Short answer: the Monoprice SW-15 for better sound quality, the Emotiva S10 for the lower price. The Monoprice SW-15 ranks #13 of 145 subwoofers at $374.99. The Emotiva S10 ranks #135 at $299, $75.99 cheaper.
What the Monoprice SW-15 offers: 15-inch ported with 600W RMS (800W peak) delivers Large-room Bassaholic rating. Unrivaled mid-bass punch for $375. Strong output with clean control. Dual speaker-level inputs and 40-150Hz crossover for flexible hookup. Watch for: Budget-tier design, ported room gain dependency, 30 kg mid-size, and limited dynamic headroom.
What the Emotiva S10 offers: 10-inch long-throw ported with 200W amp. Punchy, tight, accurate smooth response at solid $399 value. Great for step-up from budget subs with smooth extended frequency range. Watch for: No detailed measurement caveats are currently recorded.
Buy the Monoprice SW-15 if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Emotiva S10 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Emotiva S10. It ranks near the bottom of the 145 subwoofers, so look higher up the list instead.
Still deciding? The full Subwoofers rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Monoprice SW-15 | Emotiva S10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $374.99 | $299 |
| Ranked | #13 of 145 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) | #135 of 145 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) |
| Enclosure | ported, bottom | sealed |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 90.0 dB | 74.4 dB |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 101.2 dB | 88.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 106.3 dB | 97.7 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 111.2 dB | 100.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 116.0 dB | 102.1 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 120.2 dB | 104.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 120.5 dB | 105.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 119.5 dB | 106.9 dB |
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 119.0 dB | 104.9 dB |
| Dimensions | 18.1"H x 21"W x 22.7"D (459.7 x 533.4 x 576.6 mm) | 16.1"H x 14"W x 15.9"D (410.0 x 355.9 x 402.8 mm) |
| Weight | 66.1 lbs (30.0 kg) | 52 lbs (23.6 kg) |
| Warranty | 1 | 5 |
| Cabinet Color | black | - |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics | Brent Butterworth |
| Frequency Response | 30-150Hz (-10dB) | 28-200Hz |
| Amplifier Power | 600W RMS / 800W peak | 200W RMS |
| Crossover Frequency | 40-150Hz, 18dB/octave | - |
| Phase Control | 0° or 180° | - |
| Inputs | Stereo line level and speaker level | - |
| Drivers | 15" (381mm) driver | 10" (254mm) driver |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Monoprice SW-15:
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- HSU Research ULS-15 MK2 vs Monoprice SW-15
- Monoprice SW-15 vs PSB Speakers SubSeries 450
- 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-15: $374.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: 15-inch ported with 600W RMS (800W peak) delivers Large-room Bassaholic rating. Unrivaled mid-bass punch for $375. Strong output with clean control. Dual speaker-level inputs and 40-150Hz crossover for flexible hookup.
Cons: Budget-tier design, ported room gain dependency, 30 kg mid-size, and limited dynamic headroom.
Notes: Product # 41499
Full Monoprice SW-15 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 600W RMS / 800W peak |
|---|---|
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 119.0 dB |
| Cabinet Color | black |
| Country | United States |
| Crossover Frequency | 40-150Hz, 18dB/octave |
| Dimensions | 18.1"H x 21"W x 22.7"D (459.7 x 533.4 x 576.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 15" (381mm) driver |
| Enclosure | ported, bottom |
| Frequency Response | 30-150Hz (-10dB) |
| Inputs | Stereo line level and speaker level |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 90.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 101.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 106.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 111.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 116.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 120.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 120.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 119.5 dB |
| Phase Control | 0° or 180° |
| Warranty | 1 |
| Weight | 66.1 lbs (30.0 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
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- Monoprice SW-15 vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XS15
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XV15-BASE
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Paradigm Defiance X12
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XS15-BASE
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XV15
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Klipsch SPL-120
- See all 109 comparisons
Emotiva S10: $299 eBay
Pros: 10-inch long-throw ported with 200W amp. Punchy, tight, accurate smooth response at solid $399 value. Great for step-up from budget subs with smooth extended frequency range.
Full Emotiva S10 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 200W RMS |
|---|---|
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 104.9 dB |
| Country | United States |
| Dimensions | 16.1"H x 14"W x 15.9"D (410.0 x 355.9 x 402.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 10" (254mm) driver |
| Enclosure | sealed |
| Frequency Response | 28-200Hz |
| Measurement Source | Brent Butterworth |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 74.4 dB |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 88.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 97.7 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 100.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 102.1 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 104.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 105.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 106.9 dB |
| Warranty | 5 |
| Weight | 52 lbs (23.6 kg) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Independently measured by Brent Butterworth; the published figures above come from this ASR subwoofer measurement thread.