In this review, we will be comparing SUB10 and RP-1200SW, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Buchardt 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 Buchardt SUB10 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 Buchardt SUB10and Klipsch RP-1200SW have a single woofer setup however the Buchardt SUB10's woofer is 10-inch whereas the Klipsch RP-1200SW features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SUB10 has a frequency range of 20-300 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 SUB10's min frequency of 20Hz.
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 Buchardt SUB10 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 RP-1200SW 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 Buchardt SUB10's and Klipsch RP-1200SW's external dimensions. Buchardt SUB10 has external dimensions of 490 x 320 x 160 mm (19.3 x 12.6 x 6.3 inch) 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).
Buchardt SUB10 is 112mm narrower and 499mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-1200SW but it is also 8mm 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 Buchardt SUB10 is approximately 512.0cm2 / 79.4inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-1200SW is approximately 2846.9cm2 / 441.3inch2. The SUB10 requires 82% 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 Buchardt SUB10 weighs 14.00kg / 30.8lbs and the Klipsch RP-1200SW weighs 31.18kg / 68.6lbs. This makes the RP-1200SW 123% heavier than the SUB10.
Here is a comparison of how SUB10 and RP-1200SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 High Frequency Response |
300 Hz
vs
138 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
Yes
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Base Surface Area |
512cm2
vs
2846cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
17 Hz
vs
20 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
482mm
vs
490mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
1300USD
|
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 456% more floor area. Klipsch RP-1200SW stands 499mm further into the room.
| General |
Buchardt SUB10 |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-1200SW |
| Brand |
Buchardt |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
400 watts |
400 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-300 Hz |
16.5-138 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
400-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1200-watt RMS |
800-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Cerametallic |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
490.0mm (19.3") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Width |
320.0mm (12.6") |
432.0mm (17") |
| Depth |
160.0mm (6.3") |
659.0mm (25.9") |
| Weight |
14.00kg (30.8lbs) |
31.18kg (68.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF with Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black,White |
Ebony |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years on woofer and cabinet, 2 years on amp module |
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 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 RP-1200SW goes deeper - 17Hz against 20Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (400W vs 400W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | B | Klipsch RP-1200SW moves more air: 12" against 10" is 1.44x the cone area, not the 1.2x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | Buchardt SUB10 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; Klipsch RP-1200SW 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 | Buchardt SUB10 is about 82% 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 RP-1200SW costs less - $1,100 against $1,300, about 15% less. |
A Buchardt SUB10 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?
Klipsch RP-1200SW is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Buchardt SUB10 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Klipsch RP-1200SW will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Buchardt SUB10 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Buchardt SUB10 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.