In this review, we will be comparing SUB8 and C 912, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Kanto and Jamo. 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 Kanto SUB8 and Jamo C 912 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.Both Kanto SUB8and Jamo C 912 have a single woofer setup however the Kanto SUB8's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Jamo C 912 features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SUB8 has a frequency range of 35-175 Hz whereas C 912 has a frequency range of 29-125 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the C 912 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SUB8's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
The Kanto SUB8 has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the Jamo C 912 have Bass Reflex type enclosure. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed 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 Kanto SUB8's and Jamo C 912's external dimensions. Kanto SUB8 has external dimensions of 301.0 x 281.0 x 329.0mm (11-13/16 x 11-1/16 x 12-15/16inch) whereas Jamo C 912 has external dimensions of 461.0 x 358.0 x 507.0mm (18-1/8 x 14-1/16 x 19-15/16inch).
Jamo C 912 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 77mm wider, 160mm taller and 178mm deeper than Kanto SUB8.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Kanto SUB8 and Jamo C 912 in scale.
Comparison image of Kanto SUB8 and Jamo C 912 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 Kanto SUB8 is approximately 924.5cm2 / 143.3inch2 and base area of the Jamo C 912 is approximately 1815.1cm2 / 281.3inch2. The SUB8 requires 49% less surface area than the C 912 which gives it a small advantage 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 Kanto SUB8 weighs 7.82kg / 17.2lbs and the Jamo C 912 weighs 18.98kg / 41.8lbs. This makes the C 912 143% heavier than the SUB8.
Here is a comparison of how SUB8 and C 912's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of Kanto SUB8?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SUB8:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 9.75-feet mono-RCA cable
- User Manual
What's in the Box of Jamo C 912?
Here are the items that come with the C 912:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 High Frequency Response |
175 Hz
vs
125 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
301mm
vs
461mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
924cm2
vs
1815cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
229USD
vs
300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
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.
Jamo C 912 needs about 96% more floor area. Jamo C 912 stands 178mm further into the room. Jamo C 912 is 160mm taller.
| General |
Kanto SUB8 |
Jamo C 912 |
| Brand |
Kanto |
Jamo |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
125 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
35-175 Hz |
29-125 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
125-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
250-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
IMG |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
301.0mm (11.9") |
461.0mm (18.1") |
| Width |
281.0mm (11.1") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
329.0mm (13") |
507.0mm (20") |
| Weight |
7.82kg (17.2lbs) |
18.98kg (41.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
A sealed subwoofer against a ported 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 | B | Jamo C 912 goes deeper - 29Hz against 35Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 35Hz. |
| Amplifier power | B | Jamo C 912 has the bigger amplifier - 200W against 125W RMS, about 2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Jamo C 912 moves more air: 12" against 8" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | Kanto SUB8 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; Jamo C 912 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only Jamo C 912 offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Kanto SUB8 is about 67% 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. |
| Price | B | Jamo C 912 costs less - $229 against $300, about 24% less. |
A Kanto SUB8 B Jamo C 912
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?
Jamo C 912 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Kanto SUB8 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Jamo C 912 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Kanto SUB8 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Kanto SUB8 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.