The Best $500 Powered Subwoofers for 2023

We
have recently reviewed a handful of what are the best subwoofers that hover
around the $500 price range, and in this article, we will compare them to make
it easier for subwoofer shopping in this price range. These aren’t the only
subs in this price range, but many other $500 subs don’t look like they could
compete in performance due to far smaller woofers and amplifiers because they
seem to be made for situations that call for very small enclosure sizes. Since
performance is such a high priority for us, that is one of our main criteria
for what constitutes ‘best’ for inclusion on this list, and that necessarily
excludes many of the small subs that can be had for the same price. However,
sheer performance isn’t our only criterion, and we also weigh feature sets,
appearance, and build quality.

Many
list articles might rank these subs from best to worst, but we have found that
each sub has its own strengths and weaknesses, so what is best would be
situational. In other words, the best choice among these subs depends on the
user’s individual circumstances. We encourage buyers to take a close look at
each subwoofer’s performance profile as well as other design aspects to
determine if that is the best choice for them. Let’s now go over the subs that
we consider to be among the best in the $500 price range…

RSL Speedwoofer 10S MKII

Speedwoofer 10S MKII
Review
| Buy the Speedwoofer 10S MKII

As
we stated in the conclusion of our review of the RSL Speedwoofer 10S MKII, its
main strength is that it has no real weaknesses. It is a very well-rounded
subwoofer for the money that exhibits good design in every aspect. It has very
good performance for its class with real extension below 30Hz as well as a good
amount of output throughout the traditional subwoofer range. Its combination of
respectable extension along with good output is a minor miracle considering
that it is also the smallest sub in our roundup. What is more impressive is
that it can keep up with all of the other subs in our roundup despite only
having a 10” diameter cone as opposed to the 12” cones in all of the other
subs. The build quality is excellent for the cost, and this is largely due to
the extra bracing that is required for RSL’s compression guide technology. That
makes it a solid little box. The styling is a bit plain, but it isn’t offensive
looking nor will it stand out. The feature set is definitely above-average for
a subwoofer in this price range. Some stand-out features include line-level
outputs, speaker-level inputs, and the convenient and inexpensive option to add
RSL’s wireless transmitter for $50. For those interested in reducing cord
clutter, that is a very nice touch since most wireless subwoofer signal systems
are north of $100. The digital signal processor provides bulletproof protection
from over-driving the sub, so you can really blast it and not have to worry.
The Speedwoofer 10S MKII just doesn’t give us anything to complain about, and
anyone can see that for themselves since RSL offers a 30-day in-home trial
period with only a $25 restocking fee if they don’t want to keep it for any
reason. It is an all-around great entry in its price range.

BIC Acoustech PL-300

PL-300
Review | Buy the PL-300

Within
our roundup, our testing of the BIC Acoustech PL-300 showed it to be the sub to
get for those interested in deep bass, but that does come with a catch; its
mid-bass performance above 60Hz faltered somewhat. It can be adjusted to have a
flat response down to below 20Hz which makes it the only sub in our roundup
that can crack infrasonic frequencies without being pushed to the limit.
However, that comes with an upper-frequency roll-off that drains it of some
mid-bass punch. This isn’t a problem for those who can accommodate a lower
crossover frequency such as systems where the front left and right speakers are
towers that can easily play down to 60Hz, but smaller bookshelf speakers could
have a problem doing that. Its excellent low-frequency extension is also
abetted by its good time-domain performance, and that is a rare combination in
a home-theater-focused budget sub. In other words, it’s an inexpensive sub that
can do deep bass but isn’t boomy and doesn’t have any overhang or bloat. Its
feature set is pretty standard, except it does have variable tuning and is the
least expensive sub on the market to boast that feature. Variable tuning allows
the user to exchange deep bass output for deep bass headroom. The PL-300 has
multiple ports, and the user can seal a port for deeper bass, although the cost
is that some dynamic range is lost across the deep bass region altogether, and
that may be a worthwhile trade for some users. In appearance, it is okay, and I
think it looks better with the grille on for a more understated styling. The
solidity and build quality are fine; there are subs with more robust cabinets
and others with less robust cabinets, so the PL-300 is pretty typical in this
regard and is not bad for the class. As we said in our review, the PL-300 may
be the most sensible purchase for those with tower speakers, since it should
lower the bass extension more than the other subs in our roundup, and its
mid-bass deficits can easily be remedied by using a 60hz crossover frequency which
any floor-standing speaker should be able to handle with no problem.

Klipsch R-121SW

R-121SW
Review | Buy the R-121SW

The
Klipsch R-121SW is a good subwoofer but it isn’t tremendously competitive at
its $599 MSRP. While it is generally similar in performance to the other subs
in this roundup, it isn’t an output monster in any particular range of
frequencies. It doesn’t look bad, but it is a fairly routine black box for a
sub, differentiated only by the traditional Klipsch copper cone. The feature
set is basic, but at least it doesn’t lack anything important. The build
quality is also standard for the segment and not all that special. So then why
include it on this list? Klipsch frequently puts on on sale for fairly steep
discounts, and below a certain cost, it becomes a really good deal. As I said,
it is a good sub and doesn’t have any serious flaws. It is a strong limiter
that prevents it from getting into any trouble that could endanger the sub. The
time domain performance is quite good and well above average, so you won’t get
any sloppy or laggy bass from it. The distortion profile at all but the highest
drive level is very low and does not exceed 10% THD, so the bass that it does
produce is clean. At its near $600 MSRP, there are more compelling options, but
it regularly goes on sale at discounts that can range between 25% to 50%, and
during those sale prices, it is a great deal and offers a whole lot of bang for
your buck. The bargain hunter who can wait for one of its customary sale
periods can be rewarded with a good subwoofer for a terrific price.

Polk Audio HTS 12

HTS
12 Review | Buy the HTS 12

The
Polk Audio HTS 12 is, in my opinion, the nicest-looking sub around its price
point. But if it was only nice looking, I wouldn’t recommend it. Thankfully,
however, it has real performance to back those looks up. In our testing of subs
in its price range, it proved to have the most mid-bass punch of any of them.
In our burst testing, it averaged 111dB from 50Hz to 100Hz, and that is a
mighty punch from such an affordable subwoofer. It does give up some extension
to do that, and it rolls off pretty quickly below 30Hz, so buyers interested in
ultra-deep infrasonic bass can look elsewhere. In a way, its performance is
like an inversion of the BIC Acoustech PL-300. But a 30Hz extension is not bad
for a sub of its pricing and size, and most buyers would be quite happy with
the sound it can make. The vast majority of low-frequency content lies above
30Hz, so buyers looking for a lower-priced sub for music that can pack a punch
have a good choice in the HTS 12. Its feature set is relatively standard, and
it doesn’t offer many amenities that you won’t find on other subs. The build
quality, on the other hand, is very much above average for its pricing. It has
multiple window-pane braces, lots of acoustic stuffing, and a thick plastic
base on which it rests. Its ‘Power Port’ is also special, and, thanks to that
technology, this is one sub that you won’t have to worry about port noise at
all. It is also strictly limited from producing much harmonic distortion, so it
can belt out a lot of bass but not ugly distorted bass. The time-domain
performance is good as well, and this sub’s transient behavior is sharp and
crisp. There is a lot to like about the HTS 12 and not much to complain about,
and that is reflected in our full-length review. It is an all-around good
subwoofer.

Conclusion

The
subwoofers discussed above are our top picks for the $500 price range at the
moment, but we hope to get our hands on others as the year progresses. Here we
will mention some alternatives. For patient shoppers, we have seen the Starke
Sound SW12 go on sale for less than $500 at points during the
year, and that makes it a great bargain for those looking for a stylish sealed
subwoofer with great mid-bass output. Similarly, Monoprice’s Monolith 10” THX
Select can sometimes be discounted
to get close to a $500, and its performance would be utterly superlative for
that pricing as would be its build quality. An interesting alternative for the
adventurous on a $500 subwoofer budget might be two Dayton Audio SUB-1500
subwoofers. While we have yet to test that model, two of them with
intelligent placement could yield a very smooth in-room response that a single
subwoofer solution couldn’t hope to match. Those shoppers interested in the
most linear bass for the money might take a very close look at a solution like
that. And if you have any other good suggestions for subs in this price range,
please let us know in the comments section!

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.