You can easily build a great subwoofer (sealed cabinet) for the cost of the driver + $100 or so for the wood, terminals, etc. The subwoofer boom is a great money maker for the manufacturers, the profit margin is breathtaking, but there' nothing complicated about them. Feel free to ask for details.
How Much Do Your Subwoofer(s) Cost Relative to Speakers
For people who own subwoofers in the main system, I am interested to know the price ratio of the subwoofer to speakers in your system. Prices in MSRP.
Say if the subwoofer(s) cost $10,000 and speakers cost $10,000, the ratio would be 1 : 1.
If the subs cost $5,000 and speakers cost $10,000, the ratio would be 1 : 2.
If the subs cost $3,333 and speakers cost $10,000, the ratio would be 1 : 3.
Mine is at about 1 : 3.5