- Looking for a killer studio subwoofer monitor for music production?
- We’ve listed the six best subwoofers with reviews.
- Also, see our popular guide to the 5 Best Budget Studio Monitors.
Owning a professional studio-quality subwoofer isn’t just a fantasy reserved for audiophiles. Remember, the pros don’t settle for any old speakers so consumer-grade subwoofers are out of the question entirely. These often add their own EQ curves to make things sound good to the average user on a particular setup like a home theater.
While this may be good for an AV experience, it would greatly detract from the mixing and mastering process as you are not getting a balanced bass response.
The ‘2.1-setup’ is increasingly becoming the standard in home studios and mid-sized recording setups with acoustic treatment, so balancing the low end correctly has never been more important.
With considerations like power availability, crossover frequency, enclosure, and connectivity – selecting a subwoofer for your studio can be torture when you get lost in the myriad options in the market – all claiming to be the next best thing.
What Are The Best Subwoofers For Music Production?
For the budget-conscious, the Mackie MRS10 Mk3 is a great entry option. Conversely, if price isn’t an issue, the Focal Sub6 is an absolute dream to monitor on.
Below, I’ve rounded up 6 excellent options that function as the best subwoofers for studio applications. Plus, we’ve highlighted their pros and cons to help you score a subwoofer with the desired balance between performance, pragmatism, and price.
- Yamaha HS8S
- Mackie MRS10 MK3
- Focal Sub6
- PreSonus Temblor T10
- KRK 10S V2
- Adam Audio Sub8
Rounding Up The 6 Best Studio Subwoofer Monitors
1. Yamaha HS8S (Our Pick!)
8" bass-reflex powered subwoofer delivers low frequencies down to 22 Hz. Allows users to set up a subwoofer system with simple connections and no additional equipment.
- Perfect balance of power and portability
- High-quality low-resonance enclosure
- Clean and detailed bass capability
As is always the case with Yamaha products, you can expect a top-rated 8” bass-reflex studio subwoofer that does an exceptional job at reproducing the low frequencies. The HS8 subwoofers do a good job at rounding out the sound despite being the only 8-inch driver size on this list.
Made to match Yamaha’s HS8 studio monitors, the HS8S is the perfect balance of power and portability. Cased in a bass reflex port design, it delivers detailed low frequencies with a solid punch that studio owners will appreciate.
The connectivity options include TRS and XLR inputs and outputs. It also features a phase switch, low cut switch, and low and high cut controls. The filter switches are ideal to adjust the low frequencies for different styles of music and prevent blowouts.
The weight (27.6 lbs) and dimensions make it ultra-portable. Plus, it has holes on the sides and ends that enable you to mount it off the ground. The 150 watts of power and frequency range of 22 Hz to 150 Hz should be sufficient for a home setup or mid-sized studio.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Clean and detailed bass capability | No footswitch option |
| High-quality low-resonance enclosure | Not ideal for a very big room |
| Light & compact | |
| Very powerful for its size | |
| Affordable, good value for money |
Verdict
You might hanker for more power or miss the convenience of a dedicated footswitch, and these are downsides that may make or break this option for you. But other than that the Yamaha HS8S subwoofer can reliably serve the needs of DJs, music producers, and home studio enthusiasts looking for a better audio experience.
2. Mackie MRS10 MK3 (Best Value)
Mackie MR series studio monitors deliver extreme clarity with plenty of output and responsive, dynamic lows.
- Tight bass with a clear response
- Glass-aramid composite cone
- Value for money
Mackie has been around for long enough for us to trust any monitoring system that bears its name. Keeping up with that reputation, the MRS10 subwoofers are clean, straightforward, and get the job done for a modest price.
The MK3 is the third generation of the widely popular MRS10 studio subwoofer monitor that is housed in an all-black, all-wood ported enclosure with moderate dimensions. It also weighs just 33 lbs! The only drawback is that it has a soft-mesh cloth instead of a metal grill to cover the woofer.
This is a middle-of-the-road option with 120-watts of power draw and a frequency response of 40 Hz – 180 Hz with an adjustable crossover. It has stereo XLR and TRS input options and the same for connections to the monitors.
The 10-inch driver made from glass composite is certainly better than those listed on similar options in this price bracket. The MRS10’s 119db peak SPL is impressive but if you own the MRS8, this won’t make a big difference as they already go down to 38Hz.
You also get an auto energy-saving switch, a signal polarity switch, and a footswitch jack. Sonically, the low end is deep, clear, and responsive. Over, the Mackie MRS10 MK3 has accurate audio reproduction with little-to-no distortion or any harmonics being added.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Tight bass with a clear response | Low power |
| Glass-aramid composite cone | Not suitable for large rooms |
| Footswitch included | |
| No distortion or extra harmonics | |
| Good value for money |
Verdict
Mackie’s MRS10 studio subwoofers do a bang-up job in moderately-sized studios and integrate well with full-range monitors for music production. What they lack in power, they make up in quality, longevity, price, and performance.
3. Focal Sub6 (Premium Option)
350W Powered Studio Subwoofer with 11""W" Cone Driver, custom-designed amplification, multi-setup configuration, and footswitch input.
- Excellent low-frequency resolution
- Looks great
- Massive 11-inch woofer
The Focal Sub6 sports a beefy 11-inch woofer housed in the tight quarters of a large wood cabinet design with a red burr-ash finish. It has all the classic “big” monitor capabilities with superior bass performance to ensure that you get your money’s worth.
Focal is well-known for making excellent composite-sandwich cones with W-shaped glass/foam/glass drivers. Using this technology, the Focal Sub6 delivers fantastic low-end accuracy that can vastly improve your recording or music production experience and impress your clients.
Sonically, this subwoofer can handle the lowest of lows with optimal clarity and punch without any hint of distortion. It is a great choice for professionals who work on sound design projects, film scores, or just any music genre that mandates constant monitoring of the deepest low-end.
It includes volume control, a mute switch, a polarity switch, and a continuously variable phase selector. It also facilitates a footswitch that greatly improves control during monitoring, mixing, and mastering sessions.
The Sub6 is primarily intended as a matched subwoofer for Focal’s Solo6Be or Twin6Be monitors. However, the multipurpose control board and connectivity facilitate its use as a 2.1, 2.2, and multichannel subwoofer use.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent low-frequency resolution | Definitely more on the expensive side |
| Footswitch included | |
| Snazzy red burr-ash wood finish | |
| Massive 11-inch woofer | |
| With shaped glass/foam cone |
Verdict
The Focal Sub6 Subwoofer is extremely versatile and delivers excellent bass linearity. The dynamics remain stable even at low frequencies and there is zero distortion at high volumes. The impressive engineering renders clean, linear power regardless of the intended SPL. The price tag may not sound like music to your ears, but it can handle all the low end you can throw at it.
4. PreSonus Temblor T10
PreSonus aims to inject some serious low end into your studio with the Temblor T10 subwoofer. It's got a 10" reinforced-composition woofer, powered by 250 watts of Class AB power.
- Clean and detailed sound
- Light & Compact
- Packs a serious punch
Compared to the HS8S, the Temblor T10 has ‘earthshaking’ power. This 250W powered subwoofer is housed in an all-black non-resonant MDF casing. It features a 10″ front-firing woofer that sits over a port to reinforce the low-end response.
The T10 has a lightweight glass-composite cone that can deliver superior sub-bass reproduction. The subwoofer is easy to integrate, with filtered pass-throughs for your main speakers. The bass sounds clean and tight even at high output levels.
It includes rubber feet, a footswitch connector, and a footswitch. It has balanced XLR, TRS, and RCA connectivity for inputs and stereo XLR and TRS for outputs. Plus, it also has an XLR Sub Out for a 2nd sub, if needed.
Other noteworthy features include a high pass filter, a continuous variable low pass filter (50 Hz to 130 Hz, and 113 dB max SPL). Overall, they integrate well with any monitor speakers to create a flat response in an accurate listening environment.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Clean and detailed sound | Limited power |
| Low-resonance enclosure | |
| Light & Compact | |
| Very powerful for its size | |
| Affordable, good value for money |
Verdict
In terms of price and performance, Temblor T10 subwoofers have found a sweet spot. If you want to up your music production game, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more feature-packed product for this price. It does a great job at injecting tight and responsive bass into your setup.
5. KRK 10S V2
The custom-voiced, glass-aramid woofer delivers tight, defined bass, while the Class-D power amplifier dramatically increases transient response, control and punch.
- Footswitch included
- Top-tier sound quality
- Value for money
The KRK 10S 2 sports the typical yellow-black KRK design with a protective steel grill to shield the speaker cone. This is topped off with a black vinyl wrap finish. The unit weighs 40lbs, which is a touch above the rest.
It has a 225 W power draw and can dip to 34 Hz for some thunderous rumble. The 34 Hz to 130 Hz range may not qualify as extended low frequency, but it does have a good sound pressure level at a 113 dB peak regardless.
As for connectivity, you’ve got a handful of options such as RCA, TRS, and XLR input options and RCA or TRS for the monitor outputs. Other noteworthy components of this powered subwoofer include a LED visual, integrated crossover, and a glass aramid composite driver.
The KRK 10S also features the highly coveted insert for a footswitch. This means you can enjoy the ease-of-use as you hook it up to a foot pedal to bypass it when required. This ability is priceless when you need to kill the sub as you’re focusing on the highs or mids of a mix.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Good audio quality | Only goes down to 34 Hz |
| Footswitch included | On the heavy side |
| Lots of connectivity options | |
| Solid construction w/ steel grill | |
| Value for money |
Verdict
Overall, the KRK10S2 is a fantastic choice for studio subwoofers in today’s market. They have sufficient power, great construction, and solid performance. Plus, you can rest easy with a solid brand name that has a good reputation and a large following across the world.
6. Adam Sub8
Designed for smaller control rooms up to 20 square meters, the ADAM Audio Sub8 is a compact yet powerful subwoofer that extends the low-frequency range of any nearfield monitoring system down to 28Hz.
- Compact and powerful
- Comes with a wireless remote
Adam Audio has built up a solid reputation for building truthful speakers that last. The Sub8 is no exception, a small but powerful sub with an 8.5″ woofer, a 1.5″ voice coil driven by a 160W ICE power amp.
The amp they use is integral to why the Sub8 is on our list. For producers who are often doing long sessions, many subwoofers can suffer from heat generation which quickly reduces the lifespan of your audio equipment. The Sub8’s ICE power amplifier combines low heat generation with high performance to handle maximum power levels (even during long sessions).
Control-wise, you have access to two motorized knobs to adjust input level and crossover frequency. You also get a handy wireless remote control, which is an added benefit (provided you aren’t prone to losing remotes!).
Adam Audio state that the Sub8 is designed for “smaller rooms up to 20 square meters”.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Small but powerful | No footswitch option |
| Wireless remote | Only designed for smaller rooms |
| High efficiency PWM amplifier | |
| Selectable crossover |
Verdict
As far as studio subwoofers go, the Sub8 is a stellar option for those who want a feature-packed and durable studio subwoofer with fantastic audio quality. You really can’t go wrong with Adam Audio.
Final Thoughts
We’ve often been asked, “should I buy the same brand of subwoofers as my active studio monitors?” This is a personal preference and it is not mandatory to match your subs with your studio monitors. You are free to mix and match from different brands if it sounds good to your ears.
A subwoofer, though not essential for modest monitoring systems, can be indispensable in crafting the low-end. Hopefully, our list of best studio subwoofer monitors for music production will add ‘depth’ to your studio monitoring without blowing up your wallet.
(Once you find a subwoofer you like, head on over to our roundup of the best budget studio monitors on the market.)