Calculate subwoofer cone area from radius or find radius from cone area using inches, feet, centimeters, and meters for unit conversion.

Subwoofer Cone Area Calculator

Enter any 1 value to calculate the missing variable

Subwoofer Cone Area Formula

The calculator uses the area formula for a circle. Enter the radius to calculate cone area, or enter cone area to calculate radius.

A = \pi r^2
r = \sqrt{A / \pi}
  • A = subwoofer cone area
  • r = cone radius
  • π = pi, approximately 3.14159

If you enter radius, the calculator converts the radius to inches, finds the area in square inches, then converts the result to your selected area unit.

If you enter cone area, the calculator converts the area to square inches, solves for radius, then converts the radius to your selected radius unit.

Common Cone Area Values and Unit Conversions

These values assume the cone is a perfect circle and the radius is half of the listed diameter. Actual subwoofer effective cone area can be different because of the surround and basket design.

Nominal diameter Radius Cone area Cone area
8 in 4 in 50.27 sq in 324.29 sq cm
10 in 5 in 78.54 sq in 506.71 sq cm
12 in 6 in 113.10 sq in 729.66 sq cm
15 in 7.5 in 176.71 sq in 1,140.08 sq cm
18 in 9 in 254.47 sq in 1,641.74 sq cm
Conversion Value used
1 ft 12 in
1 cm 0.393701 in
1 m 39.3701 in
1 sq ft 144 sq in
1 sq cm 0.155 sq in
1 sq m 1550 sq in

Example Problems

Example 1: Find cone area from radius

You have a subwoofer cone radius of 6 in.

A = \pi(6)^2
A = 113.0973\text{ sq in}

The cone area is about 113.0973 sq in.

Example 2: Find radius from cone area

You have a cone area of 78.54 sq in.

r = \sqrt{78.54 / \pi}
r \approx 5.0001\text{ in}

The radius is about 5 in.

FAQ

Is subwoofer cone area the same as speaker size?

No. Speaker size is usually the nominal outside diameter, such as 10 inches or 12 inches. Cone area is the surface area of the circular cone based on radius. The usable moving area, often called effective piston area or Sd, may be smaller than the nominal size suggests.

Should you use radius or diameter?

This calculator uses radius. If you have diameter, divide it by 2 first. For example, a 12 inch diameter has a 6 inch radius.

Why does actual subwoofer cone area differ from the calculated area?

The calculation treats the cone as a perfect circle. Real subwoofers have surrounds, dust caps, mounting frames, and cone shapes that affect the true moving area. For box design and acoustic modeling, use the manufacturer’s listed Sd value when it is available.