Car Subwoofer Buying Guide: Sub, Box, Amp and Wiring for Your Ride

Start with your vehicle, not the sub

Before we talk brands, we ask about the car. A sedan trunk, a hatchback, a crew cab and a regular cab truck do not leave the same space for a box, not even close. Then we ask how much bass you want. Some people just want the low end the factory system is missing. Others want the mirrors to shake.

The last question is the radio. If you are keeping the factory radio, the sub or amp needs to take a speaker-level signal, and some cars need help getting clean bass out of the factory system. If you already have an aftermarket radio with sub outputs, wiring is simpler. Those three answers narrow it down to one of four setups below.

Keep the trunk: powered and compact subs

A powered sub has the sub, the box and the amp in one piece. It is the easy way to add bass to a factory system without giving up much space. The Alpine PWE-S8 is an 8-inch sub with a built-in 120-watt RMS amp, sized to tuck under a seat. It takes speaker-level or RCA inputs and comes with a wired remote bass knob. The Kicker Hideaway 51HS12 goes a step bigger with a 12-inch woofer and a 230-watt RMS amp in a frame about 3-1/2 inches tall, and it works with start-stop vehicles.

If you can spare a little more room, the JL Audio ACP112LG-TW1 MicroSub+ puts a 12-inch TW1 sub in a ported box with a built-in 400-watt amp. It comes with a speaker-level input harness, so it works with factory or aftermarket radios.

The tradeoff is honest and simple. A powered sub fills in the bottom end, but it will not hit like a separate amp and a bigger box. It is a great fit for daily drivers who want fuller sound, not a show.

First real bass: a loaded box and a matched mono amp

This is where most people land. A loaded enclosure comes with the sub already in a box made for it, so there is no guessing on box size. The Alpine S2-SB12 is a sealed 12-inch wedge loaded with the S2-W12D4 sub, wired for a 2-ohm load and rated 600W RMS. It also has RGBW lighting with an IR remote, and it can link side by side with more boxes later with a bracket sold separately.

Pair it with the Alpine S2-A60M mono amp, which puts out 600 watts RMS at 2 ohms and takes RCA or speaker-level inputs with auto turn-on. The sub and amp line up on power and load, which is what you want. If you prefer JL Audio, the JD500/1 is a compact mono amp rated 500 watts RMS at 2 ohms that accepts line-level or speaker-level signals, a good match for a single sub in a car or truck.

A loaded box does take trunk space. Sealed or ported is a taste call, and we have a separate post on that. Here the point is that the box, sub and amp are chosen to work together.

Trucks: thin boxes and vehicle-specific enclosures

Trucks are their own thing. There is not much depth behind or under the seat, so we lean on thin subs and boxes shaped for cabs. The JL Audio CS112TG-TW3 is a sealed truck-style PowerWedge with a 12-inch TW3 thin-line sub, rated 400 watts RMS at 2 ohms. It is 4.5 inches deep at the top and 7 inches at the base, shaped to sit against the back wall of many truck cabs. The Alpine SBT-S10V is a smaller option with a 10-inch shallow sub, wired as a 2-ohm system.

For some full-size trucks, Kicker makes vehicle-specific boxes. The 51KFDL7T102 holds two 10-inch L7T square subs in a down-firing box for select F-150 and Super Duty trucks, wired to 2 ohms, and Kicker recommends 1,000 watts RMS. There are matching Kicker boxes for select Silverado and Sierra trucks (51KGMDL7T122, two 12s) and select Ram trucks (51KRDL7T102, two 10s).

Cab style and year decide whether a box fits. We do not promise a fit from the model name. Tony confirms it for your exact truck before you buy.

Room to grow: a raw sub in a box you choose

A component sub is just the driver. You pick or build the box. This makes sense when you have an odd space, want a custom build, or plan to add more later. The JL Audio 12W3v3-4 is a single 4-ohm 12 rated 500 watts RMS, made for a compact 1.125 cu. ft. sealed or 1.75 cu. ft. ported box. The Kicker L7S 44L7S124 is a square 12 with dual 4-ohm coils rated 750 watts RMS, and Kicker lists 1.25-2.0 cu. ft. sealed or 1.75-3.25 cu. ft. vented boxes for it.

Raw subs need more planning. The box has to match the sub's specs, and the voice coils have to be wired to a load your amp likes. For two subs or a bigger build, the Kicker CX 46CXA1200.1 is rated 1,200 watts RMS at 2 ohms and is 1-ohm stable, with a 25 Hz subsonic filter. The Pioneer GM-DX971 is another strong option, rated 1,200 W RMS at 1 ohm with a bass remote.

The parts people forget: wiring kit, inputs and rattles

Every sub with a separate amp needs a wiring kit: power and ground wire, a fuse holder, remote wire and terminals. For a single sub amp, the Stinger SK4241 4-gauge kit is a common pick. Bigger amps and multi-amp builds get the Stinger SK4201 1/0-gauge kit. Tony matches the gauge and fuse to your amp, and he will tell you when a big build needs a battery or charging upgrade too.

If you are keeping the factory radio, the amp needs a clean signal. Many mono amps take speaker-level inputs. The Kicker KEY 47KEY500.1 goes further, using automatic DSP to correct peaks and bring back missing bass from a factory radio. For bigger systems, the AudioControl EPICENTER PRO restores low bass that factory systems and recordings leave out.

Bass can make panels and plates buzz. A Dynamat Xtreme kit in the trunk or doors cuts rattles, so you hear the sub and not the car.

What to tell Tony, and how buying and install work

Bring or text us this list: year, make and model; trim and cab style for trucks; whether you have a factory amp or premium sound package; whether you are keeping the factory radio; how much space you can give up; and what music you play. Photos of your trunk or the space behind your seat help a lot.

Call (323) 944-7844 or text (213) 674-9042 to confirm the item is in stock before you drive over. You buy at the shop in South Gate, we install it in our own bay, often the same day, and you pick it up here. Payment Plan: Buy Now, Pay Later: 100 days same as cash, or up to one year with Synchrony. Approval and terms set by the provider.

We are authorized for JL Audio, Alpine, Kicker, Focal and Pioneer, and we have been doing this since 2012. Se habla español.