Best 8 Inch Shallow Mount Subwoofers

Sure, quality car speakers may guarantee you a crystal clear audio but nothing really does the job of digging deep like a subwoofer.

If you want to fill in the lower bass frequencies when listening to music you will need a good subwoofer (or two … or more!) However, in smaller vehicles space for bass is at a premium.

Nevertheless, in case your vehicle can not accommodate a large subwoofer it doesn’t mean that you may forget about an immersive sound with deep bass. You can always opt for a low mount profile sub.

Shallow mount subwoofers are designed to fit into even the most shallow of enclosures without sacrificing on sound, making them a great option for today’s smaller or hard-to-fit vehicles.

Despite their low mount profile, shallow mount subs will enhance your listening experience and add a solid deep bass foundation to your music.

In this guide, we’ve evaluated the best 8 inch shallow mount subwoofers for this year, no matter what your budget, or the size of your vehicle.

Best 8 Inch Shallow Mount Subwoofers

1. Pioneer TS-SW2002D2

If you’ve ever taken any interest in speakers or any other car audio components, Pioneer is a brand you likely recognize, and for good reason. The company has been in business for decades and offers a wide variety of top notch products.

The TS-SW2002D2 8-inch subwoofer looks unassuming, but the low profile belies a powerful sub that is up to the task whether it’s a melodic track, a bass-heavy track or something more upbeat.

The TS-SW2002D2 is one of the best 8 inch shallow mount subwoofer that Pioneer has to offer. It’s designed to bring great bass to vehicles where conventional subs won’t fit. With a mounting depth of just 2-5/8″, this sub will fit perfectly into even the most shallow of enclosures without sacrificing on sound.

This 8 inch sub is featured with an oversized cone made of mica-injected molded resin coupled with dual-layer elastic polymer surround for high-level playback and excellent linearity.

Pioneer TS-SW2002D2 can handle up to 150 watts of power RMS and up to 600 watts at peak. It has an impressive frequency range of 20 – 200Hz, and 86 dB sensitivity, giving you all the range and power you could want.

This subwoofer is a great bang for the buck. It delivers more than enough grunt, and the energetic bass it puts out is solid and punchy especially considering the fact it’s a small subwoofer with a low mount profile.

In addition to being suitable for both sealed and ported enclosures, this sub also works in free-air applications so that it can be installed in a variety of locations.

2. Kicker 43CWRT82

Kicker 43CWRT82

• Injection-molded polypropylene cone
• Santoprene surround
• SoloKon technology
• All-weather subwoofer

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Kicker is as well-reputed brand within the car audio space. It’s been around for quite a long time and has mastered the art of making quality subwoofers for a reasonable price. The 43CWRT82 is no exception.

Kicker CompRT subs are designed with today’s compact cars in mind. At less than 3″ deep, this low-profile sub at hand will deliver big bass from a tight space, making your installation options wide open.

This subwoofer comes equipped with a rigid injection-molded polypropylene cone supported by durable rubber surround which will last through years of heavy use.

Kicker 43CWRT82 boasts 30Hz to 500Hz frequency response and can handle up to 300 watts RMS, giving you all the range and power you could want. If you’re all about that punchy bass, one or two of these Kicker subs will definitely get the party started.

This versatile sub can be wired for 1 ohm or 4 ohms, giving you more wiring flexibility when setting up your system. It’s optimized to sound great in sealed or ported enclosures.

If you’ve got a large vehicle or just love to raise the roof, the 43CWRT82 is here to serve and at a price that’s low for this kind of quality and power.

3. Rockford Fosgate P3SD2-8

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Rockford Fosgate P3SD2-8

• Anodized aluminum cone
• M-Roll Santoprene™ surround
• Proprietary spider venting/cooling technique
• StampCast basket with integrated spider venting
• High modulus Kevlar re-inforced paper-pulp cone
• High temp 2 inch voice coil
• Optimized motor magnetics with extended pole and bumped vented backplate
• Dual tear & fatigue resistant poly-cotton spider with woven tinsel leads

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Rockford Fosgate is another legacy speaker maker that makes a wide variety of subwoofers. Rockford Fosgate has been in the car audio industry since 1973, and you could say they know a thing or two about sound.

Rockford Fosgate subs seem to hit the sweet spot for a lot of guys, the P3SD2-8 is no exception. It’s one of the top-rated 8 inch shallow mount subwoofer out there.

The subwoofer at hand is well-engineered to sound good and last a long time. It features an anodized aluminum for the cone and dust cap making the woofer responsive and easier to drive, yet rigid enough to maintain its shape when the bass gets heavy.

This sub’s cone is bonded to M-Roll Santoprene™ surround which provide an excellent excursion and linearity while being durable enough to last.

The Rockford Fosgate P3SD2-8 uses a hybrid stamp-cast basket which provides a solid base for the subwoofer and minimizes weight and resonance

This subwoofer has a frequency range of 38Hz – 250Hz and can handle up to 150 watts RMS.

At 2-5/8 inches deep, the Rockford Fosgate P3SD2-8 subwoofer will fit into places where no bass has gone before. Its dual 2-ohm voice coils allow for wiring flexibility, while the unique spider venting design shunt heat away from the sub’s internal motor structure for long lasting performance.

4. Polk Audio DB 842 DVC

Polk Audio DB 842 DVC

• Polypropylene UV-Resistant Cone
• Santoprene Rubber Surround for extra water protection
• IP56 Ultra-Marine Rated, dirt and water resistant
• Tested for salt-fog, UV and humidity
• Quick-connect wire terminals
• Dual 4-ohm voice coil

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On a tight-budget but still want that boom in your toom? Check out the Polk Audio DB 842 DVC sub. It’s not expensive, but you still get a lot for the money.

This model’s biggest selling point outside of its relatively low-profile and powerful bass response is the fact that it’s marine certified with IP56 rating (water- and dirt-resistant), making it a great option for almost any vehicle out there including cars, motorcycles, boats, ATVs—you name it.

This subwoofer features a rigid polypropylene cone supported by durable rubber surround. At 250 watts of continuous power and the ability to handle bursts up to 750 watts, it is powerful enough to render rich low frequencies with a stunning sense of realism. And with a response that goes down to 30 Hz, you’ll definitely hear the low frequencies you’ve been missing.

This subwoofer will work equally well in a ported or sealed enclosure. However, despite being a versatile subwoofer, the Polk Audio DB 842 DVC isn’t suitable for free air setups (infinite baffle).

5. Pioneer-TS-SWX2002

Pioneer-TS-SWX2002

• Preloaded with an 8 inch shallow mount subwoofer
• 5/8 inch MDF
• Sealed enclosure with non slip carpet finish
• Scratch resistant carpeted finish

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Want to save yourself from the hassle of building an enclosure for your subwoofer? Check out the Pioneer-TS-SWX2002. It’s a great pre-loaded enclosure for the price. I mean, think about it, an 8″ shallow-mount pre-loaded enclosure for less than $100. That’s a major bargain.

This pre-loaded enclosure houses Pioneer TS-SW2002D2 (mentioned above). It’s made of 5/8″ medium density fiberboard(MDF)and it’s wrapped with black carpet. At only 5-1/2″ deep, it’ll easily fit in tight spots in today’s smaller or hard-to-fit vehicles.

The spring post terminals this enclosure is featured with accept pin connectors, single or dual banana plugs (3/4″ width), or bare wire up to 10 gauge.

6. Kenwood eXcelon KFC-XW800F

Kenwood products don’t really need an introduction. This audiophile brand has made a name for itself as a serious contender in the car audio industry, and for good reason.

Kenwood eXcelon products represent the brand’s most advanced series of products specially developed to provide the ideal listening experience that audiophiles demand.

The subwoofer at hand is one of the best 8 inch shallow mount subwoofers out there. It’s featured with a carbon-glass fiber cone which uses a honeycomb pattern to deliver quick response in demanding conditions without flexing. This sub’s cone is bonded to beefed-up rubber surround which maintains control over the cone, minimizing distortion caused by resonance.

A die-cast aluminum basket offers a rock-solid base for the subwoofer with plenty of venting to dissipate heat away from the sub’s internal component. The silver-plated push terminals on the other hand offer convenient connections and provide excellent signal transfer.

This subwoofer at hand sports a decent 78 dB sensitivity and presents frequency range of 40Hz to 500Hz. It can handle up to 150 watts RMS.

This subwoofer can handle up to 150 watts RMS (600 watts peak). And with a frequency response of 40Hz to 500Hz, you’ll score respectable bass response.

On the debit side, this sub’s sensitivity is below average. While most subwoofers we listed here have a 82 dB sensitivity or higher, Kenwood eXcelon KFC-XW800F is rated at 78dB.