In this review, we will be comparing S6 and SPL-100, 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 SPL-100 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 SPL-100 have a single woofer setup however the Audioengine S6's woofer is 6-inch whereas the Klipsch SPL-100 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
S6 has a frequency range of 33-132 Hz whereas SPL-100 has a frequency range of 27-125 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the SPL-100 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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 SPL-100 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 Audioengine S6's and Klipsch SPL-100'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 SPL-100 has external dimensions of 418.0 x 358.0 x 478.0mm (16-7/16 x 14-1/16 x 18-13/16inch).
Klipsch SPL-100 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 137mm wider, 168mm taller and 197mm 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 SPL-100 needs about 176% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch SPL-100 is 197mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch SPL-100 is 168mm 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 SPL-100 is approximately 1711.2cm2 / 265.2inch2. The S6 requires 64% less surface area than the SPL-100 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 SPL-100 weighs 16.82kg / 37lbs. This makes the SPL-100 140% heavier than the S6.
Here is a comparison of how S6 and SPL-100'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 SPL-100?
Here are the items that come with the SPL-100:
- Powered sub
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 High Frequency Response |
132 Hz
vs
125 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
250mm
vs
418mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
621cm2
vs
1711cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
399USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
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 SPL-100 needs about 176% more floor area. Klipsch SPL-100 stands 197mm further into the room. Klipsch SPL-100 is 168mm taller.
| General |
Audioengine S6 |
Klipsch SPL-100 |
| Brand |
Audioengine |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
140 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
33-132 Hz |
27-125 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
140-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
450-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Treated paper |
Cerametallic |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
250.0mm (9.8") |
418.0mm (16.5") |
| Width |
221.0mm (8.7") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
478.0mm (18.8") |
| Weight |
7.00kg (15.4lbs) |
16.82kg (37lbs) |
| 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 | B | Klipsch SPL-100 goes deeper - 27Hz against 33Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 33Hz. |
| Amplifier power | B | Klipsch SPL-100 has the bigger amplifier - 200W against 140W RMS, about 1.5dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Klipsch SPL-100 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 SPL-100 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 | Audioengine S6 is about 78% 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 | A | Audioengine S6 costs less - $299 against $399, about 25% less. |
A Audioengine S6 B Klipsch SPL-100
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: Klipsch SPL-100 measures better, Audioengine S6 costs about 25% 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 SPL-100 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.