Subwoofers are an important part of any home theatre system or hi-fi setup; they keep the bass frequencies out of your top speakers and in a purpose-built cabinet. If you’re looking to spend around $200 you’re stepping outside the low budget range and there are so many subwoofers available in this price range, so we have created a list of the 9 best subwoofers under $200 to help you decide.
Our pick is the BIC America F12 with specs that push beyond what it costs such as magnetic shielding, huge frequency response range and front-firing 12” 475W peak powered woofer. This sub sounds great and looks great and would be a great addition to any hi-fi set up. There is some stiff competition for this sub though so make sure you read all of our suggestions to find which subwoofer best suits you.
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Recommended Subwoofers Under $200
BIC America F12 Subwoofer
Wattage: 150W
Woofer Size (inches): 12”
Firing Direction: Front
Frequency Response: 25-200 Hz
What we like: Crossover and volume control, phase switch, magnetic shielding
Not so much: Runs hot, bulky, vibrations at extreme volumes
The BIC America F12 subwoofer represents outstanding value for money. It is an awesome sounding sub with an attractive metallic front-firing 12” driver coupled with a rear-firing bass port.
You will get a thumping present sound from your bass frequencies with this sub as it has a built-in 150w nominal power amplifier with a huge frequency response range of 25Hz – 200Hz.
This sub also comes with magnetic shielding to protect from interference with other electronics in your household. The separation you notice between the available frequencies is unrivaled at this price point and remains clear throughout all listening levels.
The sub is larger than others with a depth of 17.25” so you will need a big space to keep it. If used for a long time at very high volumes you can hear slight vibrations and the amplifier can get hot so it is best standing on its own and to not have things resting on it.
We think you will be hard-pressed to find another subwoofer that costs under $200 that sounds as good as this one.
Dayton Audio SUB-1500 Sub
Wattage: 150W
Woofer Size (inches): 15”
Firing Direction: Front
Frequency Response: 23-140 Hz
What we like: Natural sound, simple setup, 15” driver
Not so much: Boomy, response rolls off at 30Hz, sometimes muddy
Dayton Audio has several subwoofers in their SUB range they include anything from an 8” driver to 15”. The SUB-1500 is the largest and most powerful sub of this range.
It is equipped with a 150w constant power amplifier that includes an auto on/off feature to prevent overuse and wasted power. The 15” driver faces forward while the bass port fires downward.
This provides a huge sound that can fill out a large room with ease but can sound a little muddy and boomy especially in smaller spaces. The SUB-1500 is capable of getting to very low frequencies with a range of 23Hz – 140Hz but the sound rolls off at around 30Hz.
This sub provides quite a natural tone and sounds great as part of a home theatre system but also does an amicable job when listening to music through a component hi-fi system.
You will have access to gain and crossover control knobs so you can have a lot of control over your sound depending on each situation, for example, you may want the gain turned way up for a movie but that could be overpowering for listening to your favorite music.
Yamaha NS-SW100 Sub
Wattage: 50W
Woofer Size (inches): 10”
Firing Direction: Front
Frequency Response: 25-180 Hz
What we like: Looks good, tight bass, unique twisted flare port
Not so much: Underpowered, doesn’t offer much improvement on NS-SW050, the side facing port is not ideal for all rooms
Yamaha is a reliable brand when it comes to hi-fi equipment and the NS-SW100 is a quality subwoofer but at just 50W continuous output it is significantly less than others on our top list.
It is not suited for a large media room but could be perfect for smaller spaces such as a bedroom. This sub is the larger version of the NS-SW050 and comes with a 10” driver instead of an 8” and that is the only real difference between the two.
Considering that the 8” model is significantly cheaper it would have been nice to see some other upgrades in the more expensive model too. The driver in the NS-SW100 faces forward while the twisted flare port is side-firing.
This port design is unique to the NS models and provides a very tight bass from the 25Hz – 180Hz response range that this subwoofer is capable of.
Klipsch K100-SW Subwoofer
Wattage: 100W
Woofer Size (inches): 10”
Firing Direction: Front
Frequency Response: 32-120 Hz
What we like: Good construction, low feedback, easy setup
Not so much: Touchy settings, muddy, rear-firing port not great for some rooms
Klipsch is a renowned brand in the hi-fi world known for its uniquely designed speakers and punchy tone. However, this subwoofer is lacking the metallic amber driver associated with Klipsch speakers and provides a more rounded tone to what we are used to from this brand.
The K100-SW has a front-firing 10” driver coupled with a rear-firing port amplified by nominal power of 100w.
This rear-firing port allows you to bounce the bass off a wall but might not be ideal for small spaces or for your neighbors.
The frequency response range is limited compared to our number one pick as it is rated at 32Hz – 120Hz. This sub does provide a good thump for home theatre purposes though and a strong drive while listening to music.
It provides a decent tone for most of this sonic range but can sometimes sound a little muddy during conversations while watching films.
Monoprice 9723 Sub
Wattage: 150W
Woofer Size (inches): 12”
Firing Direction: Front
Frequency Response: 50-250 Hz
What we like: 150w RMS, curved cabinet, crossover filter
Not so much: Lowest frequency response of 50Hz, pointy feet not great for hardwood floors, a slight hum when not in use
The Monoprice 9723 is a quality budget subwoofer with a powerful 150w of RMS amplification powering it.
This sub is capable of getting loud while maintaining its tight bass tones but only has a frequency response range of 50Hz – 250Hz which is quite high comparably to the BIC F12 subwoofer.
This prevents those really boomy lows that you can expect from an explosion while being used as part of a home theatre system though which may suit your needs.
The 9723 comes equipped with a 12” front-firing driver and rear-firing circular bass port. The cabinet is curved on the sides which help reduce vibration as well as looking sleek and modern.
You will have to make sure you turn this sub off when it is not being used as it can give off a humming sound if it is left turned up with no input and does not have an auto-off switch like the SUB-1500.
Amazon Echo Sub
Wattage: 100W
Woofer Size (inches): 6”
Firing Direction: Down
Frequency Response: 30-200 Hz
What we like: Easy connectivity with other Amazon Echo devices, decent power for a small sub, integration across the Echo range.
Not so much: Only easily connected with other Amazon Echo devices, not the greatest sound, small driver
The Echo Sub is a welcome addition to the range of speakers for Amazon, they provide excellent connectivity and integration with other Echo devices and when they are paired together can provide a wireless home hi-fi experience.
This sub looks modern and matches the Echo and Echo plus in appearance with a circular cabinet covered in fabric coupled with a downward-firing 6” driver.
This sub is very compact and easily transported with its wireless connectivity so it would suit a person who is on the go a lot. It is powered by a 100w RMS amplifier so can pack quite a punch for a small subwoofer all the way down to 30Hz which is reasonably low for a 6” driver.
You won’t get the same precision from this sub as the bulkier units that are designed to be placed in one spot permanently but it is definitely passable especially for someone who already owns other Amazon Echo speakers.
Jamo S 808 Subwoofer
Wattage: 50W
Woofer Size (inches): 8”
Firing Direction: Side
Frequency Response: 39-100 Hz
What we like: Unique design makes it perfect for small spaces, auto-off, tight bass
Not so much: Underpowered, worse sound than larger similarly priced units, retro styling seems a little tacky
We believe the Jamo S 808 is the perfect sub for someone who wants to add some extra thump to their home theatre or hi-fi system but doesn’t have a lot of space.
This sub comes equipped with a side-firing 8” driver and downward-firing bass port. This allows the slim cabinet to fit into tight spaces. The entire dimensions of this sub come to a measly 18” x 13.9” x 6.9”.
The continuous power of the sub is rated at 50w which is less than many others but is decent enough given the size benefits of this sub. The sound is also excellent for such a small cabinet, we were surprised by the precision of the bass frequencies in the capable range of this sub from 39hz to 100Hz.
We think this is an all-round great performer but is outshined sonically by the subs in this list that take-up more room.
Fluance DB-10
Wattage: 45W
Woofer Size (inches): 10”
Firing Direction: Front
Frequency Response: 38-180 Hz
What we like: Attractive design, crossover and gain control, auto-off
Not so much: Underpowered, bulky, muddy out of the box
The Fluance DB-10 subwoofer is a sub that would look good as part of pretty much any hi-fi setup. The curved corners of its ash wood vinyl wrapped MDF cabinet and front-firing 10” driver with circular bass port creates a modern look without being too over the top.
The sub can sound a little muddy on first use but if you are willing to fiddle with the gain and crossover you can find a much tighter sound. The RMS rating of the built-in amplifier of this sub is only 45w so it is the lowest powered sub in our top picks.
You might want to choose another sub if shaking the room is one of your goals for purchasing a sub, however, this unit does provide decent volume considering the amplifier output. This sub can comfortably handle a frequency range between 38Hz and 180Hz.
This is a decent subwoofer but our top pick of the BIC America F12 offers more in terms of power and precision and costs about the same so keep that in mind when shopping but if you can pick up a DB-10 for a discount it is well worth considering.
OSD Audio PS10
Wattage: 120W
Woofer Size (inches): 10”
Firing Direction: Front
Frequency Response: 25-180 Hz
What we like: Decent power, crossover control, good sonic range
Not so much: Bulky, heavy, similarly priced units perform better
The OSD Audio PS10 has two builds. The older units have an integrated heat sink on the outside of the unit and two front-firing bass ports while the newer model that you are more likely to come across has a single rear-firing bass port to accompany its 10” forward-facing driver.
This is important to keep in mind while shopping so you purchase the design that best suits your needs. The PS10 is powered by a 120w RMS amplifier so it is capable of being pushed to pretty extreme volumes comfortably although not quite as powerful as our top pick it is more than enough for most settings.
This sub also has a decent reach sonically at 25Hz – 180Hz. This is a great performer and costs less than our top few picks so if you were after sacrificing a little bit of power and precision to save some money this sub would be a great pick.
What can I expect for under $200?
If you are willing to spend more than $100 you are likely to get a subwoofer that has a more powerful amplification system than a budget speaker.
The drivers are usually larger than in the cheaper units too which provides a more present bass that you can feel in your body. At this price, most subwoofer cabinets are still likely to all be built from MDF and vinyl wrap which is cost-effective and well suited for sub cabinets due to its anti-resonant qualities.
You can find subwoofers with more features (at $300 mark), as well as subs with different firing directions to suit your room as in this price range there is more variety than cheaper units.
If you had even more to spend you could start looking into subs with insane amounts of power from the amplifier and fancier cabinet materials but for $200 you can get something that is perfectly suitable for most people for use as part of their home theatre or hi-fi system.
Last update on 2022-03-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
