Best subwoofers

(Updated January 12, 2012 1:08 AM PST)

Matthew Moskovciak
Associate editor

It's time to lower the boom. Subwoofers are the loudly beating heart of any speaker system, and their benefits go further than deep bass. A powered sub can relieve your receiver or amplifier of much of the workload, leaving it free to concentrate on higher frequencies. Remember to match your subwoofer to the size of the room; in general, you want an 8-inch sub for spaces 200 square feet or less, and a 10-inch or larger sub for bigger rooms. For truly massive spaces, you might want more than one sub.

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Polk Audio DSW PRO 400

Flexible configuration, a full list of features, and solid bass performance give the Polk Audio DSW Pro 400 a leg up on similar-size subwoofers.

Price: $399.95 (check prices)

4 stars

Excellent

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Polk Audio PSW111

The able Polk Audio PSW111 subwoofer delivers seamless bass despite its compact size.

Price: $184.00 - $299.99 (check prices)

4 stars

Very good

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Klipsch Synergy Sub-12

The Klipsch Synergy Sub-12, the company's most affordable 12-inch subwoofer, sounds great on music and movies.

Price: $615.96 (check prices)

4 stars

Very good

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Definitive Technology ProSub 800 (black)

If you don't mind its uninspired aesthetics, the Definitive Technology ProSub 800 is a mighty little subwoofer and a fine match for its SSA soundbars and ProCinema satellite speakers.

Price: $399.00 - $399.85 (check prices)

4 stars

Very good

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