RSL Speakers has opened backorders for the black Speedwoofer 12S after demand exhausted the company’s current inventory. The next production run is expected to ship in mid-September, and a limited number of backorder units are being offered for $799 instead of the regular $885 price.

That works out to a saving of about $86, although the more important detail is the timing. You are not buying a subwoofer that is ready to leave the warehouse immediately. You are reserving one from the incoming shipment, and RSL says the reduced price is available only for a limited number of orders.

The offer also brings the Speedwoofer 12S back to its original 2023 price. Since then, the large RSL subwoofer has moved to $885, making this backorder promotion a temporary return.

The Speedwoofer 12S sits above RSL’s smaller 10-inch models and is intended for larger living rooms, open spaces, and dedicated home theaters. This is not a compact subwoofer that disappears beside a media console. It measures approximately 22.25 inches high, 18.88 inches wide, and 22.13 inches deep, and it weighs 82 pounds.

Its main specifications include:

• A 12-inch high-excursion driver with a die-cast aluminum frame
• A 500-watt RMS Class D amplifier, rated at 1,550 watts peak
• A claimed 16Hz-to-200Hz anechoic frequency response in Reference mode
• A rear-vented enclosure using RSL’s Compression Guide port design
• Four DSP modes and an infrared remote control

The 16Hz figure is what separates the 12S from many more conventional 12-inch subwoofers. Frequencies that low sit near the lower edge of human hearing, so the effect is often felt as pressure, vibration, and room movement rather than heard as a clearly defined note. That matters most with movie soundtracks, games, electronic music, and recordings containing deep organ or synthesized bass.

RSL gives you four DSP presets: Reference, Music, Movie, and Boundary. Reference applies minimal processing, while Music adds some weight through the upper-bass region. Movie mode boosts the area around 25Hz to 35Hz, where many cinematic effects carry much of their impact. Boundary mode reduces the lowest frequencies to limit the amount of bass passing through walls.

You can switch modes, change the volume, mute the subwoofer, or toggle its power from the included remote. A small front display confirms the setting and then turns off after approximately 10 seconds.

What you do not get is app control or automated room correction built into the subwoofer. Most owners will still rely on an AV receiver’s calibration system, an external processor, or manual placement and measurement to manage room-related peaks and dips.

We reviewed the RSL Speedwoofer 12S in July 2023 and gave it our Editor’s Choice award. During testing, we found that it added substantial weight to movie soundtracks without overwhelming dialogue or other effects. It also handled both deliberately exaggerated and more restrained bass in music without becoming muddy.

Our review also highlighted the useful DSP modes, solid construction, and deep extension, while noting two practical drawbacks: the cabinet is large, and the subwoofer lacks app-based controls and advanced onboard room correction.

The Speedwoofer 12S makes the most sense when you have enough room for its cabinet and want deeper extension than RSL’s smaller Speedwoofer models can provide. It is designed for systems where low-frequency reach and output matter more than keeping the hardware visually discreet.

Before ordering, measure the intended location carefully and leave enough space behind the cabinet for its rear vent and connections. This is an 82-pound subwoofer, so moving it around repeatedly while testing placement may require a second person.

RSL says the black Speedwoofer 12S is available to backorder for $799, with delivery estimated for mid-September. The regular listed price is $885, and the company says only a limited number of discounted backorders will be offered.