The best subwoofers allow crisp and appealing bass. They offer a rocking combination of bass, amplification, and a wide low-frequency range. This is why you need a remote control to a costly monitor and adjust your subwoofer. In this article, we evaluate the best subwoofers with remote controls.
While you are at it, you can check out our list of the best speakers with remote control as well.
1. Best Overall: Kicker 11HS8 Hideaway
This compact-designed sub comes with an assortment of features, key among them being that it is made with the latest tech audio drivers, giving it the ability to produce robust and punchy bass.
Pros
- Has wired remote control
- Auto turn-on switch
- 25Hz to 120Hz frequency response
Cons
- May overheat when playing
- It needs more power than a ported enclosure
2. Best Wireless Technology: BIC American F12 12-Inch
It is a powered subwoofer with a 12-inch injection, bash-designed amp, and an adjustable crossover with automatic signal sensing.
It supports both the Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Digital/DTS, with Auxiliary connectivity Technology. It also has a retractable cable feature making it an outstanding sub.
Pros
- 475 watts of peak power
- 25Hz to 200Hz frequency
Cons
- It is large and heavier
- Unremarkable customer support
3. Best For Movies: Klipsch R-100SW 10-Inch Subwoofer
It comes with an all-digital amplifier with 300 watts peak power, producing intense bass worth listening to. The frequency range of the R-100SW is 32Hz to 120Hz.
The subwoofer has a line-level LFE RCA input for maximum receiver compatibility and also comes with a 10-inch front-firing spun-copper IMG woofer.
Pros
- Excellent audio quality, especially for movie watching
- Small, compact and lightweight
Cons
- Some users reported amps to be defective
- Polarizing design
- Higher than the average cost
Another great example of a good Klipsch subwoofer is the Klipsch SPL 120. However, this subwoofer does not have remote control.
4. Best For TV: Klipsch Cinema 400
This is an 8-inch wireless Subwoofer with HDMI-ARC connection technology. It is recommended for televisions. It has 5.1 decodings for virtualized surround sound.
It has 400W peak power and is regarded as a Class-leading 8-Inch subwoofer.
Pros
- HDMI connectivity technology
- Easy to install
- It has a remote control
- Powerful bass
Cons
- Its accessories may not be original
5. Robust Bass Boost: Rockville RW8CA
It is a 600 Watt low profile with RCA connectivity technology. It is an adjustable input sensitivity gadget with a soft delayed remote turn-on.
It also comes with thermal and overload protection units, a built-in subsonic filter at 29Hz.
Pros
- Bass boost
- Overload protection units
- Subwoofer Level Remote control
Cons
- Not durable
- Not reliable
6. Most Durable Design: Infinity Ref 1000S
This latest reference sub offers incredible installation flexibility. Their low-profile design allows them to perfectly fit even in the shallowest enclosures.
It has Polypropylene woofer cones producing deep bass, with 89dB sensitivity. The Harman-proprietary SSI allows the sub to present the amp with either a 2 or 4-ohm load at the flip of the switch.
Pros
- Excellent sound quality even at high volume
- Includes a selector switch for either 2 ohms or 4 ohm
- Slim design
- Very durable
Cons
- RMS is a bit lacking
- Bass is not so deep
7. Best For Deep Bass Delivery: Rockville K5 W12K5S4 12-Inch 4 ohm
This sub has the ability to handle peak power of 1400W and program power of 700Watts. It also has a fiber-reinforced Ultra-stiff, non-pressed paper cone which makes it very efficient, producing incredible sound quality with minimal distortion.
It is bound with Chrome-Plated binding post terminals which accept any gauge wire, an impedance of 4-ohm, with a vented hole allowing for proper air circulation, enhancing heat dissipation.
Pros
- Slotted load venting
- Deep bass
- Longevity – thanks to its Blue Stitching Cone reinforcement
Cons
- Sound quality fades with an increase in volume
What Is A Remote Bass Control
Remote Bass Controls (RBC) are a convenient and easy to install accessory that are used to tune the bass in your music song by song. For instance, if you want more bass when listening to Hip Hop or Rap, you can tune in to get just that and tune to less bass when on Country music.
An external bass controller is a handy tool that helps you make the bass level adjustments without moving to the amplifier to make the adjustments.
Generally, bass controls can be either parametric or remote with PFM subsonic and bass level manipulations. They offer users input and output sources to enhance frequencies as well as the levels of decibels that are sent to each channel or speaker.
They are commonly confused with volume knobs for subwoofers. Commonly referred to as remote bass control, remote subwoofer control, or remote gain control, they are basically external gain controls connected to the amplifier to bypass the amp’s internal gain control.
Subwoofer Remote Bass Control
The Subwoofer Remote Bass Control is a remote volume control for the BASSPRO SL subwoofer that you can use to manage and easen all the bass or subwoofer level adjustments from the front seat of your vehicle. The control is however an optional one and is only fixed for convenience.
The RBC is simple to connect to the BASSPRO SL subwoofer amp with a plug jack similar to that of a telephone. Besides, it can be mounted in several positions based on the preferences of the driver or operator making it a more convenient tool for managing your sub’s bass tunings.
Subwoofer Remote Bass Control Wire
When connecting a subwoofer Remote Bass Control to the amplifier, you need a special wire also called subwoofer RBC wire. However, many RBC’s come with RBC wire attached to them and you do not need to worry about where to get one. The wires are manufactured conveniently long to suit all your placement needs.
Why Use A Subwoofer With Remote Control
Just like using a remote with other audio devices, integrating a remote control for your subwoofer brings more benefits to your listening experience:
1. Freedom Of Movement
With remote control, you can easily operate your subwoofer without interfering with the cables. Besides, you have more flexibility on the length of cables you can use.
2. More Efficient Way Of Working
Remote control for your sub puts control on your fingertips and gives you more power to control the subwoofer from any location. As a result, you can save a lot of time or just do more in the same amount of time.
3. Individual Design And Comfort
You can actually get customized remote controls that specially fit your home audio control needs. Besides, universal remote controls now give music lovers more comfort of using one device to control more gadgets.
FAQs
1. Can I convert my subwoofer to wireless?
2. Do subwoofers expire?
3. Is higher Watts better on the subwoofer?
The wattage of the subwoofer determines its power, with a larger wattage indicating a more powerful subwoofer.