Best Powered Subwoofer Car Reviews and Buying Guide

subwoofer car

Are you one of those people who enjoy listening to noisy, fun music while driving your car, but don’t want to spend a lot of money purchasing costly and giant sound systems for amplifiers?

If that is the case, the ideal thing for you is a driven subwoofer. Without taking up much room in your car, it comes with a pre-amplifier setup and some sweet, decent bass at a fair price. In addition, because these powered subwoofers are portable, you can easily take them out whenever you want and move them to another vehicle.

A bunch of Power Subwoofers is available on the market, so which is the best one?

Like with every other electronic unit, each of the subwoofers has its own specific characteristics, making them distinct from each other. We are here to guide you through the best available subwoofer on the market and help you make an educated and intelligent decision.

Best Subwoofer for Car Reviews & Recommendations

Rockford Fosgate P300-12

Since 1973, Rockford Footage has been known for making outstanding and fair goods. No exception is their Powered Subwoofers. It has a 5/8 MDF cover that comes with an internal 300-watt amplifier. The close seal and an impressive amplifier result in a high-quality sound that you are sure to enjoy.

Also, because the device is compact and comes with low-level and high-level inputs that can be easily mounted in any vehicle of your choosing, people like to move it from one car to another, which can easily result in some harm, so its vinyl coating helps to keep the sound system secure even if you move the sound system many times to several locations.

To change it according to your desire, the powerful bass comes with an EQ pad. Even when used for a long time, the system is often constructed in such a way as to prevent overheating.

In addition to this, it is operated by a remote, minimizing manual work. Being larger than other subwoofers on the market, this system is ideal for larger cars such as trucks and buses, so bad luck if you are a small car owner! But for you, this may not be a good match.

Rockville SS8P 400w 8″ Slim Under-Seat Active Powered Car/Truck Subwoofer Sub

This tough-looking product is high in demand, with an impedance of 2 Ohms and a frequency ranging from 50 Hz to 150 Hz, and is normally short on the market due to increased sales.

The installation is made so simple for ease of people by placing all inputs and outputs in one place, which also helps to make the wiring look cleaner. This, however, puts the unit at risk of overheating, which is managed by the producers nicely.

There is only one way to make a body made of aluminum. Other approaches include a short safety circuit, a circuit for thermal protection, and a circuit for overload protection.

Its size is another explanation for its success, along with its heat protection system, being just 2.8 inches, it can fit anywhere. The system produces excellent sound quality with 400 Watts of peak power and 100 Watts of RMS.

Kicker 11HS8 Hideaway

There are many things known about the Kicker 11HS8 Hideaway, but its size is the most important and crucial thing. The system can fit virtually anywhere, being only 3 inches wide, and is a perfect alternative for people who want to hear some good bass without installing a system that takes up a lot of car space.

This system is so compact that it can even fit under the seat of your car. The organization doesn’t compromise on efficiency, considering its smaller scale. It is very durable and lasts longer in the market than many other rival products.

With its internal 150-watt amplifier powered by a small 8-inch subwoofer, this might not give you an experience of earth-rocking bass, but it still makes a big difference with pure, undistorted, and loud music. The brass knobs that are remotely controlled allow the users to change the bass according to their moods.

It can very quickly and easily be removed and plugged in from one location to another. Protection of this tiny unit is assured by the metal grille case covering the subwoofer.

Its small size, portability, and strong, loud bass system make the device well known.

Rockville RW10CA

Another computer on our Kenwood Company list is this. This system is also known for its compact size and its capacity to fit in tight spaces, like the Kenwood KSC-SW11. Yet another design that can be installed in your car even if your car does not have a pre-existing audio system.

The model is very thin and still offers a good quality bass sound that may not give you a shattering experience of glass that you would like on a road trip with friends, but it is perfect enough for every average day when you are riding back from work.

The unit is just 2.7 inches thick and can therefore fit almost anywhere. It also has a built-in amplifier that can handle RMS of an excellent 200 watts, with a peak range of 800 watts, along with super-simple installation and portability, and you can enjoy frequency ranges from 20 Hz to 150 Hz.

It also has no extra cable wires that would tangle up in the car and create a mess, both of which are mounted inside the system.

It is of excellent quality for the price, although the system does not offer deeper bass. For mad music fans, it may not be a perfect option, but if you are a person who loves listening to music in the car and is searching for a design that will be cost-effective and won’t take up a lot of space in your car, then this is your best choice.

Kenwood KSC-SW11

Another product known for being lightweight and still delivering high-quality sound is the Kenwood KSC-SW11. This design is best for you if you are someone who doesn’t have a built-in sound system in your car and is looking to get an audio system that doesn’t take up a lot of space.

As it runs on low power, the design is very power-efficient and still provides deep and edgy bass even if played for longer hours. A good quality bass sound is provided by the built-in 150-watt amplifier along with the cone created in the design. The system is also manufactured in a way that avoids overheating, ensuring no compromise whatsoever in the function.

The lightweight and small size make installing it anywhere super easy. There is also a remote controller for the system to change the bass as you travel. Although a super high-quality bass that would give you a blasting experience in your car can not be expected, it is still good enough for its price.

The brand also has no flashy light that would illuminate with songs, although this might be the best option if you are someone who just wants a moderate level subwoofer that would do the job.

Dual SBP8A

Not only is this automatic subwoofer known for its high-quality sound, but also for its incredible lighting system that makes your car look as good as it sounds. The specification is a high-quality 8-inch sound system that can accommodate 80 watts of RMS that can peak up to 180 watts.

The best aspect of the design is a cool Plexiglas front window that gives it a stylish look. When the track plays, the machine offers blue glowing light, making it look much cooler. The system doesn’t have a powerhouse on its back. A moderate level of sound quality is provided by the 2-inch voice coil.

This system only has a resistance of 2 ohms, which is very low and therefore requires thin link wires. One of the favorite sections for its users is undoubtedly a flexible range of customizable choices available in the back to fine-tune the music of your choosing. This subwoofer produces high-quality sound with a frequency range of 20 to 200 Hz.

Additional work is carried out by installing a backplate in the device to prevent vibration inside the system. In addition to this, below the assembly, a smooth in-line carpet is present to prevent unnecessary device movement.

All this in order to provide your car with a good overall soundtrack experience. Dual SBP8A might not be the market’s best subwoofer, but because of its amazing features, it comes close to the best.

CERWIN-VEGA MOBILE VPAS10

The Cerwin-Vega company is well known for manufacturing cars with high-quality audio devices. The company, established in 1954, continues to thrive in order to get better and better with its goods. Their VPAS10 is no exception to that.

Undoubtedly, this subwoofer is the finest audio system that Cerwin-Vega offers. The unit is also thin, about 10 inches in size, and fitted with an amplifier of 450 watts, producing loud and clear bass.

In two effective ways, the system is successfully configured to protect it from overheating. One is the thermal safety circuit built-in that, when used for a longer time, changes the heart. Another way is to disperse the heat load through its solid aluminum body.

The device’s small size and simple plugin make it easier to fit it anywhere in the vehicle, even in a tighter space like below the seats, without sacrificing even the slightest bit on efficiency.

VPAS10 provides a wide range of audio outputs and comes with bass EQ settings to automatically change the bass, depending on your mood, from 75 Hz to 150 Hz. It would be fair to conclude that this device is definitely one of the best options, apart from being a little expensive.

JBL GT-BassPro12

Although considered pricey, the JBL GT-BassPro12 is truly the best-powered subwoofer in terms of sound quality. The JBL Company is known for developing audio equipment for high-performance vehicles. To ensure a sound quality that will shake your world while driving and make your rides enjoyable like never before, it is a 12-inch cone made from polypropylene.

A 150-watt amplifier is enclosed in the system and is covered with a black carpet to make it look more edgy and cool. In addition to this, its body is made of aluminum to give it a classic look while providing an efficient heat control mechanism at the same time.

The back of the car provides a number of sound modification options and this subwoofer allows fine-tuning of sound, making it more expensive than other rival products, unlike other products that only have simple customization options.

The port is built in such a way as to offer even at high volumes a simple, distortion-free bass. All this plus the bass adjustment remote controller makes it one of the excellent options if you are looking for a deep, high-quality bass system.

Guide to Buying: What to look for?

If you have already made up your mind to purchase an automatic subwoofer, then before making your decision, it is important to understand the various criteria that you need to keep in mind. Since each item mentioned below has its own unique characteristics and may not be appropriate for every individual.

Car space

Is your vehicle space the first and foremost thing to bear in mind? How big your car is and how much room for an audio device you can spare. You’d like a subwoofer that’s no more than 7 to 8 inches if you have a small car that can comfortably fit inside your car and comfortably under your front seat if you’re fortunate.

Price

Cost is the second thing to remember. How much are you going to pay for an audio system? People who are super into music and a high-quality bass system do not mind investing a lot of dollars, but if you’re like us, who just like listening to songs that are cost-effective and sufficiently decent bass quality, then your subwoofer option would be different.

Amplifier power

The strength of your subwoofer’s built-in amplifier is another important thing; it determines how loud your bass will be. Some people like noisy, smashing windows, rocking ground floor bass, while those on the lower side like it.

Enclosure Inside

Enclosures are the fourth thing to bear in mind. In subwoofers, two kinds of enclosures are usually used. Airtight sealed ones are great for producing high-quality sound and are better for wide, open space for smaller spaces such as car trunks, whereas vented or ported ones are better.

Resistance/ Impedance

Don’t forget to take the device’s resistance into account. It is very critical since many individuals use their subwoofers for longer hours, making them overheat and triggering a short circuit.

For long hours, devices with good impedance are best. And while we are on the topic of overheating, it is also important to look at the device’s body case. Aluminum-based devices are typically good at resisting the output of heat.

Voice Coils

Lastly, look for the number of coils of the voice. Most devices come with a single voice coil, but music enthusiasts prefer dual voice coils to provide better quality music in their audio system.

Apart from the above-mentioned stuff, much other stuff can be accounted for, e.g. if you want something fun and flashy that would light up when playing, how many dB you want your system to have, do you want to constantly move the subwoofer position from one position to another, etc.

With that being said, with their unique features and pros and cons, we have listed the top 7 best automatic subwoofers available on the market. All of them are very fine, but our number one option is Rockford Fosgate P300-12, as it is a good overall option in terms of price, cost, portability, strongly constructed mechanism, and heat protection mechanism.

Conclusion

In conclusion, all the subwoofers listed above are the best subwoofers on the market. If you want a lightweight device that can suit anywhere then your go-to choice is Kicker 11HS8 Hideaway, Kenwood KSC-SW11, or Rockville RW10CA, if you want something flashy, appealing and cool that is more than just a sound system, then your preference should be Dual SBP8A.

However, if you want an all-rounder package that doesn’t mind investing a few more bucks, then the Rockford Fosgate P300-12 is the perfect option, but it’s not an ideal sound system for smaller vehicles.

So this was the list of the top 7 best-driven subwoofer cars available in 2020 along with a purchase guide, hopefully, this helped you clear your mind and make a decision to buy your choice of the subwoofer.

Jennifer Thomas
Jennifer Thomas is the Co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer at Cybers Guards. Prior to that, She was responsible for leading its Cyber Security Practice and Cyber Security Operations Center, which provided managed security services.