Subwoofer Reviews

Performance
Build Quality
Value

Summary: Weighing in at 220 pounds, the awe-inspiring f212 is not for the faint of heart yet it’s design is shockingly straightforward: A 3,000-watt amplifier and a pair of custom 12-inch drivers operating in a finely crafted, bulletproof enclosure standing 32 inches tall. The payoff: Fear-invoking shockwaves of deep, deep bass. Yes, it is powerful enough to shake things off of shelves—in another room. Darryl Wilkinson concluded, “I’m not sure which was more impressive: the raw, brute power of the subwoofer, or the complete and effortless control of that power.”

Plus: Capable of producing startlingly palpable subterranean bass • Extraordinary dynamic range • Automatic room optimization • XLR output to connect one or more slave f212 subwoofers
Minus: Big and very heavy • Expensive

Paradigm Reference Signature SUB 2 Subwoofer: $9,000

Performance
Build Quality
Value

Summary: Simply put, this is the real deal. A 230-pound, three-sided monster featuring six 10-inch woofers arrayed in pairs, up to 4,500 watts of brute-force power (provided it gets 240-volt service), and measureable output in our lab that was only 3 decibels down at 12 hertz. And to think it all fits into a 24-inch-square footprint. The price will scare away all but the wealthiest and most bass-obsessed enthusiasts, but if you’re among them, pay up your homeowner’s insurance and get down with it.

Plus: Room- and house-threatening LFE bass for movies • Surprising rhythm, pacing, and articulation for music • Relatively small footprint for a behemoth sub • Perfect Bass room correction
Minus: Very heavy • Extravagantly expensive