Audiophile Subwoofer Buyer’s Guide
Do Audiophiles Really Need a Subwoofer?
Almost always. Very few speakers play cleanly below 40 Hz in a real room, and the ones that do are large and expensive. A well-integrated sub fills in the bottom octave and takes bass duty off your main speakers and amplifier, which often makes the midrange sound clearer too. The key word is integrated: a sub you can hear as a separate box is set up wrong.
Sealed vs. Ported Subwoofers: Which Is Better for Music?
Sealed subwoofers, like the SVS SB-1000 Pro and the REL T/x series, stop and start quickly and roll off gently, which most listeners prefer for music. Ported subwoofers, like the SVS PB17-Ultra, move more air and play louder and deeper for the money, which makes them the home theater favorite. In a mid-size room, a good sealed sub does both jobs well.
What Size Subwoofer Do You Need?
Room size matters more than driver size. An 8- or 10-inch sub suits a small room or a desktop system. A 12-inch sub covers most living rooms. A 15-inch or dual-driver sub, or two smaller subs, is for large rooms, open floor plans and home theater at reference levels.
One Subwoofer or Two?
Two subs smooth out the peaks and dips that room modes create, so more seats hear even bass. For stereo music, two smaller subs often beat one big one. REL’s line-array approach, like the REL S/550 Six Pack, takes this idea furthest.
How to Connect a Subwoofer to a Stereo System
Use your integrated amplifier’s or preamp’s subwoofer or LFE output with an RCA cable when it has one. If it doesn’t, many audiophile subs, REL’s especially, take a speaker-level (high-level) connection straight from your amplifier’s speaker terminals. That method keeps the sub’s signal in step with your main speakers’ character.
Room Correction and App Control
Placement and setup matter more than which sub you buy. App control, like SVS’s DSP app, and built-in room correction make it far easier to set crossover, phase and level from your listening seat. Start with the sub near the front wall, then try the “subwoofer crawl” to find the spot with the smoothest bass.
Which Subwoofer Brands Are Best?
SVS is the value and output benchmark. REL builds subs for music-first stereo systems and nothing else. MartinLogan and Paradigm share engineering and lead on room correction. Bowers & Wilkins, Monitor Audio and PSB match their own speakers. You’ll find reviews from each of them above.
Audiophile Subwoofer FAQ
What is the best subwoofer for music?
For most two-channel systems, a fast, sealed sub that blends with your speakers. Our top picks for music are REL’s T/x series, with the REL T/9x as the standout, and the SVS SB-1000 Pro on a budget.
What is the best subwoofer for home theater?
One with real output below 25 Hz. Ported designs like the SVS PB17-Ultra R|Evolution, or two sealed subs, deliver that at movie levels.
What is the best budget subwoofer?
The SVS SB-1000 Pro is our budget benchmark. The Polk PSW111 and Monoprice SW-12 cost less and still add real bass to a modest system.
Can I add a subwoofer to a stereo amplifier without a sub output?
Yes. Choose a sub with speaker-level (high-level) inputs and connect it to your amplifier’s speaker terminals. REL builds its subs around this connection.
Where should I put my subwoofer?
Start near the front wall, then test positions from your listening seat. The best spot is wherever the bass sounds smoothest, not loudest. Corners add output but usually add boom too.
