VELOCITY VW 380 - Pregnant BLAUPUNKT - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	Subwoofer (bass speaker) for car installation
Brand	Blaupunkt
Model	Velocity VW 380
Category	Speaker
Intended Use	Reproduction of low frequencies in a vehicle audio system
Compatible Enclosure Types	Infinite baffle, sealed enclosure, bass-reflex, bandpass (single or double vented)
Recommended Impedance	4 Ω (standard configuration)
Power Handling	Varies depending on amplifier used (consult a Blaupunkt dealer)
Cone Material	Not specified in the manual (typical robust construction)
Frequency Response	Not specified (optimized for low frequencies)
Installation Instructions	Disconnect the battery before installation; follow vehicle safety guidelines
Enclosure Construction	Use MDF or plywood panels 19 to 25 mm; seal and reinforce
Recommended Cable Gauge	Minimum 4 mm² between amplifier and subwoofer
Maintenance and Cleaning	Clean with a soft dry cloth; avoid moisture
Safety Instructions	Do not mount on flexible rear shelves; avoid damaging vehicle components
Spare Parts and Repairability	Contact an authorized Blaupunkt dealer for any repairs or parts
Recycling	Recyclable product; follow local recovery programs
General Information	Manufactured by Blaupunkt GmbH, Germany; manufacturer warranty in the EU

Frequently Asked Questions - VELOCITY VW 380 BLAUPUNKT

What type of enclosure is recommended for the Velocity VW 380 subwoofer?

Several types are possible: sealed enclosure, bass-reflex or bandpass. The choice depends on your preferences between power, load capacity and dimensions. Consult the manual for the advantages of each type.

Can I install the subwoofer myself?

Yes, but Blaupunkt recommends using an authorized dealer to ensure optimal installation. If you do it yourself, strictly follow the safety instructions and disconnect the battery.

What is the difference between a sealed enclosure and a bass-reflex enclosure?

A sealed enclosure offers better impulse response and high load capacity, but average efficiency. A bass-reflex enclosure extends the bass range and offers better efficiency, but requires more complex construction.

How to avoid damaging the subwoofer during installation?

Respect the permissible input power, use a cable of sufficient gauge (≥ 4 mm²), and ensure the enclosure is airtight and stable. Avoid extreme cone excursion by using an active crossover.

What is the isobaric configuration and what are its advantages?

The isobaric configuration uses two woofers facing each other with a common air volume. It allows reducing the required enclosure volume by up to 50%, but reduces efficiency by about 3 dB. It is ideal for tight spaces.

Can the subwoofer be mounted on a rear shelf?

No, the manual advises against mounting on flexible rear shelves (hatchback vehicles). Instead, use a wooden board as an infinite baffle or a dedicated enclosure.

What materials should be used to build the subwoofer enclosure?

Use MDF or birch plywood panels 19 to 25 mm thick. Make sure all joints are glued, screwed and sealed to avoid vibrations.

How to reduce unwanted resonances in the enclosure?

Apply acoustic damping material (sheep wool or polyester fleece) to at least 50% of the interior walls. Self-adhesive sound deadening mats can also be used.

What to do in case of a problem with my Velocity VW 380 subwoofer?

Contact an authorized Blaupunkt dealer or the Blaupunkt hotline (Robert-Bosch-Str. 200, 31139 Hildesheim, Germany). The manufacturer warranty applies in the European Union.

How to recycle the subwoofer at end of life?

The product is made from recyclable materials. Follow local collection and recovery programs to separate the device from other waste.

USER MANUAL VELOCITY VW 380 BLAUPUNKT

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Thanks for choosing Blaupunkt!

Congratulations on your purchase of your new Blaupunkt Velocity-Series subwoofers. We have invested tremendous effort in the design process of the new Blaupunkt Velocity-Series subwoofers. Reference series, in order to achieve superior musical performance.

For maximum performance and reliability we highly recommend that your new Blaupunkt Velocity-Series subwoofers be installed by an authorised Blaupunkt dealer. By using our Blaupunkt Velocity-Series component speakers and amplifiers you can be assured of making the best out of your high-quality audio hi-fi system without spoiling the sound by using components of inferior quality.

For additional information on the Blaupunkt Product Line (technical data, user notes and soon also a simulation programme for subwoofer housings) visit our Internet site at: http://www.blaupunkt.com

We provide a manufacturer guarantee for our products bought within the European Union. You can view the guarantee conditions at www.blaupunkt.de or ask for them directly at:

Blaupunkt GmbH

Hotline

Robert-Bosch-Str. 200

31139 Hildesheim

Germany

Safety precautions

Before starting to mount your speakers, please read carefully the instructions on installation and connection.

Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery before carrying out installation and connection work. Observe the vehicle manufacturer's safety instructions (regarding airbags, alarm systems, trip computers, vehicle immobilisers).

When drilling holes, take care to avoid damage to vehicle components (battery, cables, fuse boxes). Do not mount the subwoofer onto flexible rear decks (hatchback vehicles) or anywhere where they may fall forward.

SUBWOOFER ENCLOSURE TYPES

Sound is created by the movement of the woofer cone back and forth. If a woofer cone moves forward creating a positive pressure wave, this same motion creates a negative pressure at the back of the woofer. If these two waves combine due to the lack of a wall separating the front of the speaker sound from the back, the output from the woofer is effectively cancelled thus substantially reducing the bass output of the speaker. This wall is absolutely necessary and is referred to as an acoustical "baffle". It can be accomplished using a box of some kind or simply the rear package shelf of an automobile to isolate the front and back waves of the speaker.

FRONT PLATE YOKE VENT VOICE COIL MAGNET FRAME SURROUND CONE DUST CAP SPIDER

COMMON ENCLOSURE TYPES

In the car audio world there are five types of subwoofer enclosures commonly used: INFINITE BAFFLE, SEALED BOX (closed box), VENTED BOX (bass reflex), SINGLE-VENTED BANDPASS (often incorrectly referred to as “5th” order), DUAL-VENTED BANDPASS (often incorrectly referred to as “7th” order). No single design is superior because each has its own compromise in performance, power handling and design complexity. The bandpass name implies a “built-in” acoustical response which has a natural highpass response (30 Hz for example) but also a lowpass response suppressing high frequencies (e.g., > 80 Hz).

INFINITE BAFFLE (fig. a) designs simply use the trunk of the car for its acoustical enclosure and the rear deck to isolate the front and rear sound paths. Advantages include simple installation and adequate performance for most systems. Disadvantages include poor power handling capacity and substandard transient response.

Diagram of a speaker with sound waves and directional arrows, labeled 'a)' (no text or symbols beyond label)

SEALED boxes (fig. b) offer one of the best compromises in power handling and performance. Because of the “air spring” provided by the box the advantages include simple box construction, higher power handling, excellent transient response, and smooth low frequency roll-off. Disadvantages include only moderate efficiencies at low frequencies and the need for large box volumes.

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VENTED boxes (fig. c) extend the low frequency response below that of the sealed box by using a port tube. Advan-tages include extended low frequency response, lower distortion due to smaller cone movements in its passband, good efficiency, good transient response, moderate size boxes and higher power capacity. Disadvantages include increased complexity in box design and possible woofer damage due to over-excursion of the woofer cone below the cut-off frequency of the vented box.

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SINGLE-VENTED BANDPASS boxes (fig. d) are relatively new (about 5 years in the car) but offer some advantages of both the sealed and vented designs. Advantages include reasonable efficiency, small box volumes, good transient response, extended low frequency performance and can be used with very high power amplifiers. Disadvantages include slightly lower efficiency compared to a vented box and increased complexity in box design and construction.

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DUAL-VENTED BANDPASS boxes (fig. e) vent the sound from the front and back of the woofer through individually tuned enclosure on the front and rear of the woofer. The advantage of this design is its high efficiency over a narrow frequency band. Disadvantages include complex design and construction, large box volumes, poor transient response and susceptibilities to cone over-excursions (damage) for sound outside its primary frequency band.

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ISOBARIC WOOFER CONFIGURATIONS

Increasing in popularity in recent years is the compound woofer design, more commonly known as the “Isobaric” design. Isobaric actually means “constant pressure” which is the case having two woofers moving an encapsulated pocket of air between them in the same direction.

This arrangement acts like a single speaker which effectively reduces the required box volumes for a subwoofer system by 50% which is substantial if you are space-limited. Unfortunately, the trade-off for space is the 3 dB loss in efficiency but this is usually recovered with increased amplifier power. Care must be taken to avoid air leaks between the two woofers and final speaker wiring and impedance loads must be carefully watched.

2Ω + - PARALLEL 8Ω + - SERIES 4Ω 4Ω 4Ω 4Ω

ISOBARIC CONFIGURATION (TANDEM)

2Ω - PARALLEL 8Ω - SERIES 4Ω 4Ω 4Ω

SUBWOOFER ENCLOSURE CONSTRUCTION

Before starting final box assembly some basic construction issues should be mentioned:

• Infinite baffle construction in a car is done by simply cutting a piece of wood which will act as an acoustical divider isolating the front and rear sound of the woofer. This piece of wood is mounted inside the trunk of the car under the rear deck, or against the back of the rear seat, and should have some kind of caulking to seal off all residual air leaks.
• Box construction can take on nearly any shape since we are dealing with low frequencies. Odd shapes that are difficult to cut and glue should be avoided.
• Particle board, MDF, or high grade birch plywood are good materials to build boxes of thicknesses of 19 to 25mm .
• All seams in the box should be glued, screwed and caulked to prevent wall separation over time due to vibration and environmental changes within the car.
  – Cross bracing is important for large boxes to prevent wall vibration.
• Acoustical damping material (sheep wool or fibreglass batting 5 to 10cm thick), attached to 50% or more of the interior walls helps reduce box noise and also increases the box volume seen by the woofer by 10 - 20% . The application of self-adhesive damping mats to the inside walls also helps to eliminate wall resonances.
• The cables running from the amplifier to the subwoofer should be as short as possible with a cable cross section of at least 4 mm2.
• The final box should be rock solid and air tight but should also remain serviceable should a woofer be damaged for any reason.
• When possible, use 10 to 15 cm diameter port tubes to avoid wind noise from smaller diameter sizes. PVC plumbing pipe in various diameters is available at most hardware stores with „elbow“ pipes allowing you to bend the tubes inside the box.
• Try to always use active (electronic) crossovers, such as those built into our Velocity amps, for example.

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ISOBARE WOOFERKONFIGURATIONEN

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CONFIGURATIONS ISOBARES DE WOOFERS

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MESSA A PUNTO DELLE SCATOLE DI SUBWOOFER

TYPEN SUBWOOFER-BOXEN

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ISOBARE WOOFERCONFIGURATIES

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LÅGBASLÅDOR AV TYP ISOBARIK

ATT BYGGA LÅGBASLÅDA

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CONFIGURACIONES ISOBÁRICAS DEL WOOFER

Diagram of a speaker emitting sound waves, labeled 'a)' (no text or symbols on diagram itself)

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Diagram of a speaker with sound waves and directional arrows, labeled (a), showing no text or symbols beyond the label.

Simple diagram of a rectangular frame with internal arrows indicating rotation or movement (no text or symbols)

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ISOBARE WOOFERKONFIGURATIONER

SUBWOOFER-KABINETTERS OPBYGNING

Recycling and disposal

Our products are made from materials that can be disposed of in an environmentally sensitive manner and are suitable for appropriate recycling. Products that are to be scrapped must be collected separately from household waste. To dispose of the product, please use the available waste return and collection systems.

DEUTSCH

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Vw 250

Specifications • Technische Daten • Caractéristiques techniques • Specifiche • Specificaties • Specifikationer • Especificaciones • Especificações • Specifikationer

10" SUBWOOFER • TECHNICAL DATA
Nominal diameter	10.0 in (250 mm)
Nominal impedance	2x2 Ω
DC resistance (Re)	2x1.8 Ω
Resonance frequency (fs)	42 Hz
Frequency Response	35-1000 Hz
Total Q factor (Qts)	0.63
Mechanical Q (Qms)	8.48
Electrical Q (Qes)	0.68
Equivalent air volume (Vas)	11.3 ltr's
Effective cone area (Sd)	41.5 in ^2 (0,027 m ^2 )
Voice coil diameter	70 mm
Voice coil former material	Aluminium
Linear excursion (Xmax)	±15 mm
Continuous power (Pe)	500 W (1500 peak)
Sensitivity (SPL)	92 dB

BLACKWINDY H

141±1.5 134.5±1.5 129±1.5 120.5±1.5 145.8±1 233±1.5 270±1.5

Vw 250

Recommended box designs • Boxenempfehlung • Conception recommandée des enceintes • Box raccomandati • Aanbevolen boxen • Rekommendationer • Recomendaciones de cajas de altavoz • Caixas recomendadas • Anbefaling af bokse

Sealed:	no recommendation
Vented:	30 liters2x Port: D = 10 cm, L = 55 cm rounded on both sidesFb = 35 Hz, F3 = 29 Hz
Bandpass:	no recommendation

Vw 250

Recommended box designs • Boxenempfehlung • Conception recommandée des enceintes • Box raccomandati • Aanbevolen boxen • Rekommendationer • Recomendaciones de cajas de altavoz • Caixas recomendadas • Anbefaling af bokse

Vented:

Vw 300

Specifications • Technische Daten • Caractéristiques techniques • Specifiche • Specificaties • Specifikationer • Especificaciones • Especificações • Specifikationer

12" SUBWOOFER • TECHNICAL DATA
Nominal diameter	12.0 in (300 mm)
Nominal impedance	2x2 Ω
DC resistance (Re)	2x1.8 Ω
Resonance frequency (fs)	37 Hz
Frequency Response	30-1000 Hz
Total Q factor (Qts)	0.69
Mechanical Q (Qms)	9.3
Electrical Q (Qes)	0.74
Equivalent air volume (Vas)	30.4 ltr's
Effective cone area (Sd)	73 in ^2 (0.051 m ^2 )
Voice coil diameter	70 mm
Voice coil former material	Aluminium
Linear excursion (Xmax)	±15 mm
Continuous power (Pe)	750 W (2.250 peak)
Sensitivity (SPL)	93 dB

RAMPART HOTTER

163.3±1.5 157±1.5 152±1.5 141.5±1.5 144.6±1 283±1.5 323±1.5

Vw 300

Recommended box designs • Boxenempfehlung • Conception recommandée des enceintes • Box raccomandati • Aanbevolen boxen • Rekommendationer • Recomendaciones de cajas de altavoz • Caixas recomendadas • Anbefaling af bokse

Sealed:	40 liters, F3 = 46 Hz
Vented:	70 liters2x Port: D = 10 cm, L = 30 cm rounded on both sidesFb = 30 Hz, F3 = 25 Hz
Bandpass:	no recommendation

Vw 300

Recommended box designs • Boxenempfehlung • Conception recommandée des enceintes • Box raccomandati • Aanbevolen boxen • Rekommendationer • Recomendaciones de cajas de altavoz • Caixas recomendadas • Anbefaling af bokse

Sealed:

Vented:

Vw 380

Specifications • Technische Daten • Caractéristiques techniques • Specifiche • Specificaties • Specifikationer • Especificaciones • Especificações • Specifikationer

15" SUBWOOFER • TECHNICAL DATA
Nominal diameter	15.0 in (380 mm)
Nominal impedance	2x2 Ω
DC resistance (Re)	2x1.8 Ω
Resonance frequency (fs)	36 Hz
Frequency Response	25-1000 Hz
Total Q factor (Qts)	0.83
Mechanical Q (Qms)	8.36
Electrical Q (Qes)	0.92
Equivalent air volume (Vas)	44 ltr's
Effective cone area (Sd)	113 in ^2 (0,073m ^2 )
Voice coil diameter	80 mm
Voice coil former material	Aluminium
Linear excursion (Xmax)	±15 mm
Continuous power (Pe)	1500 W (3.000 peak)
Sensitivity (SPL)	94 dB

BLARPENT HOLD

203.7±1.5 192.7±1.5 189±1.5 178.5±1.5 63.5±1 160±1 32±1.5 388±1.5

Vw 380

Recommended box designs • Boxenempfehlung • Conception recommandée des enceintes • Box raccomandati • Aanbevolen boxen • Rekommendationer • Recomendaciones de cajas de altavoz • Caixas recomendadas • Anbefaling af bokse

Sealed:	100 liters, F3 = 37.4 Hz
Vented:	100 liters2x Port: D = 15 cm, L = 48 cm rounded on both sides
Bandpass:	no recommendation

Vw 380

Recommended box designs • Boxenempfehlung • Conception recommandée des enceintes • Box raccomandati • Aanbevolen boxen • Rekommendationer • Recomendaciones de cajas de altavoz • Caixas recomendadas • Anbefaling af bokse

Sealed:

Vented:

Subject to changes! • Änderungen vorbehalten! • Sous réserve de modifications ! • Con riserva di apporto modifiche! • Wijzigingen voorbehouden! • Med förbehåll för ändringar! • ¡Salvo modificaciones! • Reservado o direito a alterações! • Ret til ændringer forbeholdes!

Service numbers • Service-Nummern • Numéros du service après-vente • Numeri del servizio di assistenza • Servicenummers • Telefonnummer för service • Números de servicio • Número de serviço • Servicenumre

Country:		Phone:	Fax:	WWW:
Germany	(D)	0180-5000225	05121-49 4002	http://www.blaupunkt.com
Austria	(A)	01-610 39 0	01-610 39 391
Belgium	(B)	02-525 5444	02-525 5263
Denmark	(DK)	44 898 360	44-898 644
Finland	(FIN)	09-435 991	09-435 99236
France	(F)	01-4010 7007	01-4010 7320
Great Britain	(GB)	01-89583 8880	01-89583 8394
Greece	(GR)	210 94 27 337	210 94 12 711
Ireland	(IRL)	01-4149400	01-4598830
Italy	(I)	02-369 62331	02-369 62464
Luxembourg	(L)	40 4078	40 2085
Netherlands	(NL)	023-565 6348	023-565 6331
Norway	(N)	66-817 000	66-817 157
Portugal	(P)	01-2185 00144	01-2185 11111
Spain	(E)	902 52 77 70	902 52 77 70
Sweden	(S)	08-7501500	08-7501810
Switzerland	(CH)	01-8471644	01-8471650
Czech. Rep.	(CZ)	02-6130 0441	02-6130 0514
Hungary	(H)	01-333 9575	01-324 8756
Poland	(PL)	0800-118922	022-8771260
Turkey	(TR)	0212-335 06 69	0212-346 00 40
USA	(USA)	800-2662528	708-6817188
Brasil(Mercosur)	(BR)	[phone]	[phone]
Malaysia(Asia Pacific)	(MAL)	[phone]	[phone]