While "best" is a fairly subjective term, one thing that almost all bass enthusiasts can agree on is that bigger is always better. Bigger power, bigger thump and bigger speakers are the traditional goals of car audiophiles, but you can't forget about sound quality too. Sure, you probably won't hear any subtle nuances with 10,000 watts of bass making your eyeballs vibrate, but it's nice to know it's there. Note: Prices listed were as of June 2010.
This sub is all about the details. Quality construction and attention to detail help this dual, 12-inch enclosed setup make the most of whatever wattage you throw at it. Priced at $299 from Crutchfield and Amazon Marketplace.
These 15-inch subwoofers are sold individually and without enclosures, and are rated at 1200 watts each. They feature a non-pressed paper cone, rubber suspension, and bumped and vented structure. Priced at $48 from Google Products and Amazon Marketplace, $53 from PCS Outdoors and $56.64 at JR.com.
The Pyle PLSQ10D is a square, 12-inch subwoofer capable of handling 1200 watts. Priced cheaper than the Lanzar at between $37.44 (Crisp-Deals and JR.com) and $49.99 (Sears), the Pyle's only real trade-off is its less-than-ideal shape.
The Bazooka is a 12-inch sub enclosed in a cylindrical housing, which makes it more directional than other designs. If you're looking to broadcast powerful bass in a fairly narrow arc, then this speaker ($119 at Amazon Marketplace, $219 from Sears) might have your name on it.
In terms of boom for the buck, this 12-inch, $69 (eBay, Crisp-Deals and Online Car Stereo) is a true "Pioneer." Its 1400-watt capacity is outstanding for its size, and the 20 Hz low end is comparable to anything else out there.
There's something to be said for moderation. Pyramid's relatively small 8-inch subwoofer can only handle 200 watts sustained/400 watts peak, but its compact size and budget price ($14.88 from JR.com, $16.99 from eCost.com and $34.99 from Sears) means you can use several to help spread the sound load.
On the other hand, moderation is overrated. Or so say those who lay out the $7,000 it takes to purchase the legendary 22-inch MTS Jackhammer. This cannon can handle 3,000 watts sustained/6,000 watts peak with a frequency response of 20 to 150 Hz.
For a while, the 32-inch Clarion was the biggest subwoofer in the world. The "8,000" in its name refers to its sustained power output (12,000 watts peak). For $6,000 new (Clarion), this ground pounder is a bargain compared to the far less powerful and more expensive MTX.
If you have a 15,000 watt nuclear powerplant in your car and absolutely have to have the biggest on what's left of your block, then this is your earthquake machine. Expect to pay about $8,000 new from Audiobahn for the current biggest (as of 2010) conventional speaker in the world, and $40,000 to $60,000 for a new Escalade when this thing rips yours apart with its only-elephants-can-hear-it 10 Hz of low-end frequency.
Coming from the same government labs that brought you anti-gravity and alien autopsies, the TRW is a quantum leap in speaker technology. Although it may look like a 1930s desk fan, this innovative design uses its metal fan blades to create a huge cone of vibrating air, which turns anything it touches (including the bodywork of your car) into a giant speaker. This $13,000 cutting-edge speaker can generate as low as 1 Hz (sic) of frequency range; the first units will find their way to the general public and Snoop Dogg's Monte Carlo in 2011.
