2019 High-End Audio Buyers Guide: Subwoofers
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Before we could apply our algorithms to these products, we needed a comprehensive database of relevant information. THX Ultra Certified products bring the cinematic experience to large home theaters with a viewing distance of 12 feet or greater from the screen. The Polk Audio HTS 10 is an unsung gem in the world of subwoofers, and we're glad to have unearthed it.
So if you’re considering two subs, you’ll only need one with the Dynamo. The Yamaha YST-SW216BL is another great choice for those looking for an affordable, but reputable home subwoofer. This is a system which allows the speaker and amp to work together to ensure the highest levels of sound and performance. It’s a good for music lovers, especially pop or hip-hop music as it provides that deep bass with a kick. But it’s even better for home theaters as it has a crisp sound which really emphasizes special effects with high fidelity.
lipsch 400 Watts Brushed Black Vinyl Wireless Subwoofer
A poorly constructed large subwoofer may rattle too much, for example, while smaller models with plenty of power can still do a great job. Forbes Finds covers products and experiences we think you’ll love. Featured products are independently selected and linked to for your convenience. If you buy something using a link on this page, Forbes may receive a small share of that sale. Erika Rawes has written for Digital Trends, USA Today, and Cheatsheet.com and has tested dozens of consumer technology products for multiple tech sites.
This Klipsch R-120SW Subwoofer has been designed to ensure you get the best sound possible when you watch movies or listen to music. You simply can’t get better for your home audio system as this subwoofer produces a clean, deep bass response. The spun-copper IMG woofer cones are super-light but extremely rigid to give you a great low-frequency response without the annoying cone breakup and distortion.
Polk Audio HTS 10 Subwoofer
Capable of outputting 150 watts from its down-firing 12-inch driver, the enclosure's ported design helps to maximize low-end frequencies without causing unnecessary vibrations throughout the slim chassis. There are also plenty of hookups to get the SSW-12 wired up to your receiver, from RCA connections to line-level ins and outs. The SVS SB-16 Ultra has been on our list for some time, mainly because we haven't found anything worthy to take its place. This subwoofer has become our measuring stick, which might actually be unfair to the competition — it's that good. Subwoofers have built-in amplifiers that are optimized to collaborate with the drivers. This yields maximum performance, so you generally don’t need much power to deliver booming bass.
The Jamo 600 has a wide array of adjustability and 400 watts of power. From movie soundtracks to hip-hop and hard rock, to EDM and modern jazz, there’s a lot going down in those lower registers. Finally, some subwoofers need time to “break-in.” Look for options that allow for an in-home trial or a lengthy return period to give it a test period before you commit fully. However, if you are looking for wired subwoofers, this product is not for you. The subwoofer enclosure is made of MDF wood, which is an engineered recycled wood that is highly durable. It doesn’t detract from the sound like particleboard construction can.
ELAC S10 Debut Series 200 Watt Powered Subwoofer
Turn any larger area into a home theater and entertainment center with this Klipsch 12″ 400 Watts Wireless Subwoofer. You can enjoy, crisp, clear, and really deep low-frequency sounds, and a minimal amount of distortion with high efficiency and true-to-source accuracy. This subwoofer is also wireless so you can move it around the room to get the best acoustic sounds. The grill is strong, flexible, and removable so cleaning and maintenance are easier. This is a great, compact, all-digital amplifier that will blast through your home with perfect sounds.
The Monoprice 12-inch 150W subwoofer delivers plenty of power and thumping bass with a price point that is more manageable than many of the options on this list. This subwoofer retails under $150, so if you're working on a budget to set up your home theater audio system, it could be a good choice. The slim, stylish subwoofer can either be displayed on the floor outside the system or slid inside of a cabinet. And just like the rest of the Sonos family, it can be wirelessly connected to the entire system and controlled with the Sonos app. The cabinet is made of non-resonant material and has permanently joined pieces to reduce rattle and preserve sound quality.
Theater Solutions SUB8S Subwoofer
The REL 212/SE was designed to offer clean, prodigious deep-bass output at a reasonable price. In a beautifully finished piano-black cabinet, each 212/SE houses two front-facing 12″ drivers made of continuous cast alloy and capable of an astounding 2″ linear excursion. The bass drivers are driven by an onboard Class D amplifier rated at 1000 watts.
For more great products for your home, check out our guide to the best tower speakers and pick your favorite. For a truly amazing cinematic and sound experience, you can’t go wrong with this Bose Bass Module 700 subwoofer. The deep impact of the low-frequency sounds produced by this subwoofer will completely immerse you into the movies you watch, or the music you love to listen to. This is a wireless, compact subwoofer that has a range of up to 30 feet so it’s easy to position and reposition as needed. It can be teamed with other Bose products for a truly personalized home entertainment system and the premium glass-top finish is stunning and will look great with any decor. The unique configuration of this Polk Audio PSW10 10″ Powered Subwoofer produces some really pure sounds with a maximum bass impact.
Audiophiles understand that in order to be fully enjoyed, great recordings need the finest possible audio reproduction. Reciprocally, the finest audio systems are best enjoyed when playing great recordings. The Absolute Sound is the world’s preeminent source of expert reviews, features, and commentary on high-performance audio and music. Much like a subwoofer in a standard wired system, the Sonos Sub will give you a really full, deep low end. Sonos has used the same logic of simplicity with this system as the rest of their speaker offerings, giving you a super simple one-button setup that won’t require overthinking to get it going. Choosing between different subwoofers may feel difficult at first, especially for the home theater newbie.
When it comes to ranking as a best subwoofer, this is one of the few wireless subwoofers we’ve seen that holds its own in the bass department. All-new Sonos Sub - Hear and feel the difference with Sub, the wireless subwoofer for deep bass. This isn’t a ground-shaking subwoofer, but it can easily be added to a multi-channel system to improve the overall sound experience with ample bass output. This is a good subwoofer that gives you power over the volume and crossover frequency.
Thankfully, Monoprice is here to save the day with its SSW-12 Slim Subwoofer, a terrific-sounding sub you can scoot under the couch. In "Music in the Round" in the January 2016 issue, Kal Rubinson praised JL Audio's latest subwoofer, the Fathom f113v2. He raved about its amplifier's higher power over the original f113, its beefier 13" woofer, its improved, 18-band Digital Automatic Room Optimization , and its significantly improved deep-bass response in-room. Erika Rawes has been writing professionally for more than a decade, and she’s spent the last five years writing about consumer technology, such as subwoofers for the home. Erika has reviewed roughly 150 gadgets, including computers, peripherals, audiovisual equipment, mobile devices, and smart home gadgets. They come in different sizes with various control options, designs, and tech features.
KlipschKlipsch is another legacy speaker maker that makes a range of subwoofers, and its furniture-grade finish and spun-copper drivers look as good as they sound. With 600 watts of power to play with, the Klipsch R-112SW can get it done in a home theater, but it might be a better choice if you love concert videos or just enjoying music. It only has line-level inputs but there is an optional wireless kit available for it so you have total control over where to put it. ElacElac isn’t as well-known as some brands but they know how to build solid subs.
If you seek maximum bang for your buck and high impact in a home theater application, you should probably check out ported designs. The primary limitation is that output drops dramatically below the "port tune" frequency. You might not get as many dB per $ as ported, but sealed designs behave very predictably.and output drops off much more gradually in the lowest frequencies, versus ported subs. If you love great sounds but don’t feel tech-savvy enough to connect a lot of bits and pieces together, this wireless Samsung Sound+ SWA-W700 subwoofer is the answer to your audio dreams.
Each cabinet also contains a back-facing 12″ passive radiator and a downward-firing 12″ passive radiator, both made of the same alloy material. In use, the name of the game for this subwoofer is speed, speed, speed, with negligible distortion. Because of that speed, reviewer Don Saltzman found it was much easier to mate the 212/SE with full-range loudspeakers. Basically silent until called upon for action, a pair of 212/SEs will radically increase the perceived sense of air and space of almost any recording.
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