Best Subwoofer Under $300
What is the Best Subwoofer Under $300? Today we’re here to answer that question. Whether you are using a subwoofer in your home theater setup or music setup, we’ll have something for you!
If you’re building a home theater setup, like we are, then you’ll need to complete the setup with a good subwoofer. While some subwoofers can run costs up to several thousand dollars, we are in the market for a more budget option under $300.
You’ll soon see that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get a good subwoofer. Even just adding a basic sub to your music or home theater setup can dramatically improve the sound quality of your system.
Also read our Guide to the Best Samsung Soundbar with Subwoofers!
What is a Subwoofer?
A subwoofer is a loudspeaker specific to reproducing low-pitch frequencies or bass. The typical frequency range for a subwoofer is about 20-200 Hz. Typically subwoofers can be fairly large to subsequently support the entire home theater system (learn more).
Why Do You Need a Subwoofer?
The need for a subwoofer generally comes from the lack of low-pitch response from mid-range or tweeter speakers. So, in order to cover all of the sound frequencies, you need to have a much lower-response dedicated speaker.
Active (Powered) vs Passive Subwoofer
An active, or powered, subwoofer has a dedicated power line running to it. This means that it has a lot more “oomf” when it comes to sound reproduction.
A passive subwoofer uses whatever power can run through the speaker wire. It doesn’t have as much of a response and is typically associated with more budget or smaller speaker systems.
Best Subwoofers Under $300
Klipsch 12-Inch Wireless Subwoofer (R-12SWi)
First up on the list should be no surprise. Klipsch makes exceptional audio equipment and the R-12SWi 400 Watt 12-inch Subwoofer is no exception.
Why is the Klipsch R-12SWi at the top of the list? Well, not only is it a very powerful unit, it is also wireless! Klipsch includes a pre-paired 2.4Ghz wireless hi-fi transmitter with this subwoofer. This means that you can easily place this sub anywhere in your setup without the mess of extra wires. All you need to do is plug the transmitter into your receiver, then you can pretty much plug the subwoofer into whatever power source you want to!
The active all-digital amplifier allows for seamless integration into your theater setup. In addition, there are controls on the back of the subwoofer for gain, lower pass, phase and on/off /auto. You also get audio-in jacks.
Klipsch uses pretty much all high-quality materials including a spun copper img front-firing woofer. This 12-inch woofer absolutely bumps when it needs to. It is incredibly powerful and will fit in extremely well into any mid-range home theater setup. You can even double-up for more power!
Sony SACS9 10-Inch Active Subwoofer
Next up is from another audio legend, the Sony SACS9 10-inch Active Subwoofer. This is a 115 watt powered subwoofer (6 ohm, 80 Hz, 10% THD) with an very good spec sheet. It is a 10-inch front-firing woofer made from foamed-mica cellular reinforced material.
In addition, there are 4 in and out speaker plugs for through-put. It also has separate controls for auto/off, normal/reverse phase, gain level, and frequency output. A big goal from Sony was to suppress any extra vibrations. They achieve this goal by using a very tight-fit cabinet along with acoustic absorption. It also has dampening material within the cabinet itself.
As far as sound performance is concerned, this is a very bass tight unit. Bass response is punchy while still maintaining control. The 10-inch cone can move a large amount of air in turn producing a wide sound stage and low-end resonance.
Polk Audio PSW10 10-inch Powered Subwoofer
Next up is the Polk Audio PSW10 10-inch Subwoofer. This is a great option for the best subwoofer under $300. The PSW10 is a 10-inch dynamic balance woofer with a directional port for accurate bass and depth. It provides a wide amount of bass perfect for a mid size room.
You can easily hook the Polk Audio PSW10 up to any other speaker set for a seamless experience. In addition, you get up to 100 watts of dynamic power, and best-in-class resonance-free build materials. It also features continuously variable 80-160 hz crossover and 40-160 hz frequency response.
Finally, there is a sleek modern design with a detachable front grille. On the back is a phase toggle switch, volume control, low-pass filter, power switch, RCA line inputs and speaker level inputs/outputs.
Rockville Rock Shaker 10-inch Powered Subwoofer
Next is a fairly budget subwoofer from Rockville. This is the Rockville Rock Shaker 10, a 600 watt powered 10-inch subwoofer. It has a built-in amplifier with a high-quality MDF wood box. The enclosure is engineered to provide maximum sound quality, high-power punch, and a rear firing port.
The Class D amplifier allows for an auto-switching power supply. In addition, the woofer has a Y30 grade magnet with a 1.5-inch 4-layer voice coil. The Shaker 10 has an impedance of 4 ohms, frequency response of 20-200 hz, 600 watt peak output, and signal-to-noise ratio of 85 dB.
Finally, on the rear of the subwoofer there is a air port, power indicator, frequency knob, volume control, inputs, phase switch, and high-level inputs/outputs.
Yamaha 8-inch Powered Subwoofer (NS-SW050BL)
Finally we have the Yamaha NS-SW050BL 8-inch Subwoofer. This is our honorable mention because it is a smaller choice than the rest. It uses new Yamaha technology including their twisted flare port, YST II, and a 100W dynamic power delivery.
What is the Best Subwoofer Under $300?
So in conclusion, what is our choice for the Best Subwoofer Under $300? Our top pick would be the Klipsch R-12SWi. Klipsch makes incredible sound equipment and the R-12SWi is no exception.
They provide a lot of value for not a lot of money (under $300), and it will definitely get the job done in most home theater setups. However, if you’re on more of a budget, then the Rockville Rock Shaker 10 is an awesome option for less money. It still provides a huge sound while keeping the price fairly inexpensive.
As you can see, you don’t need to spend a ton of money to get a good subwoofer. You can get a fair value as far is price is concerned and performance.
