SV Staff

A hearty subwoofer is an essential ingredient of any serious sound system. It has to play low and loud and do so without making rude noises and without sounding flabby. Besides scaring your kids (and the neighbors), a good subwoofer will deliver deep, powerful bass that conveys emotion and adds palpable dimension to music and movie soundtracks…so you can feel the sound. We’ve compiled snapshots of the best subwoofers we’ve reviewed over the past 18 or so months. Prices range from $399 to $6,500 and all models received a five-star rating in the critical Performance category. If you’re on a mission to bring home the bass, start here.