Tested two subs side by side after 14 years of guessing
I finally did a proper A/B test with my old 10 inch kicker and a newer 12 inch I grabbed off Craigslist for 80 bucks. Same amp, same song (Tool's Schism, obviously), same driveway where my neighbors already hate me. The difference wasn't volume, it was how the bass hit your chest instead of just rattling the mirrors. I thought the smaller one was fine until I heard the low end on that intro riff, no contest. Anyone else ever swap gear and realize they'd been settling for way too long?