Top 10 Best Subwoofers for Your Car

Recommendations

A popular brand in the car audio industry, Rockford Fosgate offers a wide selection of subwoofers. The Punch P3 is a popular option with the P3D2-12 being a 12-inch dual 2-ohm impedance subwoofer. It handles 600 watts RMS or 1200 watts max and has a 2.5-inch voice coil. These woofers feature anodized aluminum cones and dustcaps, along with unique spider venting that keeps the motor cooler. The P3 is also available as a P3D4-12 model with dual 4-ohm impedance.

The subwoofers have “VAST” technology to increase surface cone area up to 25 percent and a FlexFit basket for extreme installations. Helping provide strength while minimizing weight and resonance is a new hybrid stamp-cast basket.

If you’re shopping for an affordable subwoofer, the Pyle Power Series lineup offers them in 6-, 8-, 10-, 12-, and 15-inch sizes.

The 6-inch subwoofer has maximum output power of 600 watts peak or 300 watts RMS and uses a 1.5-inch, dual 4-ohm single voice coil. There’s a 30-ounce magnet along with a black steel basket, non-press paper cone, and specially treated foam surround. SPL level is rated at 89 dB.

The 8-inch offering has a power of 400 watts RMS or 800 watts peak and is built with a 40-ounce magnet. SPL is also rated at 89 dB. The speaker comes with a dual 4-ohm impedance and can be wired as 4 or 8 ohm. The 1.5-inch 4-layer voice coil is designed to resist corrosion for a longer life span. It also boasts a non-pressed paper cone and black steel basket.

The 10-inch subwoofer has a 50-ounce magnet with 500 watts RMS or 1000 watts peak power. SPL is rated at 90 dB and the larger subwoofer uses a 2-inch, 4-layer dual voice coil.

For the 12-inch subwoofer, it is rated at 800 watts RMS or 1600 watts max power and features a 60-ounce magnet and 2-inch, 4-layer dual voice coil. SPL is also rated at 90 dB.

Lastly, the 15-inch sub boasts a 95-ounce magnet and is rated at 1000 watts RMS or 2000 watts max power. SPL is rated at 92 dB and this woofer uses a 2.5-inch 4-layer dual voice coil.

If you’re looking to conserve space but don’t want to purchase one of the enclosed options, take a look at Pioneer’s shallow-mount subwoofers. They require a mounting depth of just 3.125 inches and doesn’t require a huge enclosure to sound great. The Pioneer TS-SW2502S4, for example, is a 10-inch shallow-mount subwoofer with 1200-watt peak power, or 100-300 watts RMS.

It features a mica-injected resin cone and has a frequency response range of 20 to 125 Hz. It’s a single 4-ohm unit that utilizes an oversized cone structure to provide greater cone and gasket surface without changing its standard external dimension. The cone surface also allows the subwoofer to produce louder and deeper bass by moving more air despite being a shallow-mount unit.

Another affordable lineup of subwoofers comes from Boss Audio with the Chaos Exxtreme family. Available in 8-, 10-, and 12-inch sizes, these subwoofers are designed to provide performance at a bargain.

The 8-inch offering is a 400-watt max power subwoofer with single 4-ohm impedance and its SPL is rated at 83 dB. There’s an 18-ounce magnet and a 1-inch copper 4-ohm voice coil. This 8-inch woofer features a poly injection cone and foam surround. A more powerful version is available, rated at 600 watts max power. The 600-watt model has a 2-inch aluminum voice coil.

If you’re shopping for a 10-inch subwoofer, Boss Audio offers an 800-watt max power unit, with SPL rated at 87 dB. It features a polypropylene cone, 2.5-inch copper voice coil, and rubber surround.

The company’s 12-inch subwoofer is available with either 1000- or 1400-watt max power with an SPL of 85 dB and 82 dB, respectively. The 1000-watt version has a polypropylene cone, 2.5-inch voice coil, and rubber surround. The more powerful subwoofer has a custom tooled high efficiency injection cone, 2-inch copper voice coil, and rubber surround.

If you want a simple solution to add a subwoofer to your car, take a look at the Kenwood KSC-SW11. It’s a compact powered 8.25-inch by 5.125-inch subwoofer in an aluminum enclosure, rated at 75 watts RMS or 150 watts maximum. There is also a built-in amplifier so it’s ready to install straight out of the box. The low profile design means you can install this entire enclosure under a car seat, in tight spaces, or in your trunk. The entire package also comes with remote bass control and a power and ground wire harness.

Installing this product is straightforward. You just have to wire power and ground and then connect it to your head unit.

If you’re looking to add some serious bass to your car, Dual Electronics offers a single 8-inch powered enclosed subwoofer and a dual 12-inch combination.

The 8-inch subwoofer features specialized tuned port with computer aided design and two-inch voice coils. The subwoofer handles up to 160 watts of peak power or 80 watts RMS at a 2-ohm impedance and frequency range between 20 Hz and 200 Hz. The enclosure features a curved arcylic viewing window, giving you a good view of the illumiNITE design with brushed aluminum subwoofer cones. The Ventiled Control Circuitry System provides system coolness during peak usage.

If you want even more audio, the dual 12-inch option is powered by subwoofers with 2.5-inch voice coils. The subwoofers provide power handling up to 600 watts RMS or 1100 watts peak at 4-ohm impedance and a frequency range of 30 Hz to 200 Hz.

Both products have enclosures that use top grade in-line carpet to help eliminate the majority of movement. They also come with a one-year warranty.

Planet Audio’s Anarchy line of subwoofers are also affordable choices, available in 8-, 10-, 12-, and 15-inch sizes.

The Anarchy AC8D is an 8-inch, 1200-watt dual voice coil subwoofer with power handling rated at 1200 watts peak. Featuring 4-ohm impedance and dual 2-inch aluminum voice coil, the AC8D’s cone is constructed from polypropylene and the subwoofer has a foam surround. The 8-inch subwoofer’s SPL is rated at 85 dB.

The larger 10-inch AC10D is a 1500-watt dual voice coil subwoofer with peak power handling of 1500 watts, while SPL is 87 dB. It features a polypropylene cone, has 4-ohm impedance with dual 2-inch aluminum voice coil, and a foam surround.

Looking at the 12-inch AC12D, that subwoofer has peak power handling of 1800 watts with SPL of 88 dB. Like the other subwoofers, it boasts a polypropylene cone, 4-ohm impedance, dual 2-inch aluminum voice coil, and foam surround.

The lineup tops out with the 15-inch AC15D with SPL 89 dB, rated at 2100 watts peak power.

The Sound Storm LoPro is a low-profile, amplified subwoofer that’s great for cars tight on space. Available with either an 8- or 10-inch subwoofer, the entire package has a height of just 3 inches.

The 8-inch version offers 600 watts max power and includes a MOSFET power supply and high and low level inputs. It also features variable low pass crossover, bass boost, subsonic filter, and phase control. Safety features include thermal, overload, and short protection circuits. The low-profile subwoofer also comes with remote subwoofer control.

The 10-inch model is slightly more expensive but offers 1200 watts max power.

Another slim, low profile option comes from Rockville. Both the 8- and 10-inch options are affordable and are a simple solution to adding a subwoofer to your car without any huge headaches.

The RW8CA is a 600-watt peak power, 150-watt RMS active sealed slim car subwoofer and comes with a PWM MOSFET power supply. It features low level RCA input and high level inputs with auto turn-on technology. The enclosure is only 2.7-inches thick, so it easily fits underneath seats and other tight spaces.

Safety features include thermal protection circuit, short protection circuit, and overload protection circuit. SPL is rated at 100 dB.

The RW10CA is the 10-inch version with 800 watts peak or 200 watts RMS.

Another line of affordable subwoofers is the Skar Audio ix Series. Available in 8-, 10-, and 12-inch sizes, these subwoofers also offer the option of dual 2 ohm or 4 ohm.

The 8-inch dual 2- and 4-ohm subwoofers have max power 300 watts or 150 watts RMS. The 10-inch subwoofers are rated at 200 watts RMS or 400 watts max. If you’re looking for 12-inch subwoofers, the Skar Audio ix Series offers 250 watts RMS or 500 watts max power.

All of the subwoofers feature two-inch BASV voice coils, advanced air flow cooling system, and pressed paper high-strength cone.

Recent Updates

May 20, 2021: Updated with a promoted product recommendation.