Short answer: the Monoprice SW-12. It ranks #5 of 145 subwoofers by sound quality at $230; the BIC America PL-300 ranks #63 and costs $450, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Monoprice SW-12 offers: 12-inch ported with 400W RMS (600W peak) on a budget at just $230. Hits hard with clean tight transient response. Variable crossover and volume controls for setup flexibility. Speaker-level and line-level inputs for easy integration. Watch for: Entry-level build quality, ported enclosure room interaction, and lower 112.3 dB output capability.
What the BIC America PL-300 offers: 12-inch triple-ported variable tuning with 350W RMS offers unusually low 20Hz extension under $500. Three-port design delivers more output than single-port competitors. Beefy amp ensures distortion-free sound. Watch for: No detailed measurement caveats are currently recorded.
Buy the Monoprice SW-12. It ranks higher for sound quality than the BIC America PL-300 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Want more options? Browse the full Subwoofers rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Monoprice SW-12 | BIC America PL-300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $230 | $450 |
| Ranked | #5 of 145 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) | #63 of 145 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) |
| Enclosure | ported, bottom | ported, front |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 102.7 dB | 96.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 111.1 dB | 102.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 115.2 dB | 109.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 119.0 dB | 114.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 119.7 dB | 116.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 122.9 dB | 113.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 123.0 dB | 110.9 dB |
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 121.2 dB | 113.7 dB |
| Dimensions | 14.9"H x 18.3"W x 19.1"D (378.5 x 464.8 x 485.1 mm) | 18"H x 15.2"W x 18.7"D (457.2 x 387.3 x 476.2 mm) |
| Weight | 50.7 lbs (23.0 kg) | 48.1 lbs (21.8 kg) |
| Warranty | 1 | 8/5 |
| Cabinet Color | black | black |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Measurement Source | Brent Butterworth | Audioholics |
| Frequency Response | 35-150Hz, -10dB | 15-200Hz |
| Amplifier Power | 400W RMS / 600W peak | 350W RMS |
| Drivers | 12" (305mm) driver | 12" (305mm) driver |
| Output SPL at 16 Hz | 90.6 dB | - |
| Output SPL at 100 Hz | - | 108.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 125 Hz | - | 106.8 dB |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Monoprice SW-12:
- JTR Speakers Captivator 212PRO vs Monoprice SW-12
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs Monoprice SW-12
- HSU Research ULS-15 MK2 vs Monoprice SW-12
- Monoprice SW-12 vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XV15
- Monoprice SW-12 vs Monoprice SW-15
Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 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 SW-12: $230 Amazon eBay
Pros: 12-inch ported with 400W RMS (600W peak) on a budget at just $230. Hits hard with clean tight transient response. Variable crossover and volume controls for setup flexibility. Speaker-level and line-level inputs for easy integration.
Cons: Entry-level build quality, ported enclosure room interaction, and lower 112.3 dB output capability.
Notes: Product # 41498
Full Monoprice SW-12 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 400W RMS / 600W peak |
|---|---|
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 121.2 dB |
| Cabinet Color | black |
| Country | United States |
| Dimensions | 14.9"H x 18.3"W x 19.1"D (378.5 x 464.8 x 485.1 mm) |
| Drivers | 12" (305mm) driver |
| Enclosure | ported, bottom |
| Frequency Response | 35-150Hz, -10dB |
| Measurement Source | Brent Butterworth |
| Output SPL at 16 Hz | 90.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 102.7 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 111.1 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 115.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 119.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 119.7 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 122.9 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 123.0 dB |
| Warranty | 1 |
| Weight | 50.7 lbs (23.0 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
- Monoprice SW-12 vs HSU Research ULS-15 MK2
- Monoprice SW-12 vs MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X
- Monoprice SW-12 vs JTR Speakers Captivator 212PRO
- Monoprice SW-12 vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XV15
- Monoprice SW-12 vs Monoprice SW-15
- Monoprice SW-12 vs SVS SB-3000
- Monoprice SW-12 vs Klipsch SPL-120
- Monoprice SW-12 vs Rythmik F12
- See all 19 comparisons
BIC America PL-300: $450 eBay
Pros: 12-inch triple-ported variable tuning with 350W RMS offers unusually low 20Hz extension under $500. Three-port design delivers more output than single-port competitors. Beefy amp ensures distortion-free sound.
Full BIC America PL-300 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 350W RMS |
|---|---|
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 113.7 dB |
| Cabinet Color | black |
| Country | United States |
| Dimensions | 18"H x 15.2"W x 18.7"D (457.2 x 387.3 x 476.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 12" (305mm) driver |
| Enclosure | ported, front |
| Frequency Response | 15-200Hz |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 96.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 102.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 109.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 114.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 116.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 113.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 110.9 dB |
| Output SPL at 100 Hz | 108.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 125 Hz | 106.8 dB |
| Warranty | 8/5 |
| Weight | 48.1 lbs (21.8 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
- BIC America PL-300 vs Monoprice SSW-10
- BIC America PL-300 vs RSL (Rogersound Labs) Speedwoofer 10S MKII
- BIC America PL-300 vs SVS PB-1000 PRO
- BIC America PL-300 vs SVS SB-2000
- BIC America PL-300 vs Monitor Audio RXW12
- BIC America PL-300 vs Rythmik F12
- BIC America PL-300 vs Klipsch SPL-120
- BIC America PL-300 vs SVS SB-3000
- See all 11 comparisons


