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Oct 28, 2024

The Best Subwoofers of 2024

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One of the best ways to improve audio quality is setting up a subwoofer. It doesn't matter if you're listening to music or watching a movie. Fair warning, though: once you a subwoofer, you’ll ever go back!

It’s one thing to crank up the bass on your television or car speakers and it's an entirely different beast to hook up a subwoofer and actually feel the bass. The latter is just so much more natural since subwoofers produce lower frequencies by design. It’s like imitation versus the real deal.

On that note, a subwoofer that has a wide range of frequencies is great, but more importantly, you want lower frequencies. A good range is 20Hz to 200Hz, but a subwoofer that can produce sub-20Hz frequencies is even better, especially if you want deep, deep bass.

Driver size should also be a concern. Even a small, 6-inch subwoofer is a huge improvement if your room is smaller, whereas a medium-sized to large living room would benefit from a 10 or 12-inch subwoofer. By extension, the wattage should be congruent with the size of the subwoofer. If you need a bigger driver, you’ll want more wattage, too.

However, don’t make the mistake of just going with the bigger number. If you stick a 12-inch subwoofer with 500 watts of power, the bass may end up sounding booming and distorted. Having a 150-watt subwoofer has the potential to sound superior to anything three times its power. Even a home theater system doesn't need hundreds of watts to sound good, especially if you have tower speakers, too.

Speaking of living space, keep the overall size of the subwoofer at the back of your head. If you’re placing the subwoofer next to a wall, keep in mind it can’t be flushed against the wall or, again, you’ll just end up with booming bass. It's best to know beforehand where you want to place your subwoofer.

Additionally, subwoofers are either passive or active. The former needs to be hooked up to an external stereo amplifier, while the latter doesn’t. You’ll just need to make sure there’s a nearby outlet. Also, note the connection methods, such as wired, Bluetooth, and wireless. For a wired connection, it still needs to connect to a soundbar or A/V receiver.

When it comes to car subwoofers, much of the same applies. However, you’ll have to decide between dual voice coils or single wiring. If you want to open up your options, consider dual voice coil wiring.

Other than performance, space is going to be your biggest concern when it comes to installing subwoofers in your car. Depending on the model, you may need to mount the subwoofer to an enclosure, so make sure you have enough depth to fit everything into the enclosure.

Pros

Cons

Ported design for better bass output

Sometimes the grill is a pain to attach

Accurate, detailed sound and deep bass

Really easy to make adjustments with the app

The SVS PB-2000 Pro is everything you want in a subwoofer, casting a wide net over the entire entertainment spectrum. Its 16Hz to 290Hz frequency response is phenomenal and it’s the kind of range you need if you’re hoping to play music and watch movies. More importantly, it retains its sound quality in accuracy and detail, so you feel the bass in your bones.

What’s particularly great is that the SVS PB-2000 Pro is incredibly accommodating. Although it’s wired, the companion app can connect via Bluetooth, giving you quick and easy access to DSP and P-EQ. Otherwise, you can make adjustments at the back. It isn’t very large either (but exactly small), so you shouldn’t have a problem finding a home for it in your living room.

The dimensions don’t compromise its performance, though, not with its ported design. That alone gives the SVS PB-2000 Pro a lot more headroom, given that it’s much easier to reach peak output and lower bass. It even has a fabric grill as opposed to metal, the latter of which can cause ringing.

The SVS SB-2000 Pro is the golden standard, with its wide frequency range, ported design, and 12-inch drivers. It's capable of dropping to 16 Hz while still maintaining excellent audio quality and bass.

Pros

Cons

Outputs smooth, clean bass

Should be on a stand to prevent the legs from causing damage

Very little harmonic distortion

Easy to set up

Just because the Monoprice SW-12 fits perfectly as a budget option doesn’t mean it’s a slouch in the performance department. Quite the contrary! It wields a 12-inch driver and 400 watts of power but has the potential to peak to 600 watts.

As for range, 33Hz to 150Hz is pretty darn good. The Monoprice SW-12 has a ported design, which is perfect because it helps those lower frequencies. In fact, the subwoofer has low-pass filtering, allowing you to adjust the bass to be more in line with the rest of your sound system.

In terms of size, the Monoprice SW-12 is notably smaller than the SVS PB-2000 Pro, only being just a tad taller than a foot and a half in height and width. And given its size, frequency response, and power, the subwoofer would fit perfectly in a medium-sized room.

The Monoprice SW-12 isn't just a budget option, but a solid option in medium-sized rooms due to its frequency range and power. Although you'll be perfectly content at 400 watts, it can peak at 600 watts!

Pros

Cons

Surprisingly good bass for a compact subwoofer

Cannot connect with third-party receivers and amps

It's wireless, so you can place it virtually anywhere

Trueplay Tuning is limited to iOS

Trueplay Tuning adjusts the bass to the room's acoustics

Normally, small subwoofers lack real oomph or aren’t as dynamic, but the Sonos Sub Mini is a special breed. It isn’t just a single subwoofer, it’s a dual system—two 6-inch subwoofers pointed at one another. The effect creates powerful bass but also keeps it free of distortions.

For starters, the Sonos Sub Mini is a sealed cabinet rather than a ported one, like the Monoprice SW-12. That design choice alone offers a much more accurate frequency and bass response. In fact, it can reach as low as 25Hz and output 250 watts of power, which is impressive for such a compact subwoofer.

The Sonos Sub Mini’s performance, specifically its bass, is enhanced by the Trueplay Tuning feature. This feature is perfect for those who don’t want to fuss with the bass because it measures the room’s acoustics and makes the necessary adjustments for them.

The Sonos Sub Mini is the little subwoofer that can. By utilizing two 6-inch subwoofers firing inward, the bass isn't just powerful, it's incredibly clean, thanks to the way the sound meets in the middle and scrubs away distortions.

Pros

Cons

Deep, pounding bass and a 15-inch driver

Pricey

1000 watt RMS and peaks at 2000 watts

Slot-mounted frame makes it easier to adjust

If you’re going to stick a subwoofer into your car, you’ll need lively one, obviously a lot of base, and a wide frequency response. Given the performance of the Rockford Fosgate T1D215, it’s hard to consider anything else.

Take the subwoofer’s peak wattage, for example—it’s comfortable at 1000 watts, but you can double that. The Rockford Fosgate T1D215 has a peak wattage output of 2000 watts. Paired with a frequency response between 25Hz and 500Hz, bass and music, in general, will sound superb. The subwoofer also utilizes a voice coil to ensure the bass is free of distortion.

Equally impressive is the Rockford Fosgate T1D215’s cone design. The 25% larger surface area not only improves those deeper frequencies, but it’s also more efficient at handling all the power it’s capable of pushing out. And you'll need that extra headroom!

The Rockford T1D215 is punching above its weight class by utilizing smart design choices, like a larger cone size, a 15-inch driver, and the ability to handle up to 2000 watts of power.

Pros

Cons

Includes a soundbar, 10-inch subwoofer, and two rear speakers

Takes extra time to prepare, given the numerous speakers

Immersive soundstage

Q-Symphony is limited to compatible Samsung TVs

Frequency response as low as 20Hz

Dialogue isn't drowned by the subwoofer's bass

For the most complete package, the Samsung HW-Q990C goes above and beyond. You aren’t just getting a subwoofer—and a good one, at that—but two rear speakers. It creates a soundstage that hits the lows, mids, and highs simultaneously.

Samsung found a sweet spot with the size of the subwoofer. It features a 10-inch driver, which gives your movies and music that extra bass you so desire, but not so much that the dialogue is completely drowned. Even the soundbar has some decent bass, though you’ll have to adjust it to prevent the bar and subwoofer from clashing.

More importantly, you can elevate your audio experience with Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. the rear speakers come in handy since the two combined create a soundstage that feels full and immersive. Additionally, if you have a Samsung TV with Q-Symphony, the sound coming from the speakers and the soundbar sync further adds to your immersion.

To elevate your audio experience, the Samsung HW-Q990C is offering a full, complete package: a soundbar, 10-inch subwoofer, and two rear speakers. With a setup like this, music and movies take on a whole new immersive experience.

Think of a subwoofer as a specialized speaker, specifically designed to elevate lower frequencies. In practice, you get way better bass than your typical speaker, which is usually better with mid to higher frequencies.

If you’re casually listening to music, then no. However, music sure does sound better when you have a dedicated set of subwoofers in your car. It’ll dramatically improve the sound quality and ultimately be more in line with the artist’s original intent.

Unlike traditional speakers, you don’t have to go out of your way to fit a subwoofer anywhere in the middle of your entertainment center. You can safely place it off to the side.

However, you want to avoid placing the subwoofer flushed against a wall or tucked in a corner. It ends up boosting the bass to the point that it sounds awful. Instead, a good foot from the wall is fine.

You’ll either connect wirelessly or with a cable provided by your subwoofer. If it’s wireless, like Bluetooth, then you’ll have to pair the subwoofer with your home theater system by pressing the Bluetooth button. This will put your subwoofer in discovery mode, in turn allowing your system to pick up the device.

As for a wired connection, it’s just a matter of connecting the cable to the home theater system itself. Check the back of your system.

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