Cheapie SubWoofers - A Review

[SteveAndBelle]

After reviewing a couple of different Under Seat SubWoofers for the forum (see http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28694) I thought I'd also review a few cheapie (under $300) boxed subs while I was at it. I have a couple of friends who just bought new cars and like me don't want to replace the head unit just yet and only want a bit more ooomph in the bottom end.

The Fusion Under Seat Sub I reviewed was so impressive I bought two to install under the front seats of my 2010 Levin ZR (when it arrives) however these only do what I wanted and only accurately 'enhance' the low end but can add a touch of 'doof' to certain tracks too. They're very good but will not blow your head off. Perfect for me as also I didn't want anything clogging up the boot space however for those who don't care about adding a neat box to their boot then for around the same money you can't go wrong with a traditional boxed sub & amp.

These are some of the cheapest decent looking boxed subs available and although they obviously wont even come close to the 'top' brands for power & SQ I feel they will be more than ample for those of us who just want a cheap solution to enhancing the stock audio systems in our cars. I've installed them all into my current car and have made a small switch box allowing me to A-B compare them to each other from the drivers seat. I've purposely only used speaker level inputs as this is the lowest common denominator and probably the most popular way subs of this calibre would be connected to a stock head unit. After spending a couple of hours tuning them up then taking them all for a few decent test drive auditions here's what I found...

1st Test Subject:

Response 12" Active Car Subwoofer (CS-2271)

Jaycar - $199.00

Features:

- Solidly built MDF Ported Enclosure (520x365x350mm)

- 12" Polycone Woofer (4ohm)

- T-Nuts & Metal threads to anchor Woofer

- Monoblock 120WRMS 4ohm Amplifier

- 20A Socketed Fuse

- Screw-down Terminals for Speaker Level Inputs

- Large Screw-down Terminals for Power Input

- RCA Sockets for Line Level Input

- 40-200Hz Low Pass Filter

- Gain Control

- +6/+12db Bass Boost Switch

- Phase Shift Selector

Pros:

- Affordable

- Compact Size

- Not too heavy

- Built-In Amp

- Line & Speaker Level Inputs

- Strong Steel Cone Protection Bars

- Rich & Punchy Low Freqs

- Structurally Solid

- Unique silver 'funnel' Cone

Cons:

- External Finish wasn't perfect

- Power Inputs could be 8GA type, not just screw-down

- Can't be driven as hard as other 12" boxed Subs (inc. 12" Fusion below)

- Doesn't come with any cables

Details:

Opening the box of this Jaycar Response Sub revealed just that, a simple boxed sub with built-in amp plus a very basic manual for the amp module and a cruddy little kit of parts to anchor it to the car. Now I'm all for keeping it simple (stupid) but this just seemed a little too simple, even by Jaycars standards. Still, the proof is in the pudding so I kept on going. The external finish is a nice change from the typical black carpet. It's a textured black plastic/vinyl kinda stuff and is quite tough so shouldn't show any marks if beaten up in the back of your car. Although the plastic itself was good it could've been finished off better and the pattern wasn't as consistent as it could be either. All in all is wasn't bad, it just could've been a bit better that's all.

Installing into the car was a breeze thanks to its neat & tidy finish and nice compact size. It's relatively lightweight too so it can easily be handled by even the weakest IT dork (like me). Connecting it up was easy thanks to the nice screw-down terminals for both the power inputs and the speaker level inputs although they would've been even better if they could handle 8GA cable as per most other amps. Seconds later it was up and running and sounding very nice even with my initial 'guesswork' adjustments of the crossover & level controls.

On the test drive this Sub performed really well. It displayed good handling of smooth low notes found in electronic dance type music but could also handle a pounding when reproducing a sharp clicky kick drum in oldskool rock and in some jazz tracks. Turning up the wick to mid-high levels didn't phase this little beast and it just kept on kicking along really well. Cranking the crap out of the stock 6-speaker system and lifting the bass up the sub just started to sound a bit stressed... nothing bad, just working hard but you've gotta understand that the SPLs were quite high and the stock head unit & speakers were struggling far more than the sub anyway. You'd never want to listen this loud for long anyway (nor should you ;)).

Summary & Score:

After the dismal performance of the Response 'Under Seat Subs' I reviewed previously this was a very pleasant surprise. Advertised as 200WRMS (must be the speaker rating) but with an actual amp output of only 120WRMS it can reproduce accurate low frequencies and is capable of punchy tight notes even at high SPLs. Apart from the few flaws in the external finish it looks quite nice with its funnelled silver cone and solid chrome protection bars. Compact & easy enough to lug around it suits a hatchback really well. This is the perfect addition to any stock or entry-level/budget audio system and cost next to nix... especially if you have a Jaycar Trade Card and buy two of them ($158.95 each, yay). Convenient all-in-one package with a great sound at a great price I give this sub an overall score of 8/10.

Photos:

2nd Test Subject:

Fusion Encounter 10" Active Tube Enclosure (EN-AT1100)

Wow Sight & Sound - $199.00

Features:

- High Density Cardboard Tube Ported Enclosure (550x306x306mm)

- 10" Polycone Woofer (4ohm)

- Monoblock 120-150WRMS (approx) 4ohm Amplifier

- 15A Socketed Fuse

- Multi-pin Plug for Power & Speaker Level Inputs

- RCA Sockets for Line Level Input

- Remote Level Control

- 40-250Hz Low Pass Filter

- Gain Control

- 6-18db Bass Boost Control

Pros:

- Affordable

- Very Compact Size

- Easily Manoeuvreable

- Built-In Amp

- Line & Speaker Level Inputs

- Integrated Speaker Grille

- Rich & Punchy Low Freqs

- Slick Black & Green Colour Scheme

- Decent Power & Line Level Cables Included

Cons:

- Enclosure build quality isn't the best

- Plastic End Caps & Woofer held in place with chipboard type screws (half weren't even biting into the MDF/Cardboard!)

- Power Inputs should be screw-down or 8GA type, not fiddly/messy/limiting multi-pin plug type

- Chrome grille seems to be made from a brittle type plastic and may smash easily with sharp impact

- Can't be driven as hard as 12" Subs (inc. 12" Fusion & 12" Response reviewed here)

Details:

As per all Fusion products this was boxed in an attractive, glossy & colourful outer and packed nicely inside along with a fat bag of cables, user/installation manual, anchor kit and the obligatory Fusion car sticker. Everything you need to install the sub which is always a nice touch. It's basically just a stocky little 12" dia high density cardboard tube with a nice little amp & 10" woofer screwed in. The top section of the tube acts as a port and runs nearly the full length exiting just above the amp module at the rear. Covered in smooth black carpet and embroidered with a large flouro green Fusion logo the sub has large plastic caps to finish off the ends and to provide small feet to keep from rolling around. Problem is that these plastic caps form an integral part of the construction and when the chipboard type screws are unscrewed from the front you soon realise they are all that holds the thing together, the plastic cap actually sandwiches the woofer into position... and that's it!! I didn't think much of this as I'd personally expect the speaker to be screwed in and then the cap screwed over the top separately. I thought less of it when I discovered that half the screws had stripped their threads in the MDF/Cardboard so they weren't all clamping the speaker into place as best they could anyway. Hmmm, not the best but lets take a listen.

Installation was easy because it's such a great little unit, nice small and lightweight and fits into a hatchback without taking up the whole boot space. Wiring it up was a bit of a pain even though it comes supplied with all the cables. Unlike the other subs this has multi-pin plugs & flyleads for its connections instead of nice simple direct screw-downs. This isn't too bad thanks to the supplied cables being more than adequate however it just makes tidying of the cables that bit more difficult. On the flipside it allows the user to easily disconnect/reconnect the sub if it has to be removed & reinstalled to optimise boot space when required. I normally DIY this on my subs using a very rigid yet very expensive 8-pole Speakon plug & socket but these cost about half as much as this entire sub so it's understandable why they've used smaller fiddlier plugs :)

Powering this sub up and guess-setting the adjustments gave a reasonable sound but I found I needed to increase the crossover frequency to get a nicer sound out of it which kinda tells me the woofer has a much higher resonant frequency than the others (obvious as it's a 10" vs 12"). Nevertheless it was only a small increase and after a few tweaks I got it sounding pretty good. Smooth lows & punchy tight notes but not as effortless as the 12" subs. Turning up the wick made it work harder and it actually kept up well without breaking up and distorting. It was at this point I remembered the dodgy screws but after listening as best I could I couldn't hear any air leaks or cabient rattles so maybe their designers are much smarter than me (not hard). Really cranking this sub sounded more like a 'cheapie' because you could hear it struggling. As per tests with the other subs these SPLs were crazy high for a stock system and everything else was sounding pretty bad anyway so it'd be rare you'd ever run this sub at these levels in my opinion. I assume it would run a lot better on a proper head unit with line-outs but in this test everything had to be stock.

Summary & Score:

Nice little unit, looks great and easy to handle but the construction method/quality is still a concern for me personally. Sounds very good for the size and easily out-performs two 'under seat' Fusion subs worth 2.5 times as much! If you wanted a compact, inexpensive add-on for your stock system with the added benefit of no-fuss disconnect/reconnect to remove/reinstall the sub without tools then this is would be a great option. Probably only suited for a stock system or very basic starter system though... no good for midrange systems especially when the other subs reviewed here perform better and cost about the same. Harping back to the construction methods though I'm not sure how long it would last but that may or may not be an issue anyway. Overall score for this little Fusion is 6/10.

Photos:

3rd Test Subject:

Fusion Reactor 12" Bass Pack (RE-PK1120)

Wow Sight & Sound - $279.00

Features:

- Solidly built MDF Ported Enclosure (550x400x385mm)

- 12" Polycone Woofer (4ohm)

- Separate 250WRMS (Bridged) 4ohm Amplifier (90WRMS Per Channel in Stereo Mode, 285x280x62mm)

- 40A Socketed Fuse

- Large 8GA Terminals for Power Input

- Gold Plated RCA Sockets for Line Level Input

- Gold Plated RCA Sockets for Line Level Output

- Remote Level Control

- 40-160Hz Low Pass Filter

- Gain Control

- Phase Select via Speaker Cable

Pros:

- Mid-Priced but still affordable

- Not too heavy

- Separate Powerful Amp

- True SubWoofer Capabilities

- Can be driven very hard without distortion

- Very Solidly Built Cabinet

- Slick Black & Green Colour Scheme

- Very nice 8GA Power, Fuse & Audio Cable Pack included (worth $50 alone)

- Makes the entire car Rattle :P

Cons:

- More expensive than other 'Cheapies'

- Bulkier box gobbles up lots of space in a hatch

- No Speaker Level Inputs on Amp, only Line Level

- No Speaker Protection Grille

- Separate Amp not as convenient as built-in

Details:

What's a Bass Pack I hear you ask? Well, it's a colourful cardboard box filled with a big black carpeted box containing a standard ported sub enclosure loaded with a nice 12" sub, a nice little 90WRMS Per Channel Stereo/250WRMS Bridged Amplifier, a decent wiring pack, user/installation manual and yes the good ol' Fusion car sticker. This is obviously different to the others reviewed because the amp is separate to the enclosure. This is good & bad... good because it keeps the weight of the enclosure down and allows you to install the amp somewhere else (like under a seat) and just run speaker cable to the enclosure but bad because it's not a nice neat all-in-one package. It's a case by case thing, some installs may not be able to cater for a larger, bulkier box as well as having to deal with a separate amp and if so this obviosuly isn't the way to go.

Installation for the test drive was easy because I managed to squeeze the sub into the back of the hatchback and just put the amp beside it. It's only temporary so I didn't need to go to too much trouble (nice). I just connected the amp up as I've done with the others (but had to add a high-low level converter) and then connected the amp to the enclosure with a short piece of speaker cable. Easy but still not as neat & tidy as the all-in-one units plus took up a lot more room in the boot area than the others too.

When I first powered it up with the similar guess-settings I used on the others it blew me away! This thing is soooo sensitive I had to really pull the levels right down to keep it under control and run at the levels of the others being reviewed. This 12" Fusion performed really well and was able to handle everything I threw at it without complaint... smooth calm lows, tight punchy kick drums, silly pure sinewaves of those crappy bass test CDs and the best bit was that it could handle all this really well at low, medium, high & stupid crazy high SPLs. After being completely satisfied with the normal tests I then decided to give it a bit of a run for its money and turned up the gain of the amp. OMG, this bass pack is mindblowingly good and that's just with a speaker level output from a stock head unit. Connecting this combo up to a decent head unit via RCA outputs should make it perform even better again.

Summary & Score:

Wow, what can I say. This sub crushed the competition for pure power & capabilities. From the outside the car was rattling and vibrating all over the place and from the inside it was just pure bass bliss. This would probably give even the big brands a run for their money and would suit stock systems right through to medium & maybe even high end systems... and all for under $300. Incredible. I doubt it could handle the crazy SPLs of those OTT systems but as a simple single sub for any hatchback or sedan boot this is definitely worth a look. I persoanlly still prefer a nice compact 'all-in-one' package but if you don't care, have enough space and have the room to mount the amp separately (or just screw it to the box) then I would treat this as a good standard to compare other more expensive units to. Overall score 9/10 (...and the addition of a cheap speaker grille would be a great idea to protect your investment).

Photos:

[SteveAndBelle]

BUMP

Just finished the review. Exhausting.

After giving the Fusion 12" a top score I would still personally go for the Jaycar/Response 12" unit. Why? Well, I can get them for just under $160 each with my trade card if I buy two or more plus they're a nice sized all-in-one unit making them perfect for hatchbacks. They sounded just as good as the Fusion 12" but just can't be cranked up as much at the upper extreme levels without sounding laboured. Oh, and I can add my nifty Speakon plug & socket system too making it a breeze to disconnect & reconnect at will.

For the friends I'm helping with their stock systems in their new hatchbacks the Jaycar/Response 12" Sub fits the bill perfectly.

Hope you all enjoyed my review. Thanks for reading.

[SteveAndBelle]

... and now that the sun's up I thought I'd take a shot of the subs in the car in case any of you wanted to see how much space each of them consume. The first shot is obvious. The second shot has the Jaycar/Response Sub on the flipped downseat, my small switch box and one of the two Fusion Under Seat Subs poking out from under the drivers seat (I had to drag it out so you could actually see it).

[69.NIX]

non-bias reviews are great. I like the work.

All these subs have a purpose and a target market. I found it funny reading one of the reviews and finding out that some screws are loose! What would happen if you decided to crack it?!!?!?!?! Blow out like a Tyre?

Personally, I'd go for an under seat sub if I wanted to be discrete or the response boxed unit. Fusion had a name a while back, but there is better for the same price.

[SteveAndBelle]

All these subs have a purpose and a target market. I found it funny reading one of the reviews and finding out that some screws are loose! What would happen if you decided to crack it?!!?!?!?! Blow out like a Tyre?

Personally, I'd go for an under seat sub if I wanted to be discrete or the response boxed unit. Fusion had a name a while back, but there is better for the same price.

Yeah, totally agree. These are definitely built for the low-end market but both the Fusion & Jaycar 12" Boxes were streets ahead of subs I used to build up for people in the mid-late 90's for twice as much, if not more. Technology has allowed these budget devices to get pretty darn good over the years I must admit. On the flipside you've still gotta be careful as per the Fusion 10" Tube and its build quality but in saying that the Fusion 12" box & amp were actually built pretty well for the money. Very solid and should last for many years.

There's obviosuly no comparison between the under seat subs and the boxed subs. As per the review of the little 10" Fusion Tube above it walked all over both the Fusion under seat subs and cost less than half the price and the decent Jaycar 12" costing even less again (if you have a trade card and/or buy two at a time). I'm still sticking with the under seat solution for my new Levin ZR even though they're expensive and can't perform anywhere near as well as the boxies. It's just a personal choice of hidden convenience over boot-filling performance. They're not incredible but they certainly do the trick for enhancing stock systems.

I think I did my last car system about 10 years ago which was probably just about when Fusion joined the marketplace. This is the first time I've ever really heard Fusion gear and to be honest even with the questionable build quality of the tube sub I've gotta say I'm pretty impressed with their products... especially if you're on a bit of a budget or just can't justify blowing thousands on top brand name gear. I haven't really looked around many outlets like I used to but you mention there's better for the same price. Could you mention a few names and where I might be able to find it all ? I might look into doing a comparison review later on (maybe).

[SteveAndBelle]

Well, a bit of very light research and look what I've found: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390222484881

Sure, it's just a cheap generic Sub thrown into a cheap generic enclosure paired up with a cheap generic amp and a standard pack of generic cables... but that's exactly what the Fusion was anyway. It was just badged 'Fusion' and packaged up nicely.

The beauty of this one is that it's $30 cheaper (luckily I can go pick it up form the shop) plus the box is smaller all-round (450x360x310Bx200T) making it just that little bit more attractive for the couple of friends I'm helping out. The smaller box means it should be easier to carry & get in/out of the car plus it give just that little bit extra room in the boot which is all important especially in a hatch.

Hmmm, maybe I could get this guy to give me an eval pack or at least ask for a demo in his shop. I'll ask the question anyway, can't hurt :)

If anyone else knows of any other sub-$300 cheapie solutions then please share them here and give your own eval if you can too.

[sikwitit]

you can get a kicker comp for jb hifi for 150

[SteveAndBelle]

you can get a kicker comp for jb hifi for 150

Please tell me/us where you've seen this for $150. All I can find is this for $336: http://www.jbhifi.com.au/car-sound-gps-navigation/sub-woofers/kicker/amp-sub-box-combo-sku-73622/

Steve.

[SteveAndBelle]

BUMP!

Just saw that Jaycar have reduced their Active 12" Sub (as reviewed above) to a crazy $129... but they added that stocks are limited so if you want one go and get one today.

I tried finding it on their website to put the link here but it has gone. This indicates that they're probably discontinuing it so once they're gone, they're gone !

Great little sub for $199 but incredible at $150 so for $129 they're extremely hard to beat. Refer to review above for more info.

Steve.

[bobbie]

Hi guys,

Looking for cheapie subs the one that for $199 no longer exist. What you think of these? Only $100

Economy Active 12" Subwoofer

Unbelievable value! This 12" Subwoofer in a sealed enclosure has a built-in amplifier to match. Despite its economical price the unit produces a whopping 75WRMS of astounding bass. Equipped with line level and high level inputs, it also has built-in fuse protection and wired remote level control. True bang for your buck, we are confident you will not find another boombox with all these features and performance for the asking price.

Specifications:

• Bass boost: 12dB

• Gain: 18dB

• Power output: 75WRMS

• Dimensions: 425(W) x 355(H) x 360(D)mm

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=CS2269&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1027#4

[SteveAndBelle]

Looking for cheapie subs the one that for $199 no longer exist. What you think of these? Only $100: http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=CS2269&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1027#4

Hi Bobby.

I've been tempted to buy one of these and check it out. The build quality isn't the best (you can even see flaws from the catalogue pics) but I'd say they'd sound pretty decent in a small/medium hatchback.

I assume you want to put one into your Camry boot? You don't need to go to extremes to penetrate bass through a backseat & into the cabin however you may need a bit more oomph than this little cheapie is capable of in a sedan situation. Hmmm, really not sure.

It's payday this Friday and you've now got me thinking of buying one to evaluate. I have been keen to see what they can do but didn't really want to go to all the hassle of doing a temporary install just for one Sub trial... but if there are others out there who'd appreciate it then I might be tempted ;) BTW, I can pick one of these up for $89 with my Trade Card and if we got enough people together to buy four of them then I'd be able to get them for only $78.95 each.

Hmmm, tempting. Anyone else keen to see what they're like?

Steve.

[bobbie]

Looking for cheapie subs the one that for $199 no longer exist. What you think of these? Only $100: http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=CS2269&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1027#4

Hi Bobby.

I've been tempted to buy one of these and check it out. The build quality isn't the best (you can even see flaws from the catalogue pics) but I'd say they'd sound pretty decent in a small/medium hatchback.

I assume you want to put one into your Camry boot? You don't need to go to extremes to penetrate bass through a backseat & into the cabin however you may need a bit more oomph than this little cheapie is capable of in a sedan situation. Hmmm, really not sure.

It's payday this Friday and you've now got me thinking of buying one to evaluate. I have been keen to see what they can do but didn't really want to go to all the hassle of doing a temporary install just for one Sub trial... but if there are others out there who'd appreciate it then I might be tempted ;) BTW, I can pick one of these up for $89 with my Trade Card and if we got enough people together to buy four of them then I'd be able to get them for only $78.95 each.

Hmmm, tempting. Anyone else keen to see what they're like?

Steve.

Hey thanks for getting back to me, also Fusion has rebuilt their tube sub I think looks different from the one you have tested looks better built. http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-store/products/Fusion-Subwoofer-10-Active-Tube-CS-AT11.aspx?pid=223897#Description :P Model - Fusion Subwoofer - 10" Active Tube, CS-AT11 only $186 on sale

Edited October 11, 2011 by bobbie

[bobbie]

Nah not for me, but a friend with a Hatch Mirage :)