In this review, we will be comparing SuperSub XXL and Silver W-12, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from GoldenEar and Monitor Audio. Being Powered subwoofers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features of GoldenEar SuperSub XXL and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
The sections below take each area in turn: driver and amplifier, frequency response, physical size and connectivity.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.GoldenEar SuperSub XXL and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 have a totally different setup: the GoldenEar SuperSub XXL features 2 x 12-inch drivers whereas the Silver W-12 features 1 x 12-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
SuperSub XXL has a frequency range of 10-250 Hz whereas Silver W-12 has a frequency range of 20-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the SuperSub XXL can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Silver W-12's min frequency of 20Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
Cabinet Type
The GoldenEar SuperSub XXL has a Passive Radiator type cabinet. Passive Radiator type subwoofers sports a non-powered cone that moves in response to the main woofer to move air out in order to generate stronger bass in a smaller body compared to ported or sealed designs. On the other hand the Monitor Audio Silver W-12 have Acoustic Suspension type enclosure. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported designs.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare GoldenEar SuperSub XXL's and Monitor Audio Silver W-12's external dimensions. GoldenEar SuperSub XXL has external dimensions of 447.0 x 485.0 x 434.0mm (17-9/16inch x 19-1/16inch x 17-1/16inch) whereas Monitor Audio Silver W-12 has external dimensions of 355.0 x 342.0 x 445.0mm (13-15/16 x 13-7/16 x 17-1/2inch).
Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is 143mm narrower and 92mm shorter than GoldenEar SuperSub XXL but it is also 11mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of GoldenEar SuperSub XXL and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 in scale.
Comparison image of GoldenEar SuperSub XXL and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the GoldenEar SuperSub XXL is approximately 2104.9cm2 / 326.3inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is approximately 1521.9cm2 / 235.9inch2. The SuperSub XXL requires 38% more surface area than the Silver W-12 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a subwoofer may become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often to find the optimal positioning, also known as 'Subwoofer Crawling'. The GoldenEar SuperSub XXL weighs 37.27kg / 82lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver W-12 weighs 20.14kg / 44.3lbs. This makes the SuperSub XXL 85% heavier than the Silver W-12.
Here is a comparison of how SuperSub XXL and Silver W-12's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
What's in the Box of GoldenEar SuperSub XXL?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SuperSub XXL:
- Powered Subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver W-12?
Here are the items that come with the Silver W-12:
- Powered sub
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Grille
- Auto setup mic (w/ attached 19.5-feet cable)
- 10.75-feet Mono minijack cable
- 4 Feet
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
20 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
two 13-inch x 15-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
355mm
vs
447mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1521cm2
vs
2104cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2100USD
vs
2499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
Size, drawn to scale
Both subwoofers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same floor and pushed back to the same wall, so the bigger one visibly takes more of the room.
GoldenEar SuperSub XXL needs about 38% more floor area. GoldenEar SuperSub XXL is 92mm taller.
| General |
GoldenEar SuperSub XXL |
Monitor Audio Silver W-12 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1600 watts |
500 watts |
| Frequency Response |
10-250 Hz |
20-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1600-watt RMS |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Fiber |
C-CAM |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
side |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
447.0mm (17.6") |
355.0mm (14") |
| Width |
485.0mm (19.1") |
342.0mm (13.5") |
| Depth |
434.0mm (17.1") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
37.27kg (82lbs) |
20.14kg (44.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |
A passive radiator subwoofer against a sealed one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | GoldenEar SuperSub XXL goes deeper - 10Hz against 20Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | GoldenEar SuperSub XXL has the bigger amplifier - 1600W against 500W RMS, about 5.1dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | GoldenEar SuperSub XXL moves more air: 2 x 12" against 12" is 2x the cone area, not the 1.41x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | GoldenEar SuperSub XXL is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Phase control | B | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Driver placement | depends | GoldenEar SuperSub XXL fires side and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 fires front. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is about 43% smaller by volume. In a subwoofer that is a real trade rather than a preference: box volume is how you get output low down without a bigger amplifier. |
| Warranty | A | GoldenEar SuperSub XXL carries 3 years on parts against 2 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 costs less - $2,100 against $2,499, about 16% less. |
A GoldenEar SuperSub XXL B Monitor Audio Silver W-12
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both subwoofers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
GoldenEar SuperSub XXL leads across most of the measured areas for a modest premium, so it is the easier pick if the budget stretches. Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is the one to take if it does not. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, GoldenEar SuperSub XXL will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
One thing outweighs everything above: where the subwoofer stands. Room modes can add or remove 10dB or more at a given seat, which is far larger than any difference on this page. Before spending more, try the sub in two or three positions - the crawl test, where you put it in the listening seat and crawl the room to find where the bass sounds best, costs nothing and usually beats an upgrade.