As a continuation of our look at the Hertz Cento Series, we are going to delve into the features of the new Cento Subwoofers. Available in 10- and 12-inch sizes with either two- or four-ohm voice coil configurations, the Cento subwoofers are a perfect example of trickle-down technology providing amazing value and performance for car audio enthusiasts.

Hertz Cento Subwoofer Physical Features

The Cento subwoofers are based on a rigid four-spoke basket. Vents in the base of each spoke allow hot air to escape from underneath the spider to provide voice coil cooling. A flat (not cupped) spider is mounted on a plastic spacer at the base of the basket. Spring-loaded wire terminals capable of accepting 8AWG wire are molded into an extension off the side of the spider spacer ring. Additional cooling is provided by vertical vents in the plastic reinforcement ring that is used to attach the voice coil former to the spider and the cone. This ring dramatically increases the glue contact area and helps to ensure each component is aligned perfectly at this crucial triple joint.

The glass fiber voice coil former has a diameter of 35 mm (1.38 inches) and serves as a home to a six-layer copper winding. The result is 300 watts of continuous power handling on the 10-inch CS 250 S2 and C2 250 S4 subwoofers and 350 watts on the 12-inch CS 300 S2 and S4 models. Based on the height of the voice coil windings and the thickness of the top plate, the Hertz Cento subwoofers have an X-max specification of 12.5 mm (one-way).

A one-piece ferrite magnet at the base of the speaker provides magnetic flux. There is no cooling vent in the T-yoke of the Cento subwoofers, so your installer can butt them right up against the back of an enclosure without fear of affecting their performance or reliability. Speaking of mounting requirements, the 10-inch subs require a mounting depth of 4.53 inches and the 12-inch models need 5.12 inches.

The cone and dust cap on the Cento subwoofers are made from polypropylene and are attached to the outer edge of the basket using a rubber surround. An ABS plastic trim and mounting ring around the perimeter of the drive provides a clean and classy appearance once installed. Hertz offers optional protective mesh grilles with part numbers CG 250 and CG 300 to help keep the subs looking like new.

Enclosure Requirements

Hertz suggests that the CS 250 S2 and S4 will work in enclosures as small as 0.57 cubic feet and the CS 300 S2 and CS 300 S4 will work in a 1-cubic-foot enclosure. The 10-inch designs result in a system F3 of 55 Hz, and the 12-inch designs have an F3 of just under 50 Hz. For both applications, Hertz recommends implementing an infrasonic high-pass filter at 15 Hz with a slope of 24 dB/octave to prevent damage due to high excursion levels. Based on a quick look at the specifications, your system designer can use these subwoofers in a vented enclosure to provide about 4 dB more output across the board in exchange for increased enclosure volume.

Amazing Bass and Great Value

A single Cento subwoofer is a perfect match for the DPower1 monoblock amplifier, or you could match a pair of them to the HCP 1D monoblock. If you’re in the market for a subwoofer that won’t break the bank but provides low-frequency performance from relatively compact enclosure designs, drop by your local authorized Hertz retailer and ask for a demonstration of the new Cento subwoofers.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Known for its designs for car audio enthusiasts looking for speakers that sound great and offer exceptional value, Hertz has introduced its new Cento Series of high-performance car audio speakers. Developed using many of the same philosophies and materials as the flagship Mille speakers, Cento (pronounced chen-tow) includes 18 products, with coaxial speakers, two-way component speaker systems and a selection of raw drivers. The series also includes four subwoofers which we’ll look at in a future spotlight.

Hertz Cento Coaxial Speakers

The CX-Series coaxial speaker solutions include 4-, 5.25- and 6.5-inch round designs and 5×7 and 6×9 oval offerings. These speakers feature rubber surrounds on the woofers for excellent longevity and soft-dome tweeters for smooth and detailed high-frequency response. All four driver sets use a Semi-Pressed Paper-Mica (SPP-M) cone design that is both rigid and well-damped. The addition of mica powder aids in increasing both features without adding significant weight. In all but the 6×9-inch CX 690, the tweeters include a feature called Rotary High-Frequency Contour, which allows your installer to angle them toward the driver and passenger for improved high-frequency performance. The CX 690 is a three-way design that uses a 1.58-inch tweeter and an 0.8-inch super-tweeter for smooth sound dispersion.

The upgraded Cento Pro CPK coaxial drivers are available in 6.5- and 6×9-inch sizes. These models offer increased power handling and almost 50% more woofer excursion capability for enthusiasts who enjoy their music at higher volume levels. The Pro drivers use a pressed paper cone that was designed using Finite Element Method (FEM) modeling to ensure smooth and natural sound.

Component Speaker Systems

The four Cento component speakers include three 6.5-inch component sets and a 5.25-inch set. The CK165 6.5-inch system is the bread and butter of the Cento line. The woofers combine the same SPP-M cone and 1-inch voice coil from the coaxial series with an inverted dust cap. For high-frequency reproduction, a 1-inch Tetolon fiber soft-dome tweeter is included, and several mounting options are provided to make integrating the system into your vehicle easy for your installer. The CCX 2 passive crossover network offers 0 and -3 dB tweeter attenuation options to help tune the system for each application.

The CK 165 F is a similar 6.5-inch speaker system in terms of the tweeter and crossover but features a shallow-mount woofer with a mounting depth of 1.71 inches as opposed to the 2.46-inch requirement of the conventional woofer. Next in line is the CK 165 L component set. The woofers in this set use a non-pressed paper design for natural balance and solid, controlled low-frequency output.

Stepping up to the Cento Pro CPK 165 once again offers additional power handling and more excursion capability. Separate high- and low-pass crossover modules not only improve output capabilities but make installation easier. Also available in the Pro Series is the CPK 690 6×9-inch component set that is a perfect solution for Toyota and Ford vehicles that use a large, oval driver in the front doors. Both Pro-Series sets include the larger CP 25 1.15-inch Tetolon soft-dome tweeter and a lower crossover frequency to help raise the soundstage height.

Cento Component Speakers

Unique at their price points, the Cento series includes five raw drivers sold in pairs. Your retailer can help you choose from the C 26 or C 26 OE 1-inch tweeters. Both systems include the same 1-inch Tetolon fiber dome design as used in the CK component sets but offer different installation options. The C 26 features a mesh grille for surface mounting and includes an angled mounting bracket. The C 26 OE uses a compact design that is intended to fit into factory tweeter locations behind the factory grilles.

In terms of woofers, your retailer has the choice of the C 165 from the CK 165 component set, the C 165 F from the CK 165 F shallow-mount set or the C 165 L from the CK 165 L set. None of the raw woofer sets come with grilles, but they are available as part number CG 165 and work with all three options.

The raw drivers are a perfect solution for someone who wants to put together a mid-level active speaker system and would work perfectly with an HCP 5D five-channel amplifier, the H8 DSP digital signal processor and an appropriate subwoofer solution.

Experience Cento Speakers at Your Local Authorized Hertz Retailer Today

With so many offerings available, it’s well worth a trip to your local specialist mobile enhancement retailer to audition a Cento speaker solution that suits your musical tastes and power handling requirements. For more information, visit the Hertz website or follow them on Twitter, Instagram or check their videos on YouTube.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.