The Best 8-Inch Subwoofers In 2023

Top 5 Best 8-Inch Subwoofers 2023:

1. Pioneer TS-SWX2002 Subwoofer
2. American Bass 8” Competition Woofer
3. CT Sounds Meso Subwoofer
4. Planet Audio AC8D Subwoofer
5. Skar Audio VVX-8v3 Subwoofer

Some people don’t like it when you bump loud bass from your car.

What a bunch of schmucks!

If blasting bassy music on the road is a douche move, then we say, “Be the douche!” 

We’re glad that you feel the same way, friend. 

Now, let’s get you a nice subwoofer that’ll put a smile on your face, and let everyone know who’s got the baddest wattage in town.

Today, we’ll be showing you some of the best 8-inch subwoofers on the current market. These babies will give you the sonic thickness you’ve been longing for, without leaving you penniless.

If you like what you’ve read so far, don’t stop! Keep going!

Related: The Best 10-Inch Subwoofers; The Best 12-Inch Subwoofers

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5 Best 8-Inch Subwoofers In 2023: Detailed Reviews

After long hours spent searching the sonic universe, we (think) that we finally did it. 

We found the top five 8-inch subwoofers on the market, and we stand by this statement until proven wrong!

The following list is the fruit of our research, so please read it as carefully as we put it together. Let’s get you that subwoofer!

1. Pioneer TS-SWX2002 Subwoofer

Audiophile or no, we’re sure that you’ve heard about Pioneer. This company is one of the most prominent players in the game, and they just happen to make some of the meanest small woofers in the world! 

We’re, of course, referring to the TS-SWX2002, whose meanness can be felt by just looking at it. 

The woofer comes in a sealed box with dimensions of 8.4 x 14.7 x 12.6 inches, and it is what’s called a shallow-mount speaker. The carpeted exterior gives it a neat look and prevents the woofer from slipping.

When it comes to power, this model packs an RMS of 150 Watts and a 600 Watt peak. It’s not the most powerful subwoofer in the world, but it doesn’t disappoint either.

TS-SWX2002 makes up for its lack of power with an amazing, clear sound. It gets the audio quality from the fully-sealed enclosure as well as the MICA resin membrane. On top of this, it has an excellent frequency response (20 Hz to 250 Hz) that produces a nice deep bass.

The sensitivity is somewhat of a turn-off, as it is much lower than what you’d normally expect from a brand like Pioneer.

Another aspect of this product that wins us over is the price. This subwoofer is sold for a very reasonable amount, and its cost perfectly suits the quality that you’ll get.

2. American Bass 8” Competition Woofer

Who says small cars can’t bump a big bass? American Bass 8-inch woofer will fit into the tiniest of vehicles, and provide you with the low end that you want. 

Bigger isn’t always better, right?

Speaking of size, the dimensions of the speaker amount to 10 x 10 x 7.5 inches, and its weight is 15 pounds (without enclosure). As you can see, it might be compact, but it isn’t so light, and this may be a problem for some people.

Now, the selling point of American Bass is definitely the power. With a 400 Watt RMS and an 800 Watt peak, this baby will most definitely bring the noise. You won’t believe just how loud this little thing can get.

In case you’re after that deep, swampy bass, then this model may disappoint you. It doesn’t go below 30 Hz and doesn’t play even the frequencies between 30 and 40 Hz very clearly. 

All in all, you can say that this subwoofer is like a short buff guy with a lot of strength but little refinement. If you want to purchase it, you won’t have to break the bank, as it is sold for a fair price.

3. CT Sounds Meso Subwoofer

Everyone seems to be talking about this product lately, and people praise its durability and sound quality. But, is CT Sounds Meso that good? 

Similar to the previous woofer, CT Sounds Meso packs a mean sonic punch in a small package. The size of this speaker amounts to 11 x 11 x 11 inches, which makes it slightly bigger than American Bass, but it’s still pretty compact.

Also, the product weighs 24 pounds without enclosure (which is bought separately), so it isn’t lightweight.

The thing that makes this subwoofer so popular is its power, namely 800 Watts RMS and 1600 peak! Trust us; you don’t have to worry about it not being loud enough. As a matter of fact, it can get unpleasantly loud if you want it to!

Of course, it’s not all about power; sound quality is important too. What bedazzled us about this one is the clarity of sound and lack of distortion even at high volumes.

Everything about Meso seems perfect, right?

Well, as always, there is a catch (or two). 

The woofer is very expensive, and it costs almost two times more than some of the other leading models. Besides, there have been reports of overheating and breakdowns when played at high, not max, volumes for a long time.

4. Planet Audio AC8D Subwoofer

Like with most products, price and quality are inextricably linked when it comes to subwoofers. However, there are always those shining examples that stand out from their price range with exceptional quality. Planet Audio’s AC8D is one such product.

Let’s start with the size. AC8D is a small subwoofer with dimensions of just 9 x 9 x 4.5 inches. This is perfect for folks who want to fit two, say, two woofers in their car, and they’ll fit a vehicle of any size.

Another great thing about this model is how flexible it is. First, it lets you choose the enclosure, so you can go for both sealed or ported. Second, it has dual voice coils, which allows you to connect other components to it and customize your sound system. 

Be aware that the enclosure you choose will affect the overall sound quality. More on that later in the article.

The part where AC8D disappoints is the power. The numbers written in the description are false, and this will be clear as day when you turn up the volume. Not that the speaker’s quiet, it’s just that it’s not as loud as advertised. 

Also, do not use it with a very powerful amp as it might fry it up!

5. Skar Audio VVX-8v3 Subwoofer

The final item on our list comes from Skar Audio, and it is a solid choice for someone looking for a mid-priced model with a solid track record. You can read all about it in the following paragraphs.

With the dimensions of 9.2 x 9.2 x 8 inches, the VVX-8v3 is a relatively small speaker. It contains a paper cone, an excellent cooling system, as well as a custom basket. As for the enclosure, the company lets you choose that on your own.

The frequency response isn’t spectacular as it ranges from 55 Hz to 500 Hz. However, don’t be quick to judge before you hear it; it actually plays a throbbing and precise low end. Audiophiles will probably notice the lack of low frequencies, but an average Joe won’t.

The woofer packs 400 Watts of RMS and has a peak of 800 Watts. This kind of power is more than enough for a car, but hey, we leave the final word to you.

Like we mentioned earlier, the VVX-8v3 falls into the middle price range, and it’s features and performance suit the cost.

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What Is An 8-Inch Subwoofer?

As you know, a subwoofer is a speaker made for playing low-end frequencies, better known as bass. The 8 inches refer to the size of its cone, and this feature is vital for several reasons. 

1. First, the bigger the cone, the better (lower) the bass reproduction, so an 8-inch woofer will sound better than a 6.5 inch one. 
2. Second, the membrane size influences the overall size of the woofer, and 8 inches is a perfect dimension for cars.

Read More:

• The Best Powered Speakers
• The Best Speakers For Vinyl
• The Best Bass Speakers
• The Best Speakers For Turntable
• The Best 4×6 Speakers

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What To Know When Buying An 8-Inch Subwoofer?

Going to the store and picking up a random 8-inch subwoofer wouldn’t be a smart move. 

Understand that there’s a lot of variation among these products in terms of performance and some other key features. Our point is, don’t buy anything before learning the essentials of subwoofers. 

Now, if only there were someone who could teach you about this, promptly and effectively. 

Yes, you guessed it; we’re going to do just that! 

In the following sections, you can read about all the factors that you need to consider before purchasing an 8-inch subwoofer.

1. Size

You must be thinking, “I already know the size. It’s 8 inches”. 

Well, not exactly. The membrane has an 8-inch diameter, but there’s more material around the membrane, which makes the overall size of the subwoofer.

Checking the size is crucial because you need to know whether the speaker will fit wherever you want it to fit. Dimensions of different 8-inch woofers vary by several inches, so be sure to look into this before making the purchase.

Remember, jamming a large model into a hole too small for it is never a good idea.

2. Frequency Range

Frequency range is a fancy way of saying how deep or how high the woofer can go in terms of sound. From this, we use simple logic to conclude that the wider the frequency range, the better the speaker.

When it comes to subwoofers, you want to pay special attention to the low end, or the smaller number in this feature. For example, a high-quality subwoofer will have a range that starts at 20 Hz or 30 Hz, where the smaller number indicates a deeper sound.

So yes, go low, friends. Go low.

3. Dual Or Single Voice Coils

We don’t want to get into the technology behind coils, so we’re going to tell you only what you really need to know.

Single voice coil subwoofers are a good solution if you want to upgrade your audio system. They offer a quick, simple, and effective way to get more bass out of what you already have.

Dual voice coils are more open-ended, meaning that they’ll give you the ability to customize your system and connect it to other audio outputs later on (if you want). In other words, they are the audiophile’s go-to speaker. 

4. Power

There ain’t no thumpin’ bass without power, kid. We don’t need to explain to you what power is, or what it does, but there are two distinct aspects here that you must understand.

1. The first one is the so-called, RMS power which refers to how much power a speaker can take continuously.
2. The second aspect is peak power, and it tells us about the upper limit of the wattage that a woofer can reproduce. A speaker can handle this kind of power only in short bursts and in no way continuously, as this would lead to overheating and failure.

To sum up, when looking for the practical, continuous power of the speaker, always check the RMS.

5. Enclosure

The enclosure of the subwoofer has a significant impact on the volume that it’s able to produce. There are two main types of enclosure, sealed and ported, so let’s see what’s the difference between them.

• Sealed enclosure, as you can get from the name, does not include any openings. This results in a deep, throbbing bass, but at the cost of volume.
• Ported speakers have one or more openings that promote airflow. This free airflow makes the speaker louder than its sealed counterpart, but it takes away some of the clarity of sound.

6. Sensitivity

• A speaker’s sensitivity is closely tied to its power. Basically, more sensitivity means that the woofer can produce more volume with less power. This factor tells us how efficient the speaker is in converting electrical signals to sound.
• What does all of this mean in practical terms?
• It means that you should look at the sensitivity rating right after you check the RMS and peak power when considering a subwoofer. A bit more sensitivity is always better than a bit more power.

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Conclusion

So, dear bassheads, it’s time to wrap this article up slowly. We would now like to present you with our top three products!

Pioneer TS-SWX2002 is the one that we liked the most. This subwoofer has everything that you’d want out of an 8” – amazing frequency range, impeccable sound quality, and a reasonable price.

American Bass is the runner-up, and although it is an excellent speaker in almost every aspect, it lacks the very low-end frequencies.

CT Sounds Meso is the most powerful model on the list. If you’re looking for a beast of a woofer, then this may be the perfect choice.

All in all, we leave the final decision up to you. The truth is, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the above-mentioned subwoofers, so don’t stress too much when making a pick.