In this review, we will be comparing Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer and RP-1200SW, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Aperion and Klipsch. Being Powered subwoofers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features of Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer and Klipsch RP-1200SW first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
The sections below take each area in turn: driver and amplifier, frequency response, physical size and connectivity.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwooferand Klipsch RP-1200SW have a single woofer setup however the Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer's woofer is 15-inch whereas the Klipsch RP-1200SW features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer has a frequency range of 18-195 Hz whereas RP-1200SW has a frequency range of 16.5-138 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 17Hz, the RP-1200SW can go slightly deeper then the Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer's min frequency of 18Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer
Cabinet Type
Both Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer and Klipsch RP-1200SW have Bass Reflex type cabinets. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer's and Klipsch RP-1200SW's external dimensions. Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer has external dimensions of 569.0 x 469.9 x 551.2mm (22.4 x 18.5 x 21.7inch) whereas Klipsch RP-1200SW has external dimensions of 482.0 x 432.0 x 659.0mm (18-15/16inch x 17inch x 25-15/16inch).
Klipsch RP-1200SW is 37.9mm narrower and 87mm shorter than Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer but it is also 107.8mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Klipsch RP-1200SW needs about 10% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch RP-1200SW is 108mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer is 87mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer is approximately 2590.1cm2 / 401.5inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-1200SW is approximately 2846.9cm2 / 441.3inch2. The Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer requires 9% less surface area than the RP-1200SW which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a subwoofer may become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often to find the optimal positioning, also known as 'Subwoofer Crawling'. The Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer weighs 35.38kg / 77.8lbs and the Klipsch RP-1200SW weighs 31.18kg / 68.6lbs. This makes the Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer 13% heavier than the RP-1200SW.
Here is a comparison of how Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer and RP-1200SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
195 Hz
vs
138 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
2590cm2
vs
2846cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| Low Frequency Response |
17 Hz
vs
18 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
482mm
vs
569mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
Size, drawn to scale
Both subwoofers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same floor and pushed back to the same wall, so the bigger one visibly takes more of the room.
Klipsch RP-1200SW needs about 10% more floor area. Klipsch RP-1200SW stands 108mm further into the room. Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer is 87mm taller.
| General |
Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-1200SW |
| Brand |
Aperion |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
550 watts |
400 watts |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
18-195 Hz |
16.5-138 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
550-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
800-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Cerametallic |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
569.0mm (22.4") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Width |
469.9mm (18.5") |
432.0mm (17") |
| Depth |
551.2mm (21.7") |
659.0mm (25.9") |
| Weight |
35.38kg (77.8lbs) |
31.18kg (68.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF with Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Ebony |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (18Hz vs 17Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer has the bigger amplifier - 550W against 400W RMS, about 1.4dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer moves more air: 15" against 12" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are ported designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Price | B | Klipsch RP-1200SW costs less - $1,100 against $1,199, about 8% less. |
A Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer B Klipsch RP-1200SW
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both subwoofers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer measures better, Klipsch RP-1200SW costs about 8% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two.
One thing outweighs everything above: where the subwoofer stands. Room modes can add or remove 10dB or more at a given seat, which is far larger than any difference on this page. Before spending more, try the sub in two or three positions - the crawl test, where you put it in the listening seat and crawl the room to find where the bass sounds best, costs nothing and usually beats an upgrade.