Difference between speaker and woofer
This query has been asked by many people who are new to the sound system. Some ask this question only because they don’t know the difference between a woofer and speaker. So there is no harm in clearing all these things. Let us look into different aspects of this topic:
Speaker:
Speakers are devices that turn electronic signals into sound, and any music system’s reproduction quality is dependent on them. Sound can be heard when an object vibrates because its wavelength is reflected off tiny particles in the air called ” NFC Audio-Output Devices. ” Speakers do this very thing.
They take electrical audio input from CD/ cassette players or DVD players. Which becomes mechanical energy converted via speaker driver unit inside the cabinet with magnetic fields creating waves hitting eardrums causing vibrations interpreted by the brain as ‘sound.’
Related: https://automotiveaddons.com/guides/how-to-install-car-speaker/
Woofer:
The woofer is a part of the speaker system that handles low-frequency sounds. For example, a speaker system’s enormous stiff paper cones are woofers. On the other hand, most miniature paper cones are designed to handle higher sound frequencies and are known as tweeters. If you open up a speaker and feel the vibrations it produces, you may observe these three components of a speaker system. A woofer is generally defined as an enormous cone with an 8-18 inch diameter.
Tweeters and woofers are known as drivers, and each of them is connected to a circuit that redirects various frequencies to it. The term woofer comes from a dog’s bark, which was dubbed woof in English.
What are the differences between a woofer and speaker?
1) Woofer and Speaker:
A woofer or a speaker is an interchangeable term used for the same thing, i.e., a device responsible for converting electrical signals into acoustic and vice versa.
The most common usage of these terms comes from their applications in electronics, acoustics, engineering, music, etc. In simpler words, we can say that woofers produce low-pitched sounds, whereas speakers refer to those that make high-pitched sounds.
Related: https://automotiveaddons.com/guides/things-to-know-before-buying-a-car-speaker/
2) Size:
The size of a woofer is always more significant than a speaker. The reason behind this is that speakers are used to producing sounds over a more comprehensive frequency range than woofers.
Woofers are designed for reproducing low frequencies only. So, if you want to cover the entire frequency range, you will need more than one speaker.
3) Cone or Dome:
The main difference between the two is how they vibrate to create sound waves. Speakers have conical-shaped diaphragms, while woofers have domed diaphragms. This difference gives different tonal qualities to the sound waves produced by the two.
4) Installation:
Woofers are permanently installed in the lower part of the cabinet or enclosure, below the mid-range and tweeter drivers. They are designed to reproduce bass frequencies, mostly felt by the audience rather than heard. On the contrary, speakers can be installed anywhere in the cabinet or enclosure without specific requirements.
5) Cost:
The cost of woofers is more than that of speakers as they require a larger size and more complex engineering.
Conclusion
So, these were some of the significant differences between woofers and speakers. We hope this article was informative and helpful. If you have any other questions feel free to ask them in the comments.
