In this review, we will be comparing Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer and R-101SW, 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 DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer and Klipsch R-101SW 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 DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwooferand Klipsch R-101SW have a single woofer setup however the Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Klipsch R-101SW features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer has a frequency range of 24-195 Hz whereas R-101SW has a frequency range of 29.5-160 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R-101SW's min frequency of 30Hz.
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 DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer
Cabinet Type
Both Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer and Klipsch R-101SW 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 DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer's and Klipsch R-101SW's external dimensions. Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer has external dimensions of 330.2 x 279.4 x 309.9mm (13 x 11 x 12.2inch) whereas Klipsch R-101SW has external dimensions of 370.0 x 358.0 x 529.0mm (14-9/16inch x 14-1/16inch x 20-13/16inch).
Klipsch R-101SW is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 78.6mm wider, 39.8mm taller and 219.1mm deeper than Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer.
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 R-101SW needs about 119% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch R-101SW is 219mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch R-101SW is 40mm 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 DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer is approximately 865.9cm2 / 134.2inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-101SW is approximately 1893.8cm2 / 293.5inch2. The Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer requires 54% less surface area than the R-101SW 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 DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer weighs 12.25kg / 27lbs and the Klipsch R-101SW weighs 13.91kg / 30.6lbs. This makes the R-101SW 14% heavier than the Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer.
Here is a comparison of how Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer and R-101SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer
 Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
195 Hz
vs
160 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
330mm
vs
370mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
865cm2
vs
1893cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
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 R-101SW needs about 119% more floor area. Klipsch R-101SW stands 219mm further into the room. Klipsch R-101SW is 40mm taller.
| General |
Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer |
Klipsch Reference R-101SW |
| Brand |
Aperion |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
250 watts |
150 watts |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
24-195 Hz |
29.5-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
250-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Spun-Copper TCP |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
330.2mm (13") |
370.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
279.4mm (11") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
309.9mm (12.2") |
529.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
12.25kg (27lbs) |
13.91kg (30.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 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 | A | Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer goes deeper - 24Hz against 30Hz. That gap covers the lowest notes of a five-string bass and a concert bass drum. |
| Amplifier power | A | Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer has the bigger amplifier - 250W against 150W RMS, about 2.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Klipsch R-101SW moves more air: 10" against 8" 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer is about 59% smaller by volume. In a subwoofer that is a real trade rather than a preference: box volume is how you get output low down without a bigger amplifier. |
| Price | evenly matched | Priced within a few per cent of each other. |
A Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer B Klipsch R-101SW
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?
Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Aperion Daedalus DS8 Class D 8" Powered Subwoofer is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
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.