Short answer: the Monoprice SW-12. It ranks #5 of 145 subwoofers by sound quality at $230; the Monitor Audio RXW12 ranks #98 and costs $799, 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 Monitor Audio RXW12 offers: Sealed 12-inch with 500W RMS delivers terrific output peaking at 122dB at 63Hz. Powerful punchy bass with excellent pitch definition. Well-suited for small to medium rooms. Watch for: No detailed measurement caveats are currently recorded.
Buy the Monoprice SW-12. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Monitor Audio RXW12 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Want more options? Browse the full Subwoofers rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Monoprice SW-12 | Monitor Audio RXW12 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $230 | $799 |
| Ranked | #5 of 145 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) | #98 of 145 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) |
| Enclosure | ported, bottom | sealed |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 102.7 dB | 88.9 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 111.1 dB | 92.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 115.2 dB | 97.9 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 119.0 dB | 111.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 119.7 dB | 114.9 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 122.9 dB | 106.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 123.0 dB | - |
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 121.2 dB | 110.9 dB (avg of 3/4 bands) |
| Dimensions | 14.9"H x 18.3"W x 19.1"D (378.5 x 464.8 x 485.1 mm) | 15"H x 16.9"W x 16.9"D (381.0 x 430.0 x 430.0 mm) |
| Weight | 50.7 lbs (23.0 kg) | 49.8 lbs (22.6 kg) |
| Warranty | 1 | 5 |
| Cabinet Color | black | - |
| Country | United States | United Kingdom |
| Measurement Source | Brent Butterworth | Brent Butterworth |
| Frequency Response | 35-150Hz, -10dB | 21-40Hz |
| Amplifier Power | 400W RMS / 600W peak | 500W RMS |
| Drivers | 12" (305mm) driver | 12" (305mm) driver |
| Output SPL at 16 Hz | 90.6 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
Monitor Audio RXW12: $799 eBay
Pros: Sealed 12-inch with 500W RMS delivers terrific output peaking at 122dB at 63Hz. Powerful punchy bass with excellent pitch definition. Well-suited for small to medium rooms.
Full Monitor Audio RXW12 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 500W RMS |
|---|---|
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 110.9 dB (avg of 3/4 bands) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Dimensions | 15"H x 16.9"W x 16.9"D (381.0 x 430.0 x 430.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 12" (305mm) driver |
| Enclosure | sealed |
| Frequency Response | 21-40Hz |
| Measurement Source | Brent Butterworth |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 88.9 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 92.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 97.9 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 111.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 114.9 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 106.3 dB |
| Warranty | 5 |
| Weight | 49.8 lbs (22.6 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
- Monitor Audio RXW12 vs RSL (Rogersound Labs) Speedwoofer 10S MKII
- Monitor Audio RXW12 vs Monoprice SSW-10
- Monitor Audio RXW12 vs BIC America PL-300
- Monitor Audio RXW12 vs SVS PB-1000 PRO
- Monitor Audio RXW12 vs SVS SB-2000
- Monitor Audio RXW12 vs Rythmik F12
- Monitor Audio RXW12 vs Klipsch SPL-120
- Monitor Audio RXW12 vs SVS SB-3000
- See all 10 comparisons