The Best Subwoofer Company You've Never Heard Of
NOTE: The company referenced in this article, TC Sounds, has announced they will no longer be selling subwoofers online. This page will be kept on the site for any links that may be out there but it should be considered outdated and will no longer be linked to internally.
How many car audio subwoofer companies can you name? Who do you think makes the best car audio subwoofer? Did you know that not every company makes their own subwoofers? In fact all but the largest companies contract their design and manufacture to companies that specialize in subwoofers.
Why Sub Out?
So why do these companies sub-contract their design and manufacture of subwoofers? Well, because it takes a lot of money to start a manufacturing line. It also takes a lot of time and money to design the parts for that line. Plus there's no guarantee that the subwoofers will be successful commerically. Why risk losing all that money? It makes sense to instead seek out a company that already has the tooling to make the parts and the know how to make them work together. This is especially true for small companies or those just starting out in the audio business.
Who Does It?
One of the top companies that does this kind of work is TC Sounds based in San Diego, CA. They've manufactured subwoofers for some of the best reviewed car audio subwoofers. While they're tight lipped about who they've worked with, especially for current contracts, several of their customers are known. These include Audiomobile, Eclipse, Stryke, Onyx, SoundSplinter, SVS and Elemental Designs (email if you know of others or if any of these are in error).
What Does This Mean for You?
Knowing this information can benefit you in f two ways. If you are interested in creating your own subwoofer line you can do so. There are varying levels of commitment and cost involved depending on how serious you want to be. You can just have an already existing subwoofer private labeled for your company, car club or car audio shop if you wanted to. Or you can work with designers towards a specific goal of performance and price and create a entirely new design. If any of this interests you can learn more at this link.
Another way to benefit from this information is through lower prices. By going directly to the manufacturer you're going to get a lot more subwoofer for your money. TC Sounds now sells their subwoofers directly to consumers through their website. They have several lines and sizes to choose from. Their least expensive model is the TC-1000 which starts at $149 while they have other models that cost nearly $900. Compared to other subwoofers available on the market you'll find that these subwoofers are a great value. I personally have a 12" dB-500, a 10" TC-1000, a 15" TC-3000 and a pair of 10" LMS-4000 and I can tell you the build quality and sound are top notch. And they're Made in the USA at their San Diego manufacturing facility.
 |
You should also check out Advanced Enclosure Design and Fabrication. It covers designing enclosures using free computer software, maximizing the output of a subwoofer system, building the box like a pro and testing the output using inexpensive equipment. Click here to get the details. |
Back to the Newsletter Archives Index
Free Newsletter
Newsletter Archives
Car Audio Training DVDs
Complete DVD Special
Car Stereo Installation
Car Alarm Installation
Advanced Enclosures
Fiberglass Fabrication
Fiberglass Fabrication II
