Why is my car stereo only playing bass?

Why is my car stereo only playing bass
Why is my car stereo only playing bass

If your car stereo only plays bass, you should find the main cause of this problem. In this article, we have added 11 causes along with the best methods to fix these issues.

Why is my car stereo only playing bass? If a car stereo is only playing bass because of faulty wires, low pass filter is running, direct sub drive is on, broken speakers, faulty car amp, and outdated car stereo app. 

You should install both tweeters and subwoofers with a car stereo to get better sound.

Why is my car stereo only playing bass?

Bass is all the low frequency or low pitch sound of the stereo system. It is essential in every sound system because it links high-frequency and low-frequency sounds. When you hear the only low pitch sound, it is a malfunction of the system. 

Low pass filter is running

This is the main reason we hear bass sound when we turn on the sound. Low pass filters are mechanical devices to filter all the noise and undesired sound coming from the speaker.

When we turn it on, it removes all the sound from music above the specified frequency. When we mistakenly select low frequencies, all the high frequencies get cut off from the sound. Then only we hear the lowest muddle sound from the stereo.

Direct sub drive is on

A system enables us to attach a highly amplified subwoofer to the rear speaker of the system. By connecting it, we can get high-quality sound.

When we turn it on only plays the sound coming from the subwoofer and removes all the sound from the rear speaker. It results in very low-frequency sound from the car stereo.

Tweeters are absent in a car stereo system

Tweeters are complimentary electromechanical devices in a system that produces higher frequency sound from speakers.

They enhance the performance of woofers. Some stereo lack this device, and they can not get all high frequencies of sound.

This result is a distortion of sound from both front and rear speakers. Tweeters also play a vital role in stereo imaging. When they are not present, we are unable to distinguish between sound type and quality. 

 Wrong settings of the equalizer

An equalizer is a digital system in a car that allows and offers you to select a wide range of frequencies.

It serves as a motherboard in controlling the quality of sound. It provides frequency from 20HZ to 20000HZ frequency sound.

When there is a fault in the setting as you select a low frequency, it starts producing bass. It also includes a treble setting to produce high notes in music. When we turn it off in the system, then it only transfers a low pitch sound.

Broken car speakers

No matter which brand and high-quality speaker you install, they have a life span. When the material used in their manufacturing is of low-quality, they can break more easily. You should check the watts of your car stereo.

The speakers can get broken for many reasons, and the common reason is physical damage during driving. The sound from broken speakers feels distorted and produces too many vibrations in it.

When we turn up the speakers’ volume too high, it can burn the coils inside the frame. It also forces the coils to move back and forth at high frequency. It results in breaking up the interior setting of the speaker. As a result, we listen either only to bass or to no sound.

Faulty car amplifier

Each amplifier has a specific capacity to deliver a specified current or voltage to speakers. An issue in it occurs when we overdrive it and force it to transfer more power.

It can blow the amplifier of a car stereo system. Clipping results due to this fault. It is a type of distorted low pitch sound coming from an amplifier.

When we hear the only low-frequency sound, then the amplifier is producing a clipped waveform. The faulty car amp can even compromise the overall quality of music and high pitch sound.

Fault in wires connectivity   

 Bass sound arises due to the wrong connectivity of wires. The stereo has two wires one is red, and the other is black.

When we connect them to the car, attach the red wire to the red wire and the black wire to either the black wire or any bare metal.

When we mishandle them or connect them in the wrong order, we only hear the bass or no sound. The connectivity problem can even burn the speaker or the audio system.

Increased impedance also results in fault in the wires of the system. It increases the power load on both wires and speakers.

Old car stereo system

As time passes, the stereos in our car get old. It does not mean that it is suffering from any technical problems; it produces low-quality sound. The sound coming from the old stereo is distorted, rattled, and muddled.

Sometimes it produces a high-frequency range, and other times it only produces the bass. You can check its performance by opening its interior parts.

When you do not find any apparent reason, then the stereo is getting old. Sometimes it is about the technology that is old in comparison to advance stereo systems.

The parts and setup of it are outdated and start creating a problem in your vehicle. A new car stereo can improve sound quality.

The problem in a car stereo software

All the vehicles have a specific operating system that runs all the courses, including the audio system. Sometimes the software is outdated we need to download a new version of it.

The fault is also due to the virus that enters it via any foreign device. It has a bad impact on the quality of sound. The frequencies we receive through speakers are either very

low or very high. The resulting bass in music increases as we prolong the use of the old version of the software.

Speaker installed at the wrong position

Different vehicles have different locations for installing speakers. Some of them have a position right in the door panel.

Some vehicles have installation positions below the dashboard. You can read the vehicle manual to know the exact location.

During the replacement of speakers, the repairer can install them at the wrong place in negligence. It results in an odd sound coming from speakers.

There is more vibration in the speaker, and only low pitch sounds come from them. When we install them in the wrong position, the connection of the wiring also gets disturbed.

Is it normal for a car stereo to only play the bass?

Many people think it ok when the audio system plays low pitch sound. However, in reality, it is a malfunctioning of the system.

No matter how bad is the quality of your stereo, it should play both bass and treble.

When you hear the only bass, it is time to find the cause and fix it. Never rush to change it or add an amplifier or subwoofer before correcting it.

How to fix a car stereo that is only playing bass?

  • Add tweeters in the car.
  • Adjust the equalizer settings.
  • Check if speakers are working properly.
  • Add a new car stereo system.
  • Adjust the position of speakers.
  • Check the settings of the amplifier.
  • Play some other files or DVD
  • Update the software