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Polk Audio db1240

db Series 12" 4-ohm subwoofer

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Item# 107DB1240 offer details

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Polk Audio

Our take on the Polk Audio db1240

Polk Audio's db Series subwoofers give you trademark Polk performance without stressing your wallet. These subs combine high-tech materials with a laser-optimized motor structure for smooth, powerful bass response.

The db1240 12" subwoofer boasts a rigid polypropylene cone and durable Santoprene™ surround built to handle big power over the long run. Polk Audio tests their subs rigorously for environmental effects caused by sun, moisture, and extreme temperature changes — they'll withstand whatever Mother Nature can throw at them. Polk Audio's marine certification means you can confidently take these subs out to sea and dive into some deep bass.

Match a db sub to a suitable enclosure, and enjoy impressive low-frequency performance rarely found in this price range.

Highlights:

  • 12" 4-ohm subwoofer
  • polypropylene cone with Santoprene rubber surround
  • suitable for marine use
  • power range: 50-360 watts RMS
  • peak power handling: 720 watts
  • frequency response: 27-200Hz
  • sensitivity: 88 dB
  • top-mount depth: 6-1/16"
  • sealed box volume: 0.88 cu. ft.
  • ported box volume: 1.5 cu. ft.
  • warranty: 1 year
  • Our 60-day money-back guarantee

Priced per speaker

 

Hands-on research from the Crutchfield Labs (what are the Labs?)

Features and Specs

Features and Specs
Size
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12 -inch
Impedance
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4 ohms
Cone Material
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Polypropylene
Surround Material
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Santoprene rubber
Ideal Sealed Box Volume (cubic feet)
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0.88
Ideal Ported Box Volume (cubic feet)
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1.5
Port diameter (inches)
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4
Port length (inches)
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10
Free-Air
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No
Dual Voice Coil
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No
Sensitivity
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88 dB at 1 watt
Frequency Response
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27 - 200 Hz
RMS Power Range (Watts)
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50-360
Peak Power Handling (Watts)
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720
Top Mount Depth (inches)
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6 1/16
Bottom Mount Depth (inches)
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6 5/8
Cutout Diameter or Length (inches)
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11
Vas (liters)
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71.85
Fs (Hz)
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30
Qts
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0.44
Xmax (millimeters)
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7.5
Parts Warranty
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1 Year
Labor Warranty
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1 Year

Product Research

Product Research
What's in the box?

Download owner's manual

  • One 12" woofer
  • 1 Rubber gasket (installed)
  • 8 Mounting screws
  • Manual (English/Spanish/French)
  • Online registration sheet

Our Product Research Team

At Crutchfield, you'll get detailed, accurate information that's hard to find elsewhere. That's because we have our own in-house Product Research team — they open the box, verify contents, check the owner's manual, and record dimensions, features and specs. We stay on top of new products and technologies to help people make informed choices.

Features
Enclosure Compatibility

Features

Polypropylene Cone: The cone is made with polypropylene, which provides durability while being lightweight and rigid. The cone is supported by a vented cone/coil coupler, which stiffens the cone for greater mechanical stability and lower distortion.

Santoprene Surround: The Santoprene surround is resistant to extremes in temperature, humidity, and exposure to sunlight for excellent long term reliability.

NOMEX Spider: The fire-retardant flat NOMEX Spider allows extended linear motion while providing highly reliable mechanical and thermal stability.

Triple-vented Kapton Voice Coil Former: Triple venting of the 4-layer Kapton Voice Coil Former, Cone/Coil Coupler and Pole Piece contribute to the high power handling and reliability of the db Series subs.

Klippel Laser Analyzed: The Polk db woofer's voice coil alignment, motor, and suspension are optimized using a state-of-the-art Klippel laser analyzer for superior cone travel linearity, resulting in a flatter response with lower distortion.

Marine Certified: Polk db Series speakers are built to withstand exposure to moisture and UV rays, so they work well in boats and cars.

Break-In Period: Polk db subwoofers will achieve even greater performance once they are thoroughly broken-in. To break in a new db Sub, play music through it for 20 to 30 hours at moderate levels.

Enclosure Compatibility

Recommended Sealed Box Volume: Polk recommends mounting this woofer in a sealed enclosure made out of 3/4" MDF with an internal volume of 0.88 cu/ft.

Recommended Ported Box Volume: Polk recommends a ported enclosure made out of 3/4" MDF with an internal volume of 1.50 cu/ft using a 4" diameter x 10" long port.

Recommended Bandpass Box Volume: Polk recommends a bandpass enclosure made of 3/4" MDF with a total internal volume of 2.15 cu/ft. The bandpass box should have a 1.0 cu/ft sealed rear chamber and a 1.15 cu/ft ported front chamber with a 4" diameter x 12" long port.

 

Product Reviews

Review Summary

Average Customer Review:

8 people say:
(6)
(1)
(1)
(0)
(0)

1 customers also rated:

"Coolness Factor"
Build Quality
Ease of Use
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Value
 

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1-8 of 8 items Sort Results By: Date Reviewed | Rating | Helpfulness
 
5 out of 5

Nice Tight Bass

Written By Adam, Indianapolis,IN on Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
I recently damaged my Powered 12" JBL Northridge 8 ohm Home Audio Woofer and replaced with this 4 ohm Polk db1240. The JBL Northridge has a 250 watt rms, 550 peak power 8 ohm amplifier but, this Polk woofer matchs up perfect and sounds great!
1 out of 1 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

Great Sub

Written By labmaster66, Dubuque, IA on Thursday, June 04, 2009
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
I purchased these with the recommendation by a Crutchfield advisor and I am very pleased. I put these in an airtight enclosure built to the manufacturers recommended size and I am pushing them with a 600 watt amp. I am not disappointed. I replaced a blown pair of 10 inch and these Polk Audios blow them away. Thank you Crutchfield for another fine product. My Crownline boat sounds awesome and I get a lot of compliments on the quality of the sound system.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

Punchy

Written By Shawn, Chicago on Friday, May 23, 2008
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
Pushing this with a 150 watt home amp (AC powered of course) it WILL and does, push it to it's max. In a box with isolation spikes all sealed but the 10" X 4" port. 1.3 cu ft. Other things I use , Denon reciever, Polk monitor 50's front and back... sorry I forget the model, center channel w/ 2 5 1/4's. Never go out and buy a powered sub unless you want quality. So easy to make a GREAT one yourself!
2 out of 9 people found this helpful
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5 out of 5

Gr8 Sub

Written By sugam, New Delhi , India on Monday, March 31, 2008
 
This sub beats all the subs in its categories hands down . I had a pioneer 126 DVC sub in my car along with two JBL GTO 0937 Speakers . I was very hesitant to get this sub installed ,however on recommendations of my dealer i got it installed and i think it was worth it . Amazing punch and bass. Very Clear sound . It gives the punch and does not make too much noise distortion . I love this sub and think is gr8 value for money . Definate buy .
18 out of 21 people found this helpful
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5 out of 5

polkaudio

Written By Gaudecio, Northern Marianas Island on Saturday, February 12, 2011
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
very nice thank you keep up the good work!!!very fast shipping
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

Great sound

Written By Rich, Riverside, CA on Sunday, March 20, 2011
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
I purchased this sub to replace an old Pioneer I had, and it sounds great! I'm
into jazz and old school R&B, this sub brings out the best in this type of music.
Crutchfield, really came thru.
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
4 out of 5

SQL

Written By Rob, Kona, HI on Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
I listen primarily to Hip Hop, R & B, Dubstep, Reggae and Hawaiian and in their dual sealed box they perform outstanding. If I want to I can flex the roof and windshield of my car no problem. I would not however recommend them for a beginner to car audio because they have very little distortion around their rated power which to the beginner is perceived as lower output. Creating a tendency to turn up the gain, bass boost and volume to compensate. So if you want to slap these might not be the best for you. If you care about the details of my setup and how I use them to make my system sound great read on...

The pair of DB1240's is connected to a Boston GT-2200 amp hooked up with 4 gauge power and ground 1.2 farad Tsunami cap in the trunk of my Mazda 3 sedan. They are getting a rated 900 watts rms to the pair so factor in voltage drop and it's more like 800 rms so around 400 watts rms to each, ballpark. If you have a good quality amp and set your gains properly and don't clip your signal they will handle more than their RATED power and excel. The bass is tight and detailed dropping to pick up low rumbling sub bass sections while still being able kick you in your chest on higher notes and even picking up a nice hum on mid bass to blend with my front sound stage.

Throw these on a quality amp and tune it correctly and you will be happy. 4 stars because well only the Funky Pup subwoofers could ever really achive a true 5 star rating...
Pros:
Sound Quality, Clean simple design, powerful, directions come with recommended X-Over settings for sub as well as front soundstage.
Cons:
Quick slides, allen wrench screws
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
"Coolness Factor"
Build Quality
Ease of Use
Sound Quality
Value
 
3 out of 5

Not what I expected

Written By Kevin, Crystal Lake IL on Thursday, August 18, 2011
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
Once I had the subs installed I was happy that I finally had some 'hit' back into my stereo, however the hit was not as I wanted. I listen to music that has some soft hits that my past subs would have picked up and slammed on however these subs don't pick up the little hits and that was what I was looking for....
1 out of 4 people found this helpful
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1-8 of 8 items

Learn more about Component Subwoofers

Learn more about Component Subwoofers

Subwoofer Shopping Guide

Subwoofer Shopping Guide

Ken Nail
7/13/2008
based on 260 ratings (19 comments)
 

Subwoofers are speakers dedicated solely to reproducing low frequencies. No matter what kind of music you like, or at what volume you listen to it at, they can be a crucial part of your overall...

 
Video: How to Choose a Subwoofer

Video: How to Choose a Subwoofer

Ken Nail
9/14/2010
based on 471 ratings (23 comments)
 

The first step to choosing a subwoofer actually begins with the enclosure and how you want the sub to perform. In this video we'll tell you about the different types of subwoofer enclosures...

 
Dual Voice Coil Subwoofers

Dual Voice Coil Subwoofers

Crutchfield Writing Team
6/16/2003
based on 144 ratings (211 comments)
 

Dual voice coil subwoofers are a popular choice among car audio enthusiasts who want more flexibility in wiring their sound systems.

 
Subwoofer Enclosures

Subwoofer Enclosures

Crutchfield Writing Team
3/12/2012
based on 320 ratings (58 comments)
 

The type of bass you get from your component subwoofer doesn't depend on the woofer alone. You'll need a strong, tightly constructed enclosure for optimum subwoofer performance.

 
Tuning Your Subs

Tuning Your Subs

Buck Pomerantz
12/9/2011
based on 289 ratings (93 comments)
 

Having a subwoofer in your car is a good thing, but if the subwoofer isn't properly tuned, it won't sound as good as it should. This article describes how to adjust your amplifier so that your...

 

Accessories

Things you'll need

Sealed & Ported Boxes
Choose a sealed or ported box to house your subwoofer.
Sound Ordnance™ Bass Bunker
Sealed single 12" subwoofer enclosure (Model BB12-95S)
$59.99
In Stock
 
 
Sound Ordnance™ Bass Bunker
Ported single 12" subwoofer enclosure (Model BB12-150V)
$59.99
In Stock
 
 
Sound Ordnance™ Bass Bunker
Sealed dual 12" subwoofer enclosure (Model BB122-100S)
$79.99
In Stock
 
 
Sound Ordnance™ Bass Bunker
Ported dual 12" subwoofer enclosure (Model BB122-125V)
$79.99
In Stock
 
 
Sound Ordnance™ Bass Bunker
Ported dual 12" subwoofer enclosure (Model BB122-175V)
$79.99
In Stock
 
 
Show more items

Accessories we recommend

Speaker Wire
It's critical to have good wire, and none is included with the sub.
StreetWires 12-gauge Ultra Cable™ Speaker Wire
Blue/copper jacket — priced per foot
$1.00
In Stock
 
 
StreetWires 14-gauge Ultra Cable™ Speaker Wire
Blue/copper jacket — priced per foot
$0.75
In Stock
 
 
StreetWires 14-gauge Super Cable™ Speaker Wire
Translucent blue jacket — priced per foot (Clear)
$0.99
In Stock
 
 
StreetWires 16-gauge Super Cable™ Speaker Wire
Blue jacket — priced per foot
$0.40
In Stock
 
 
Stinger PRO Series 16-gauge Speaker Wire
Black jacket — priced per foot
$0.30
In Stock
 
 
Show more items
Dynamat
Reduce ambient road noise and your vehicle's "rattles," for better sound inside your car.
Dynamat 19100
License Frame Kit
$14.99
In Stock
 
 
Dynamat Xtreme Wedge Pack
1 sheet, 4 square feet
$39.99
In Stock
 
 
Dynamat SuperLite Tri-Pak
Triple package — 3 sheets, 12 square feet (Model #10612)
$69.99
In Stock
 
 
Dynamat Xtreme Trunk Kit
5 sheets, 20 square feet
$169.99
In Stock
 
 
Dynamat Dynaliner
One 54" x 32" sheet (1/8" thick)
$69.99
In Stock
 
 
Show more items
Grilles
Add a grille and keep your sub safe.
Polk Audio db12G
12" subwoofer grille
$29.99
In Stock
 
 
Box Hardware
These can be useful if you are building a custom box.
Springback Handle
$9.99
In Stock
 
 
Corner Protectors
$9.99
In Stock
 
 
Rubber Feet
$5.99
In Stock
 
 
Speaker Wire Terminals
If you're building your own sub box, add speaker wire terminals for easy speaker wire connections.
Metra Speaker Terminal
Round terminal cup with spring clip connectors (for do-it-yourself box builders)
$3.99
In Stock
 
 
Metra Speaker Terminal
Square terminal cup with spring clip connectors (for do-it-yourself box builders)
$3.99
In Stock
 
 
Metra Speaker Terminal
Square terminal cup with binding post connectors (for do-it-yourself box builders)
$9.99
In Stock
 
 
Metra Speaker Terminal
Round terminal cup with binding post connectors (for do-it-yourself box builders)
$9.99
In Stock
 
 
Show more items

Extras

Test Discs
Autosound 2000 discs are designed to test specific performance parameters of your vehicle's audio system.
Autosound 2000 CD Set
$69.95
In Stock
 
 
 
Add selected to cart
 

For a more in-depth review and enhanced detailed information on the Polk Audio db1240, please visit the Crutchfield website product page (/ISEO-rccbcspd/p_107DB1240/Polk-Audio-db1240.html ).

Recommended Accessories See more accessories

Your featured item

Polk Audio db1240
Polk Audio db1240
db Series 12" 4-ohm subwoofer
$99.99
In Stock
 
 

Sealed & Ported Boxes

Sound Ordnance™ Bass Bunker
Sealed single 12" subwoofer enclosure (Model BB12-95S)
$59.99
In Stock
 
 

Speaker Wire

StreetWires 12-gauge Ultra Cable™ Speaker Wire
Blue/copper jacket — priced per foot
$1.00
In Stock
 
 

Dynamat

Dynamat 19100
License Frame Kit
$14.99
In Stock
 
 

Grilles

Polk Audio db12G
12" subwoofer grille
$29.99
In Stock
 
 

Protect your gear with an extended warranty

Add 3 Year Warranty
Square Trade Warranty
$13.99
In Stock
 
 
 
Add selected to cart
 
Find the gear that's right for you
 
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Compare with other Polk Audio models

  • Polk Audio MM1240
  • Get more rugged materials and better power handling
  • 5 out of 5: IN STOCK
  • The Polk Audio MM1240
    • features a polymer cone with rubber surround
    • utilizes a carbon composite basket for added strength
    • handles 425 watts RMS
  • Add To Cart
    $159.99
    After $70.00 Price Break
  • Polk Audio db1240
  • 12" 4-ohm Component Subwoofer
  • 4.5 out of 5: IN STOCK
    • The Polk Audio db1240 offers:
      • polypropylene cone with Santoprene rubber surround
      • 50-360 watts RMS power range
      • certified for marine use
  • Add To Cart
    $99.99
  • Polk Audio MM1240
  • 12" 4-ohm Component Subwoofer
  • 5 out of 5: IN STOCK
    • The Polk Audio MM1240 offers:
      • polymer cone with butyl rubber surround
      • 100-425 watts RMS power range
      • certified for marine use
  • Add To Cart
    $159.99
    After $70.00 Price Break
You are here
  • Polk Audio MM1240
  • Polk Audio MM1240
  • Get details
  • $159.99
  • After $70.00 Price Break
  • Add To Cart
 
 
 
Polk Audio db1240