In this review, we will be comparing SUB10 and RP-1400SW, 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-1400SW 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-1400SW have a single woofer setup however the Buchardt SUB10's woofer is 10-inch whereas the Klipsch RP-1400SW features a 14-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SUB10 has a frequency range of 20-300 Hz whereas RP-1400SW has a frequency range of 16-141 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 16Hz, the RP-1400SW 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-1400SW 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-1400SW'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-1400SW has external dimensions of 542.0 x 508.0 x 653.0mm (21-5/16inch x 20inch x 25-11/16inch).
Klipsch RP-1400SW is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 188mm wider, 52mm taller and 493mm deeper than Buchardt SUB10.
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 RP-1400SW needs about 548% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch RP-1400SW is 493mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch RP-1400SW is 52mm 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-1400SW is approximately 3317.2cm2 / 514.2inch2. The SUB10 requires 85% less surface area than the RP-1400SW 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-1400SW weighs 38.05kg / 83.7lbs. This makes the RP-1400SW 172% heavier than the SUB10.
Here is a comparison of how SUB10 and RP-1400SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 High Frequency Response |
300 Hz
vs
141 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
Yes
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
490mm
vs
542mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
512cm2
vs
3317cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1300USD
vs
1550USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
14 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
16 Hz
vs
20 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 RP-1400SW needs about 548% more floor area. Klipsch RP-1400SW stands 493mm further into the room. Klipsch RP-1400SW is 52mm taller.
| General |
Buchardt SUB10 |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-1400SW |
| Brand |
Buchardt |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
400 watts |
500 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-300 Hz |
16-141 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
400-watt RMS |
500-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1200-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
14" |
| 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") |
542.0mm (21.3") |
| Width |
320.0mm (12.6") |
508.0mm (20") |
| Depth |
160.0mm (6.3") |
653.0mm (25.7") |
| Weight |
14.00kg (30.8lbs) |
38.05kg (83.7lbs) |
| 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-1400SW goes deeper - 16Hz against 20Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | Klipsch RP-1400SW has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 400W RMS, about 1dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Klipsch RP-1400SW moves more air: 14" against 10" is 1.96x the cone area, not the 1.4x 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-1400SW 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 86% 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 | A | Buchardt SUB10 costs less - $1,300 against $1,550, about 16% less. |
A Buchardt SUB10 B Klipsch RP-1400SW
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-1400SW leads across most of the measured areas for a modest premium, so it is the easier pick if the budget stretches. Buchardt SUB10 is the one to take if it does not. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Klipsch RP-1400SW 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.