How to Choose Your First Car Subwoofer
Cone size, voice coil, sealed vs ported, and matching power — the four decisions that decide how your first sub sounds.
Your first subwoofer purchase comes down to four decisions: cone size, voice-coil configuration, enclosure type, and the amplifier driving it. Get those four right and even a modest sub will sound bigger than a poorly-matched expensive one.
1. Pick the cone size for your trunk, not your ego
A 10" sub in the right enclosure with the right power will out-play a 15" running half its rated wattage in a cramped box. For most sedans and hatchbacks, dual 10s or a single 12 hit the sweet spot between output and trunk space.
2. Match voice coil to amplifier
Dual 2-ohm voice coils wired in parallel give 1Ω, which is what most mono amps make their full rated power at. Dual 4-ohm coils wired in parallel give 2Ω — pick the configuration the amp you already have (or want) is built for.
3. Sealed vs ported
Sealed boxes are tighter, smaller and more forgiving. Ported boxes are louder for the same power but bigger and tune to a specific frequency. See our enclosure guide for the full tradeoffs.
4. Don't underpower it
An underpowered sub running into clipping is what blows voice coils — not too much clean power. Aim for an amp that delivers 75–110% of the sub's RMS rating at the impedance you'll be wiring to.