Top 8 Best Competition Subwoofers In 2023 Reviews & Buying Guide

If you like your bass, you’ve come to the right place.

We love bass too!

Indeed, we’ve searched high and low to bring you some of the best competition subwoofers currently for sale. Best of all, a lot of the subwoofers are big enough to fit in most average-sized sedans. Additionally, they won’t cause bankruptcy or divorce in the process.

We think we’ve got most of the angles covered.

So, let’s get to it and get this review underway and find the perfect competition subwoofers for you…

Top 8 Best Competition Subwoofers To Buy In 2023 Reviews

1 Orion HCCA15 12″ Car Subwoofer 2000 Watts – Old Model

This is a beast.

It weighs 83.3lbs, which is about the same as a Hell Fire Missile. The only difference is that this is louder. Just check this out: The Orion HCCA15 12″ Car Subwoofer can deliver 2,000 watts of RMS power and has a peak power of 5,000 watts.

This amount of power is truly mind-boggling. But if it’s still not enough, you could always stump up a little extra cash and go for the Orion 15″ XTRPRO version. With 7,200 watts peak power, that will blow your leg off.

This amount of power needs some driving, so be sure to get a well-matched amplifier to pair with it. You’ll also need to make sure you have enough battery power to keep it running. This will suck the life out of a regular car battery.

Orion is renowned for building high-quality speakers and subwoofers. They’re also well known for their distinctively designed red subwoofers. The Orion HCCA15 12″ Car Subwoofer is true to form and is everything you’d expect from Orion.

The subwoofer has dual conex spiders with looped Tinsel stitched leads. These things are going to get crazy hot. To keep them from turning to toast, the dual coils have built-in coolers to draw away the heat.

The speaker cones are constructed using a polypropylene woofer. The surround is constructed using a three-layered high-rolled rubber ring. This helps to more effectively bounce the sound off the surface.

Now let’s take a look at sound.

This subwoofer is unbelievable loud. The travel of the cones can reach up to 4″ which clearly illustrates the immense power of this unit. This subwoofer will deliver deep rich bass. It will shake your car to pieces. Your neighbors will move.

2 KICKER 12″ Full Package – Subwoofer Enclosure

Kicker has a long and strong history in the car entertainment business. They build good quality speakers using good quality materials. The Kicker 12″ subwoofer is not only well put together but is also the best affordable subwoofer for car and speaker enthusiasts on a budget.

The KICKER 12″ Full Package offers plenty bang for your buck. You get a pair of 12″ kicker speakers, a subwoofer box/enclosure, a Boss amplifier, a capacitor, and a wiring kit.

The two subwoofers each have an RMS of 600 watts and a peak power of 1,200 watts. They have 2 ohms of impedance and are factory tuned.

The subwoofers are made from lightweight cones injected with polypropylene. The speaker surrounds are made from a tough polyurethane ribbed material. These are manufactured to eliminate both flex and distortion.

The box/enclosure is made from thick MDF. It has a thick black carpet finish with the yellow Kicker logo proudly displayed on the box top. The speakers remain clearly visible and display the usual Kicker colors, logos, and design features.

For an inexpensive pair of subwoofers, these pack plenty of power. There’s good punchy and clear bass through a range of frequencies. These speakers also have no problems with reaching down to the lower frequencies in the range.

These are essentially a good sounding pair of subwoofers.

There’s no doubt about it, for everyday use; these are a great buy. The whole package offers great value for money. However, as an out and out competition subwoofer, they are likely to lack the raw power of a lot of their competitors.

3 Skar Audio ZVX-12v2 D2 12″ 3000 Watt Max Power Dual 2 Ohm SPL Car Subwoofer

This is a dual 2 ohms 12″ subwoofer and weighs a not insubstantial 53lbs. It features 1,000 watts of RMS power and a peak power output of 3,000 watts. And has a frequency response of between 30Hz to 400 Hz. Roll-off occurs at around 44Hz. The sensitivity rating is 87.3 dB.

Skar Audio ZVX-12v2 D2 12″ has a 3″ temperature voice coils to help effectively dissipate the heat.

The Skar subwoofer is one of the more affordable subwoofers on our list. Despite its low price tag, and also being the best cheap car subwoofer on our list, it’s still well-built having been made using quality materials.

The level of engineering and design that has gone into the Skar Audio ZVX-12v2 D2 12″ ensures it’s able to perform at very extremes of performance. Also, and just as importantly, the solid design guarantees a high level of durability and reliability.

The subwoofer’s cone is made for high-grade competition grade paper. The speaker surround is made from high roll foam. The combination helps to bounce the sound waves off the surface and minimize distortion.

This may not be the loudest of the best competition subwoofers we’re reviewing, but it still packs a healthy punch. These are solid, low and loud. Things will quickly get shaking and bumping

This a hard-hitting, tight sounding subwoofer. It delivers great quality bass at a price that’s hard to beat.

4 American Bass USA XFL 1244 2000W Max Dual 4Ω 12″ Subwoofer

This 12″ subwoofer weighs just 38lbs. It has 1,000 watts of RMS power and 2,000 watts peak power capability. The maximum mounting depth is 7.6″.

It has dual 4 ohm 3″ voice coils. It has a carbon-kevlar reinforced non-pressed paper cone. This sits in a diecast aluminum basket. The driver is surrounded by a high-density and multi-layered foam material.

The 220z magnet is triple stacked. This is to properly support the 3″ voice calls.

As you’d expect from American Bass, the USA XFL 1244 2000W subwoofer is impeccably put together and is close to bombproof. Made in the USA, it’s a great advert for high build-quality and design.

This is a reliable unit. To keep it that way, and to keep things nicely cooled down, the USA XFL 1244 2000W subwoofer use conex spiders. They are new, neat, and effective.

If you’re looking for a rock-solid, proven, and durable subwoofer, then look no further.

There’s no doubt the USA XFL 1244 2000W subwoofer is loud. You’d expect a subwoofer with a 2,000 watts maximum power output to be loud. However, this subwoofer is about more than just raw power and noise.

The sound quality it can deliver is what sets it apart from many of its rivals. The lows have minimal distortion and sound crisp and clear. Even at very low frequencies, the detail is still there.

American Bass has won multiple awards for its audio quality. Listening to the USA XFL 1244 2000W subwoofer, and it’s easy to see why. A great subwoofer, with great performance, for a great price.

5 Skar Audio DDX-15 D2 15″ 1500 Watt Max Power Dual 2 Ohm Car Subwoofer

This is another budget-friendly subwoofer form our friends at Skar.

The Skar Audio DDX-15 D2 15″ weighs 36.5lbs. 202ozs of this weight is taken up by the double-stack motor. It has 1,000 watts of RMS power and 1,500 watts of maximum power. Whilst it may not be as loud as some of the other best quality competition subwoofers we’ve reviewed, it’s still enough to get things shaking.

The subwoofer has a frequency response between 20Hz to 250Hz. It has an SPL rating of 90.6dB. What’s more, it has a dual 2 Ohm voice coil set-up.

Like the other Skar subwoofer we’ve reviewed, this is a well put together piece of kit. Best of all, despite its affordable price, it still uses some high-quality materials. This is perfectly illustrated by the use of high-grade competition standard pressed paper cone.

Furthermore, the pressed paper cone is beautifully stitched into a high roll foam surround. Like the rest of the subwoofer, there is plenty of attention to detail. All this quality is backed up by a two year warranty.

The low-frequency response range allows this subwoofer to get down low with very little roll-off, even at the extremes. The clarity is of the bass response is excellent. The volume is plentiful and more than sufficient. The power rating output rating of these speakers, if anything, seems a little conservative.

This is a speaker that will take a little bit of time to fully break-in. It will take 24 hours to break in initially though it will truly sound its best after as long as six months — possibly a long wait, but one well worth it.

The Skar Audio DDX-15 D2 15″ is genuinely a versatile speaker. It will feel perfectly at home either being used for a competition build or in your daily driver. Whatever you use for your guaranteed to enjoy both its audio quality and sheer power.

A great subwoofer at a great price.

6 DS18 EXL-B15.2D Extremely Loud 15-Inch 3000 Watts Competition Subwoofer

The DS18 EXL-B15.2D is the largest subwoofer in the range. This one weighs 37lbs. It has 4,000 watts of maximum power and has an RMS rating of 1,800 watts. If that’s going to be too much to handle, you can go all the way down to a 6.5″ variant. That will push out just 800 watts of peak power and 400 watts of RMS power.

The DS18 subwoofer has a surprisingly large frequency range between 44Hx to 1,300Hz. Most subwoofers have a maximum higher range of around 500Hz. This speaker is creeping into lower-midrange frequency territory.

The subwoofer has dual 2-ohm voice coils. Additionally, it has two high strength magnets, both weighing 100 ozs. These are cushioned with two conex spiders.

The subwoofer is enclosed in a red aluminum frame, and it looks the business. It’s emblazoned on the front of the driver with a contrasting red and white DSL logo. This is a subwoofer that not only sounds great but looks great too.

The surrounding edge of the subwoofer is made from foam. The cone driver is made from a combination of paper and glass fiber. It’s versatile and durable.

DSL is proud, and rightly so, to advertise that this subwoofer has been tested and approved by the CEA, IASCA, MERA, and SEMA.

Cool!

This is a speaker that won’t break the bank but will give you high-quality bass and is unbelievably loud.

This baby’s got power and finesse.

It’s loud enough to blow your socks off and make your ears bleed. The ‘Extremely Loud” description in the title is ‘extremely’ accurate! But like the best sounding competition subwoofers, there’s also plenty of clarity and detail.

7 American Bass 8″ Competition Woofer 800W Max

The American Bass 8″ Competition Woofer is more of a day to day sub for a regular ride. This compact sub weighs just 15.35 lb. It’s a relatively small speaker, so it’s ideal for a more compact vehicle.

Quality competition subwoofers will typically have an RMS power rating of 1,000 watts. A lot will have way over this. The American Bass 8″ has an RMS rating of just 400 watts with 800 watts of peak power. It’s still a great speaker but is not up to the power rating of an out and out competition sub.

It has 4-ohm dual coils and has the same high standard of ribbed rubber seal that you’d expect from the very best of American Bass.

Like all American Bass subwoofers, these are well-made drivers built in the USA.

The main basket is constructed from a cast aluminum material. Unlike some of the other American Bass subwoofers, this one has a carbon Kevlar woven base, which gives it a textured finish.

The cones are made from the same high-quality non-pressed paper as the rest of the range. The finished detail and logos on the drivers are visually striking. These both look and sound impressive.

Make no mistake that these are loud. They might not have the huge RMS and peak power ratings of large, top-end subwoofers, but they still pack plenty of punch. These things will still bump. Guaranteed.

For more laid-back and everyday listening, this subwoofer might just be perfect. They’re still suitable for listening to hip-hop and other genres of bass-driven music. However, they are more subtle than some of the larger subwoofer, so do give you more versatility to listen to other kinds of music.

If the mood takes you, they’ll work well listening to music such as Heavy Rock or Blues. You may have to roll bass down a touch, but they should sound fine. This is the best subwoofer for music over a range of genres.

8 Power Acoustik MOFO 12-Inch Competition Subwoofer Dual 2-Ohm Voice Coils

This is a true competition-grade speaker despite its inexpensive price-tag.

At full power, it can put out 2,500 watts and has an RMS power rating of 1,350 watts. Break-in will take around 20 hours, during which time they’re good to go to between 650-850 watts. After that, they give a solid 1,100 watts RMS. Maybe even a little more. The fact is though the 1,350 RMS power rating does seem just a little optimistic.

It’s fitted with some nice quality dual 2-ohm coils and two conex spiders.

The sensitivity rating is 85 dB.

The Power Akoustic MOFO subwoofer is housed in a solid aluminum and nickel frame. The subwoofer has a contrasting bright blue and black color scheme. It’s eye-catching and will be sure to get you noticed.

The cone is made up of thick paper with a UV protective coat on top, and is enclosed around a high-density polyurethane surround.

A unique feature of the MOFO sub is the striking blue aluminum finned dust cap. This is placed deep in the cone. It helps to both cool down the cone core and maintain the cone structure. This 4-spline heatsink technology is cutting edge and is still patent-pending.

This is a powerful subwoofer and can hold its own against units costing 2 or 3 times the price. It’s tested to be able to perform at 1,200 watts for up to 24 hours. Although we could only just get up to this limit, it never the less has more than enough power to fit into the competition category.

The quality of sound is also good enough to compete with much more expensive systems. The Power Acoustik MOFO 12-Inch Competition Subwoofer sounds great at any volume. It’s clean, clear, punchy, and is loud enough to have your neighbors’ neighbors call the law.

Best Competition Subwoofers Buying Guide

Before we look a little more closely at some of the finer points of competition subwoofers, we should start by defining what exactly a competition subwoofer is.

Basically, we’d say that five main components go into making a true competition subwoofer. These would include; a minimum 1,000 watts RMS power rating, spiders larger than 7″, voice calls larger than 2.5″, and an Xmas excursion of at least 1″.

RMS Power

RMS power is the measurement of continuous power. A sub should be able to hold RMS power over a prolonged period. Typically, a manufacturer will test a subwoofer’s RMS power for up to 24 hours to ensure that all is well.

When setting up your system, you should ideally marry up an amplifier with a similar power rating to the sub. In reality, anywhere between 75% TO 150% of the RMS power rating should work fine.

Peak Power

Peak power will be the maximum amount of power the subwoofer can handle at any one time. This is the capacity to handle maximum power in short bursts only. When setting up your system, if you buy an amp with a higher rating and turning things up to 10, you risk blowing the sub.

You’ve been warned.

Size

The larger the sub then, the more air it’s going to move, and the louder it will become. It’s a simple equation, but as things get bigger and louder, there’s a lot more that will need to be taken into consideration.

A 12″ subwoofer is usually not too large that it can’t be housed in a medium-sized sedan or truck. However, since all subs need to be mounted in a box enclosure, you have to make allowances for sizes when it comes to fitting.

A 12″ sub, once in a box/enclosure will take up a lot of space. It’s almost certainly destined for the trunk. At a push, in some cars, you might be able to fit a pair of 12″ subs. Regardless, if you have one or a pair of 12″ subs, you can pretty much kiss any boot space goodbye.

When you move up to a 15″ sub, things will get really tight. You need to check carefully if you’re thinking of a dual set up with this size of sub. A lot of cars simply won’t be able to accommodate a box/enclosure big enough.

If you’re fitting a sub to your only ride, be sure you’re comfortable with sacrificing the trunk space before you start.

Sound Quality

Sound quality is always subjective. What isn’t subjective is power. If you’ve got a big unit, there’s no doubt that it’s going to push a lot of air and be loud. Be wary that if you have really high sound pressure levels, and they are pushing more air than they can handle, you’re liable to get distortion.

Make sure you choose a sub that’s compatible with your amplifier. There are plenty of competition amplifiers to go with any combination of subwoofers and in-car systems.

You should also check the frequency range of the sub you’re interested in to ensure it can fully handle the levels of bass you’re trying to achieve. It’s also worth investing in a quality receiver, with EQ, to get the very best out of your system.

Speakers For Everywhere

Nowadays we all like to have our favorite music wherever we go, so that means a variety of speakers, not just a killer competition sub in our car or truck.

Therefore you may also enjoy our reviews of the Best Wireless Outdoor Speakers, the Best Tailgate Speakers, the Best Solar Powered Bluetooth Speakers, the Best Wireless TV Speakers, and the Best Home Theater Speakers on the market.

So, What Are The Best Competition Subwoofers?

We all love bass.

Getting the right subwoofer for your needs and your wallet needn’t be too hard. These days there’s plenty of variety in terms of size, power, and cost. Furthermore, the cool thing is that the majority of subwoofers are now built better and more reliable than ever before.

Selecting the best product from a group of 10 strong candidates is usually tough, But not this time. For us, there was only ever one contender for the best competition subwoofer. The clear and easy winner was the…

This thing is an absolute beast. The weight of it alone, 83.3lbs, is staggering. The 2,000 watts of RMS power is crazy. Its 5,000 watts of peak power is ridiculous. If you have the nerve to crank this up to full volume, it’s a physical experience.

To achieve all of this and make it reliable in the process is some achievement.

We love it.

Happy listening!