Short answer: the Monoprice SW-15. It ranks #14 of 212 subwoofers by sound quality (rated 4.1/5) at $499.99 and is still sold new; the Emotiva X-Ref 12 ranks #164 (rated 3.4/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
The Monoprice SW-15 is the better-sounding choice. A big 15 inch subwoofer with powerful, punchy bass at a budget price, great for movies in a large room. The tradeoff: Budget-tier design, ported room gain dependency, 66.1 lbs (30 kg) mid-size, and limited dynamic headroom.
Why pick the Emotiva X-Ref 12: A sealed 12 inch subwoofer with built in EQ, an LCD screen and balanced inputs, now discontinued. Watch for: Sealed output drops steadily below 40Hz, reaching 92.5dB at 25Hz and 84.0dB at 20Hz, so it is not suited to the deepest movie effects.
Buy the Monoprice SW-15. It is rated higher for sound quality; the Emotiva X-Ref 12 is no longer sold new.
Want more options? Browse the full Subwoofers rankings.
A big 15 inch subwoofer with powerful, punchy bass at a budget price, great for movies in a large room.
A sealed 12 inch subwoofer with built in EQ, an LCD screen and balanced inputs, now discontinued.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Monoprice SW-15 | Emotiva X-Ref 12 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499.99 | $999 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #14 of 212 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) | #164 of 212 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) |
| Enclosure | ported, bottom | sealed |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 90.0 dB | - |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 101.2 dB | 84.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 106.3 dB | 92.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 111.2 dB | 102.1 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 116.0 dB | 106.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 120.2 dB | 110.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 120.5 dB | 111.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 119.5 dB | 110.7 dB |
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 119.0 dB | 109.8 dB |
| Dimensions | 18.1”H x 21”W x 22.7”D (459.7 x 533.4 x 576.6 mm) | 15.6”H x 14.6”W x 15.5”D (396.7 x 371.3 x 393.7 mm) |
| Weight | 66.1 lbs (30.0 kg) | 44.1 lbs (20.0 kg) |
| Warranty | 1 | 5 |
| Cabinet Color | black | - |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics | Audioholics |
| Frequency Response | 30-150Hz (-10dB) | 20-200Hz |
| Amplifier Power | 600W RMS / 800W peak | 600W RMS |
| Crossover Frequency | 40-150Hz, 18dB/octave | - |
| Phase Control | 0° or 180° | - |
| Inputs | Stereo line level and speaker level | XLR (balanced, with XLR daisy-chain output), RCA (stereo unbalanced) |
| Drivers | 15” (381mm) driver | 12” (305mm) driver |
| Output SPL at 100 Hz | - | 109.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 125 Hz | - | 108.1 dB |
| XLR Input | - | Yes |
| RCA Input | - | Yes |
| TRS Input | - | No |
| Optical Input | - | No |
| Coaxial Input | - | No |
| USB Input | - | No |
| HDMI Input | - | No |
| AES Input | - | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
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