Where subwoofers are manufactured


I'm shopping for a new subwoofer or two and have done some research online about where various brands and models are manufactured. It appears that while several popular brands are designed in the US, only JL Audio is actually assembled in the US (and yes, I know that they use parts from elsewhere). In looking at photos of control panels, I have noticed that some seem to omit the country of origin (or perhaps the photos have been altered). Besides, JL Audio, can anyone point me toward other US-made subwoofer brands? In Europe, I believe that MJ Acoustics products are made in the UK, Focal are made in France, Dynaudio are made in Denmark, and Canton are made in Germany. Are there other European-made brands that I have overlooked? Are there Japanese-made subwoofers that include 120V components? I am assuming that, based on price, the direct-marketed brands such as SVS and Rythmik are Chinese-made, although I haven't been able to confirm that based on information posted on their websites. If a Chinese-made sub turns out to be my best option, I'll buy one. First, though, I'd like to consider all available options that are assembled in countries that pay their workers competitive wages. Thanks in advance for your replies. 
conlad
My cabinets are made in the US, my woofers in Taiwan, my amplification in China, and some of my hardware is made in the US and some is imported, presumably from China. I do the assembly myself in Texas. Yee-ha! 

Duke


Magico and Wilson if you are filthy rich. I would just stick with JL Audio.
Rythmik is assembled in the US.  Zu subwoofer enclosures are manufactured here, but the drivers and amps are likely produced overseas.  Also check out Seaton Sound, Salk (Rythmik driver and amp, US made enclosure).  Finally, Tyler Acoustics builds in the US and may use domestically manufactured drivers.  
JL is a good value.  I know it is weird to say but if you want made in the West, US or Europe, their pricing is excellent. 

Any sub that is under $1000 is almost assuredly made in the Far East.  The COGS on these things are brutal if you can even find US or European made parts.

I set out with the mission of producing speakers and subs that are made in the USA at competitive prices.  No possible.  You can’t source all the parts from US companies.  So expanded to Western Europe.  

With my speakers I am really close.  The only part that might not be made in the West is the inductors I use in the shunts of my crossovers.  My primary inductors are German or Canadian.  Caps from the UK or Canada.  For the stands, spike are a problem.  Those are from China.  Otherwise my stands are made in NJ and IsoAcoustics stuff is made in Canada.  

Subs are a problem though.  They are simple.  Cabinet, driver, amp & DSP, wire and feet (depending on manufacturer).  The amp is the challenge here.  

Then you have your amps. I opted for SpeakerPower, ICE driven amps and they are at least designed and assembled in the US but you know that the core of it has to be made in China.  SpeakerPower amps are 2x as expensive as made in China amps.  

I can’t produce an MDF sub with these components for less than $3K at retail going direct.  Fiberglass or Carbon Fiber Cabinet I can’t do for less than $6K.  And i have a basic DSP that is factory set and not consumer modifiable, nothing like what JL uses.  Of course, material costs for the the composite cabinets are 80x more expensive while labor is similar.  

My prototype sounds tremendous. People at AXPONA though it was great but for $6K????  Yikes!!!   

Just buy a JL.  
“All the newer models have been made in China for years!”

This is probably true in case of lower priced model but flagship models are still being made in UK. I know so cause I owned quite a few REL’s over the years and currently have a pair of Carbon Limited Serie S. 
http://www.paradigm.com/en/ported/defiance-x12

All Paradigm Subs starting with the Defiance X10 and above are made in Canada. Starting with the X12, the amps for the subs are made in Canada.

From $400-$700 the Defiance V-Series is made in China. Starting at $550 the V10 and above and the entire Defiance Series Subs offers Anthem Room Correction and full App Control with wireless capability.
Thanks to all of you for these very helpful responses. Since I live within two miles of Seaton Sound’s office, I will surely check out Mark’s subs but have yet to choose whose product will get the sale. It’s good to know that there are more than one or two viable options. 
Second for Power Sound Audio or PSA, I own 5 of them, three single 15" and 2 dual 15". Very capable, great bang for the buck, I am very pleased. PSA was started by two guys from SVS that started their own company. I believe their major market is HT market. Reviews are good for their products.
You're deluding yourself if you think you will get better quality or value by buying a subwoofer that's made in the US. 
The OP didn’t ask about value, he asked who manufactures in the US.  I have a background in economics.  I fully appreciate that I can get better value by purchasing from overseas companies, but I am often willing to pay a reasonable premium to purchase from US based companies because it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  
   Aside from incredibly toxic off gassing of some offshore particle board, to my knowledge there isn't any software that even comes close to my eight year old Velodyne Plus' Optimization and Equalization software regardless of where its made. 
Pretty much all your electronics in your home are made overseas. Usually the design, engineering and assembly process is regulated by the US company. These companies have people usually living overseas or at least visit often to check QC, in a lot of cases the plant GM is a US person, the general labor is local.
Not sure that makes anyone feel better about buying something assembled in China but most products are this way. The guts of amps (wires, PSU, boards, IC or such) are made overseas.........Like verdantaudio details, unless you want to pay dbl or triple or more, companies will continue to use SE Asia assembly plants.
Just to report back, I decided to buy a pair of Rythmik Audio F8's, which I began setting up last evening, perched on a pair of Auralex Subdude II's to limit vibrations in my basement. These subs were assembled in Austin, Texas, and while I'm sure that they contain components from beyond North America, at least my dollars were spent on some American labor in the process. Now, I have to figure out the best solution to a wiring issue, which means a new forum thread.
Thanks to all who replied earlier for sharing your tips and leads on subwoofer manufacuturers and assemblers in North America, Europe, and elsewhere.

Excellent choicer, @conlad! More important that where a sub woofer (or any component, for that matter) is manufactured (or assembled), is who designed it. Brian Ding of Rythmik is a very smart guy (PhD in physics, I believe) and subwoofer designer, and his subs really good. Sealed, Ported, Open Baffle. 8", 12", 15", 18" woofers, all with his own servo-feedback system. Even better than the servo woofers in the Infinity RS-1b I owned for a few years.

The Rythmik woofers themselves are manufactured by TC Sounds, by the guy (I have forgotten his name) who designed and made the legendary LMS woofer ALL the monster sub DIY’ers were using when that $1,000 driver was aviailable. Very high quality woofers.

Jim Salk likes the Rythmik subs so much he offers them built in to some of his speaker models. Jim also builds really nice enclosures into which he installs the DIY kit version of the 12" and 15" Rythmiks, those enclosures having the most incredible bracing I’ve ever seen. It looks like the honeycomb pattern seen in beehives! Beautiful real wood veneers too.