the deck does not have a crossover that will work with the built in amp. A pair of 200mf caps (non polar - mylar) would be the best bet for you, it is a approx a 200hz crossover with a 6db slope and goes in line on the positive lead to the speaker. ------------- Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: erinh
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 7:24 PM
so now that 80-200hz is blocked... will i really be "missing" anything? like will i really hear a difference or will it just help save the speakers? by the way forbidden, i should add these to my front and rear right?
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 7:34 PM
You will be saving your speakers from almost certain death. This is beacuse all of your speakers can play all frequencies, some (subs for example) play frequencies, like bass notes with much more force than that of 1 4" or 6x9" speaker. What happens is that the distortion coming out of the smaller speakers is masked by that of the more powerful subwoofer, then all of a sudden one day, no rear or front speaker. The frequencies do not automatically disappear from the audio spectrum, they are rolled off. Most vehicles have a natural midbass hump around this area as well, it helps to fill in the void that is created. At the same time just because you have your crossover in the amp set at 80hz does not mean that the audio response has hit a brick wall and it stops, it too rolls off, usually at a higher rate than basic caps on your speakers. And yes they should be added to the front and rear speakers, what size are the speakers that you are using? ------------- Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: erinh
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 7:46 PM
the front door speakers are pioneer ts-a1664 4ohm, rear deck speakers are pioneer ts-a6963 4ohm, and the subs are rf punch rfz3812 8ohm speakers. by the way where can i purchase these capacitors cheap?
Posted By: erinh
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 7:49 PM
oh and the front are 6 1/2'' and rear are 6x9''
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 7:54 PM
For the 6x9" speakers, you can use a cap value of 260 mf to 150mf (crossover point of approx 150hz to 260hz), for the front speakers a value of 200mf to 100mf (crossover point of 200hz to 400hz) should suffice. They can be found at Radio Shack or pretty much any electronic repair shop or specialty car audio shops. Some car audio shops will stock a bass blocker that is a little better as well, it operates with a 12db / octave slope, if you can find them that is great, if not use the basic caps.
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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: erinh
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 8:01 PM
do you have any links for the parts at radio shack? i looked there but all of them are way smaller values than what you say... they are all in micro or pico values.
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 8:09 PM
Unless you are in Canada, I cannot provide you with an ACCURATE link to a Radio Shack item. You should be lloking for a cap with microfarad values, ie 200microfarad.
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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: erinh
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 8:19 PM
oh sorry, thought you meant 200 mili farad.
would this be fine for the front speakers:
https://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F002%5F004%5F001&product%5fid=272%2D1028
and for the rear ones:
one of the above plus 5 of these in series https://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F002%5F004%5F001&product%5fid=272%2D1025
if so i'm off to radio shack.
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 8:29 PM
Without checking the link, double check and I'm sure you will be fine. ------------- Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: erinh
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 8:30 PM
okay, i was just making sure cause it said radial-lead.
Posted By: customsuburb
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 8:35 PM
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 8:36 PM
Some caps are directional, as these ones sound, make sure that you install them in the proper direction, they are usually labelled ar ask to be sure. ------------- Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: erinh
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 9:10 PM
how would i know if htey are directional, and which direction would they need to go?
they don't have anything on the package mentioning direction, down the side of them there is a black stripe on one side and has square and an arrow > on it. would that indicate its directional? anyway to test it to find out?
Posted By: MAXST
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 9:46 PM
220uF cap for rear:
https://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F002%5F004%5F001&product%5fid=272%2D1017 forbidden, you've confused me by what you said: "you can use a cap value of 260 mf to 150mf (crossover point of approx 150hz to 260hz), for the front speakers a value of 200mf to 100mf (crossover point of 200hz to 400hz) " Does it mean this: a 150uF cap will cross the signal at 150hz, the 260uF cap will cross at 260hz
but then this messed my mind up... a 200uF cap makes cover at 200hz, and the 100uF cap xover at 400Hz.... ------------- I need quality equipment, feel free to donate.
Posted By: erinh
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 11:10 PM
which way does teh arrow need to be facing? towards the headunit or towards teh speaker?
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