Best Subwoofers Under $500 For 2024

Subwoofers are essential to low-frequency reproduction. The best subwoofers add accurate and impactful bass. It doesn’t come cheap though. We’re breaking down the best subwoofers under $500 with a focus on specific needs and overall value. Below you’ll find a summary of our top picks for those in a rush. That’s followed up by a complete breakdown with analysis and more options.

Top Subs Under $500: Summary

Best Subwoofers Under $500

Best Subwoofer Overall

It’s no surprise the SVS PB-1000 powered subwoofer tops our list. SVS is a well-known subwoofer manufacturer than SVS and the SVS PB-1000 is one of their best offerings. While it’s a 10-inch subwoofer, it punches way above its weight class. That’s no exaggeration. This ported subwoofer carries a frequency response of 19-270 Hz. Larger and more powerful subwoofers fail to reach Sub 20Hz frequencies. The SVS PB-1000 has exceptional low-frequency extension and output. Its 720 peak watts of power output allow for room-filling sound and deep, impactful bass.

With the SVS PB-1000, you’ll have the rumbling, deep bass response needed for an immersive home theater surround sound system. It also has accurate sound quality and dynamic bass response great for music or a 2.1 audio system. There is a front-firing port on the SVS PB-1000 that adds flexibility for subwoofer placement too. Connectivity options are also extensive with stereo RCA inputs, LFE, and speaker level 5-way binding posts available. On the rear panel, you’ll find auto standby and phase control switches along with dials for volume and a low pass filter.

The SVS PB-1000 is a powerful subwoofer fit for whatever type of sound system you want. It’s the best subwoofer under $500 with accurate and impactful low bass frequencies. You can set it and forget it with the SVS PB-1000. Don’t overthink it.

Best Home Theater Subwoofer

Larger rooms require larger subwoofers to achieve room-filling sound. The Polk HTS 12 is our pick for the best subwoofer under $500 if you want the extra size. This 12″ powered subwoofer from Polk Audio provides thunderous low-frequency performance to sound systems. With a ported enclosure and power output of 400 Watts (peak), it’s no surprise it’s a popular home theater subwoofer. The Polk HTS 12 can achieve impressive maximum volume, powerful sound, and punchy bass. It accomplishes all this while maintaining accurate bass that doesn’t long control and becomes boomy and distorted. Its sound quality is great for music and watching movies.

With the Polk HTS 12, you’re also getting a great modern design also. The black walnut finish and curved edges make an attractive design that will blend amazingly in your home theater. This includes Polk Audio’s patented power port. That’s a floor-firing port that is designed to cut down on unwanted distortion and port noise. A floor-firing port also allows more placement flexibility. The Polk HTS 12’s design and build quality might be its best qualities. This adds peace of mind you can avoid common subwoofer issues. A ton of boxes are checked with the Polk HTS 12. One area for improvement would be this subwoofer’s frequency response of 28 – 120Hz (-3dB). While it’s not ideal, it’s also hard for powered subwoofers under $500 to check every box. You would still be hard-pressed to find better sound quality at a similar price point.

Subwoofer controls can be found on the HTS 12’s rear panel. That includes Phase Control and a switch for Auto On or DC control. This is another great convenience for home theater enthusiasts. DC control will allow you to power on your Sub and all your other equipment with a 12V trigger. Dials for volume and adjustable crossover are also available. Users can easily connect the subwoofer with stereo RCA inputs or LFE. As usual, LFE will disable the low pass crossover on the subwoofer. While it’s good for music listening, the Polk HTS 12 fits best in a surround sound system home theater. It’s not only our pick for a 12″ subwoofer under $500. It might be the best home theater subwoofer under $500.

Best Compact Subwoofer

Their signature copper-spun woofer might be the first thing you notice on the Klipsch R-120SW 12-in subwoofer. You might miss that it’s 31 pounds, which makes it a very compact subwoofer considering its woofer size. Despite its smaller weight, it manages to reach 400 peak watts making it an option for a larger home theater system. This is a subwoofer that can definitely hit hard for those seeking some rumble in its low frequencies. It, unfortunately, can’t reach as low with a frequency response of 29 to 120 Hz. This will likely be enough for some, but if you don’t want to miss out on the lowest of bass frequencies, look elsewhere.

What the Klipsch R-120SW can do is pump out hard-hitting thumping bass thanks to its all digital amplifier. Its ability to do this at its weight is its best feature. The Klipsch R-120SW has a ported enclosure. You can find that port on the rear panel along with a phase switch, gain knob, and a variable low pass filter. The Klipsch is a good 12″ sub that can improve sound quality in your audio setup with forceful bass. It can also do this with a smaller size and price tag than most subs. The Klipsch R-120SW is one of the best subwoofers under $500 if you want a compact 12″ subwoofer with thudding bass frequencies.

Best Digital Subwoofer Control

Those in search of premium 10″ subwoofers under $500 should also give the ELAC SUB3010 a look. With the 400-watt BASH amplifier, you can get pumping bass for music and watching movies. The SUB3010 can add booming bass that also maintains its depth without sounding sloppy. It’s the type of accurate reproduction and dynamic bass that can deliver for all types of audio systems. It also comes in a refined black ash finish and a design that’s appealing as far as subwoofers go. While the SUB3010 excels in the audio quality department, its frequency response range (28 Hz – 150 Hz) could be higher.

Truthfully, its app support features are where the ELAC SUB3010 really excels. ELAC’s SUB Control 2.0 app connects with the SUB3030 with Bluetooth. This digital control system allows users to forgo the usual manual dials. Many of the usual subwoofer controls can be adjusted from your smartphone. That includes volume/gain and the low pass crossover filter. The downside is if you do have issues with the app, you’ll be without controls temporarily. There is also the innovative Auto EQ function that can customize the sound based on your environment. The companion app really makes the ELAC SUB3010 stand out as one of the best subwoofers for those who value digital control. Luckily, it’s also a ported subwoofer with power and high-quality bass control.

Honorable Mention

There’s a lot to like about the 10-inch HTS 10 subwoofer. We’ll start with the design. While a plain black box is typical for a subwoofer, the Polk HTS is attractive with or without the included cover. The black walnut finish and arched edges on this 10-inch powered sub highlight a refined, modern design. While not the lightest and most compact subwoofer at 37 pounds, it’s actual footprint is relatively small. How does the HTS 10 perform? You can find our prior thoughts about the impressive low-frequency reproduction and clean sound quality in our review of the Polk HTS 10. It excels at limiting port noise and distortion with its patented power port. The result is a quality subwoofer with a sleek appearance, clear sound quality, and smooth bass.

The Polk HTS 10 ported subwoofer’s frequency response is solid at 25 to 180 Hz. Its 200 Watts of peak power can also provide some rumble when playing bass frequencies. Those searching for the most impactful bass should look elsewhere though. Stereo RCE and LFE connections are available in addition to a variable crossover filter (40 Hz – 160 Hz). The Polk Audio HTS 10 is one of the best subwoofers if you simply want a modern, attractive design and clean bass.

In Conclusion: Subwoofers Under $500

As you can see, several good options exist despite the tricky price point. The best subwoofers under $500 still carry great features and functionality. Unfortunately, many of these mid-range subwoofers require you to make decisions about what features you prioritize. There are options available whether you’re looking for accurate low frequencies, deep bass, frequency response, or loud and thumping bass. The best subwoofers at this price point can check a few of those boxes.