Short answer: the Klipsch SPL-120. Both are rated 4.1/5 for sound quality (#19 and #14 of 212 subwoofers), and the Klipsch SPL-120 costs $429.99 against $499.99 for the Monoprice SW-15, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
What the Monoprice SW-15 does well: 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.
The case for the Klipsch SPL-120: An affordable 12 inch ported subwoofer with room filling, clean bass and optional wireless connection. The catch: Port chuffing is the known flaw: testers could not run it past about 60 to 70% volume before the noise became bothersome, a problem Klipsch fixed in the newer Klipsch RP-1200SW.
Buy the Klipsch SPL-120. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $70 less than the Monoprice SW-15.
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.
An affordable 12 inch ported subwoofer with room filling, clean bass and optional wireless connection.
Prices on this page were last checked October 29, 2026 at 4:42 PM 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Monoprice SW-15 | Klipsch SPL-120 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499.99 | $429.99 |
| Ranked | #14 of 212 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) | #19 of 212 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) |
| Enclosure | ported, bottom | ported, front |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 90.0 dB | - |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 101.2 dB | 97.9 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 106.3 dB | 108.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 111.2 dB | 113.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 116.0 dB | 116.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 120.2 dB | 119.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 120.5 dB | 120.9 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 119.5 dB | 121.2 dB |
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 119.0 dB | 119.7 dB |
| Dimensions | 18.1”H x 21”W x 22.7”D (459.7 x 533.4 x 576.6 mm) | 17.7”H x 14.7”W x 19.9”D (450.8 x 372.9 x 504.7 mm) |
| Weight | 66.1 lbs (30.0 kg) | 45 lbs (20.4 kg) |
| Warranty | 1 | 5/2 |
| Cabinet Color | black | black |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics | Brent Butterworth |
| Frequency Response | 30-150Hz (-10dB) | 24-125Hz |
| Amplifier Power | 600W RMS / 800W peak | 300W RMS |
| Crossover Frequency | 40-150Hz, 18dB/octave | - |
| Phase Control | 0° or 180° | - |
| Inputs | Stereo line level and speaker level | - |
| Drivers | 15” (381mm) driver | 12” (305mm) driver |
| Output SPL at 16 Hz | - | 87.2 dB |
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