Recoil Active Bass Boxes UK

How to add bass without losing your boot in 2026

Modern hatchbacks, panel vans and SUVs make a full-size subwoofer enclosure impractical. Recoil active bass boxes solve that. The amplifier sits inside the enclosure, the wiring is simple and the cabinet is sized for the gap behind a seat or in the rear quarter. You get genuine low end without giving up cargo space or running long signal cables.

Choosing the right Recoil enclosure

Recoil splits the range into shallow boot-mount boxes and underseat boxes. Shallow LAS-series enclosures suit estates, hatchbacks and SUVs where you still want to use the boot for shopping. RLS and SL underseat boxes hide entirely beneath a front seat in many vans and crew-cab pickups, leaving the load bay untouched. Both formats share the same approach: a sealed cabinet, an integrated amplifier and a remote bass controller, so you do not need a separate amp rack or a head unit with low-level pre-outs.

The four products in this range

• Recoil LAS12. 12 inch shallow 600 watt active enclosure. Punchy low end for hatchbacks and SUVs.
• Recoil LAS10. 10 inch shallow amplified 600 watt enclosure. Same depth, smaller footprint.
• Recoil RLS10. 10 inch 500 watt underseat sub with a wired remote bass controller.
• Recoil SL1708. 8 inch 400 watt under seat sub supplied with a complete wiring kit.

Power, wiring and signal

Each active Recoil box accepts either a high-level input from existing speaker wires or a low-level RCA from an aftermarket head unit. That means you can keep the factory radio, tap the rear speaker wires and still get genuine sub bass without changing the head unit. Most boxes ship with a remote bass controller for the dash, so you can lift the bass for an empty motorway run and dial it back for night-time street driving without diving into the menus.

Brand quality at a glance

• Recoil. Specialist enclosure builder with shallow and underseat formats.
• Vibe. Strong alternative for compact active enclosures (sold separately).
• Pioneer. Premium shallow active subs with Bluetooth control (sold separately).
• JL Audio. High-end underseat and shallow options for SQ builds (sold separately).
• Kenwood. Reliable mid-range alternatives if Recoil is out of stock.

Compatibility and fitting

• Fitting wiring kit. Most installs need 8 gauge power, an inline fuse and a remote turn-on lead.
• Power feed. Direct from battery positive through a fused distribution block is preferred.
• Remote bass controller. Mount on the dash or steering column for live tuning.
• Signal input. High-level from rear speaker wires keeps the factory radio in place.
• Mounting clamps. Use the included brackets to stop the box shifting in fast turns.

Which Recoil fits your vehicle

For hatchbacks (Corsa, Polo, Fiesta) the LAS10 sits neatly in the boot well without losing usable depth. SUVs (Tucson, Sportage, Qashqai) typically take the LAS12 against the rear seat back. Panel vans and crew-cab pickups (Transit, Boxer, Hilux) suit the RLS10 or SL1708 beneath the front passenger seat for a stealth install.

Sound deadening for active sub installs

Underseat and shallow subs respond better when the cabin is not rattling. A pack of butyl sound deadening on the boot floor, rear quarter panels and inner door skins lifts perceived bass and removes the metallic ring you get from thin van panels. We stock Silent Coat and Dynamat in sizes suited to a typical Recoil install.

Why buy from Bass Junkies

Bass Junkies has been supplying and fitting active subwoofers since 1995 from our Wolverhampton workshop. We will help you pick the right Recoil box for your vehicle, confirm fitment before you order and ship most stock items the same working day. Call 01902 863 005 for installation advice or book a workshop fit if you are nearby. Free UK delivery on most orders.