Short answer: the Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra. It ranks #18 of 110 subwoofers by sound quality at $2300; the Chase Home Theater SS18.1 ranks #32 and costs $2499, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra offers: 16-inch ported driver and THX Ultra certification deliver 126.5dB CEA-2010-A average at a fraction of the price of the subwoofers ranked above it. Watch for: Heavy at 78 kg and ported design can interact with room acoustics.
What the Chase Home Theater SS18.1 offers: 18-inch sealed driver delivers 125.2dB CEA-2010-A average from a dedicated cinema-style sealed cabinet. Watch for: Passive design needs external amplification, 41 kg weight, and sealed design room modes.
Buy the Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Chase Home Theater SS18.1 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Want more options? Browse the full Subwoofers rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra | Chase Home Theater SS18.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,300 | $2499 Passive, Discontinued |
| Ranked | #18 of 110 in Large Home Subwoofers (Over 75 lbs) | #32 of 110 in Large Home Subwoofers (Over 75 lbs) |
| Enclosure | ported, front | sealed |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 107.3 dB | 97.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 118.4 dB | 101.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 123.3 dB | 106.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 125.1 dB | 111.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 126.3 dB | 118.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 126.5 dB | 123.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 126.6 dB | 128.1 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 126.8 dB | 130.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 100 Hz | 127.2 dB | 132.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 125 Hz | 127.6 dB | 133.7 dB |
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 126.5 dB | 125.2 dB |
| Dimensions | 25.6"H x 22"W x 28.1"D (650.2 x 558.8 x 713.7 mm) | 22"H x 24"W x 22"D (558.8 x 609.6 x 558.8 mm) |
| Weight | 171.5 lbs (77.8 kg) | 89.9 lbs (40.8 kg) |
| Warranty | 5 | - |
| Cabinet Color | black | - |
| Country | United States | - |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics | Data-bass |
| Drivers | 16" (406mm) driver | 18" (457mm) driver |
| Passive | - | Yes |
| Output SPL at 12.5 Hz | - | 92.8 dB |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra vs WW Speaker Cabinets X21 - B&C 21DS115-4
- Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra vs Pro Audio Technology LFC-24sm
- Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) TRIAX
Prices on this page were last checked September 14, 2026 at 1:47 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra: $2,300 eBay
Pros: 16-inch ported driver and THX Ultra certification deliver 126.5dB CEA-2010-A average at a fraction of the price of the subwoofers ranked above it.
Cons: Heavy at 78 kg and ported design can interact with room acoustics.
Notes: Product # 42031
Full Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra review and specifications →
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 126.5 dB |
|---|---|
| Cabinet Color | black |
| Country | United States |
| Dimensions | 25.6"H x 22"W x 28.1"D (650.2 x 558.8 x 713.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 16" (406mm) driver |
| Enclosure | ported, front |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 107.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 118.4 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 123.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 125.1 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 126.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 126.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 126.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 126.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 100 Hz | 127.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 125 Hz | 127.6 dB |
| Warranty | 5 |
| Weight | 171.5 lbs (77.8 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Independently measured by Audioholics; the published figures above come from this ASR subwoofer measurement thread.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra vs Harbottle Audio C24 L2
- Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra vs Funk Audio Ultra 21.0LX
- Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra vs Funk Audio Classic 18.0
- Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra vs JTR Speakers Captivator 2400
- Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra vs Reaction Audio PV-15X
- Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra vs Harbinger V2218S
- Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra vs Danley Sound Labs DTS10
- Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra vs Rythmik FV25HP
- See all 54 comparisons
Chase Home Theater SS18.1: $2499 Passive, Discontinued eBay
Pros: 18-inch sealed driver delivers 125.2dB CEA-2010-A average from a dedicated cinema-style sealed cabinet.
Cons: Passive design needs external amplification, 41 kg weight, and sealed design room modes. Discontinued.
Full Chase Home Theater SS18.1 review and specifications →
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 125.2 dB |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 22"H x 24"W x 22"D (558.8 x 609.6 x 558.8 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 18" (457mm) driver |
| Enclosure | sealed |
| Measurement Source | Data-bass |
| Output SPL at 12.5 Hz | 92.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 97.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 101.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 106.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 111.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 118.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 123.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 128.1 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 130.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 100 Hz | 132.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 125 Hz | 133.7 dB |
| Passive | Yes |
| Weight | 89.9 lbs (40.8 kg) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Independently measured by Data-bass; the published figures above come from this ASR subwoofer measurement thread.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Chase Home Theater SS18.1 vs JBL 4645C
- Chase Home Theater SS18.1 vs Reaction Audio PV-15X
- Chase Home Theater SS18.1 vs Danley Sound Labs DTS10
- Chase Home Theater SS18.1 vs HSU Research VTF-15H MK2
- Chase Home Theater SS18.1 vs JTR Speakers Growler (2015)
- Chase Home Theater SS18.1 vs HSU Research VTF-3 MK5 HP
- Chase Home Theater SS18.1 vs JTR Speakers Captivator S2
- Chase Home Theater SS18.1 vs Pro Audio Technology LFC-24sm
- See all 9 comparisons