Best Car Subwoofers 2016 | Top Rated Auto Subwoofer
Best Car Subwoofers 2016 | Top Rated Auto Subwoofer
A subwoofer is a speaker that’s designed to reproduce bass. They cover the lower end range of frequencies that smaller speakers struggle to reproduce (6.5″, 6″ x 9″, and etc). A component sub can add a level of power and sound to your music that can’t be reproduced by any other speaker. It’s one of the necessities to a well-rounded stereo. Add one of the best car subwoofers to your stereo and you’ll find yourself wondering how you listened to music without one. Here’s a list of 2016’s best rated and reviewed 8, 10, 12 and 15 inch subwoofers to help you choose the best equipment for your car’s stereo.
Here’s a list of the top rated car subwoofers of 2016. Click a subwoofer to go to the full review, or just scroll down to view all of the reviews:
Best Car Subwoofers 2016 | Top 7
| Car Subwoofer | Sizes Offered | Impedance (ohms) | Power Handling | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. JL Audio W7AE-3 | 8" | 10" | 12" | 13" | Single 4 Ohm | RMS: 500 - 1500 Watts |  |
| 2. Hertz Hi Energy HX | 10" | 12" | 15" | Dual 4 Ohm | RMS: 450 - 700 Watts | |
| 3. JL Audio W6V3 | 10" | 12" | Single 4 Ohm | RMS: 600 Watts | |
| 4. Alpine Type R | 8" | 10" | 12" | 15" | Dual 2 Ohm | RMS: 350 - 1000 Watts |  |
| 5. Polk Audio MM | 8" | 10" | 12" | 15" | Dual 4 Ohm | RMS: 250 - 425 Watts |  |
| 6. Rockford Fosgate Power T0 | 10" | 12" | 15" | Dual 4 Ohm | RMS: 550 - 800 Watts | |
| 7. MTX 55 | 10" | 12" | 15" | Dual 2 Ohm | 400 Watts | |
Choosing the Right Subwoofer
When choosing the best subwoofer that will fit your needs, you have to ask yourself, “What kind of bass am I looking for?” Sometimes the best subwoofer isn’t the biggest. Different sizes of subwoofers respond and produce different sound to different music and finding the right match for your music preferences is key. Let’s talk about the different sizes of subwoofers and what kind of sound they emit.
8″ Subwoofers – The smaller the woofer the faster, more responsive and punchier it is. An 8″ woofer can keep up with faster paced music like heavy rock, double bass and fast paced electronic. It’s a great choice for those who enjoy soft and light bass. An 8″ subwoofer is one that compliments a system rather than overwhelms.
10″ Subwoofers – 10’s are very common. They are the most well-rounded and safest choice for a subwoofer on the market. The 10″ can keep up with fast paced music while creating a respectable amount of bass. They are good for fast paced music, and also good with heavier bass music such as rap and club music. But if you’re looking for big bass, you may have to double up with the 10″ to achieve what you are looking for. Click Here To View Our 10″ Subwoofers.
12″ Subwoofers – If you listen to a big variety of music but enjoy heavy bass then a 12″ subwoofer is for you. The 12″ sub is the most common in the marketplace today, mainly because they are so universal to any music that is listened to, produce a heavy bass and cover a deeper range of frequencies. It won’t keep up with fast paced music such as heavy rock or metal as well as the 10″, it will sound great for all varieties of music, especially rap, electronic, club and pop.
15″ Subwoofers – If you are looking for ear bleeding bass then you are in the right category.
So to sum up, when choosing the best subwoofer to fit your application you need to take into consideration the level of music you want to listen to, the type of music, as well as the confinements of the location. 8″ subwoofers are great for leveling out a sound system while a 15″ will wake the neighbors. Your safest bet is the 10″ or 12″ subwoofer.
All of the top rated subwoofers require an amplifier. Check out all of the Best Reviewed Amplifiers, and more information on how to choose an amplifier to meet the specs of your Best Subwoofer.
How We Tested
In order to find the best component car subwoofer, CarAudioNow has researched and combined several reviews across the industry with first-hand tests, as well as personally tested subwoofers in the field. There are many criteria that we take into consideration when rating and reviewing each car sub, including:
- Style (Looks, Design)
- Features (Cooling, Cone Design, Basket, Proprietary Technology, etc)
- Power Ratings (Peak, RMS)
- Price
- Quality (Materials used, manufacturer, etc)
- Online Reviews (From multiple vendors such as Crutchfield, Amazon, Top 10 Reviews and more)
The result from our in-depth research from multiple sources and internal testing is a list of the top rated and reviewed car subwoofers. And in addition to our compilation of best rated products, CarAudioNow also provides multiple comparisons of prices from vendors to try to get you the best price for all of your products. But in the end, the best car subwoofer is one that meets your specific needs and is compatible with your car.
The Best Car Subwoofer List
JL Audio W7AE Series Subwoofer Review
Editor's Rating:
The JL Audio W7AE series of subwoofers is not only the best car subwoofer today, it’s become a benchmark for high-end audio products. There are four models under this series each having a 10th-anniversary edition (released in 2011) and the original version:
- 8-inch 8W7AE-3
- 10-inch 8W7AE-3
- 12-inch 8W7AE-3
- 5-inch W7AE-D1
All four models fit our high standards for best car subs, mainly because of the unique patents incorporated into each model. These patents include:
- Dynamic Motor Analysis (DMA) system reduces sound distortion and provides an analysis of the sound dynamics
- W-Cone assembly is a two-skin-unit –body design that can handle all kinds of wear and tear
- Elevated frame cooling design for enhanced ventilation
- Floating Cone Attach Method improves the surround sound
- Overall Surround sound system which improves air displacement and speaker efficiency
- Cross-Drilled Pole Piece for efficient cooling for superior linear performance
- Lead-wire design for reduced sound distortion and mechanical noise
The W7AE series subwoofer includes all of the latest and innovative designs and features created and patented by JL Audio.
After more than a decade in the business, the flagship JL Audio W7AE Series gets the approval of many professionals and experts in the sound industry. It is the leader in automotive subwoofers with the least amount of sound distortion, best overall performance, highest quality and longest lasting. It easily earns CarAudioNow’s top choice award for the best subs for cars available in the market today.
13W7AE-3
- Subwoofer Size: 13"
- Power Handling: 1500W RMS DVC Dual 1.5Ω
$1299.99
Hertz Hi Energy Series Subwoofer Review
Editor's Rating:
The Hertz HX series subwoofers were designed to reproduce the very lowest octaves of the audio spectrum with impact, precision and power. These subs have groundbreaking and innovative technologies in every detail: An ultra-efficient motor assembly, V-cone, forced ventilation system and a low-resonance basket. The Hi-Energy subwoofers' range features dual coil models to increase the flexibility of your subwoofer system design. This allows for easy management of the different connectivity solutions and the number of subwoofers in a particular design in order to make the most of the amplifier power delivery characteristics. The best solution to all your needs; low frequency output and control that will meet your most enthusiastic expectations. All-in-all, an exceptionally built, performing and looking subwoofer.
HX 250D
- Subwoofer Size: 10"
- Power Handling: 450W RMS DVC 4Ω
Click For Price
HX 380D
- Subwoofer Size: 15"
- Power Handling: 700W RMS DVC 4Ω
Click For Price
JL Audio W6V3 Series Subwoofer Review
Editor's Rating:
JL Audio’s well reputable W6v3 subwoofers encompass multiple generations of subwoofer, each improving on the precision, power and design of the last. Made with a durable, mineral-filled polypropylene cone, the W6v3 series delivers incredible strength without the added weight that can decrease a woofer’s response and accuracy. Combined with a rigid cast-alloy basket that all but eliminates flex and distortion, you find yourself with an incredibly crafted, reliable and well engineered series subwoofer that performs.
Alpine Type-R Series Subwoofer Review
Editor's Rating:
Alpine’s Type-R Series Subwoofers are built tough to handle the most extreme bass without failing. Featuring cones made from Kevlar® treated pulp (the key material that bulletproof vests are made from), and a durable HAMR Santoprene™ surround, you can expect the Type-R subs to thump while maintaining a high standard of durability and reliability.
Polk Audio MM Series Subwoofer Review
Editor's Rating:
A perfect balance between light weight and quality materials, the Polk MM Series Subwoofers produce superior bass without the bulk and heaviness of standard subs. Featuring a carbon composite basket with a “wagon wheel” design that reduces flex and neodymium magnet motors that drive the rigid polymer cone, the engineering and design of the MM series subwoofers will allow superior performance that will reproduce your music with incredible accuracy. Oh, and did we mention they are marine certified?
Rockford Fosgate Power T0 Series Subwoofer Review
Editor's Rating:
Whether you’re looking for a subwoofer for recreational purposes, or a competitive level sub that will dominate, the Rockford Fosgate Power T0 Series Subwoofers were designed for high power and high volume bass. Featuring a responsive Kevlar Fiber (the same that’s used in bulletproof vests) reinforced paper cone, an anodized aluminum dust cap that protects the cone, and an oversized rubber surround to the cone that increases the cone surface area up to 25%, you’ll get the bass you want from a sub that’s virtually unbreakable.
T0D412
- Subwoofer Size: 12"
- Power Handling: 700W RMS DVC 4Ω
$399.99
MTX 55 Series Subwoofer Review
Editor's Rating:
The MTX 55 Series subwoofers are a great bang for your buck. MTX has built a high performing sub that will add incredible bass to your system without draining your wallet. They cram oversized polypropylene cone with rubber surrounds into standard sized frames to increase the surface area of the cone, moving more are and giving you more bass. It has a self-cooling design that cools the subwoofer while it plays, reducing over heating and their suspension system allows the sub to handle more power, and pump harder. Although the MTX series may not keep up with the W6v3 or Hertz HX series subwoofers, it's a very highly reviewed subwoofer and and excellent upgrade with incredible value.
Best Component Car Subwoofers | What to Look For
Car subwoofers are essentially oversized speakers. They require much more space, power, material – pretty much more of everything. When adding a car subwoofer to your car stereo, you will need to make sure to pay close attention to specific things when researching to make sure you have both the right subwoofer, and the right components to power and house your subwoofer. Below is a list of criteria we recommend considering when you’re choosing the best car subwoofer:
Speaker Design and Materials
The best subwoofers will add a whole new level of audio to your car. They help round out your system, supporting your speakers where needed – in the low frequencies. Here’s a couple of things to note about your speaker’s design and materials when comparing:
Woofer: The subwoofer’s woofer can easily determine the responsiveness, and overall quality of the speaker. The stiffer and more lightweight the material used, the more effective the subwoofer is. Polypropylene is a very common material used for the cone, as well as woven fabrics such as carbon and kevlar. Aluminum and titanium are also used in higher end subwoofer woofers.
Woofer Surrounding: The woofer surround also is an important aspect of the speaker system and effect the sound as well. Durable, lightweight, and free moving materials are used to allow the woofer to move with as little energy possible. The material is essential for a long lasting and performing speaker too. As speakers get older and used, humidity levels and wear-and-tear can crack and even break the surrounding of the woofer. Forms of Rubber surrounding are typically the most long lasting an high performing material. Foam and cloth surroundings are found on less expensive component speakers, with lower performance and shorter life spans.
Power Handling
There are multiple power handling ratings for subwoofers and speakers, the two most important to note are RMS (Continuous) Power Handling, and sensitivity. RMS Power Handling tells you what your speaker can handle continuously. Note that many providers used to sell customers on the ‘Peak’ handling since this is a much higher number than the RMS. But Peak is only the measure of what the speaker can handle in short bursts. RMS is the more important
Sensitivity is another highly important measure to look at when comparing and finding the best car subwoofer. It’s the measurement of the amount of sound that a speaker will emit with the power it’s given. Essentially this is you measure of efficiency. The higher the sensitivity, the more efficient the subwoofer is.
Enclosure Specs
Many of the criteria we’ve been discussing is pretty standard across all car speakers. But here’s a measure that’s pretty unique to subwoofers – Enclosure Specs. Car speakers don’t really need to consider this because you’re typically mounting a speaker in a door, or on a bracket the car. But a subwoofer needs to have an enclosure dedicated to it. There are pre-made enclosures everywhere, or you can even build your own enclosure to customize it to the contours of your vehicle, but in any case you’ll need to match the specs of your enclosure as best as you can to the specs of the recommended manufacturer enclosure specs.
There are two type of enclosures, and typically the manufacturer will provide recommended specs for both: Sealed Enclosures and Ported Enclosures. A sealed enclosure is a box that is fully concealed. These boxes are great for precise and clean bass with little distortion. Sealed enclosures are the standard when it comes to well-defined bass. Ported enclosures have a hole in the box to port sound. These enclosures are excellent for outdoor settings and provide louder, but sometimes less defined bass.
There is a few things that I don’t agree with the authors of this list…..First I think 10 inch subs sound better for Pop music than 12 inch subs do. 10 inch subs sound more quicker, tighter and punchier. The 12 subwoofer is going to give you more bass but slower. For instance Lady Gaga’s music is going to sound better on a 10 inch sub than a 12 inch sub. (A 10 inch sub is going to keep up to her song “Lovegame” better than a 12 inch sub and will sound punchier too) Second JL W6 series are hands down better sound quality subwoofers than JL W7 subwoofers. The W7 is a more of a “BOOM” sub and the W6 is more of sound quality sub. So I personally think the JL Audio W6 subwoofer should be at #1 on the list than the W7 series. Second why is MTX and Polk subs on here….MTX/ Polk is crap. They are two of the most looked down upon companies in car stereo today. Cheaper entry level Focal subwoofers will blow them both out of the water. Sorry guys I’m just telling it like it is.
Where did Memphis rank on your scale? I love Memphis but I’m wondering why they didn’t make it.
Well thank You! This page gave me just the right info I needed on subs, allready had a feeling I need a smaller sub for the kind of music I like and will save me space and weight also 😉
What is the best 15 in sub to get for crew cab Chevrolet Silverado
I’m pushing 5 channel hifonics amp
Hello, we’d recommend shallow subwoofers for trucks, depending on where you’d like to install them. You can find our list of best shallow mount subwoofers for trucks here: https://www.caraudionow.com/best-shallow-mount-subwoofers/. However, very few manufacturers sell 15″ shallow subwoofers and our list only has 12″ subs.
hi i am ordering a music system for my CR-V 2000 model. these are some of the item i wish to order, can you kindly advice me on my choices and if there is changes to be made please indicate. Rockford P1000X5 Punch 5-Channel Amplifier, Rockford Fosgate Prime 1,200-Watt Class-D 1-Channel Amplifier, Rockford Fosgate P3D4-12 Punch P3 DVC 4-Ohm 12-Inch 600-Watt RMS 1200-Watt Peak Subwoofer, Alpine SPR-60 6-1/2″ Coaxial 2-Way Type-R Speaker Set, Alpine SPR-60C 6.5″ Car Audio Component System (Pair).