Kicker vs Rockford Fosgate subwoofers
Which of these legendary subwoofer brands is best for you?
When it comes to bass, Kicker and Rockford Fosgate are two of the most popular car audio brands on the market. In this article, we'll explore why that is and help you find the best option for your bass needs.
W
hen the conversation turns to car audio, two manufacturers are often listed as among the top brands in the field — Kicker and Rockford Fosgate. There are a number of similarities between the two legendary companies:
- Both are American companies founded in 1973 (just a year before Crutchfield was founded!),
- Both began as technical innovators in the field before becoming the diversified powerhouses they are today,
- Both have sterling reputations for excellent sound and reliability.
Let’s take a closer look at these two standout performers.
Kicker — it's hip to be square
The Kicker story begins in 1973 in Stillwater, Oklahoma where Steve Irby founded the company as a two-man operation working out of a one-car garage. In 1980 they introduced the original Kicker — the first full-range speaker enclosure designed for use in motor vehicles. This legacy of innovation has continued up to the present and helped keep the company at the forefront of the industry.
In 2001 Kicker raised the bar for subwoofer performance with the introduction of their Solo-Baric® L7™ Series square subwoofers. This one-of-a-kind design offers over 20% more surface area than a traditional round cone of the same size, maximizing the sub's low-end impact. Kicker's round-cone subs have benefited from technologies developed for the Solo-Baric Series and adapted to the rest of the subwoofer line.
In recent years the Kicker product line has expanded to include loaded subwoofer enclosures, subwoofers, and other speakers for cars, trucks, powersports, and marine applications as well as their Lifestyle line of home audio products. Their mobile audio offerings also include power amplifiers, DSP processors, and other components, all made to fulfill the company motto "Livin’ Loud."
Rockford Fosgate — innovative tech for high-volume applications
In 1973, Jim Fosgate discovered that the human ear doesn't have the same sonic response as full-freqency audio, making music sound different at low volumes than the actual music. Fosgate invented a solution: the Frequency Energizer, which would later become Fosgate’s patented Punch EQ.
The Punch EQ provided up to +18 dB of bass boost and a hinge filter treble boost with up to +12 dB of gain at 20 kHz for full-range sound. Now, that same Punch is the signature sound of Rockford Fosgate and can be heard across their range of products which include car speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers, and signal processors as well as products designed for marine, motorsports, and motorcycle applications.
The company has become an industry leader in innovation, design, and technology. Their original slogan "Car Audio For Fanatics" still applies today, and Mr. Fosgate took home an Emmy award for innovations in surround-sound technology, proving that the company’s motto "Where Music Meets Technology" applies today.
"Livin' loud" with Kicker subwoofers
Kicker offers a subwoofer for every bass need. From high-end crushers for the SPL circuit, to solid subs for the beginner bass lover. Let's take a look at their lineup and help you find the sub(s) that will round out your car audio system. And of course, we'll start with the the Solo-Barics.
[See our full selection of Kicker subwoofers]
Kicker Solo-Baric L7 Series subwoofers — breaking the rules
The Solo-Baric subwoofers are designed around Kicker's revolutionary square-cone design, which offers 20% more area than conventional round cones while fitting into the same amount of space. These hard-hitting subs feature dual voice coils to give you maximum flexibility when matching subs to your system, and their rugged construction and innovative design allows power handling of 500 to 1200 watts RMS. There's nothing else like them when you want truly massive bass.
Size | Max RMS Power | Voice Coil | Impedance |
---|---|---|---|
8" | 350-500w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
10" | 500-600w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
12" | 600-900w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
15" | 900-1200w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
Kicker CompQ and CompVX Series subwoofers — uncompromised performance
Kicker's CompQ and CompVX Series subs incorporate Kicker's Solo-Baric technology to deliver advanced round-cone subs that are anything but traditional. You'll get high-powered low end with 600 to 1100 watts of RMS power handling and innovative features including molded polypropylene cones, santoprene rubber surrounds, and heavy cast aluminum baskets. If you're looking for Kicker's most advanced features in subs that fit typical round speaker openings, these heavy hitters have everything you need.
Size | Max RMS Power | Voice Coil | Impedance |
---|---|---|---|
10" | 600w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
12" | 750-850w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
15" | 1000-1100w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
Kicker CompR and CompVR Series subwoofers — solid sound
The dependable performance of the CompR and CompVR subs supplies the great bass you expect in affordable designs that feature Kicker's signature molded polypropylene cones for greater stiffness and less distortion. Their advanced features and solid performance with 300 to 800 watts power handling (RMS) gives you maximum boom for your buck.
Size | Max RMS Power | Voice Coil | Impedance |
---|---|---|---|
6-3/4" | 150w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
8" | 300w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
10" | 350-500w | SVC & DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
12" | 350-500w | SVC & DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
15" | 500-800w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
Kicker Comp and CompC Series subwoofers — entry-level Kicker sound
When you're looking for maximum bass and minimal price, the Comp and CompC subs offer Kicker technology on a budget while still giving you between 150 and 600 watts of RMS power that fills your vehicle with their legendary sound. You get Kicker's innovative design concepts and rugged reliability at a price point that's sure to please.
Size | Max RMS Power | Voice Coil | Impedance |
---|---|---|---|
8" | 200w | SVC & DVC | 4-Ohm |
10" | 150-250w | SVC & DVC | 4-Ohm |
12" | 150-300w | SVC & DVC | 4-Ohm |
15" | 250-600w | SVC & DVC | 4-Ohm |
Shopping links:
Rockford Fosgate subs — "where music meets technology"
Depending on how much bass your system needs, Rockford Fosgate has the mix of power handling and price point for you. If you have the power to drive it, Rockford has the sub to sound it. Let's take a look at their Power, Punch, and Prime series of subs.
[See our full selection of Rockford Fosgate subwoofers]
Rockford Fosgate Power Series — advanced design for maximum impact
Rockford Fosgate's Power Series subwoofers live up to their names, with RMS power handling ranging from 500 watts to a staggering 2500 watts. Their advanced designs include multi-layer composite cones, injection-molded foam surrounds incorporating Fosgate's proprietary Vertical Attach Surround Technique (VAST) design to increase effective cone area, and the massive cast aluminum baskets it takes to keep all that power focused. Most Power Series subs allow you to wire your system for 1-ohm impedance to draw maximum power from your amplifier. When you put it all together, you've got subs designed for maximum impact.
Size | Max RMS Power | Voice Coil | Impedance |
---|---|---|---|
10" | 600w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
10" shallow | 500w | SVC | 1- and 2-Ohm |
12" | 800w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
12" shallow | 600w | SVC | 1- and 2-Ohm |
13" | 2000w | SVC | 1- and 2-Ohm |
16" | 2500w | SVC | 1- and 2-Ohm |
Rockford Fosgate Punch Series — a technical knockout
The Punch Series subs are designed to bring the benefits of Fosgate's high-end designs to their midline subwoofers, including their VAST surround technology and anodized aluminum voice coil formers. The Kevlar® reinforced paper cones give you an ideal balance of musical warmth and the toughness to keep your low end in high prominence.
Size | Max RMS Power | Voice Coil | Impedance |
---|---|---|---|
8" | 150-250w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
10" | 250-500w | SVC and DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
12" | 400-600w | SVC and DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
15" | 400-600w | SVC and DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
Rockford Fosgate Prime Series — baseline big bass
Rockford Fosgate's entry-level Prime Series subwoofers give you their great sound in an affordable package. Their mica-reinforced polypropylene cones offer a combination of great sound and toughness that belies their surprisingly reasonable cost, bringing RF's excellence in design and concept to everyone. You'll be pleasantly surprised by their combination of great bass and low price.
Size | Max RMS Power | Voice Coil | Impedance |
---|---|---|---|
10" | 250w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
12" | 250w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
Shopping links:
- 8" Rockford Fosgate subwoofers
- 10" Rockford Fosgate subwoofers
- 12" Rockford Fosgate subwoofers
- 13" Rockford Fosgate subwoofers
- 15" Rockford Fosgate subwoofers
- 16" Rockford Fosgate subwoofers
Shallow is the new deep — thin subs to deliver big sound
As today's cars become ever smaller, it's become difficult to find space to fit a subwoofer. The industry's response has been the introduction of shallow-mount subs, and Kicker and Rockford Fosgate have been at the forefront of the trend. Both companies offer a range of shallow-mount subs similar to their lines of more conventional subwoofers.
Either way you turn, you'll get the great bass sound that's made Kicker and Rockford Fosgate industry leaders in packages that fit almost anywhere. Let's take a look at their offerings.
Kicker shallow-mount subwoofers
The Solo-Baric L7T Series shallow-mounts incorporate Kicker's signature square-cone technology into subs that require only 4-1/8" of mounting depth for the 12" model, making them a great choice for any car system. The dual voice coil design gives you maximum flexibility when choosing your amp so you have the freedom of choice to build the perfect system.
The CompRT and CompVT Series shallow subs give you plenty of options in a more conventional round-cone design with a variety of sizes from 12" down to a 6-3/4" model that can fit huge bass into a startlingly small space, combining stealth and great sound. With their options in size and dual voice coil impedance there's a CompRT shallow-mount for almost every application.
Size | Max RMS Power | Voice Coil | Impedance |
---|---|---|---|
6-3/4" | 150w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
8" | 300-350w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
10" | 400-500w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
10" CompVT | 350w | SVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
12" | 500-600w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
12" CompVT | 350w | SVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
Rockford Fosgate shallow-mount subwoofers
The Power Series shallow-mount subwoofers adapt the series' innovative cone composition, VAST surround design, and solid cast aluminum basket to a compact package that delivers the quality performance of their standard subwoofers to give you maximum impact in a limited space.
Rockford Fosgate's Punch Stage 3 Series shallow subs carry over the technology of the Punch regular subs, bringing the benefits of their design innovations to today's smaller vehicles. You'll get the same high-tech aluminum and mica-injected polypropylene cones and VAST surround design, giving you sound as big as Goliath in a David-sized space.
Their Prime R2 Series shallow-mount subs give you the rigid mica-injected polypropylene cone and solid steel frame of their standard-sized Prime subs, delivering great bass at a great price.
Size | Max RMS Power | Voice Coil | Impedance |
---|---|---|---|
8" | 300w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
10" | 250-300w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
10" Power | 500w | SVC | 1- and 2-Ohm |
12" | 250-400w | DVC | 2- and 4-Ohm |
12" Power | 600w | SVC | 1- and 2-Ohm |
[Shop for Kicker and Rockford Fosgate shallow-mount subwoofers]
Simple bass solutions
Not everyone enjoys the fun of picking out subs, selecting (or building!) the right box for them, and then choosing an amplifier to power them. If you want a simpler bass solution right out of the box, then take a look at pre-loaded subwoofer boxes and powered subs.
Loaded subwoofer boxes simplify the process of building a bass system by giving you a subwoofer that's perfectly matched to, and pre-installed in, a high-quality box. That means less research and installation work for you. Just add an amplifier that matches the box's RMS power rating and you'll have great bass.
Powered subwoofers take it a step further by adding just the right amount of power built into the same housing. They also tend to be a little smaller than traditional woofer boxes, so they're perfect for smaller vehicles where you just don't have a lot of extra space.
Ready to hit the road?
These great companies offer subwoofers for any system to let you dial in the quality and level of bass response you're looking for. Whatever option you choose, quality craftsmanship and innovative designs from Rockford Fosgate and Kicker have your low end needs covered.
For more information on subwoofer options and selection, check out our Car Subwoofer Buying Guide or let Crutchfield's team of trained advisors help guide you to the perfect sub. If you've already read this far, what are you waiting for?
melvin from San Leandro
Posted on 12/28/2023
Man that is a hard decision, they are neck n neck. Can't go wrong with either one.
Charles from Bushoug
Posted on 11/17/2023
My t1 12 is a bad ass sub
Bryan from Portland
Posted on 11/2/2023
I've been running 3 Kicker CVR 10's in a sealed enclosure with a Rockford Fosgate R1200-1D and had GREAT results. Tons of power.
Jerry from Fulton,MS
Posted on 10/6/2023
Head unit: JVC Dvd player Front stage: Kicker 5 1/4in. 2way Rear stage: Kicker 6 1/2in 2way Amp: Kicker 4ch x 60watt Subs:Kicker 12in x2 Amp:Kicker 2ch x125watt Bass processor: AudioControl Epicenter Vehicle:05 Dodge Ram Inspiration: 12pk of Bud Light Not bad for an old man.
A Garcia from Kingsburg
Posted on 9/30/2023
I've run 2 kicker 12 comp vrs with 2 Fosgate p-300 amps. They've been pounding my trunk for over 10 years without even 1 hiccup.
Jake
Posted on 9/28/2023
Ive had the L7 15 solo, the comp r 12, the p312, p212, punch dvc12, punch he12 and numerous others and without having anything from fosgate to compare to the L715, Fosgate still wins for me. I want to hear the new t series, especially the t3 19 beastie.
Keith Dexter Downs from McComb, Mississippi
Posted on 9/21/2023
I'm a punch fan.. haven't indulged in the loud music in a few years..but seem to be getting back into it.. I've owned both.. kickers manufactured a box that fitted in the trunk of the Chevy camero .. it was ok.. 7/10; when put through the paces. Since then, I've owned punch 12's, 15's and an 18 .. being young and very competitive at that time.. looking back realize that I really abused them.. and they held their own.. I'd usually power them with a punch 75 amp.. with no trouble at all.. I blew an 18 once and I was replaced under warranty, with no questions asked.. Nothing wrong with kickers.. but I just have had positive experiences with the RFs..so I guess that makes me a RF guy.. thanks..
BigKev
Posted on 8/12/2023
Rockford Fosgate takes the gold here, Sorry kicker fans. There's a big difference Rockford produces a cleaner sounding product hands down.
BigRed from Auburn Hills
Posted on 7/15/2023
Kickers 4life
Jefferson Wade
Posted on 4/3/2023
Do you have any advice for a 2011g37 coupe