TOP7 The Best Car Subwoofer 2018
Using subwoofer speakers for car, you can enhance the loudness and quality of music to enjoy a great driving experience. The market is full of different models, and the choice of a suitable option can be rather confusing and challenging. It’s high time to observe some models of leading best car subwoofer brands and find out which one can comply with your exact demands.
Table of Contents:
What is a Car Subwoofer?
Product Comparison Table: Best Car Subwoofer
Interesting Facts Car Subwoofer
How We Selected Car Subwoofers?
TOP7 Car Subwoofers 2018
- 1. Pyle PLPW15D 15-Inch 2000 Watt Dual 4 Ohm Subwoofer
- 2. Rockville RVW1800P8 1800w 18" Raw DJ Subwoofer 8 Ohm Sub Woofer 107OZ Magnet
- 3. Planet Audio AC10D 1500 Watt, 10 Inch, Dual 4 Ohm Voice Coil Car Subwoofer
- 4. Car Subwoofer | BOSS Audio CXX8 600 Watt, 8 Inch, 4 Ohm Single Voice Coil
- 5. JBL CS1214 1000-watt, 12" car audio subwoofer (Discontinued by Manufacturer)
- 6. Pioneer TS-W3003D4 Champion Series Pro Subwoofer with Dual 4 ff Voice Coils
- 7. Rockford Fosgate P3D4-12 Punch P3 DVC 4-Ohm 12-Inch 600-Watt RMS 1200-Watt Peak Subwoofer
How to Install and Set A Car Subwoofer?
Our recommendations
What is a Car Subwoofer?
A subwoofer for car is a device that augments low-frequency waves of a music signal and allows reproducing low bass sounds that aren’t generated by the original car audio system. Subwoofers are used to create a highly realistic and deep sound, they allow for creating a specialized bass range, prevent distortion, and make loud music not so damaging to a human ear.
Types of Car Subwoofers
There are two kinds of devices:
- Passive subwoofers are charged from the outside, just like all the rest of the vehicle’s audio system. Since powerful bass should be powered sufficiently to sustain the effects without draining the amplifier. The amount of required power depends on the specifications of the speaker and available space (together with your own preferences).
- Powered subwoofers help to make up for the power and characteristics that an amplifier or a receiver lacks. It’s self-contained, which means its configurations are already optimized, and it perfectly matches the amplifier. A powered subwoofer required a line output from the original received – it takes a load off from the amp.
Product Comparison Table: Best Car Subwoofer
|
Pyle PLPW15D |
Rockville |
Planet Audio |
BOSS Audio CXX8 |
CS1214 |
Pioneer |
Rockford |
|
| Size of speaker | 15 in | 18 in | 10 in | 8 in | 12 in | 12 in | 12 in |
| Max. output power | 2000 Wt | 1800 Wt | 1500 Wt | 600 Wt | 1000Wt | 2000 Wt | 2000 Wt |
| Voice coil | 2.5-inch Single 4-ohm | 3-inch 4-Layer CCAW High SPL | 2-inch aluminum | 2-inch copper | No | Dual 4ff | 2.5-inch copper Clad Aluminum |
| Overall size | 16 x 16.2 x 7.2 in | 9 x 19 x 19 in | 11 x 11 x 5.3 in | 9 x 9 x 4.3 in | 15 x 17 x 14 in | 12 x 12 x 6.9 in | 14.5 x 14.5 x 10 in |
| Materials | Black steel base, non-pressed paper cone | Rolled steel base, Paper Composite Cone Foam surround |
Polypropylene cone and steel frame, foam surround | Polypropylene cone, rubber surround | Polypropylene cone, rubber surround | Basalt fiber cone, rubber surround, steel frame | Anodized aluminum cone, rubber surround |
| Weight | 2.86 pounds | 23.6 pounds | 8.4 pounds | 4.6 pounds | 5 pounds | 20 pounds | 20.9 pounds |
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Interesting Facts
- To find the best car subwoofer for your vehicle, take your favorite CD or DVD, and try it on the spot when visiting a car audio store.
- Even if you don’t hear some high or low frequencies produced by your subwoofer, you may feel them as vibration.
- When your body starts resonating with bass and low sound’s frequency, your pressure rises.
- In 1974, large subwoofers in one cinema resonated so strongly that the roof cracked under the pressure.
- A voice coil 28 mm high is perfect for those who don’t want their subwoofer to take much space but need a clear sound.
How We Selected Car Subwoofers?
When creating this list, we read passive and powered car subwoofer reviews to get the idea of overall user experience. Top 10 car subwoofer models we chose were tested: we connected them with original car audio systems and compared their power, clarity of sound, bass line, and distortion. In the result, we filtered out the worthiest seven options.
Top-7 Car Subwoofers
These devices ensure profound sounding and have proved to be reliable and efficient in different car models.
Pyle PLPW15D 15-Inch 2000 Watt Dual 4 Ohm Subwoofer
One of the best car subwoofers under 100$, Pyle PLPW15D is a versatile solution that can add bass to your ride! It’s compatible with all enclosures (open air, vented, sealed), and looks compact and stylish. The loud and clear sound is ensured thanks to a dual voice coil and foam surrounding the device. It’s connected to the original amplifier via speaker terminals.
Pros:
- the motor construction is ventilated efficiently;
- goes with any type of enclosure;
- nice price/quality ratio;
- ideal for a punchy bass.
Cons:
- can quickly burn down, when used at maximum strength.
Rockville RVW1800P8 1800w 18″ Raw DJ Subwoofer 8 Ohm Sub Woofer 107OZ Magnet
This 18-inch car subwoofer boosts sounds of all frequencies, being equally effective for mid- and high-tones: if you’re going piecemeal, that’s the best way to save money without losing quality. You can quickly connect it to the original amplifier, and users create their own enclosures without problems. The dual spider system ensures a wide range of sounds and a deep bass, while its high sensitivity makes you hear every little note.
Pros:
- very efficient and reproduces a wide range of frequencies;
- high rating – the device is recommended by professional DJs and advanced drivers;
- long-lasting.
Cons:
- works with 4 Ohm amplifiers only.
Planet Audio AC10D 1500 Watt, 10 Inch, Dual 4 Ohm Voice Coil Car Subwoofer
If you need the best budget car subwoofer, Planet Audio has the solution that won’t cost you a fortune. It’s created to function in the ported or sealed enclosure and features a trim ring for convenient installation. Thanks to the pole-vent, this subwoofer can be installed near the rear wall. Its dimensions are already adjusted for optimal volume displacement.
Pros:
- Low impedance (4 Ohm) makes up for a clear and distinct sound.
- Compact dimensions;
- Aluminum voice coil is long-lasting and resists corrosion;
- surrounding foam reduces distortion.
Cons:
- continuous power handling 750 Wt isn’t much enough for some users;
- it isn’t long-lasting.
Car Subwoofer | BOSS Audio CXX8 600 Watt, 8 Inch, 4 Ohm Single Voice Coil
Another mini car subwoofer is offered by BOSS Audio: this subwoofer is installed in sealed and ported enclosures of medium size. As far as the model has pole-vent, a minimal clearance from the back floor is required. 19 mm MDF will be optimal for installation. Polypropylene cone is long-lasting, and butyl rubber surround is resistant to bad weather and wearing. The aluminum voice coil is non-magnetic, doesn’t ignite and resists to corrosion. That’s the best cheap car subwoofer for superb low sounds.
Pros:
- cheap;
- compact and lightweight;
- made of high-quality materials.
Cons:
- 1 subwoofer isn’t enough to ensure a truly powerful and deep sounding – it’s better to order 3 items or more;
- a battery is required;
- since it’s a small car subwoofer, average power output is 400 Wt only, while peak 800 Wt puts you at the risk of burning your car’s audio system.
JBL CS1214 1000-watt, 12″ car audio subwoofer (Discontinued by Manufacturer)
Efficient and reliable, JBL 12 inch car subwoofer is optimal for those who need a trade-off between power and space. While being pretty compact, JBL car subwoofer produces deep bass sounds and can be installed near the rear wall of your vehicle. Users praise it for the exceptional quality of materials and durability.
Pros:
- compact and non-expensive;
- low 4 Ohm impedance for clear and effective sound.
Cons:
- sounds not pretty good in a ported box;
- a battery is required;
- several subwoofers should be bought for a truly fascinating experience.
Pioneer TS-W3003D4 Champion Series Pro Subwoofer with Dual 4 ff Voice Coils
One of the most prominent solutions in this list, Pioneer car subwoofer produces a very strong bass sound, and two subwoofers are enough to fill your vehicle with loud clear music – 2000 Wt power output is simply outstanding for such a small model like this. Besides, it doesn’t require much enclosure space to produce pure sound without distortion. According to car audio subwoofer reviews, Pioneer’s subwoofers are long-lasting and can work close to the maximum power outage for several hours in a row.
Pros:
- produces a very strong and deep sound;
- this top car subwoofer has a very high maximum power output.
Cons:
- the spider assembly may get detached after intense use.
Rockford Fosgate P3D4-12 Punch P3 DVC 4-Ohm 12-Inch 600-Watt RMS 1200-Watt Peak Subwoofer
Rockford Fosgate company has elaborated the best car subwoofer for deep bass: it features oversized surrounds and a powerful motor assembly, as well as a special parabolic cone. PUNCH is the name of the model that totally justifies itself: it allows reaching an aggressive bass and hearing high-frequency sounds. Proprietary spider venting ensures efficient cooling and reduces distortion. Stitched tinsel leads add to durability even in case of heavy-duty performance.
Pros:
- one of the most powerful subwoofers of its size on the market;
- low 4 Ohm impedance;
- ensures brilliant performance even at the volume of 60%.
Cons:
- pretty expensive.
How to Install and Set A Car Subwoofer?
How to install car amplifier and subwoofer? It’s not such a complicated process as it seems, but you will need to prepare all necessary instruments and equipment beforehand.
What you will need?
Buying a subwoofer only won’t be enough, you need to prepare:
- a subwoofer box;
- an amplifier;
- RCA cables (at least two);
- a speaker wire;
- small wood screws;
- insulates wires;
- the in-line fuse of at least 50 amps;
Alternatively, you can buy a wiring kit with all necessary screws, wires, and cables.
Choose an amplifier and a speaker
This is a very important step: you will need to figure out an amplifier that won’t blow the subwoofer up. There are many car subwoofer reviews that claim “My new subwoofer blew within the first week/month” – that mostly happens because of the inconsistency between the amplifier and the subwoofer. Make sure that the amp and the subwoofer match by impedance. Besides, the RMS values of both should be as close to each other as possible (that’s maximum power output the devices can tolerate). Don’t be surprised, if you connect a 600 Wt amplifier with a 2000 Wt subwoofer, and some of it breaks down. As for the size, 12 inch is a good compromise between the durability and the quality of sound.
Connect the wires
Start from powering the subwoofer: it’s crucial to provide the power from the battery instead of the fuse box (otherwise, you will be hearing an annoying engine noise coming via speakers). Besides, the fuse can blow.
Find a gap in the vehicle’s firewall (the metal wall under the hood) – its other side is located inside your car. Put power cable through this hole leaving some length for getting to the battery. Take some insulation off the wire and connect it to the battery after taping it (to avoid being hit with electricity). The rest of this wire should be led to the trunk of the car to connect it to the stereo head unit.
Wire the audio system
Put the system out of the console, or apply tools to slide it out of clips. Use RCA connections. Leave it for the next step – wiring the remote. Then connect 16-18 gauge wires correspondingly – this way, the amplifier will be automatically switched on and off.
Install the speaker in a box
How to hook up a subwoofer in a car? Put it in the box, and if it has its own connectors outside, don’t forget to fix them in the speaker, too. Now put the speaker in the box with the help of the holes on the exterior rim. Install the subwoofer in the car.
Wire up the amplifier
When all wires are in their place, you can connect the amplifier. Start from the power cable, then connect the 16-18 gauge cables, and the rest of the wiring. Don’t mix up “+” and “-“. The last step is connecting the power cable to the battery (the big fuse should be in fuse holder).
Now you know how to set up a subwoofer in a car without attending a machine shop. Make sure you follow all instructions strictly and don’t forget about any cable in this complicated system. Video tutorials and instructions can come in very handy.
Our recommendations
After analyzing seven top-rated subwoofer models offered online, we’ve decided that it’s impossible to find some certain leader – the choice of the device should be based on multiple factors, including the size of your car and speaker, your own musical preferences, and your budget. Sometimes smaller cone doesn’t mean worse quality – several minor subwoofers installed on different spots make up for voluminous, deep sounding. If you want to enjoy an aggressive bass, a bigger subwoofer will be ideal. Search for a trade-off between your possibilities and the desired quality of sound.
Such models as Planet Audio’s and BOSS’s won’t hurt your budget and can ensure brilliant driving experience. Deep-pocketed customers should opt for Pioneer’s subwoofers – this is the most reliable and powerful solution on the market so far. And keep in mind that the amp and the subwoofer should match by impedance and other characteristics – otherwise, you will quickly burn the electronics in your vehicle.
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