May 2024
Subwoofers: MetaRanking
This page highlights the aggregate summary of subwoofers rankings posted by key online experts, as of May 2024.
Summary
On 2 May 2024, ReviewFinder team examined a total of 81 subwoofer endorsements from 10 reputable publishers.
60 subwoofers were endorsed in total, only 14 made it into this month's ranking. (ReviewFinder requires a minimum of 2 endorsements to be included)
As of 2 May 2024, SVS SB-1000 Pro takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed subwoofer with 4 expert endorsements. 2 experts out of 4 recommended it as the '#1 subwoofer' this month.
Brand breakdown
-
SVS: 6 subwoofers
(#1 is SVS SB-1000 Pro)
-
Klipsch: 5 subwoofers
(#1 is Klipsch R120SW)
-
Polk Audio: 4 subwoofers
(#1 is Polk Audio PSW10)
-
Bowers & Wilkins: 3 subwoofers
(#1 is Bowers & Wilkins ASW610)
-
Monoprice: 3 subwoofers
(#1 is Monoprice 8248)
Price breakdown
At a glance - May Ranking
| Rank | Change | Price | Subwoofer |
Crutchfield
|
The Master Switch
|
What Hi-Fi
|
Lifewire
|
Rolling Stone
|
BestCovery
|
The Sound Junky
|
Wirecutter
|
Woofer Guy
|
Digital Trends
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
- | $599 |
SVS SB-1000 Pro
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
4
|
-
|
|
2
|
+6 | $299 |
Bic America F12
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
3
|
-1 | $249 |
Polk Audio PSW10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
|
4
|
-1 | $299 |
Klipsch R120SW
|
2
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
|
5
|
-1 | $750 |
Sonos Sub
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
19
|
4
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
|
6
|
- | Check price |
RSL Speedwoofer 10S
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
|
7
|
- | $999 |
Q Acoustics Q B12
|
-
|
9
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
8
|
+1 | Check price |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW610
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
9
|
+1 | $426 |
Sonos Sub Mini
|
-
|
4
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
10
|
+1 | Check price |
Yamaha NS SW100
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
|
14
|
+2 | $139 |
Monoprice 8248
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
15
|
+2 | $540 |
Elac SUB3030
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
16
|
+2 | $449 |
Cambridge Audio Minx X201
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
|
17
|
+2 | $1500 |
KEF KC62
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
We ranked SVS SB-1000 Pro #1 in May 2024 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
- Out of those, 2 experts ranked SVS SB-1000 Pro as #1.
The Master Switch
Best Overall Subwoofer
|
gutsy
powerful
clean sound quality that happily beats other models.
|
Definitely not suitable for larger rooms.
|
We ranked Bic America F12 #2 in May 2024 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Bic America F12 as #1.
Lifewire
|
Adjustable crossover and volume
Magnetic shielding for noise reduction
Very affordable and great value
Phase switch
|
May vibrate at very high volumes
Takes up a lot of space
Can get a little hot
|
Methodology: combine opinions of key experts
Identify Experts
We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend subwoofers.
Capture Rankings
For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of subwoofers, it must be updated in the last 9 months.
Aggregate Rankings
We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking
Experts chosen for May 2024 ranking
Crutchfield
The Master Switch
What Hi-Fi
Lifewire
Rolling Stone
BestCovery
The Sound Junky
Wirecutter
Woofer Guy
Digital Trends
We ranked Polk Audio PSW10 #3 in May 2024 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Polk Audio PSW10 as #1.
The Sound Junky
Best Under $300
|
Powerful Bass
Clear and Balanced Sound
Easy Integration
Durable Construction
Versatile Connectivity
|
Limited Power
Limited Frequency Range
Basic Controls
|
We ranked Klipsch R120SW #4 in May 2024 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Klipsch R120SW as #1.
The Master Switch
Best of the Rest
|
Very low distortion—even on the toughest material.
|
Doesn’t do quite enough to rise above the competition.
|
We ranked Sonos Sub #5 in May 2024 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
What Hi-Fi
This slim, wireless subwoofer is a solid addition to a Sonos music or cinema system.
|
Versatile placement
Simple set-up
Integrates well
|
A little expensive
Not the punchiest
|
The Sound Junky
Best Under $1000
|
Тhе Ѕоnоѕ Ѕub саn bе lіnkеd tо hоmе аutоmаtіоn dеvісеѕ lіkе thе Аmаzоn Аlеха аnd thеn bе соntrоllеd thrоugh vоісе соmmаndѕ.
Тhе арр іѕ іntuіtіvе аnd еаѕу tо uѕе.
Тhе ѕоund quаlіtу thаt thіѕ unіt оffеrѕ іѕ ѕіmрlу rеmаrkаblе.
Тhе ѕub іѕ еquірреd wіth twо fоrсе-саnсеlіng ѕреаkеr drіvеrѕ thаt аrе роѕіtіоnеd fасіng еасh оthеr.
|
Тhіѕ іѕ оnе оf thе mоrе ехреnѕіvе рrоduсtѕ аvаіlаblе іn thе mаrkеt whеn іt соmеѕ tо ѕubwооfеrѕ but ѕtіll dоеѕn’t соmе сlоѕе tо thе $1,000 mаrk.
Yоu саnnоt uѕе thіѕ wіth ѕреаkеrѕ frоm аnу оthеr mаnufасturеr, ѕо уоu wіll bе lосkеd іntо thе Ѕоnоѕ есоѕуѕtеm.
|
We ranked RSL Speedwoofer 10S #6 in May 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked RSL Speedwoofer 10S as #1.
The Master Switch
A Great Subwoofer for Music
|
Feels like it’s been specifically tuned for music.
|
Boring looks from the original version remain.
|
We ranked Q Acoustics Q B12 #7 in May 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Q Acoustics Q B12 as #1.
The Master Switch
|
Clean and powerful bass matched with clever controls.
|
Lacks the ability to deliver huge, gut-punching bass.
|
What Hi-Fi
Upgrade your 3000i or Concept 5.1 package.
|
Punchy and powerful
Doesn’t impose sonically
Well integrated
|
Not easily accommodated
|
We ranked Bowers & Wilkins ASW610 #8 in May 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
What Hi-Fi
The B&W ASW610 sounds bigger than it looks and more expensive than its price-tag.
|
Well-extended bass for its size
Good finish
Small and well-equipped
|
Nothing of note
|
We ranked Sonos Sub Mini #9 in May 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
The Master Switch
Best Wireless Subwoofer
|
Small form
weighty sound
|
Issues with build quality, not good for those who don’t already use Sonos.
|
What Hi-Fi
The Sonos Sub gets a mini-me, but is it a biter?
|
Snappy delivery
No distracting vibrations
Discreet build
|
Narrow frequency response
Pricey
Lumpy integration
|
We ranked Yamaha NS SW100 #10 in May 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
We ranked Monoprice 8248 #11 in May 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
The Sound Junky
Best Under $100
|
The price is unmatched. This is one of the most affordable subwoofers available in the market right now.
While the unit is very simple, it does accept both line and speaker-level inputs, which increases its functionality.
The bass provided by this device is good enough for rooms in your house or enclosed spaces.
|
You cannot expect the same quality as some of the more advanced subwoofers mentioned on this list.
The frequency response range is relatively lower than the other subwoofers, between 50Hz and 150Hz.
|
We ranked Elac SUB3030 #12 in May 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
The Master Switch
|
Value and sound quality are second to none.
|
Won't satisfy those who like huge volume.
|
The Sound Junky
Best Powered Subwoofer
|
Тhе аdvаnсеd Вluеtооth соntrоl іѕ vеrу hеlрful, аѕ іt аllоwѕ уоu tо соntrоl уоur ѕubwооfеr еvеn frоm а dіѕtаnсе.
Тhе dеvісе hаѕ а hіgh rаngе оf frеquеnсу rеѕроnѕе — bеtwееn 25Нz аnd 150Нz.
Whіlе thіѕ mау ѕееm rеlаtіvеlу ехреnѕіvе whеn соmраrеd tо а lоt оf thе оthеr орtіоnѕ, іt оffеrѕ truе vаluе fоr mоnеу, аѕ уоu gеt unbеlіеvаblе роwеr wіth thіѕ dеvісе.
Тhіѕ рrоduсt іѕ grеаt fоr реорlе whо wаnt аn аbѕоlutеlу hаndѕ-оff ехреrіеnсе.
|
Тhе ѕubwооfеr іѕ ѕlіghtlу lаrgеr thаn а lоt оf оthеrѕ оn thіѕ lіѕt, whісh mеаnѕ іt wоn’t bе еаѕу tо mоvе іt аrоund tоо muсh.
Тhеrе hаvе bееn ѕоmе rероrtѕ оf соnnесtіvіtу іѕѕuеѕ аrіѕіng whіlе uѕіng thіѕ рrоduсt.
|
We ranked Cambridge Audio Minx X201 #13 in May 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
Digital Trends
Great for smaller spaces
|
Rich and punchy sound
Takes up very little space
Built-in DSP for fine-tuned performance
|
Somewhat pricey
Not the best option for larger spaces and speakers
|
We ranked KEF KC62 #14 in May 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best subwoofers” rankings.
The Master Switch
Subwoofer with the Deepest Bass
|
Tiny frame matched with earth-shaking sound quality.
|
Clunky controls, and the sub needs careful placement.
|
Digital Trends
The best small subwoofer
|
Can deliver up to 1,000 watts
Incredibly small footprint
Excellent sound quality
Plenty of EQ options
|
Very expensive
|