In-Depth Review: Pioneer TS-SW2502S4 Subwoofer
Car stereo systems are notorious for having flat and uninspiring sound. Most car manufacturers know that your average driver doesn’t see the difference, and it won’t be a make or break spec for most car buyers. Many of us spend a lot of time in our cars, though, and being able to enjoy our favorite music is important.
The right music can help you chill out at the end of the day or get you pumped up and in the zone for whatever comes your way. It can be hard to feel immersed if the sound is tinny or unbalanced
To me, and many other drivers, it’s worth it to invest in upgrading your car’s audio system. If you are dealing with a smaller space, a shallow-mount option will fit better in tight areas than many woofers that can take up your whole trunk. For trucks, which don’t have trunks, a shallow-mount subwoofer style is your best option.
There are plenty of expensive options out there, but if you’re trying to get the most bang for your buck, try: Pioneer TS-SW2502S4 10-Inch, 1.200 Watts Shallow-Mount Subwoofer
Page Contents
What You Should Know
This 10-inch subwoofer is basic but has some features that really make a difference in sound quality. The polypropylene cone has extra reinforcement that makes it more rigid and durable.
This speaker has an RMS of 300 watts, but it can reach a peak of 1200 watts, which is an impressive range for such a small subwoofer. Though, it’s recommended to use it within the 100-300 watt range. The woofer also features:
- Mica injection-molded resin cone
- Oversized cone structure
- Shallow mounting depth
- 1-year warranty
- 20-125 Hz frequency response
- 91dB sensitivity level
The mica resin helps give this subwoofer the ability to produce accurate bass, and the large cone surface area lets it move more air to produce a louder, deeper sound. It also uses one 4Ohm voice coil to produce quality sound. The Pioneer website gives a full run-down of all the features.
First Impressions
One of the first things I noticed was that this isn’t the same size as a standard 10-inch subwoofer. Most sub box holes for a 10-inch will be nine ¼ inches, but this model is nine ¾ inches.
So, you might need to carve out extra space in your sub box, which is a pain, but not a deal-breaker. It is very shallow, so if you’re worried about having enough depth, this probably won’t cause any problems there, at least needing only three ⅛ inches of mounting depth. Once you deal with any possible sizing issues, it’s easy enough to install.
For such a small subwoofer, this has an impressive boom. The RMS range lets me crank up the power level, but the sound doesn’t lose clarity. The look of the woofer is pretty basic, it probably won’t win any beauty contests, but because of its size, it’s easy to install it somewhere discreet where it won’t draw too much attention to itself.
Overall Impressions
After testing it out and taking a little time to break it in, I was able to experience the true range of the subwoofer. If you’re looking for something that will announce your arrival in any neighborhood and rattle other people’s windows, this might not be the audio device for you.
When comparing it to some really high-end systems (that can cost up to ten times more), it doesn’t hit those extremely deep bass notes quite as well. There is a subtle difference. You won’t get that full-body vibration feeling from this little woofer, but some can be felt in the hard surfaces of the vehicle.
I’ve also never been successful at pushing it to its reported peak of 1200 watts. Systems do take a little time to break in so you can hit those peaks without risk of a blow-out, so once I do push it to the absolute max, it may be able to get more of those classic subwoofer booms. The system can’t sustain that constantly, however, but neither can most of our eardrums.
The sound it produces is clean and accurate. It’s versatile, as well. I listen to many styles of music, and all of them have sounded better after integrating this subwoofer into my car’s audio system. Even music that isn’t heavy on thumping bass will sound good going through this woofer.
Who Should Buy This Subwoofer?
If you also are looking for good sound quality for a tight space and don’t want to blow a ton of money on it, the Pioneer TS-SW2502S4 might be the right subwoofer for you.
It helps you get the best possible sound in a tight space and on a tight budget. The difference it will make to your listening experience is definitely worth it, in any genre. It’s the ideal fit in even small or trunkless cars and adds that extra oomph to your favorite songs without disturbing the whole street. People who love the full sound experience of enhanced bass, but want to be more discreet will find this system to be ideal.
Final Thoughts
Pioneer is a reliable brand with a good reputation for quality. That, coupled with the one-year warranty, helps give me peace of mind for my purchase. It’s also undeniably a good deal. Many 10-inch shallow mounts are on the market from other brands, and they can easily cost double what Pioneer offers this one for.
The Pioneer TS-SW2502S4 10-Inch, 1.200 Watts Shallow-Mount Subwoofer is not the most powerful subwoofer on the market. But, it does hold up well compared to other compact options. The sound quality is good. It has strength and power that are impressive for its size, and it doesn’t lose crispness, even when pushed toward its upper limits.
The sizing can make it a little awkward to install, which isn’t a point in its favor, but if you can adjust your sub box with a jigsaw or Dremel tool to give you the extra ⅝ inch that you need, the installation itself isn’t too difficult.
I highly recommend this product and think it’s an excellent balance of value and performance. I would give this subwoofer 4.5 stars.
