5 Best Subwoofers Under $500 in 2024

By Robin Owens 2 days ago, Speakers

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Affordable and high-quality subwoofers under $500 dollars.

best subwoofers under 500

Today if you want to enhance your audio system by adding a subwoofer, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to spend a fortune. There is a great variety of decent models produced by different manufacturers in all price categories. If you have a limited budget and want to get the best subwoofer under 500 dollars, we recommend you to get acquainted with the features offered by such devices. In order to help you, we have prepared a brief review of the greatest options and the advantages they offer.

Top 5 Best Subwoofers Under $500

  1. Klipsch R-120SW - Our choice
  2. Polk Audio HTS 12 - Compatible with most home theater systems
  3. Bose Bass Module 500 - With room correction and dialogue enhancement
  4. Polk Audio HTS 10 - Great for small or medium sized rooms
  5. Samsung SWA-W700 - Adds full body depth to a sound system

Any of the models we recommend in this price range will significantly improve your sound system. Study the list carefully and considering the characteristics that are important for you. Choose wisely to purchase the best subwoofer under 500 bucks that will perfectly correspond to your needs.

1. Klipsch R-120SW

Our choice
klipsch r-120sw subwoofers under 500

Dimensions: 19.2 x 14 x 16.5 inches | Weight: 31 lbs | Mounting type: Floor Standing | Frequency response: 29 Hz – 120 Hz

  • ✚ Output sound is clear and natural
  • ✚ Easy to blend with other speakers
  • ✚ Construction is rigid
  • Not powerful enough for large rooms
Rating

Klipsch R-120SW are one of the best subwoofers on the market today that can handle extremely low frequencies and still deliver a powerful sound that will have your guests screaming in delight after a showing. With its optimized bass capability, this system is perfect for use with any bass oriented music, from rap to heavy metal. Its flush and shallow profile allow the subwoofer to cut through any environment or sound, producing a truly custom fit for any application. While there are plenty of subwoofer systems out there that only work well in certain enclosures, Klipsch R-120SW will fit perfectly in a number of rooms in your home thanks to its optimized flat frequency range and deep bass response.

Other features that this unit has that sets it apart from many other subwoofers on the market is its patented Directivity Control, which is what sets it apart from other models. By directing the sound into the surround speakers without having to send a signal into the speaker themselves, the subwoofer will handle the mid-range frequencies without being overly affected by the high frequencies.

2. Polk Audio HTS 12

Compatible with most home theater systems
polk audio hts 12 subwoofers under 500

Dimensions: 17.1 x 18.8 x 18.1 inches | Weight: 49.9 lbs | Mounting type: Floor Standing | Frequency response: 22 - 180 Hz

  • ✚ Has universal ports
  • ✚ Sound output which other subs lack
  • ✚ High volume without distortions
  • Higher price compared to Polk's subs
Rating

Polk Audio brings you the brand-new Polk HTS 12 subwoofers for true home theater sound. This high performance subwoofer is one of the most popular in the market today. The Polk HTS 12" subwoofer improves music and home entertainment listening with its powerful deep bass and balanced treble. It has a short throw Dynamic Balance 12 speaker, two-way adjustable Power Port system and a patented Power Filter. When it comes to bass, nothing comes close to the Polk Audio HTS 12.

The long-throw dynamic balance 12 inch driver ensures effortless movement of the speaker, so you get smooth and crystal-clear music listening without getting unwanted feedback. The built-in power port makes it possible to send audio information directly to the amplifier. It also features the exclusive Polk THX Roaring Expression.

3. Bose Bass Module 500

With room correction and dialogue enhancement
bose bass module 500 subwoofers under 500

Dimensions: 10 x 10 x 9.5 inches | Weight: 11 lbs | Mounting type: Floor Standing | Frequency response: 60 Hz - 14 kHz

  • ✚ Well-balanced sound profile
  • ✚ Great center channel performance
  • ✚ Easily upgradable setup
  • Noticeable compression at max volume
Rating

Bose basses have long been known for their outstanding quality. Bose themselves is a privately held company based out of the United Kingdom that has a rich history in the music industry. They are well-known and trusted by professionals in the industry, as well as individuals looking to get quality in their live performances. The company also strives to provide customers with the latest products and technological innovations. Bose is an official member of the Association of Independent Musicians (AIM) and is listed on the AIM website as a member firm.

Bose Bass Module 500: This model features the all new subwoofer enclosure that Bose calls "an innovative bass shaker design". The enclosure is made of heavy duty metal. The enclosure helps increase the amount of bass that can be pumped out from the subwoofer allowing it to be more efficient than many competing products.

4. Polk Audio HTS 10

Great for small or medium sized rooms
polk audio hts 10 subwoofers under 500

Dimensions: 15.1 x 16.6 x 16.1 inches | Weight: 37.8 lbs | Mounting type: Floor Standing | Frequency response: 25 - 180 Hz

  • ✚ Universal compatibility
  • ✚ Deep bass
  • ✚ Inbuilt controls for all functions
  • Auto-on feature can be better
Rating

Polk Audio has made it easy for you to get the quality sounds you need in your home. There are many great features available on the many different models of subwoofers from Polk, that make this one of the best brands for all around quality. Some of the features you will find are things such as a remote control with LCD controls for bass, treble, and volume.

A new addition to the Polk Audio line up is their Surround Sound Enhancer. This feature allows you to add some extra surround sound quality to your home theater or home stereo system with just a few simple features. These features make the sound quality so much better than ever before.

5. Samsung SWA-W700

Adds full body depth to a sound system
samsung swa-w700 subwoofers under 500

Dimensions: 12.6 x 12.6 x 13.5 inches | Weight: 32 lbs | Mounting type: Floor Standing | Frequency response: 27 Hz - 120 Hz

  • ✚ Good price
  • ✚ Great sound
  • ✚ Easy hookup
  • Can only add to listed devices
Rating

Samsung SWA-W700 subwoofer can handle loud surround sound. It comes with an amplifier that is extremely powerful and also features a THX chapter feature. This feature will allow you to get a more accurate copy of the original sound from your favorite movies, which gives your home entertainment system a true high-end sound stage. This is important because movies are a great way to relax and unwind, so getting a true high-end sound system is crucial. In conclusion, the Samsung SWA-W700 is a compact unit that has some awesome features that any serious home theater owner should consider.

IMAGE NAME FEATURES
klipsch r-120sw subwoofers under 500
Klipsch R-120SW
Our Choice
  • Output sound is clear and natural
  • Easy to blend with other speakers
CHECK PRICE
polk audio hts 12 subwoofers under 500
Polk Audio HTS 12
Compatible
  • Has universal ports
  • Sound output which other subs lack
CHECK PRICE
bose bass module 500 subwoofers under 500
Bose Bass Module 500
Budget
  • Well-balanced sound profile
  • Great center channel performance
CHECK PRICE

How to Choose the Best Subwoofers Under $500?

subwoofers under 500

Frequency Response

Probably, a subwoofer will be the only device responsible for playing bass frequencies in your sound system, so the frequency response is one of the most important specifications. Broad frequency response ensures clear bass and pure sound. In the price range below $500, wider frequency responses (22-200 Hz) are offered by less powerful subwoofers, while more powerful models have narrower frequency responses.

Power

the best subwoofers under 500

The power output defines the maximum volume produced by a subwoofer. Though, it doesn’t mean that a powerful subwoofer has to be super loud, as you can adjust the volume. Basically,

if you want to get better audio quality at room volume, you should opt for a more powerful subwoofer. Being at the middle of the power range, such a device will ensure more decent performance, than a less powerful 50-watt subwoofer, working at maximal power level.

Dimensions

Usually, the size of a subwoofer refers to the size of its cone and the capacity of its power output, so the larger the better. Nevertheless, if your room is small and there is not much space, you should check the dimensions of the subwoofer you like carefully to make sure it will fit. It is important to place a subwoofer in correspondence with the whole sound system, sometimes it means that you have to move it around to find the place with the best acoustics. In our opinion, the proper positioning of the subwoofer has more importance than its large size.

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