When you’re looking into subs, the Klipsch R-10SW often pops up as one of the most desired on the market. It’s not the cheapest option, so is it really the right choice or will your hard-earned money go to waste? Our resident audiophiles have tested the subwoofer extensively to create a detailed Klipsch Reference R-10SW review.
What We Like
- 10-inch copper-spun woofer
- Front-firing woofer
- All-digital amplifier built in
- Low pass crossover and phase control
- Very loud bass output
- Excellent for movies and music
- Removable grille
What We Don’t Like
- Not the best for mids
- A little heavy
Design
The Klipsch Reference R-10SW is a 10-inch sub woofer that is the best balance between size and power. The design features Klipsch’s signature copper-colored woofer, which can be revealed by removing the grille.
The overall aesthetics is minimalistic, with an all-black color scheme and a Klipsch brand name in small font on the subwoofer. Due to the low-key appearance, these subwoofers are excellent for any room and every interior theme.
At 25 pounds, the subwoofer carries some weight, but it can be easily maneuvered around the room. The rubber feet on the bottom of the device will protect your floor from being scuffed up.
There is also a helpful LED power indicator light that will display the subwoofer’s status. The light will glow when the unit is on and dim when it’s off.
Klipsch R-10SW Features
Material and Durability
The subwoofer has a brushed black exterior of polymer veneer and laminate. The spun-copper woofer is unique to Klipsch subwoofers and is also present in the R-10SW. The cone is made out of aluminum, which is very lightweight and responsive to the vibrations. Overall, the R-10SW is sturdily built and can handle all the thumps and bumps from your favorite music and movies.
Power Rating
The high-excursion subwoofer has a peak power rating of 300 watts. The peak rating is the equivalent of the level a sub can handle in short bursts. 300 wattage of dynamic power and deep bass is guaranteed to help the powerful 10” copper-spun sub fill the room.
Our audio engineers say that the RMS power rating is what users should focus on for all subwoofers on the market. This figure indicates the level of power the sub can handle over a long period without risking damage.
The RMS power is usually half the peak rating. In the case of the Klipsch Reference R-10SW, it features a 150-watt RMS.
Digital Amplifier
There is no need to find an external amplifier for the subwoofer as it’s a powered subwoofer. The unit has an all-digital 300 watt amplifier built-in that can match the power of the speakers and other components in your home theater. The amp can receive up to 300 watts of power, which our audiophiles say can even fill a large room.
Frequency Response
Unlike speakers, a sub woofer only needs to relay the low end of the sound spectrum. The Klipsch R-10SW has a frequency response between 32 to 120 Hz. The frequency crossover is at 40 to 160 Hz. At those levels, it can create all the low-end bass in a crystal clear fashion.
Our sound engineers say you don’t really need to go above 120 Hz for a subwoofer, as the low frequency effects are what’s important. Our team members say to look for subwoofers that can go as low as 28 to 32 Hz.
Sound Quality and Bass
Klipsch puts all its efforts into reproducing deep bass that the mids can suffer a little. It is just a small drawback since your speakers should handle the mids and highs.
Our audiophiles were impressed by how the subwoofer’s low frequency tones were produced with the injection-molded copper woofer. The woofer is lightweight and rigid, giving it a very accurate low frequency response.
We also tested the Klipsch R-10SW with various main speakers and different content to determine if this model has any failings. Our team was pleasantly surprised with the results. The powered sub not only exceeded our expectations, but they also sounded great with other speakers as well.
See Also: SVS vs Klipsh
Performance
If our team could use just one word to describe the Klipsch Reference R-10SW subwoofer, it would be LOUD. After a detailed comparison between other subwoofers, the Klipsch Reference R-10SW review revealed a high output for this powered subwoofer.
Our audio engineers feel the built-in digital amp not only makes the subwoofer sound great, but also improves the sound output for your entire speaker system. We also found that there was no distortion at any volume level, but our team members will say again that the mids are slightly lacking.
If you feel the weaker mids are noticeable, you can easily offset the effect by adjusting the bass via the control knobs. You can also look into configuring the rest of your speaker system to make up for it. The key isn’t to rely on one component to handle everything but to create a balance between your entire setup.
Setup and Compatibility
The R-10SW subwoofer has all the connections that make it compatible with various main speakers other than Klipsch speakers. The Klipsch R-10SW is one of the most versatile subwoofers on the market for listening to music and watching movies. It also happens to be very simple to set up, all it requires is the correct cable inserted into the corresponding ports.
Just in case you run into any trouble, the subwoofer comes with its user manual to help with integration into your speaker system.
Our team always tries to be completely transparent with their opinions and won’t hesitate to point out some cons. One drawback of this subwoofer is the back-firing bass ports that make placement a little more of a headache. You won’t be able to lean it against the wall and all the connections are located on the back.
Some people like the hidden connections on the back of the device because it’s more aesthetically pleasing to have the cables out of view. However, the other side of the camp prefers front connections for ease of access and connection to your main speakers.
Connectivity
Will the R-10SW fit into your speaker system? That answer to that depends on the connections it features. You don’t want your purchase to go to waste, so examining what connections it offers will ensure that it won’t. The R-10SW has line level and LFE inputs in the back. The unit also comes with an AC adapter [1], but what is really great about the model is the wireless connectivity.
(No subwoofer output? Here’s how you can connect a sub to a receiver even without a subwoofer output)
Controls
Another feature our sound lovers appreciated with the Klipsch product are the crossover control and the phase control. Having both of these control knobs gives audiophiles a greater command over the subwoofer. Users can adjust and customize the extent of the bass levels for a more personalized experience.
Price and Warranty
Klipsch items are not the cheapest, but they are still within an affordable price range for most. You are paying for proprietary technology such as the copper-spun IMG woofers. For what you get, our team of sound experts feel this Klipsch subwoofer is worth the price tag.
As for the warranty, it is definitely not something you want to keep in mind. Technology can break down sometimes and certain components may need replacing. If something unfortunate happens and you end up with a broken subwoofer out of the box, you would want the company to cover repairs or replace the faulty unit with a new one.
The warranty will outline everything you need to know about what is covered and what isn’t. Klipsch subwoofer models come with a 5-year international warranty, which really protects your investment.
Klipsch R-10SW Review Conclusion
After conducting this Klipsch R-10SW review, our team then pooled results to reach a conclusion. There wasn’t much debate as our engineers all feel the unit is an excellent audio investment. The product can create deep low tones, has an amplifier built in, and features Klipsch’s copper-spun woofers all at an affordable price.
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