10 BEST CAR SUBWOOFERS REVIEWS

In our quest to enjoy high fidelity entertainment and quality sound output from our car’s stereo, most of us audio enthusiasts often go certain routes to bring out the best in our car’s sound system. While some people decide to start the tweaks and upgrade with speakers, some decide to add an amplifier to their system. For those of us who would give anything to get that thunderstorm bass from our stereo system, we can always go the extra length to make sure our stereo system is equipped with the best car subwoofer.

In today’s discussion, we’ll be focusing our attention on how to achieve the perfect audiophile-quality bass output as we’ll be examining some of the best car subwoofers for deep bass. Our discussion will center on how car owners can upgrade their car’s bass output for better and punchy bass. We’ll also be discussing the several factors and consideration that would usually affect your decision and results as well as a concluding part that will give our readers an exposition of some of the best car subwoofers has to offer.

Starting with the reasonably-priced Sound Storm LOPRO8, check out our top picks for some of the best car subwoofers.

1. SOUND STORM LOPR08 – BEST 8 INCH SUBWOOFER

Product Overview

The LOPRO8 was designed with simplicity and user-friendliness in mind and by all standards, this has been a success. From the design point, this 8-inch sports a low profile, and this amazing design have made it a highly sought-after subwoofer for cars. Little wonder it emerged as Amazon’s choice of subwoofer for the under-seat subwoofer. Let’s check out a few of the features this packs in.

Product Highlights of the Sound Storm LOPRO8

The subwoofer is arguably one of the best 8-inch subwoofers in the market today and comes with multiple features that would make anyone fall in love with it.

Design Point

A low profile design that comfortably fits under the seat of your cars, the Sound Storm LOPRO8 600 Watt Low Profile Amplified 8 Inch Car Subwoofer weighs just 12.8 pounds and measures about 16.1 x 12.9 x 5 inches.

Quality Amp

If you are looking for something like the best car subwoofer for the money, then this reasonably-priced subwoofer with its incorporation of quality Class A/B amplifiers ensures you always get the best value with an excellent sound output from your car’s stereo system.

Excellent Spec Sheet

What good is a speaker without its specs? The Sound Storm LOPRO8 has a maximum peak power of 600 Watts and is believed to have an RMS power handling of 400 Watts. The subsonic filter range is 20 to 50 Hz and is ideal as it eliminates distortion even when you listen to sound at high volumes.

Remote Controlling

Many of the best 8-inch subwoofers usually have remote controls and the LOPRO8 does not miss out on this. This feature makes it one of the most versatile subwoofers as you can get more control on the settings and all other controls for the best possible sound output.

2. MTX AUDIO RT8PT – ROAD THUNDER SUBWOOFER

Product Overview

The MTX Audio RT8PT Universal Powered Subwoofer Enclosure incorporates the benefits of a vented enclosure to maximize the bass output of this powerful 8-inch subwoofer capable of delivering maximum power handling capacity of 240 Watts. The single amplified tube has found its way into the hearts of many car owners as well as the trunk of their cars. In the parts below, we’ll touch on some excellent features that have made the MTX Audio RT8PT one of the best car subwoofers of today.

Product Highlights

Design point

The MTX Audio RT8PT has a compact design and size that would leave you impressed considering the output you’ll get from this sub. This MTX Audio RT8PT is a single 8-inch Road Thunder subwoofer with a powered bass tube enclosure and it is arguably the best single subwoofer on the market today.

Build quality

The woofer cone is made from polypropylene along with a butyl rubber surround which is not only durable but superb as it greatly impacts the quality of the output.

Built-in Amp

The subwoofer is designed and comes with a built-in amplifier mounted just at the back of the enclosure. The vented enclosure to contributes to the excellent output of this powerful sub.

Excellent Spec Sheet

In the specs area, this MTX Audio RT8PT is not lacking at all. It has a continuous RMS Power Handling capacity of 120 Watts and a Peak Power Handling capacity of 240 Watts. Along with this, it has a frequency range of 35 Hz to 250Hz

3. SKAR AUDIO ZVX-8 D4 – BEST CAR SUBWOOFER WITH DEEP BASS

Product Overview

Completion grade subwoofers have been getting lots of love from audio enthusiasts lately and this Skar Audio ZVX-8 D4 Dual 4 Ω SPL Subwoofer may seem like an absolute steal considering what you’re getting for the price. The build quality and design are top-notch and the sub is guaranteed to last you for quite a long time. The sound quality from this subwoofer is mind-blowing and is arguably the best 8-inch subwoofer available in the markets today. It is a dual 4 Ohm subwoofer and should perfectly fit into your plans if you are looking for the best car subwoofer with deep bass.

Product Highlights

Spec Sheet

The 8-inch subwoofer is capable of a whopping 900 RMS Power Handling capacity. Punchy and tight bass coming from such a small size and features a dual 4-ohm voice coil configuration.

Design

The sub is compact and would need an enclosure for mounting. The build quality is top-notch and the subwoofer is equipped with a cooling system to maintain level temps regardless of the level of the power rating you’re using. In addition to this is a 25-inch high-temperature coil which further improves the efficiency of the system.

4. PIONEER TSW311D4 – BEST VALUE SUBWOOFER

Product Overview

For those who want the best car subwoofer for the money, this Pioneer TSW311D4 from one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of audio products is more than capable of exceeding your expectations. Pioneer has a range of Champions series line of speakers among which this seems to be the best standing product. It’s got a super design, performance, and pricing that have made it the choice of a lot of homeowners. If you are on a budget and are looking for the best value from your purchase, then this particular subwoofer will blow your mind.

Product Highlights

Design

The Pioneer TSW311D4 has a compact design and features a ribbed-injection molded cone with a double layer of elastic polymer surround putting it on course for a bass output that is both accurate and powerful.

The basket is also a highly-rigid and fully-enclosed piece probably derived from the Pioneer’s line of SPL competition subwoofers. This then helps to reduce vibration throughout the woofer while also increasing the driving force to the cone to produce an output that is both loud and punchy.

Specifications

The 12-inch woofer has a sensitivity rating of 95dB along with a maximum RMS power of 400 Watts. The peak power handling is 1400 Watts and the frequency response is 20Hz to 125Hz. In addition, the subwoofer has a mounting depth of 6 inches and with one or two of these in your vehicle, the difference would surely seem like differentiating between daylight and nighttime.

5. SUNDOWN AUDIO SA-8 V.3 D2 – DEEP BASS OUTPUT

Product Overview

When Sundown started with the production of their SA series line of subwoofers, little did we know that we’ll be getting a masterpiece that will blow us off our feet. Everything about this subwoofer from the design to the build quality and performance is superb and even if the pricing may not fit into most budget planner’s budgets, it still is a bargain for the price you pay for this excellent performance.

Product Highlights

Design and Build

The Sundown Audio SA-8 V.3 D2 8″ 500W RMS Dual 2-Ohm subwoofer has a compact size and design that has been optimized for small, ported enclosures. The build quality is also superb and with other features that include a high-velocity under-spider frame vent, a black aluminum 2” voice coil for heat dissipation along with a high-temperature copper voice coil wire, the speaker is going to last long while consistently churning out excellent performances. It also comes equipped with XL” tinsel leads to handle extreme power and abuse in different circumstances.

Specifications & Features

The Sundown Audio SA-8 V.3 D2 has specs that match the premium price and quality. The maximum RMS Power Handling is rated at 500 Watts. With an amp to complement this power handling, you’ll definitely be setting yourself up for outstanding entertainment with this loud, punchy and tight bass output from one of the world’s best car subwoofers with deep bass output.

Performance

The Sundown Audio SA-8 V.3 D2 has a great output and performance that does not cease to amaze listeners. Whether you’re a favorite of crispy and defined bass or loud and punchy output, you’ll definitely love the subwoofer for its excellent performance. A confirmation of this can be seen on the reviews this sub had garnered on Amazon, it had sixteen five star reviews out of a total of 17 and even the other one is still a 4-star rating with the reviewer strongly recommending the sub.

6. ROCKFORD FOSGATE P3D4-15 – BEST PERFORMING SUBWOOFER

Product Overview

The Rockford Fosgate P3D4-15 is a 15-inch car subwoofer from Rockford and is believed to be the best performing sub in the Punch series of the manufacturer’s subwoofer line. It’s got a great build, great design, and most importantly, great performances to make it a top-of-the-line sub. It is loved by many and has garnered great reviews on online stores with very high portions being very positive reviews from happy customers.

Product Highlights

Design and Build

The subwoofer is greatly built to offer superb performance and durable working life. It features aluminum cones and dustcaps along with a unique integration of spider venting that is able to keep the motor cooler than most previous versions. The subwoofer also sees the use of VAST technology used to increase the surface area of the cone by up to 25% together with a FlexiFit basket that will stay good for extreme installations.

Specifications

The 15-inch subwoofer has an impedance of dual 4-ohm with a voice coil diameter of 2.5 inches. It also has a sensitivity rating of 86dB and a power rating of 1200 watts of peak power and 600 watts of RMS power. The connector is a dual 10 AWG compression and the subwoofer has a mounting depth of 7.58 inches.

Performance

With the specs and design of a truly premium product, an experience with this sub would truly amaze you. You’ll understand why the speaker is truly called PUNCH. It churns out an excellent output of punchy, tight, and well-defined bass.

7. ROCKFORD FOSGATE P2D4-12 PUNCH – BEST DUAL 4 OHM SUBWOOFER

Product Overview

This 12-inch subwoofer is only for those who do not care about aesthetics but simply looking for some real and heavy bass. But you can easily forgive the Rockford Fosgate P2D4-12 Punch, it’s got a really superb bass and output that would make you forget the bland look. For that performance reason, this 12-inch sub from the Rockford Fosgate line of Punch subwoofers makes an entry into our review as one of the best car subwoofers you can get right now.

Product Highlights

Design & Build

We’ve mentioned at inception how the build quality can impact the performance of any subwoofer, car, or home theatres. The Rockford Fosgate P2D4-12 Punch may not have the charming looks of some of the other subs on our list but it’s got something to make it a factor on its own.

The subwoofer was designed and built to feature a Kevlar fiber reinforced paper cone as well as a high-density poly-foam surround. This is enough to guarantee you excellent output on the consistent basis. It also features a 2.25-inch copper-clad aluminum voice coil along with a FlexFit basket design. The sub also features the use of VAST, Vertical Attached Surround For Increased Cone Area. All of these design and build features solidly made the Rockford Fosgate P2D4-12 Punch one of the best 12-inch subwoofers available today.

Specifications

The 12-inch car subwoofer has a power handling capacity with a maximum peak rating of 800 Watts and a continuous RMS power handling of 400 Watts. It is also a dual 4-ohm subwoofer with a sensitivity rating of 86.5dB along with a frequency response range of 27 to 250 Hz.

Performance

The performance is awesome and top-notch considering this subwoofer retails at a relatively affordable price. The reviews by most users have been largely positive with many people seemingly surprised at how punchy and dignified the bass output is from this subwoofer.

8. AMERICAN BASS XFL1544 – BEST 15-INCH SUBWOOFER

Product Overview

The XFL Series of American Bass Subwoofers are a joy to listen to as they have this incredible sound quality that will endear you to them. Of this lot of high-energy series subs, the American Bass XFL1544 15-inch dual 4-ohm subwoofer is the one I’d most likely go with any time, any day. It’s got a solid and sturdy build and has got great power and output to match. Consider it one of the best car subwoofers you can get because even just one of these will turn around how you listen to sound in your car.

Product Highlights

Design & Build

This competition subwoofer has got great build quality and design. The woofer is made from a carbon-kevlar reinforced non-press paper cone with a die-cast aluminum basket.  The woofer surround is also made from a multilayer high-density foam surround and the dual 4-ohm subwoofer features 3-inch aluminum voice coils.  The sub also features a uni-rubber gasket and rubber magnet boot cooling pump motor design to prevent damages from overheating.

Specifications

In the American Bass XFL1544, you have a 15-inch subwoofer with a peak power handling rating of 2000 Watts and a continuous RMS power of 1000 Watts. That is enough power to fill up your car and even dish out some sound for passersby and neighbors. It has a sensitivity rating of 91.3 and a top mounting depth of 8.46 inches.

Performance

You can expect anything less from this powerful sub. The sound quality is as excellent as the word itself. Punchy, strong, and vibrant bass, the sub handle lower frequencies like the super sub it was designed to be and the performance is pretty impressive. With the American Bass XFL1544, you can always get your ears ready for some serious pounding every time you hit the road.

9. CERWIN VEGA VPRO122D – BEST 12 INCH SUBWOOFER

Product Overview

The Cerwin Vega VPRO122D is a 12-inch beast of a subwoofer that will seriously pound the sound out of your car’s stereo system. For the heavy hitters who like to make their presence known in the neighborhood, this is your best 12-inch subwoofer. For those who would still like to have a well-defined sound output, the Cerwin Vega VPRO122D is powerful enough but won’t dish out a muddled bass. So, what makes this qualified as one of the best car subwoofers? It’s nothing other than a great performance aided by a great design and spec sheet and then topped with a price point that makes the subwoofer seem like a steal with all that power!

Product Highlights

Build & Design

This beast is a high-energy series subwoofer with a double-stacked motor structure along with double progressive spiders encased by a solid and rugged VEGA Pro stamped cast basket which is a signature of Cerwin Vega. It also features a vented pole piece with a voice coil gap for maximum cooling and the woofer surround is made from a reliable and quality black Santoprene double-stitched surround. As far as design and build go, the Cerwin Vega VPRO122D Pro ticks all the boxes and would provide you with rich bass consistently.

Specifications

The power handling peak for the 12-inch subwoofer is 1500 Watts and the RMS is at a maximum of 750 Watts. The subwoofer has a sensitivity rating of 85.3dB and a top mounting depth of 5.98 inches.

Performance

The Cerwin Vega VPRO122D Pro 1500 Watts has a performance that makes it a choice for many audiophiles. It has a powerful bass and offers some great durability and reliability. Amazingly, it’s had fewer reviews on Amazon but it has been able to keep up a 100% positive rating and review.

10. DB DRIVE WDX8 3K – BEST BUDGET SUBWOOFER

Product Overview

This 8-inch competition subwoofer from DB Drive has found its way into this review of the best car subwoofers for reasons bordering on excellent performance and sheer affordability. The 8-inch subwoofer s sturdily built and is powerful enough to fill up your entire car’s room space. When a product like this retails at such an incredibly low price, it seems amazing and for that reason, it’s probably the best car subwoofer for the money right moment.

Product Highlights

Build & Design

The design is a low-profile one. It features a high excursion spider design and is purposely intended to optimize performance. It incorporates the use of low carbon steel and bottom plates and the woofer surround is a 1.5-inch high-roll foam surround.

Specifications

The subwoofer has a peak power rating of 1200 Watts and a maximum RMS power output of 600 Watts. The 8-inch subwoofer has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms and a driver diameter of 8 inches. At 600 Watts, the DB DRIVE WDX8 3K WDX 3K Series Competition Subwoofer has enough power and will produce a sound output that will easily fill up your car’s room space.

Performance

The performance is quite awesome from a low-priced sub. The bass output is pretty decent and the output is clear, crisp, and well-defined. Many people have even compared the output with the performances of some other 10-inch subwoofers and it seems like an absolute steal considering the price. It’s managed a couple of reviews on Amazon and the other online stores and the feedback has been largely positive.

WHY WOULD YOU REALLY NEED A CAR SUBWOOFER?

It’s not like your car won’t come with a subwoofer, it sure would but on most occasions, this is just what it is. Car manufacturers do not always place emphasis on these aspects all of the time and it is not uncommon to find out vehicles fitted with sub-par subwoofers. In other cases, you may not even be aware of these issues until you finally get a new subwoofer fitted into your vehicle, most people at this point are often left wondering how they’d been able to survive listening to their old sound system all along.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAR SUBWOOFER

If you are familiar with the markets, you don’t need to be told how challenging and daunting it could be trying to find your perfect match in a car subwoofer market with hundreds of different competing products. It is more or less the same way you go about choosing the best subwoofer for home theatre and so you’ll need due diligence and proper research to ensure you do not get disappointed at the end.

To start with, ask yourself, what kind of bass output would I really like. While subwoofers for cars would often come in different sizes, bigger does not always mean better as the best car subwoofers are not usually the largest. Proper attention must be paid to the details to help you determine what type of subwoofer size would seem complimentary to your musical taste.

8-inch Car Subwoofers

Because of the small size, most 8-inch car subwoofers are easily able to keep their pace with fast music as well as heavy rock, double bass, and electronic music. Those who enjoy soft and light bass would fall easily in love with this though those who are all about the heavy bass may not. The rule of thumb is that the smaller the woofer, the easier it is to reproduce punchier and more responsive sound output.

10-inch Car Subwoofers

This size seems like the middle point where you are able to get the best of both worlds. They are able to keep up the pace with very fast music and still churn out a respectable amount of bass. They are good for almost all types of music although if you are bent on getting the heaviest possible amount of bass, you may have to look farther up the size ladder.

12-inch Car Subwoofers

This size is the most common in the market thanks to its universality and suitability for a wide range of music genres. Although they are not able to keep the fast pace you’d usually see in a 10’’ subwoofer, they are respected for their heavy bass output and coverage of deeper frequencies. Though you won’t find them at their best with heavy rock or metal like the 10 would, they’d pretty much handle other varieties of music whether it is rap, pop, or electronic.

15-inch Car Subwoofers

Although they are not common, you can still find them in stores albeit not so much. This size sub is just not for everyone unless you’re sold out on getting ear bleeding bass from your car’s stereo system.

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING YOUR CAR SUBWOOFER

So, now that you know the basics behind subwoofer sizes and all, you’ll still want to be sure of certain things before you finally make the jump. In this section, we’ll briefly discuss important things you’ll be better off to consider before splashing your cash on that system you think is the best car subwoofer for your automobile.

Design & Build Quality

When it comes to speaker design and build, the quality of the woofer and the woofer surrounding are two of the most important things that could have an overbearing effect on the sound output. The woofer, for example, can impact the responsiveness and quality of the output. Most common woofer cones are made from polypropylene materials as well as Kevlar, carbon, and woven fabrics. Some higher-end woofers also make use of aluminum and titanium but generally, the stiffer and lightweight the material used for the woofer, the better the quality.

Another consideration to be made as regards build quality has to do with the woofer surrounding. It is advisable to get subwoofers with lightweight, durable, and free-moving material so the woofer can move easily with as little energy as possible. The material used for the woofer surround would also impact durability and effectiveness. The surroundings should be as strong as possible to withstand humidity and wear and tears as it ages. Rubber surrounds are common and typically lasts longer than most other materials. Foams and fabric surrounds are commonly used in inexpensive systems though they’d usually have a shorter life span and lower performance. Try and avoid woofer surrounds built from materials like urethane. They don’t perform well and still do not last long.

Power Handling

Although there may be multiple Power Handling ratings for different car subwoofers, the RMS Power Handling, also known as the Continuous Power Handling, along with the Sensitivity Rating are two of the most important parameters you should try to ascertain.  Do not confuse Peak Power Handling with RMS as that figure only denotes the maximum power the speaker can reach in short bursts.

Sensitivity is also an important parameter as it gives you an idea of the subwoofer’s efficiency. The Sensitivity Rating is a measure of the amount of sound the subwoofer will emit with the power it is supplied. A high sensitivity rating is great.

Enclosure Specifications

You can easily mount car speakers to doors or a bracket but installing a car subwoofer does not follow the same trend. It would require an enclosure dedicated to housing it. While you can also select and choose from already-made enclosures, you can also build your own. Enclosures come in two sizes which are either sealed or ported. Sealed enclosures are great if you need well-defined bass while ported enclosures are best suited for use in outdoor settings as they appear louder.

FAQs ON CAR SUBWOOFERS

How much does it cost to get subwoofers in your car?

It all depends. There are some that can be gotten for as low as $39 while there are those that goes for as high as $299. While pricing is not always an indicator of quality, you can still find some of the best car subwoofers for the money. There are those that are reasonably priced and still produce decent output.

Is ported sub box better?

We’ve outlined some of the differences between the enclosures above. Although both types come with their own advantage, the people who like ported enclosures choose it because of its boomy and vibrating feel. If a ported enclosure is built with the properly calculated volume, if tuned to the correct frequency, these ported sub boxes are usually louder than sealed enclosures.

What is SPL on a subwoofer?

SPL is the short form of Sound Pressure level and is measured in dB. Although dB is a relative term that can refer to almost anything, it is most time used to refer to SPL.

Do you have to use an amp with a subwoofer?

If you’re dealing with larger subs that would need an upward or 200 Watts RMS for excellent output, then you’d no doubt need an external amp. You can, however, decide to go with a multichannel amp or a dedicated mono subwoofer amp.

What is the best brand for subwoofers?

While there are a whole lot of manufacturers in the industry, some of this group has been able to really stand out. If you want to know the best brands of car subwoofers, then the list would usually include manufacturers like Sundown, Polk Audio, Kicker, Rockford, Infinity, and Pioneer, among others.

What are the Best Car Subwoofers?

We have reached the point where we’ll get more direct with our choices. This part contains our top ten recommendations of the best car subwoofers. Regardless of whether you’re committed to getting the best car subwoofers for deep bass or the best car subwoofer for the money, we’ve got options within our review that will fit into many circumstances and needs.

CONCLUSION

There is nothing close to high fidelity entertainment with dedicated car subwoofers. They bring out the bass and make the atmosphere as fun as it can ever get. The problem with most OEM speakers is that they are not usually high quality. If you’d really find a quality speaker in an automobile, though possible, you’ll have to spend significantly more considering these can be found in only those pricey and high-end premium cars. With any of the best car subwoofers reviewed above, you are well on your way to quality entertainment on a whole new level.

So what are you still waiting for? Choose from this range of car subwoofers and …Go Hard!