Best Products > Audio 127 127 people found this article helpful The 7 Best Home Subwoofers of 2023 Size, room placement, and amp power combined with drivers are key elements in getting the best sound from a subwoofer By Erika Rawes Erika Rawes Twitter Writer University of Maryland Erika Rawes has written for Digital Trends, USA Today, and Cheatsheet.com and has tested dozens of consumer technology products for multiple tech sites. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 21, 2023 Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr Twitter University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Tweet Share Email Audio Speakers Headphones Earbuds Home Theater Instruments Accessories The best home subwoofer will enhance your home theater's sound performance because it specifically targets a lower frequency range, resulting in a trademark rumble you can feel. Our experts think most people should buy the BIC Acoustech PL-200 II Subwoofer. The Rundown Best Overall: BIC Acoustec PL-200 II Subwoofer at Amazon Jump to Review Best Design: ELAC S10 Debut Series 200 Watt Powered Subwoofer at Amazon Jump to Review Best Bass Response: Klipsch Reference R-112SW Subwoofer at Amazon Jump to Review Best Wireless: Sonos SUB (Gen 3) at Amazon Jump to Review Best smaller subwoofer: Polk Audio PSW10 at Amazon Jump to Review Best Budget: Monoprice 12-Inch 150 Watt Subwoofer at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Small Spaces: Yamaha NS-SW050BL at Amazon Jump to Review in this article Expand Our Picks FAQ What to Look For in a Home Subwoofer Best Overall BIC Acoustec PL-200 II Subwoofer 4.7 Amazon View On Amazon What We Like 1000W Gold-plated terminals Solid construction What We Don't Like Not great for small spaces No magnetic shielding BIC Acoustech PL-200 II Subwoofer Review The BIC Acoustech PL-200 II Subwoofer boasts high-quality construction, a state-of-the art amplifier, and dual front-facing flared ports. It has enough power to really shake all but the biggest living rooms. It has a rich, deep sound with a balanced, energetic bass and a good low-frequency response. With its simplistic black and copper color scheme, the PL-200 II is an attractive addition to a home theater system, and at around $400, it’s still sort-of budget friendly. Wattage: 250 RMS, 1,000 Peak | Driver Size: 12-inch | Direction: Front-firing Tested by Lifewire The BIC Acoustec PL-200 II looks a little better than other subs in this price range and the dual porting makes a big difference. It’s a quality sub that is surprisingly inexpensive for what you get and that looks like it should cost twice as much. Set up is dead simple. The ports also significantly reduce noise and rattle, while letting the driver still push a lot of air, and mean you don’t need to pay as much attention to rear clearance from your wall. The PL-200 II delivered some of the best quality we’ve heard in its price range. We never heard any port noise, distortion, or other distressing sounds from the driver. Even though the PL-200 II doesn’t reproduce frequencies below 30Hz very well, it’s hardly noticeable for movies. — Benjamin Zeman, Product Tester Lifewire / Benjamin Zeman Best Design ELAC S10 Debut Series 200 Watt Powered Subwoofer Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart What We Like 200 Watts Large frequency response Automatic equalization What We Don't Like Not wireless The ELAC Debut 2.0 Series 200 Watt Powered Subwoofer with a 10-inch bass driver will give your movies and music a 'stunning sense of realism' according to our reviewer Erika. There are dials on the back for adjusting the volume and low pass so it'll fit into your system. Our reviewer was impressed with the design, as the MDF cabinet has a black-ash finish that makes it look like solid wood, but she felt it lacked the punchiness that some other woofers provided. Wattage: 100 RMS, 200 Peak | Driver Size: 10-inch | Direction: Down-firing “The reflex port sits on the front face, and ELAC managed to make the port look like a feature that improves the woofer’s appearance, rather than an afterthought that takes away from the overall aesthetic.” — Erika Rawes, Tech Writer Best Bass Response Klipsch Reference R-112SW Subwoofer Amazon View On Amazon View On Crutchfield.com What We Like Powerful Wireless adapter optional Elegant design What We Don't Like Easily scratched Heavy The Klipsch Reference R-112SW is a legitimately powerful subwoofer. It has a simple yet refined design with spun copper sitting in the middle of the unit. We like the look of the Klipsch reference series because the speakers almost have a steampunk vibe. This model’s biggest perk outside of the powerful bass response is the fact that it can be wireless, so you can place the subwoofer wherever it sounds best in your desired room i(f you add the optional Klipsch WA-2 Wireless Subwoofer Kit). With the unit measuring 18.2 x 15.5 x 17.4 inches and weighing nearly 50 pounds, that flexibility of placement will come in handy. Overall, this subwoofer works great for both music and movies, with a booming sound that’s clean and distortion-free. On the downside, this model can also be easily scratched, so you’ll want to be careful when unboxing it and moving it around the house. Wattage: 150 RMS, 300 Peak | Driver Size: 10-inch | Direction: Front-firing Best Wireless Sonos SUB (Gen 3) Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy What We Like Deep low-end range Modern design Force-canceling drivers What We Don't Like Cannot connect another subwoofer Heavy 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. When it comes to wireless sound systems, Sonos has really secured its place in the market. You can hardly even talk about Bluetooth speakers without bringing up the company’s multi-room, speaker handoff systems. But when you’re looking at the Play:1s or Play:3s, you can easily forget that these smaller speakers, even if paired in stereo doubles, don’t offer much in the way of low end. That’s where the latest generation of Sonos’s SUB system comes into play. The slim, stylish subwoofer can either be displayed on the floor outside the system or slid inside of a cabinet. There are force-canceling drivers positioned inside the cabinet face-to-face that allow for a full, unfettered bass response, so you don't have to worry about cabinet buzzing, rattling or any other artifacts to the sound. And just like the rest of the Sonos family, it can be wirelessly connected to the entire system and controlled with the Sonos app. Wattage: Unpublished (50-100 estimated) | Driver Size: Dual 6-inch | Direction: Down-firing Best smaller subwoofer Polk Audio PSW10 Courtesy of W View On Amazon View On Crutchfield.com What We Like Minimal distortion Appealing design Smaller than many other subwoofers What We Don't Like Lacks the full spectrum of more expensive models The Polk Audio PSW 10-Inch Woofer model offers you a powerful bass response in a compact woofer which is great for smaller spaces like apartments. It's got some hi-tech tricks to minimize distortion, but you can’t really place it somewhere hidden away. The frequency response range is wide enough to cover all of the low ends, but doesn't offer the full spectrum of depth that some of the more expensive models give you. Round this all out with a white speaker cone in front of the black enclosure, and it gives you a pretty eye-catching look, too. Wattage: 50 RMS, 100 Peak | Driver Size: 10-inch | Direction: Front-firing Best Budget Monoprice 12-Inch 150 Watt Subwoofer Courtesy of Amazon.com View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Staples What We Like Under $150 Auto on/off What We Don't Like Not wireless 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 cabinet itself is made of black, simulated wood. Wattage: 150 RMS, 200 Peak | Driver Size: 12-inch | Direction: Front-firing Best for Small Spaces Yamaha NS-SW050BL Amazon View On Amazon What We Like Ideal for small spaces Very affordable Simple design goes with most setups What We Don't Like Few configuration options The Yamaha NS-SW050 is one of the more compact options on this list, making it a good choice for an apartment or small room. It weighs less than 20 pounds, and it measures only 11.5 x 11.5 x 14 inches, so you can tuck it away in a corner and it won’t take up too much space. Plus, the all-black design helps it blend in well with other speakers and A/V receivers. At a price of around $120 on sale, this is a solid budget pick for anyone looking to add a compact subwoofer to their home theater without spending too much cash. Wattage: 50 to 100 | Driver Size: 8-inch | Direction: Front-firing FAQ Do you need a subwoofer? Your home audio setup doesn't require a subwoofer to sound good, but having one will add a surprising amount of depth to your audio experience. There are plenty of soundbars and speakers that can sound amazing without a subwoofer, but a subwoofer will make your home theater sound better. Can't you just crank up the bass on your regular speakers? Sure, you could, but subwoofers operate within different frequencies. By just turning up your bass, you're likely going to do more harm than good both to your equipment and your eardrums by completely drowning out every other audible frequency. Subwoofers make the bass in your audio playback more noticeable by broadcasting in a lower frequency band, which is where that rumble comes from each time there's an explosion or you're listening to a song with heavy bass. Having a broader range of frequencies gives you the best overall listening experience, giving you low, mid, and high tones without too much distortion and without putting unnecessary strain on your equipment. Where is the best place to put your subwoofer? Surround sound speakers have placement criteria that make them sound better, but subwoofers are a little different. People often place subwoofers in corners, so the cord can reach the receiver and they’re out of the way. Corner placement can also result in louder sound, but room acoustics can affect the way a subwoofer will sound in different areas. It’s best to test your subwoofer in different placement areas, and see where it sounds best. Lifewire / Benjamin Zeman What to Look For in a Home Subwoofer Size In general, subwoofers with larger surface areas play deeper sound. But you’ll also want to consider the size of your other speakers to ensure that the overall sound profile is balanced. An 8-inch or 10-inch subwoofer is suitable for basic bookshelf speakers, but if you have tower speakers, look for one that’s 12 inches (or more). Placement You’ll need to choose between a front-firing and down-firing subwoofer—and which one is best for your space depends on where you’ll put it. If it’ll sit near your other speakers, we recommend a front-firing subwoofer. But if it’ll be positioned in a corner or on a side wall, go for a down-firing subwoofer. Power 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. Still, the larger the room, the more powerful the subwoofer should be. Lifewire / Benjamin Zeman Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit