Why get a 10-inch subwoofer when a 12-inch is cheaper?


Q. I read your recent column about the 12-inch Monoprice subwoofer for $85. It looks like a steal, but I don’t want a contact paper, wood-grain finish. I also don’t need a 12-inch subwoofer. A 10-inch would be adequate and, perhaps, preferred for my current situation. Do you have any insights on the smaller 10-inch version? Of course, for the small difference in price, I could just get the Dayton 10-inch subwoofer. I could just spray paint the 12-inch Monoprice subwoofer black. What do you think?

S.M., Pittsburgh

A. My initial thought is that if what you really want is a 10-inch subwoofer, then you should get a 10-inch subwoofer. We will take a look at the various options, including placement, an option that perhaps you did not consider.

Since you do not like the finish, you could simply put the 12-inch subwoofer in a hidden location in the room so it is not seen. Humans can’t localize low-frequency bass sounds, meaning that though you may hear and feel them, if you close your eyes, you can’t tell where they are coming from unless they are interacting with objects near them and causing them to rattle.

I have not tested the 10-inch Monoprice subwoofer so cannot comment on it. The Dayton 10-inch subwoofer is showing up at $165 right now, about $80 more than the Monoprice 12-inch. On one hand, it is less than $100 difference for what is likely to be a long-term investment; on the other hand, it is almost double the price of the Monoprice unit, and you’ll lose the extra performance of the 12-inch if you ever relocate and have a bigger room. Given this, I would be more inclined to go with the Monoprice 12-inch unless your room is absolutely too small for it, and given the adjustable output, I doubt this would be the case.

If you do decide to spray paint the subwoofer, be sure to use a lot of masking tape to cover the controls and driver, and test your paint of choice on a small, discreet area on the sub to make sure it does not react with the existing finish.

Contact Don Lindich at www.soundadviceblog.com and use the “submit question” link on that site.

2011, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

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