i use an ns10 wolfer wired directly to an xlr pluged into a pre, i have used it on bass drum, and bass guitar. sometimes it works some times it gets cut. i would suspect a stock speaker out of a 96 toyota cammery to work just as well.
the thing i found with this technique is that it made the bass sound like it was there on systems that could not reproduce that bass. and it got this effect pretty effortlessly. although some times it was better to just raise 50-60Hz on the eq.
another thing, the ns10 i use is from a refurb shop. it has a creased cone, and cost me about $30. that beats the $300 subkick, and all i do for mounting is ziptie it to a short stand.