Want the best 8-inch subwoofer that you can play with this summer? Put the traditional factory-grade music systems to rest and say ‘yes’ to subwoofers.
A subwoofer is a versatile equipment with the ultimate goal of producing great sounds. When compared to other types of subwoofers, an 8-inch sub is more perfected to suit limited spaces.
It works in tight spaces, requiring less air to produce great bass and high sound output. This is also because most 8-inch subwoofers demand less mounting depth.
Having said that, one of the main reasons why you’re more inclined towards buying a sub is because you want great bass, right?
Don’t get us wrong, that’s what we’re after too. But there’s a lot more to a sub than bass output. Let’s look at what’s next.
Table of Contents
- BEST 8-INCH SUBWOOFERS 2021
- 1. PYLE PLPW8D – GOOD VALUE SUBWOOFERS FOR BUDGET-MINDED BUYERS
- 2. BOSS AUDIO CXX8 – ONE OF THE BEST BASIC SUBWOOFERS TO USE FOR DEEP SOUNDS
- 3. PIONEER TS-SWX2002 PRE-LOADED ENCLOSURE – BEST VEHICLE SUBWOOFERS TO BUY
- 4. POLK AUDIO DB840 – THE MOST DURABLE AND ACCURATE SUBWOOFER TO BUY
- 5. ROCKFORD FOSGATE P32D2 – BEST ALL-PURPOSE 8-INCH SUBWOOFERS
- 6. LANZAR MAXP84 MAX PRO – BEST 8-INCH SUBWOOFER FOR VERSATILE SOUND SYSTEMS
- 7. PLANET AUDIO AC8D ANARCHY – BEST SUBWOOFER WITH GOOD SOUND QUALITY
- 8-INCH SUBWOOFER BUYER’S GUIDE
BEST 8-INCH SUBWOOFERS 2021
You want to buy the best 8-inch subwoofer right away. So nothing comes close to having to compare and pick your ideal pick, right?
When you compare a large subwoofer to a smaller one, it’s clear that the former is more resilient and efficient. But when working with 8-inch subwoofers, you have much to look forward to.
So, let’s not underestimate 8-inch subwoofers and discuss the top seven we’ve compiled for you.
1. PYLE PLPW8D – GOOD VALUE SUBWOOFERS FOR BUDGET-MINDED BUYERS
Always looked for an expensive subwoofer to fit your console? It’s time to replace it with something better, practical, and efficient. The Pyle PLPW8D is a great value subwoofer with lots of exciting features to offer. It’s very easy to fine tune according to your preferences. It delivers crisp and clear tones. (Using multiple subwoofers)
The rugged subwoofers pack a 1000 watt punch, keeping bass quality to the greatest level. You can store it in any enclosure you want, that is open-air, sealed, or vented.
The durable black steel basket offers rugged performance. And the non-press paper cone feels comfortable but super strong. All thanks to the 4-layer dual coil and foam-surround sound.
This is the best 8-inch subwoofer for road warriors who want something to keep them connected to their music. Be that as it may, this subwoofer isn’t so great for in open-air, that is no enclosures. Only the sealed closure will produce perfect bass quality.
Provides excellent bass quality.
Quick sound response with pleasant low frequencies.
Not suitable for free-air installation.
2. BOSS AUDIO CXX8 – ONE OF THE BEST BASIC SUBWOOFERS TO USE FOR DEEP SOUNDS
Subwoofers demand a little more effort and care to install, that’s why you need the BOSS AUDIO CXX8. It makes up for all the time and effort you put in to configure for perfect sound quality. It beats down other conventional counterparts, thanks to its 3-year durability.
And once you break in these subwoofers on time, it delivers deep and crisp sounds. Consider this best 8-inch subwoofer as an unbeatable modification to your speaker system.
The well-built, sealed enclosure makes the sound quality jump to higher grounds. Plus, it leaves you with a thumping and vibrating-sort of sound quality we all know you love so much.
Buying this subwoofer is an excellent way to save money while getting amazing sound quality. On the other hand, this subwoofer isn’t ideal for higher-grade speaker systems. It’s not as powerful and efficient for high-end use.
A compact subwoofer with good sound quality.
One of the most affordable subs to buy.
Not ideal for high-end use.
3. PIONEER TS-SWX2002 PRE-LOADED ENCLOSURE – BEST VEHICLE SUBWOOFERS TO BUY
The great combo for comforting vehicles where standard sound systems fail. It’s a modern-made, custom-fit 8-inch subwoofer with the kind of bass performance you’ll love and a nice box. The Pioneer TS-SWX2002 Pre-Loaded Enclosure can sit in tight spaces or open air installments and still effect.
More on that, it’s the most capable and best 8-inch subwoofer to buy right away. The mica-injected molded resin cone is impressive as well. It produces sound so crisp and right out of the box that you’d be amazed at its precision.
The dual voice coils offer great sensitivity and impedance like none other. Perfect for tight spaces and small sealed enclosures.
We recommend this subwoofer to systems that demand shallow and deep sound quality. Its low profile design and pleasant components make all the difference.
The aluminum cone is very durable and effective.
The 2 ohms dual voice coil adds more depth.
Not very loud.
4. POLK AUDIO DB840 – THE MOST DURABLE AND ACCURATE SUBWOOFER TO BUY
Here we speak about the most durable subwoofer we’ve met so far. It’s the Polk Audio db840. Its components combine bigger sound, deeper bass, and superior durability. The marine dual coil subwoofer speaker and high-frequency response is impressive.
It boasts of 30 to 200 Hz frequency response with a power handling peak of 360 watts. This 8-inch subwoofer covers packs a durable bunch to withstand hard times. That said, it offers linear motion coupled with thermal stability. If you want low or no distortion and superior cone sturdiness, this is the subwoofer to get.
With the triple-venting build, there’s more to this subwoofer than you’d think. Last, but not the least, the sound suspension and analyzer are enhanced to the bit to bring you more crisp sounds.
Be that as it may, this durable subwoofer lacks heavy bass quality. It still does a good job delivering deep and tight tunes. But if the heavy bass quality is what you’re looking for, this one isn’t your perfect fit.
Its high-grade materials are long-lasting.
Offers perfect sounds as a marine outdoor subwoofer.
It fails to deliver heavy bass sounds.
Not suitable for open air installations.
5. ROCKFORD FOSGATE P32D2 – BEST ALL-PURPOSE 8-INCH SUBWOOFERS
The Rockford Fosgate P32D2 offers a bit more power than you’re used to. It works with factory-installed systems. Perfect for taking on road trips when you want to feel connected to music more than ever before.
It packs excellent sound quality and bass in a compact body. And after you’ve tweaked it back to your taste, it’s unbeatable for the much better sound quality.
Having said that, we liked the subwoofer for its size and quality. It offers deeper bass output, the kind you’d love even at a moderate volume. It works well as a custom enclosure subwoofer for your vehicle. So modifying the speaker system with this subwoofer isn’t a trouble at all.
To sum it up, the Rockford Fosgate P32D2 is great for listening to really loud volumes. However, it’s not durable enough to sustain really loud volumes for long periods of time. So you can take it down a notch in intervals to maintain its superb quality.
It offers incredible bass quality.
Works well with factory-installed systems.
Not meant for free air installations.
Durability is weak.
6. LANZAR MAXP84 MAX PRO – BEST 8-INCH SUBWOOFER FOR VERSATILE SOUND SYSTEMS
Offering great sound quality, the Lanzar MAXP84 Max is perfect for clutter-free tuning. It offers good bass quality too for the budget. So if you cannot live without subwoofers installed either in your ride or a home system, go with this.
It’s true that nobody has the sort of time to install custom-made subwoofers nowadays, right? And because there are good-enough subwoofers on the market, it’s no longer an option!
Having said that, this subwoofer might be a step back for those who have used high-grade models. But it’s not a disappointment at the same time. It suits your lifestyle if the deep bass and tuned low frequencies is what you’re after.
That means you buy superior performance without breaking the bank. It pushes 800 watts power handling in a heavy-duty steel basket.
The aluminum coil is as durable as the rubber magnet boot. Both of these features keep the subwoofer thumping to the most extreme, but safe levels.
Be that as it may, we did find a minor flaw in the design. The Lanzar’s speaker construction is acceptable compared to its other impressive features.
It offers excellent bass quality for the price.
The sound reproduction quality is accurate.
The speakers aren’t very durable.
7. PLANET AUDIO AC8D ANARCHY – BEST SUBWOOFER WITH GOOD SOUND QUALITY
The Planet Audio AC8D Anarchy is a high-quality subwoofer. It even works great with factory-installed sound systems. That said, you wouldn’t have to buy separate speakers to pair them up with this powerful subwoofer.
It blends perfectly well with whichever sound system you have. So no modifying the factory box any longer. Moving forward, it features a max 1200 watt power handling peak. The voice coil, sensitivity, and impedance are all worth looking forward to.
The best part about this 8-inch subwoofer is that it’s meant to work well with ported or sealed enclosures. So if you want superior sound and bass quality while maintaining volume, this is the one to go for.
Other features are a custom trim ring, foam surround sound, and open-air mount capability. But the only drawback to this subwoofer is they lack the kind of power you would want from Planet Audio models.
It works well with factory-installed sound systems.
The sound output is impressive.
Not as powerful as you would expect.
8-INCH SUBWOOFER BUYER’S GUIDE
IMPORTANT FEATURES TO CONSIDER
So you want a great bass system for your car? Before deciding what you want to buy, don’t you think this guide will help you?
You can compare features and other specifications of subs and then make the final choice. Sounds good to us, what about you?
- Power Ratings
Given a subwoofer’s power handling performance, managing bass settings can be possible. If you want a very powerful subwoofer, you need to focus more on its RMS than peak power ratings.
And why do you think that is? Because RMS ratings handle and measure the continuity of sound output. Taking RMS power ratings into consideration is useful than measuring peak power ratings.
- Sensitivity
To get to high output, measuring sensitivity is as important as power ratings. With either one, the other ceases to exist. That said, if you buy a subwoofer with high sensitivity needs less juice to produce higher output. And a subwoofer with low sensitivity needs more juice to produce the same amount of sound.
- Frequency Range
The next big skill of subwoofers is frequency range. This helps you determine how low a sound your subwoofer can produce. But the frequency range of a subwoofer depends on many other factors. One of them includes the design and durability of a subwoofer. (Top 10 loudest subwoofers and speakers in the world)
SETTING UP A SUBWOOFER
BOSS Audio CX8 400 Watt, 8 Inch, Single 4 Ohm Voice Coil Car Subwoofer
If you know a thing or two about subwoofers, you’d know that by buying one, you don’t get that perfect bass. Given its performance potential, placement and connectivity are essential. That’s what we’re going to discuss a bit about below.
STEP 1 – PROPER PLACEMENT
It’s worth making an effort to get your subwoofer’s bass correct. It’s not enough to install your subwoofer wherever seems convenient. A little more tweaking makes the experience more productive.
Buying 8-inch subwoofers means you’re buying practical ones. You would have to make your speakers and sub work together to get the perfect sound.
Based on research, we found that larger subwoofers don’t demand as much tuning as small ones. This means you’re running with the big guns here!
The trick is to ensure the bass doesn’t sound gloomy and distorted. So for testing purposes, you can place your subwoofer as close to your speakers as possible. As you will see, the improved location will do wonders to improve sound quality and depth.
STEP 2 – CONNECTIVITY
The last and most important step is fine-tuning your subwoofer for paramount performance. Once you buy a sub, maintaining hard-hitting sounds and sound linearity is important. You want something with a durable polypropylene design. Plus, you want something that offers heat dissipation, but without the breakdown of components.
Using connectors for hooking up the sub to the rest of the sound equipment can seem intimidating. Especially for novices.
But let us tell you that using connectors is one of the simplest and fastest ways to install subs.
- The first thing to do is fine-tune your speaker level. Any cracking or flapping sound can ruin your sub’s sound quality. For that, you have to set your amp small and increase the receiver’s volume. This is to test the sound limit until it stops playing distortion-free music.
Once you’ve found your volume limit, do the same with your amp gain. Once you’ve got both down to comfortable levels, it’s time to flatten the signal.
That’s when you either have to alter the subwoofer level down to zero or receiver’s bass control down to “flat.” And if you have a crossover, which is considered a low-pass filter in most systems, turn it off.
- When that’s said and done, start playing music. But only through the receiver. Keep increasing amp gain until the subwoofer is much louder than speakers. All this without distortion.
- Next, continue listening to the sounds while adjusting the subwoofer’s low-pass filter settings. Reduce the frequency until all high-frequency sounds fade away. This is to fine-tune your sub’s low-pass filter to do what it’s supposed to. And that is to maintain optimal tone control.
- The final step is to blend your speakers’ and sub’s frequencies together for the last draw. Begin by increasing the receiver’s volume to its highest, distortion-free limit. Then switch back to the sub’s amp gain and increase that too. That should do most of the trick. Congratulations, you’re an audiophile!
THAT’S A WRAP!
MY CHOICE: PYLE PLPW8D SUBWOOFER
This guide will be the most helpful for most you. That is if you’re looking to add a powerful bass system to your already established sound system. Buying subwoofers is the best value for the money. And that’s because they’re so versatile and durable.
Having said that, if you quickly want to know what to get, we recommend the Pyle PLPW8D. Nothing beats down the price and performance of this subwoofer. So make the most of your time and energy with these perfect 8-inch subwoofers. This way, you could test out great picks and work your way towards becoming an audiophile.
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