Which subwoofers are best?
If you’re all about that bass and like it when your movies and music have depth of sound, then you can’t skimp on your subwoofer. The subwoofer provides those booming tones that give your sound power, the kind of power that makes goosebumps rise up on your arms and neck. Good bass lets you literally feel the sound vibrations and provides the foundation and rhythm that allows melodies to shine even brighter. Whether you want to improve a home theater or your car, you need to try and find a subwoofer that blends seamlessly with the rest of your system so as not to overpower and distort the sound quality.
What to look for in a subwoofer
The most important aspects of a good subwoofer can be broken down into volume, sound quality at high volume, and the ability to play notes at low frequencies. The deeper the bass, the lower the frequency, meaning you want a woofer that can play frequencies near 20 hertz and still be audible. The best woofers play these low notes audible enough that they shake buildings. When you’re playing music that loud, it can create a lot of pressure on your system and shake the caps, making the sound wobble and distort, which isn’t clean and won’t be kind to your sound quality. That means the subwoofer can’t handle the sound pressure levels. Subs with more powerful wattage have a better time dealing with sound pressure.
Best subwoofers for different users
Top subwoofers for home theater systems
Polk Audio PSW10 10″ Powered Subwoofer
What you need to know: This is probably the most punch you’re going to find in a 10-inch subwoofer. Don’t underestimate its output due to its size.
What you’ll love: A Klippel distortion analyzer has optimized the woofer’s motor so that it provides clean sound without distortion even at extreme sound pressure levels.
What you should consider: It’s a good mid-level speaker, but due to its size, it might not be suitable for large systems.
Klipsch R-12SW SubwooferKlipsch R-12SW Subwoofer
What you need to know: With a frequency response of 20 to 120 Hz, this sub can produce concert-like sound.
What you’ll love: The copper woven driver looks great and helps to provide that low-frequency response with less cone breakup.
What you should consider: Some customers have reported that the machine produces a hum when off.
Top subwoofers for cars
Power Acoustik BAMF-152 3800 watt BAMF series subwoofer
What you need to know: There’s 3800 watts of bass in this bad boy.
What you’ll love: It may break some windows, but it won’t break the bank. You’ll need a strong amp to max out the output on these.
What you should consider: These woofers don’t come with an enclosure.
Bazooka BTA6100 BT Series 6-Inch 100-Watt Amplified Tube Subwoofer
What you need to know: You can add this woofer to any system without modification. Its compact shape means it easily fits, but still produces big sound.
What you’ll love: It has no trouble being hooked up and has an affordable price. The tube adds deep bass to the car and installation is simple. Once you connect the adapter, there’s only one plug for the tube.
What you should consider: It’s enough for small cars and has great value for the price, but it isn’t spectacularly deep. Some users have reported that if you’re near it, you can hear it produce a lot of port noise, but if you install it in the back, you shouldn’t hear that in the front seat.
What you need to know: This large subwoofer is tuned for high output and has a large rolling sound that will envelop the car. It’s large and durable.
What you’ll love: You’ll have bass so loud it’ll shake the cars next to you. It can handle incredible sound pressure, thanks to its specifically designed enclosure with a large port in the front, as well as polypropylene dust caps and large rubber surroundings. It produces deep resonating bass without any window rattling or audio fry.
What you should consider: Most customers report that the subwoofer lasts for years, but others have reported it breaking down after a few weeks, at which point they had to get a replacement.
Rockford Fosgate Punch P1-2X12
What you need to know: This set of subwoofers is user-friendly and can be installed right out of the box. Rockford has been creating car systems for four decades now, and they have a passion for producing subwoofers with power.
What you’ll love: When you turn up the volume, it’s going to be enough for your neighbors to worry about an earthquake. The company says this is a 500-watt subwoofer, but if you break it in for a few weeks and get the accompanying amp, it sounds like 1,000.
What you should consider: You should definitely break these in before playing them on full tilt. Start out by setting it between ¼ and ½ gain for a few weeks before starting to crank it up.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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