Short answer: the Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra. It ranks #18 of 110 subwoofers by sound quality at $2300; the Kreisel Sound DXD-12012 ranks #90 and costs $2995, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
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 Kreisel Sound DXD-12012 offers: Independent CEA-2010 testing records 98.7 dB at 20 Hz and 116.5 dB (avg of 3/4 bands) through 40-80 Hz. The sealed enclosure with 2x 12” (305mm) driver delivers substantial upper-bass output for movie effects and music. Watch for: Deep-bass output is more limited than the strong 40-80 Hz result suggests, so it is not the right choice when the lowest movie effects are the priority. The 602.0H x 389.9W x 492.0D mm cabinet and 36.6 kg mass still require deliberate placement and calibration.
Buy the Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Kreisel Sound DXD-12012 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Kreisel Sound DXD-12012. It ranks near the bottom of the 110 subwoofers, so look higher up the list instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Subwoofers rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra | Kreisel Sound DXD-12012 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,300 | $2,995 |
| Ranked | #18 of 110 in Large Home Subwoofers (Over 75 lbs) | #90 of 110 in Large Home Subwoofers (Over 75 lbs) |
| Enclosure | ported, front | sealed |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 107.3 dB | - |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 118.4 dB | 98.7 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 123.3 dB | 104.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 125.1 dB | 106.7 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 126.3 dB | 115.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 126.5 dB | 117.1 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 126.6 dB | 117.2 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 | - |
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 126.5 dB | 116.5 dB (avg of 3/4 bands) |
| Dimensions | 25.6"H x 22"W x 28.1"D (650.2 x 558.8 x 713.7 mm) | 23.7"H x 15.4"W x 19.4"D (602.0 x 389.9 x 492.0 mm) |
| Weight | 171.5 lbs (77.8 kg) | 80.7 lbs (36.6 kg) |
| Warranty | 5 | 5 |
| Cabinet Color | black | black |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics | Brent Butterworth |
| Drivers | 16" (406mm) driver | 2x 12" (305mm) driver |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra:
- JTR Speakers Orbit Shifter PRO vs Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra
- JTR Speakers Orbit Shifter LFU vs Monoprice Monolith 16 THX Ultra
- 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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
Kreisel Sound DXD-12012: $2,995 eBay
Pros: Independent CEA-2010 testing records 98.7 dB at 20 Hz and 116.5 dB (avg of 3/4 bands) through 40-80 Hz. The sealed enclosure with 2x 12” (305mm) driver delivers substantial upper-bass output for movie effects and music.
Cons: Deep-bass output is more limited than the strong 40-80 Hz result suggests, so it is not the right choice when the lowest movie effects are the priority. The 602.0H x 389.9W x 492.0D mm cabinet and 36.6 kg mass still require deliberate placement and calibration.
Full Kreisel Sound DXD-12012 review and specifications →
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 116.5 dB (avg of 3/4 bands) |
|---|---|
| Cabinet Color | black |
| Country | United States |
| Dimensions | 23.7"H x 15.4"W x 19.4"D (602.0 x 389.9 x 492.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 12" (305mm) driver |
| Enclosure | sealed |
| Measurement Source | Brent Butterworth |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 98.7 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 104.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 106.7 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 115.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 117.1 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 117.2 dB |
| Warranty | 5 |
| Weight | 80.7 lbs (36.6 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Independently measured by Brent Butterworth; the published figures above come from this ASR subwoofer measurement thread.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons