In this review, we will be comparing Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" 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 Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" 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 Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwooferand Klipsch R-101SW have a single woofer setup however the Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer's woofer is 15-inch whereas the Klipsch R-101SW features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer has a frequency range of 18-400 Hz whereas R-101SW has a frequency range of 29.5-160 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" 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 Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer
Cabinet Type
The Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported designs. On the other hand the Klipsch R-101SW have Bass Reflex type enclosure. 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 Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer's and Klipsch R-101SW's external dimensions. Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer has external dimensions of 500.4 x 500.4 x 401.3mm (19.7 x 19.7 x 15.8inch) 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 142.4mm narrower and 130.4mm shorter than Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer but it is also 127.7mm 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.
Near-identical footprints. Klipsch R-101SW is 128mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer is 130mm 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 Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer is approximately 2008.1cm2 / 311.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-101SW is approximately 1893.8cm2 / 293.5inch2. The Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer requires 6% more surface area than the R-101SW which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer weighs 35.02kg / 77lbs and the Klipsch R-101SW weighs 13.91kg / 30.6lbs. This makes the Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer 152% heavier than the R-101SW.
Here is a comparison of how Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer and R-101SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
400 Hz
vs
160 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
370mm
vs
500mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1893cm2
vs
2008cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
1449USD
|
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.
Near-identical footprints. Klipsch R-101SW stands 128mm further into the room. Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer is 130mm taller.
| General |
Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer |
Klipsch Reference R-101SW |
| Brand |
Aperion |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
n/a |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
18-400 Hz |
29.5-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
n/a |
150-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Spun-Copper TCP |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
500.4mm (19.7") |
370.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
500.4mm (19.7") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
401.3mm (15.8") |
529.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
35.02kg (77lbs) |
13.91kg (30.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Years |
A sealed subwoofer against a ported one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer goes deeper - 18Hz against 30Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Driver area | A | Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer moves more air: 15" against 10" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; Klipsch R-101SW is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Klipsch R-101SW is about 30% 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 | B | Klipsch R-101SW costs less - $499 against $1,449, about 66% less. |
A Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" 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?
The usual trade-off: Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer measures better, Klipsch R-101SW costs about 66% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Klipsch R-101SW will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Aperion Theatrus TS15 Passive 15" Subwoofer is usually the easier one to make sound right. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $499 each, two Klipsch R-101SW cost about $998 against $1,449 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.