5 Best Down-Firing Subwoofers – 2023

We all know that the size of your woofer matter when you want to enjoy that ground-shaking bass. But is the down-firing subwoofer or a front-firing one better? This article shares more details of the best down-firing sub-woofers for your home theatre. 

Top Pick

5 Down Firing Sub Woofers Short Review 

1.    Best Overall: SVS SB- 2000 PRO

SVS SB- 2000 pro is an improvement of the 2000 series and is much smaller and lighter than SB- 3000. Because of its small size as well as compact size, it can easily fit any room with ease. 

Apart from its powerful 12” subwoofer, it has a wonderful amp with great power in relation to its size. 

It has an application that gives more controls, such as equalization, which is necessary, making it a unique subwoofer. 

Pros

• Perfect cancellation of external noise
• Packed and seductive designing
• Use of touch controls

Cons

• Quite expensive
• Not good when used at maximum volume because of increased trebles.

2.    Best Bass Performance: Sonos SUB subwoofer

This is an improved version of play 3 and play 5 and has a great bass hence preferred by lovers of bass. Similarly, it gives a much better sound quality regardless of the frequency. Also, the pair of engineered force-canceling drivers have been built with high precision to eliminate all vibrations, buzz, and rattle.

Pros

• Power noise cancelation
• Exquisite design
• Wireless
• Availability of touch panels
• Deep bass

Cons

• Not available

3.    Best Design: Klipsch SPL- 120 SW

This subwoofer is for those who love stylish subwoofers and great bass, as it is the best in the market today. 12” Klipsch SPL- 120 subwoofer is great for making the audio sound as real as possible.

Pros

• Great noise cancelation
• Compact and attractive design
• Touch panels

Cons

• quite expensive
• at maximum volume, treble is high

4. Best For Small Rooms: Polk HTS 10 Active subwoofer

The HTS10 is one of the latest, most beautiful subwoofers that offers clear and deep bass that Polk Company has created. It is designed to perform well in small to medium media rooms. 

Pros

• Contains Powerful Amplifier
• Has excellent frequencies

Cons

• Not suitable for outdoor entertainment

5. Top-Notch Sound Quality:Yamaha NS- SW300

Yamaha NS- SW300 has an attractive appearance compared to other subwoofers in its price range. Similarly, it has a top-notch sound quality that cannot be rivaled by other such subwoofers connected to a home theatre. 

Pros

• Contain a panel that offers easy control
• Twisted Flare Port
• Contains a Digital Drive High-Efficiency Amplifier

Cons

• Not available

Down Firing Sub Woofers Vs. Front Firing Sub Woofers 

Just as aforementioned, there is a sharp contrast between the down-firing subs and the front-firing subs in how they sound.

This comes about because, for the down-firing subs, the frequency audio signal produced by these subwoofers is sent directly to the floor and moves a water wave on the ground just as water from a hose pipe would.

For front-firing subs, they emit a low-frequency audio signal that moves directly toward the open space and the objects occupying that space, such as walls. 

Down firing subs allow for even distribution of sound signals throughout the room. This occurs when the sound across the floor bounces uniformly into other directions.

For front-firing subs, the audio travels straight wards before being ‘sprayed’ in various directions depending on the force it comes with from the subwoofer. This sound, because of its low frequency, hits walls to walls.

Is It Okay To Place A Down Firing Sub-Woofer In A Cabinet?

Having chosen to use a down-firing subwoofer against the front firing subwoofer, we need to learn whether it is okay to place it in a cabinet or not. One of the critical elements that you must consider before settling for either a down-firing sub-woofer or from firing sub-woofer is the placement. For instance, always avoid directing the subs where they will cause a problem to the neighbors. 

Ensure that the down-firing subwoofers are placed on dense surfaces and strategically placed on a corner sitting 9 – 12 inches from the ground. So, is it okay to put a down-firing sub-woofer in a cabinet? The answer is yes. 

While you can put the sub-woofer in the cabinet, you must know that the sound quality will be poorer compared to the subwoofer put on the carpet. Similarly, you must consider a few factors, such as the nature of the cabinet. This is because not all cabinets like that used to hold household items will be ideal for this purpose. 

In addition, factors such as the flow of air must be considered. Also, consider rattles and resonances. Some cabinets are not suitable because the sound quality will be poor if there is a rattle and vibrations. 

Always choose a custom-made cabinet as ordinary cabinets are made of thin walls, usually around the eighth inch thick, thus contributing to rattling.

FAQs

1. What is the difference between a down-firing subwoofer and a front-firing sub-woofer?

There are differences that one can note between down-firing and front-firing subwoofers. One significant difference is the direction of the sound pushed from inside.

While the sound is pushed out of the bottom for down-firing, the rising front sound is pushed from one side of the subwoofer. This is why front-firing subwoofers are better for apartments. 

2. Is there a difference in sound quality between down-firing and front-firing subwoofers?

Regarding the quality of sound produced, there is not much difference with high-end woofers delivering quality bass regardless of their design. 

3. Where should I place a down-firing subwoofer?

You can place down-firing subs on almost any dense surface. This way, you can experience the features it possesses. 

4. How much space does a down-firing subwoofer need? 

The sufficient space you will need for your down-firing subwoofer should be a minimum of 86.6 square inches for a 10.5-inch diameter ring between the surround and the floor. The minimum distance between the surround and the floor should be 2.16 inches. 

5. What does a down-firing subwoofer mean?

Some subwoofers are down-firing: this means that the sound it produces is directed out of the bottom of the speaker, whereas the other type, called a front-firing subwoofer, projects the music out of one side of the unit.

Conclusion

Though the quality of sound of subwoofers does not matter, as it will be great regardless of the size, it is always good to know more to make a wise choice. That is our drive to help you make a better choice altogether.