In this review, we will be comparing S6 and R-100SW, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Audioengine 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 Audioengine S6 and Klipsch R-100SW 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 Audioengine S6and Klipsch R-100SW have a single woofer setup however the Audioengine S6's woofer is 6-inch whereas the Klipsch R-100SW features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
S6 has a frequency range of 33-132 Hz whereas R-100SW has a frequency range of 32-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the R-100SW can go slightly deeper then the S6's min frequency of 33Hz.
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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
The Audioengine S6 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-100SW have Bass reflex type enclosure.
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 Audioengine S6's and Klipsch R-100SW's external dimensions. Audioengine S6 has external dimensions of 250.0 x 221.0 x 281.0mm (9-13/16inch x 8-11/16inch x 11-1/16inch) whereas Klipsch R-100SW has external dimensions of 372.0 x 320.0 x 459.0mm (14-5/8 x 12-9/16 x 18-1/16inch).
Klipsch R-100SW is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 99mm wider, 122mm taller and 178mm deeper than Audioengine S6.
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-100SW needs about 137% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch R-100SW is 178mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch R-100SW is 122mm 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 Audioengine S6 is approximately 621.0cm2 / 96.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-100SW is approximately 1468.8cm2 / 227.7inch2. The S6 requires 58% less surface area than the R-100SW 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 Audioengine S6 weighs 7.00kg / 15.4lbs and the Klipsch R-100SW weighs 10.91kg / 24lbs. This makes the R-100SW 56% heavier than the S6.
Here is a comparison of how S6 and R-100SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of Audioengine S6?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of S6:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 6.5-feet Stereo RCA cable
- 6.5-feet Stereo minijack audio cable
- Cloth subwoofer bag
- Cloth cable bag
- Quick Start Guide
- Audioengine brochure
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-100SW?
Here are the items that come with the R-100SW:
- Powered sub
- Grille (installed)
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 High Frequency Response |
132 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
250mm
vs
372mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
621cm2
vs
1468cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
275USD
vs
299USD
|
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 R-100SW needs about 137% more floor area. Klipsch R-100SW stands 178mm further into the room. Klipsch R-100SW is 122mm taller.
| General |
Audioengine S6 |
Klipsch R-100SW |
| Brand |
Audioengine |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
140 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
33-132 Hz |
32-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
140-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Treated paper |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
250.0mm (9.8") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
221.0mm (8.7") |
320.0mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
459.0mm (18.1") |
| Weight |
7.00kg (15.4lbs) |
10.91kg (24lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
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 | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (33Hz vs 32Hz). |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (140W vs 150W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | B | Klipsch R-100SW moves more air: 10" against 6" is 2.78x the cone area, not the 1.67x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | Audioengine S6 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; Klipsch R-100SW 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only Audioengine S6 offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Audioengine S6 is about 72% 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. |
| Warranty | A | Audioengine S6 carries 3 years on parts against 2 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-100SW costs less - $275 against $299, about 8% less. |
A Audioengine S6 B Klipsch R-100SW
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let your room size and where the box can actually stand settle it. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Klipsch R-100SW will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Audioengine S6 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Audioengine S6 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.