Best Subwoofers 2025 article

[Deliriumbassist]

These are the 3 best subwoofers reviewed and rated by our experts

Add some low-end punch with a dedicated sub

www.whathifi.com

I find it extremely odd how, in 2025, WHF are touting the B&W ASW610 and Q Acoustics QB12 as two of the three 'best subs' in 2025. The ASW610 was first reviewed in 2008, the QB12 in 2019.

And then to have a whole category 'Best for Sonos'? Looks like Sonos marketing dollars have done their job.

 

[jjbomber]

And then to have a whole category 'Best for Sonos'? Looks like Sonos marketing dollars have done their job.

(Accusation of payola deleted - this is against forum rules - if you have evidence, please feel free to provide it.)

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Spendor A7 were first reviewed in 2018, yet still pick of the crop.

 

[Al ears]

Spendor A7 were first reviewed in 2018, yet still pick of the crop.

And why not if they consider nothing in their price bracket has come along to beat them.?

 

[giggsy1977]

Be nice to see more reviews of subs. Been a lot released since some of these were reviewed!

 

[Al ears]

Be nice to see more reviews of subs. Been a lot released since some of these were reviewed!

Plenty online, personally I have never considered these devices to be a requirement in a Hifi set-up.

 

[daytona600]

Can any of these hit 20hz or lower to be a Subwoofer
for EDM , Dub , Organ ( Very big Pipe organs can hit 8hz )

A 20Hz tone must be 60dB louder than a 1,000Hz tone to be perceived at the same volume

AV / Home Cinema 4z-20hz Explosions , Rumbles

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

And why not if they consider nothing in their price bracket has come along to beat them.?

Exactly - which could be said of the WHF selected subs that are long in the tooth. I think we are saying the same thing, in direct and indirect ways.

 

[davidf]

There's way better subs out there, but WHF doesn't usually like to venture too far north of £1000 if it can help it. And all available at the usual retail links, of course.

 

[davidf]

Can any of these hit 20hz or lower to be a Subwoofer
for EDM , Dub , Organ ( Very big Pipe organs can hit 8hz )

A 20Hz tone must be 60dB louder than a 1,000Hz tone to be perceived at the same volume

AV / Home Cinema 4z-20hz Explosions , Rumbles

View attachment 9774

Proper infrasonics!

 

[giggsy1977]

Plenty online, personally I have never considered these devices to be a requirement in a Hifi set-up.

I agree, not really a hifi setup addition, but lots of home cinema equipment has been tested so be nice to see updated sub reviews to go with those 🙂

 

[Jasonovich]

WHF reviewers if they stray too far and got adventurous, they might get nose bleed.
Morpheus gave Neo the blue pill, WHF are still dreaming in their pods. The software hasn't been updated since 2019, hence the subwoofer reviews are akin to Groundhog day 😁

 

[spl84]

I agree, not really a hifi setup addition, but lots of home cinema equipment has been tested so be nice to see updated sub reviews to go with those 🙂

Why is that? I'm considering a powered sub because, while my speakers sound great, they just don't provide the low end that I desire. After upgrading my integrated they have more bass response but nowhere near what I'm after...

 

[Al ears]

Why is that? I'm considering a powered sub because, while my speakers sound great, they just don't provide the low end that I desire. After upgrading my integrated they have more bass response but nowhere near what I'm after...

Possibly because you got the wrong speakers for you room on the first instance?

 

[Shrek]

I like my bass with certain music thats why i got one we all have diffrent taste and ears listen to music how it makes you happy .

 

[spl84]

Possibly because you got the wrong speakers for you room on the first instance?

Maybe... but I had to get what I could afford... I mean I would love to have some Focal Utopias or something with a better bass driver built in but most of them were out of my budget range so I settled on the Arias.

 

[giggsy1977]

Why is that? I'm considering a powered sub because, while my speakers sound great, they just don't provide the low end that I desire. After upgrading my integrated they have more bass response but nowhere near what I'm after...

Perhaps I should have phrased it better @spl84, my bad.

What I meant was that what hifi was originally a hifi oriented magazine and subwoofers tend to be less common in hifi setups as opposed to home cinema setups.

Given the wide array of products that they are in touch with, and the likely popularity of people with subs in their setup on sites such as this and others, I would have expected them to review more subs.

With regard to a sub in a hifi setup, if you like your deep bass as part of your system, fair play to you. I like bass myself and have a PB-3000 on home cinema duties.

There are a lot of people who would balk at having a sub in a hifi setup, but we all like different sounds. I was perhaps one of them a while back, but I think a well integrated sub in a hifi system can work very well

 

[Al ears]

Maybe... but I had to get what I could afford... I mean I would love to have some Focal Utopias or something with a better bass driver built in but most of them were out of my budget range so I settled on the Arias.

I understand that but if you add a decent subwoofer to the price of the standmounts you could get better standmounts however if you mean you bought them because of budget at that time and now have a decent budget for a subwoofer perhaps that's a different prospect.