What is this Klipsch R-12sw review all about? For starters, we’ll go over the specs and features of the R-12SW. Then we’ll discuss what users have to say about it. We’ll even provide tips on how to make the best use of it.
When you think about home theater systems, you usually think about purchasing a receiver, speakers, and a television. However, there is one component that should not be forgotten – the subwoofer speaker. Therefore, here we at TechProLine are going to share our own personal experience with the R-12SW subwoofer speaker. And tell you whether it is worth buying in 2022 or not.
In Depth Review of Klipsch R-12SW
Woofer: 12 Inch Copper Spun
Direction: Front Firing
Input: Specs Line/LFE
Amplifier: 400-watts
Tuning: Low Pass Crossover
Frequency: 29-120 Hz
The Klipsch R-12SW subwoofer is one of the best home theater subwoofers available. And it’s certainly the best value for the money.
The 12″ copper-spun front-firing woofer delivers a powerful bass tone that you can feel as well as hear. And its all-digital amplifier delivers 400 watts of dynamic power. The low pass crossover and phase control let you create the perfect blend between your subwoofer and main speakers. While its line/LFE inputs allow you to connect it to pretty much any receiver or processor.
The R-12SW’s satin-painted plinth features a brushed black polymer veneer cabinet that makes it look more like a piece of furniture than a speaker, which makes it a great addition to any living room. But what really sets this subwoofer apart is its performance—it outperforms many other subwoofers that cost twice as much. If you’re looking for great value in a budget subwoofer, the Klipsch R-12SW is an excellent choice.
Main Product Highlights:
✅ The sound is insane. It pumps out 400 watts of power, and that’s no joke. The 12″ copper-spun front-firing woofer delivers in terms of looks and performance.
✅ It’s simple to set up. All you need is a receiver and you’re ready to go. There are also options for a line or LFE input. So you should be all set regardless of whether your receiver has those connections.
✅ The design details are top-notch. Not only is there a phase control to help you get the best sound at any position in relation to your TV or other speakers. But the cabinet itself is also a brushed black polymer veneer with a satin-painted plinth.
Sound Quality
The Klipsch R-12SW subwoofer is the perfect addition to a home theater system. But it’s also versatile enough for any kind of audio you want to throw at it.
It has a powerful 12″ copper-spun front-firing woofer. So you know that any boom or rumble from your favorite action scene is going to be reproduced with complete accuracy and authenticity. And when you’re ready to kick back with your buddies and watch the game; this subwoofer can produce clean, clear bass that will make any stadium anthem sound like it’s coming live from the field.
But don’t just take our word for it—there are thousands of positive Klipsch R-12SW reviews across the board. It was even named as NYtimes best budget-friendly subwoofers.
Here’s what a customer has to say about this speaker:
“We’ve had this subwoofer for about six months and it’s extremely powerful. It shakes the entire house and has no problem filling the room with deep bass. The quality of sound is fantastic—it’s clear, crisp, and really brings out the low notes in each song.
The sound is incredibly balanced across all frequencies, which I think is pretty amazing given the size of this thing. The 12″ driver is the perfect fit for our living room setup.”
In-Built Amplifier
The Klipsch R-12SW subwoofer amplifier provides 400 watts of dynamic power for an astonishingly full and clear sound. This product is a definite upgrade from the previous model, the R-112SW. The other model offers the same amount of power. But not with the same clarity and quality that the current one does.
The R-12SW uses an all-digital amplifier design, which is a definite improvement over previous designs. The all-digital design allows for a cleaner sound with less distortion and a more refined overall audio reproduction.
It also allows for a wide dynamic range, which means that it can produce deep bass notes with ease along with very high pitch sounds as well. The other models are still great subwoofers in their own right. But they do not have this advanced technology that makes them so much better than those products.
What is the importance of this amplifier?
- It is all digital, which means it has more power and produces a more quality sound. The amplifier has 400 watts of dynamic power.
- This amplifier will produce the clearest and most precise sound for any music or movie fan.
- This amplifier makes movies feel like you are there. You can hear every detail in films, whether it’s a car crash or a gunshot. This amplifier also produces the perfect amount of bass for any music lover or audiophile.
Design
When your speaker is a subwoofer, you don’t necessarily need it to look pretty. But that doesn’t mean it should be an eyesore. The Klipsch R-12SW Subwoofer is a thing of beauty. It’s an attractive, low-profile design that can be placed anywhere in your room or office. And it will naturally blend in with the space, looking like a piece of furniture or decor.
The 12-inch, front-firing driver delivers room-filling low frequencies without having to sacrifice any of your floor space—even if you’re low on space and need to place it under a desk. It’s a subwoofer with no pretensions: just a clean, simple design with one goal in mind: great sound.
When you see it, the reason is obvious: the black polymer veneer cabinet with a satin-painted plinth makes this subwoofer look sleek and professional. But even better than how it looks is where you can put it. Because no matter where you put this baby, you’re gonna hear it (loudly).
Most subwoofers can be placed on either side of the room or one corner. But this one can be placed anywhere in your space. The rock-solid connection between subwoofer and floor ensures that all of your bass-heavy favorite songs will sound amazing; regardless of what type of flooring you have.
Klipsch understands that consumers want both outstanding audio and aesthetic appeal, and this speaker delivers on both fronts without fail.
Connectivity
Having the ability to connect your Klipsch R-12SW subwoofer speaker to other devices is a must. And this speaker has it covered.
The line/LFE inputs are installed on the back of this subwoofer. Therefore, making sure you can connect it to any device that offers connectivity. You can easily hook up your receiver or a media system to it. And make sure you can enjoy the rich sound that this speaker provides for you.
Once you have everything set up correctly, you will be able to enjoy the full range of bass tones that this speaker provides. The connectivity options offered by this speaker allow you to improve the sound quality of your home theater system without having to spend a fortune on new speakers or other devices.
It is important to remember that not all speakers are equal. So make sure you do some research before making a purchase.
This subwoofer speaker has a lot of different options when it comes to connectivity and compatibility with most receivers, including LFE and line-level inputs that are on board as well as flexible installation.
Here’s what a customer of Klipsch R-12sw review says about this speaker’s connectivity:
“I was able to snag one of these on sale, and I couldn’t be happier. The LFE and line-level inputs are onboard, which is great if you want to use it with most receivers or a pre/pro. I connect it via LFE to my home theater receiver. And I can change the crossover frequency between 80 Hz and 120 Hz if needed.
I’m mainly using it in my two-channel system, where it has blended perfectly into the mix. This subwoofer has a clean and tight bass that really makes music shine, filling out the low end nicely without being muddy or boomy.”
Tuning Customizations
If you want to get the most out of your Klipsch R-12SW Subwoofer Speaker, you should consider taking advantage of its customizable low pass crossover and phase control features. These features allow you to fine-tune the sound quality of your subwoofer and can help you optimize it for a variety of different rooms and listening environments.
Low Pass Crossover
The low pass crossover feature allows you to limit the frequency range that the subwoofer will play, which is helpful if your main speakers only play up to a certain frequency. This will help ensure that the subwoofer isn’t playing frequencies that could potentially be heard on another speaker.
For example, if you’re using the speaker for a party with a lot of dancing, you’ll want to make sure your subwoofer is at its maximum capacity—and that’s where low pass crossover comes in. This setting will tell your subwoofer how high to go in terms of frequency, so if you want to turn it up, turn up the low pass crossover!
Phase Control
The phase control feature allows you to control how quickly or slowly your subwoofer will respond to changes in volume, which helps create a consistent sound wave pattern. This can be especially useful if multiple people are listening at once since it helps ensure that each listener hears the same volume level as everyone else.
For example, if you’re listening to music or watching a movie with lots of dramatic moments and background noise, you might want a clear line between what’s being played through your subwoofer and what’s coming from other speakers. That’s where phase control comes in. Phase control will tell your subwoofer how to balance its sound with the rest of your audio system.
Frequency
The Klipsch R-12SW subwoofer speaker has a frequency response of 29 – 120 Hz. What does that mean? Think of it like this: if you were traveling from Boston to Chicago, it would be like having markers every 29 miles, and then another every 120 miles—so that you can track your progress. That’s kind of how a frequency response works for a subwoofer speaker.
In the case of the Klipsch R-12SW, the low-end frequency is 29 Hz; at this frequency, you’re going to feel your car vibrate as you drive over the bridge in Boston. The middle-range starts at 80 Hz; if you’re listening to music, this is where you’ll start hearing bass notes. And finally, at 120 Hz, you’re going to feel your eardrums vibrate—just like you would when crossing a bridge in Chicago.
With a frequency response of 29 – 120 Hz and a front-firing slot port, you can expect rich, deep bass that rumbles through the floors. In fact, the grille comes off so you can even see the speaker in all its glory, which we recommend doing at least once in your life.
Warranty
Klipsch R-12SW Subwoofer Speaker comes with a 1-year limited warranty. But here’s the catch: it only applies to speakers purchased in the U.S. and used within the U.S., its territories, or possessions. So if you’re using your speaker abroad, you’re out of luck—even if you were born in the States, but moved to another country before your speaker broke down (or bought it overseas).
“I recently bought a Klipsch subwoofer speaker and was excited to get it home and set it up. The sound is amazing. But I was disappointed to find that the warranty is good for one year—but only for use in the USA. I live in Canada, so my warranty is invalid, even though I purchased it from a Canadian company.
I can’t help but feel like this is pretty unfair. The speaker isn’t just for commercial use or something, it’s for personal use (obviously!). So why should where I live be a factor? It seems kind of greedy to limit the warranty based on location.
I haven’t owned this speaker long enough to know whether it’s going to break down or not. But if it does, I’m on my own, no matter how much I paid for it”, says a Klipsch R-12SW reviewer.
Home Theater Performance Report
If you’re looking for a subwoofer that’ll give your home theater system that extra boost, the Klipsch R-12SW will do the trick. This 12-inch subwoofer has a frequency response of 29 – 125 Hz and an amplifier power output of 400 watts.
It’s built with a bass-reflex design and features a 10-inch front-firing woofer to ensure room-filling sound. It also features a low pass crossover and phase control so you can mix and match it with virtually any existing setup.
Our team tested this model out in real-life scenarios, watching our favorite movies to see how well the subwoofer could handle all the different sound levels.
We were immediately impressed with how much heftier the explosions sounded, and how much more impactful the dialogue was as well. Overall, we found this speaker to be a great addition to our setup, giving our home theater system an extra edge in terms of depth and quality.
Here’s how we performed R 12SW review test:
We started with the low-frequency effects (LFE) track of Jurassic Park. This track has some really deep, powerful bass moments—the T-Rex roar is particularly impressive. The Klipsch subwoofer handled them all with no problem.
We also wanted to see how this would work with music. We put on some drum ‘n’ bass and some hip hop, both of which are very heavy on the bass tracks. Again, the Klipsch performed admirably and handled the deep thuds and boomin beats with no trouble at all.
Also Check: Klipsch-R26F Review
Bass Performance Report
The bass performance is strong, with a deep resonance and clarity that even the most discerning listener can appreciate. This can be heard when listening to “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston. The song starts out quiet and slow, with just a piano accompaniment.
When Houston’s voice joins in, it is crisp and clear, but it is not until the chorus that the bass truly comes into play. It adds depth and resonance to her voice and the music, making it feel like you are in a concert hall instead of your living room.
Like most powered subwoofers, it can sound a little muddy in some configurations; however, the Klipsch has an adjustable crossover and phase control to help you get the best possible performance for any space. The Klipsch R-12SW puts out bass that is extremely tight, punchy, and accurate.
It’s hard to describe how thrilling it is to get the deep, loud dynamics of a drumbeat through such a compact speaker. The R-12SW uses a 12″ front-firing driver with a 2″ voice coil, which helps it deliver clean low end without distorting.
5 Key Features of a Good Quality Subwoofer Speaker
A subwoofer is a speaker designed primarily to output low-frequency sounds. This makes it an integral part of any home theater system, where it supports the primary speakers in replicating the natural sound of movie music and dialogues. A good quality speaker has to be durable, well built, and also offer great value for money. Below are some key features that every viewer should look for when considering this accessory.
Driver Size
Driver size, also known as cone diameter, is one of the most important considerations when it comes to choosing the right subwoofer. You want your subwoofer to reproduce low-frequency sounds accurately, and driver size is directly related to this ability.
A bigger driver will typically produce more powerful bass, although other factors like amplifier power and enclosure materials can also play a role in how much bass your subwoofer produces.
When you’re looking for a subwoofer, you’ll notice that driver sizes are listed in inches (like 10″ or 12″). Generally speaking, a driver size of 10″ or less is ideal for nearly any room in your home.
But if you have a larger room with higher ceilings and more open space, you may want to consider getting a larger driver size or even multiple smaller drivers.
Frequency Response
One of the most important features of a good subwoofer is its frequency response. This is how a speaker responds to different ranges of audio frequencies, or low bass sounds.
The range of human hearing starts at 20 Hz and goes all the way up to 20 kHz. The lower the number, the lower the sound that can be produced by your speakers.
Electronic music producers often create songs that include extremely low bass sounds—these are called sub-bass sounds. To hear these sounds, you need a speaker that can produce very low notes. (You also have to have an ear for hearing them!)
In general, you want a subwoofer with a frequency response of between 30 and 80 Hz. Anything lower than this will not be able to produce sub-bass sounds effectively.
Front-firing vs Down-firing
The difference between the two types is exactly what it sounds like: in a front-firing subwoofer, the sound waves travel toward you from the front of the speaker, while in a down-firing subwoofer, the sound waves travel toward you from the bottom of the speaker.
Down-firing subs don’t need much room to produce sound at an optimal level, since they use a floor or other surface as an acoustic reflector. That is one of their main benefits—they don’t need much space.
However, they need a solid surface underneath them in order to work right. If you don’t have such a surface, then you’re better off with a front-firing subwoofer.
While both types have their advantages, we find that front-firing subwoofers tend to provide a little more flexibility in the placement, while down-firing subs are typically more powerful.
Integration
A great subwoofer should integrate with your other speakers seamlessly so that you don’t get the sense of having a “one speaker” and a “subwoofer”—you should get the sense of having an entire, fully-functioning sound system.
It’s all in the details. A good subwoofer matches your other speakers, not just in terms of size and shape, but in terms of the quality of sound that it produces—the bass should be clear and defined, not muddy or rumbling. A good subwoofer will also match your other speakers’ wattage output so that there aren’t any inconsistencies between them.
Design & Durability
There are many things to consider when purchasing a subwoofer. When you’re wondering about design and durability, there are a few key things you’ll want to keep in mind.
First, consider the design of your stereo system. Does it have a modern feel? If so, you may want to look for a sleek-looking subwoofer that will blend in nicely with your other equipment. A wood finish is available in many models.
However, if the style of your stereo is retro or vintage, you might want to go with a more industrial-looking model. There are some options out there that look like they came right out of an old factory, with exposed parts and pipes.
Next, think about how durable the subwoofer needs to be. Are you planning on moving it around frequently? If so, you’ll want a model that’s lightweight and easy to carry. Some manufacturers make them as small as possible for this purpose.
If you aren’t planning on moving it around much, then you have more room for experimentation with materials and finishes. You could get one made from aluminum or steel—it’s up to you!