Kicker L5 Solo-Baric Subwoofer Review

Even though it's two years old, the 2006 Kicker L5 Series Solo-Baric Subwoofer is still considered by many as a current and competitive model. This is perhaps one of the biggest secrets in car audio. People always want the newest and most current products expecting it out-perform the manufacturer's older models. However, this is not necessarily the case. Sure it generally does, but with Kicker car audio products, even some of their earliest models is still comparable to today's subwoofers.

If you're able to resist the temptation of trying to keep up with the Jones', then you may be able to save money while still being able to impress your friends when you buy the older models. That should tell you a lot about the quality of Kicker subwoofers. Of course Kicker recently released their 2008 line of products, so be sure to check those out too.

The L5 Solo-Baric subwoofer is capable of 600 watts RMS with 1200 watts maximum power handling. That power rating is CEA standardized, so don't worry about getting jipped. Of course, with any Solo-Baric subwoofers, it is characterized with a uniquely Kicker square design. The result is an increased cone surface area, allowing for greater movement while maintaining a relatively small design. The subwoofer performs marvelously, primarily due to its SoloKon cone woofer design with its stitched Santoprene rubber surround for incredible durability.

The 2008 model has greater ventilation design, allowing for a better endurance and slight improvement in bass response. The only other difference is also the darker color cone on the 2008 L5 Series Subwoofers. Everything else is pretty much the same-dual voice coils, similar recommended enclosure volume, heavy-duty steel basket, similar mounting depths, and definitely high performing.

This is why I'm saying that some of the best deals out there today are with older, yet high-quality products such as the 2006 Solo Baric Subwoofers; and they're available in 8", 10", 12", and 15" in both dual 2 and dual 4 ohms voice coils.

For those of us who do not have the luxury of having large cars, the Kicker CompVT subwoofers may be the best solution for having powerful bass in a small car.


In 2007, Kicker released the slim and shallow-mount 10" and 12" CompVT subwoofers. This year, they took the game even further with the release of the 8" and the even smaller 6-½" CompVT subwoofers!

At first glance, the CompVT subwoofers may seem small and weak, but boy do they pack a punch. You would not find any better brand to trust than Kicker. They've been doing this for awhile and you can be sure that when they design subwoofers for performance, they will perform accurately to every specification they wrote down for you. So when they say that the CompVT 6-½" subwoofer could handle 150 watts of RMS power, they really mean it! You wouldn't ever think 6-½" subs could ever produce good bass, but you'd be pleasantly surprise.

Both the 8" and the 6-½" Kicker subwoofers are capable of reproducing any low frequency from 25-350 Hz with 85dB SPL each. While the 6-1/2" subwoofer could handle 300 watts of maximum power and 150 watts continuous power, the 8" variety could handle 400 watts maximum wattage and 200 watts of continuous power. What's amazing is the sound they produce while requiring much smaller enclosure volume than most subwoofers out there as they both only require less than a half of a cubic foot. The secret is found with its vent-less solid-pole design that eliminates the need for additional mounting depth since it could be mounted all the way up to the wall of an enclosure if it needs to. This is why these subwoofers need less than 3" of mounting depth.

Kicker did not sacrifice anything in their design of the CompVT subs. They still feature high quality injection molded polypropylene cone woofer, ribbed Santoprene rubber surround, steel basket frame, perimeter venting, Uniplate backplate, Uniplate pole, double stitching, 360° back bracing, and four layer high-temperature voice coil.

Once again, Kicker produced an outstanding and ingenious design that will be sure to impress and leave audiophiles with a smile.

The 2008 CompVT subwoofers are available in 8" single 4 ohms (08CVT84), 8" single 2 ohms (08CVT82), 6-½" single 4 ohms (08CVT654), and 6-½" single 2 ohms (08CVT652).

Finding an affordable yet high-performing subwoofer isn't an easy task, but the Pioneer TS-W1007D4 is exactly that. It's not everyday that anyone could get a cheap subwoofer that is also powerful and reliable; so read carefully because this may very well be one of the best deals available to you.

The subwoofer features the now commonly used injection molded polypropylene cone woofer. However, it is not just plain polypropylene but is compounded with interlaced aramid fiber or also known as Kevlar. The material utilized along with its woven fiber radial surround creates an extremely tough and rigid construction, allowing for greater bass response while maintaining consistent performance in any environment.




The Pioneer TS-W1007D4 is primarily regarded as an entry-level subwoofer. However, it packs a big punch for those who do not want to spend much money on their car audio equipment. Its 10" cone woofer is capable of delivering up to 1000 watts maximum power and could consistently produce 350 watts of CEA rated RMS power out of dual 2 ohm ( TS-W1007D2) or 4 ohm (TS-W1007D4) 4-layer copper voice coils. Don't overlook its hefty 74oz. dual-stacked magnet structure that when combined with the mentioned specs could produce that boomy bass you've always wanted.

Another great feature of the TS-W1007D4 is its ability to pick up frequencies as low as 18 Hz to as high as 600 Hz. This means that this 10" subwoofer could produce sound frequencies just below what you would typically call "midrange". When combined with a decent component speaker system, the results would be great audio reproduction in your vehicle.

Cosmetically, this subwoofer looks good. It has a classy look, not overbearing, but is still able to give off an intimidatingly powerful image. The basket is a stamped design with all four terminals on one side for easier installation. An additional but optional grille is available, allowing the cone to be protected and cosmetically enhanced.

The MA115XQ is the brand new 2008 model produced by MA Audio. This particular model is a 15"dual 4 ohms subwoofer, capable of handling up to 900 maximum wattage and 450 continuous wattage.

Unusual for recently released subwoofers, the MA115XQ features a non-pressed paper cone. The material used allows the subwoofer to be relatively inexpensive. Nonetheless the affordable paper cone still delivers very good and, under certain conditions, impressive low-frequency bass response.

The surround material featured on this subwoofer is one of the most rigid designs available. It is a double stitched rubber surround that is also reinforced with glass fiber. The result is a tough surround design that is sure to last for a long time with constant subwoofer usage. The rubber surround's elasticity will ensure proper movement while protecting the cone from separating or tearing away from the basket.

The 15" subwoofer, unfortunately, has its drawback. First, you would need a large subwoofer enclosure as well as a deeper mounting space in order to fit. The mounting depth nearly reaches 7" deep. It's also rather heavy as the Strontium magnet itself already weighs a whopping 80oz. But all of these somewhat negative aspects could be easily overlooked with its double 4 ohm voice coil, large power handling capability, and high SPL (90 dB).

If you're looking for an inexpensive subwoofer with competition-quality performance, the MA115XQ is the subwoofer for you!