In this review, we will be comparing DS103 and R-101SW, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from ELAC 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 ELAC DS103 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.ELAC DS103and Klipsch R-101SW have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
DS103 has a frequency range of 31-150 Hz whereas R-101SW has a frequency range of 29.5-160 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the R-101SW can go slightly deeper then the DS103's min frequency of 31Hz.
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
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 ELAC DS103's and Klipsch R-101SW's external dimensions. ELAC DS103 has external dimensions of 325.4 x 311.2 x 392.1mm () 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 clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 46.8mm wider, 44.6mm taller and 136.9mm deeper than ELAC DS103.
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 ELAC DS103 is approximately 1220.2cm2 / 189.1inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-101SW is approximately 1893.8cm2 / 293.5inch2. The DS103 requires 36% less surface area than the R-101SW 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 ELAC DS103 weighs 10.30kg / 22.7lbs and the Klipsch R-101SW weighs 13.91kg / 30.6lbs. This makes the R-101SW 35% heavier than the DS103.
Here is a comparison of how DS103 and R-101SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Height |
325mm
vs
370mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1220cm2
vs
1893cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
479USD
vs
499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
31 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
160 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
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-101SW needs about 55% more floor area. Klipsch R-101SW stands 137mm further into the room. Klipsch R-101SW is 45mm taller.
| General |
ELAC DS103 |
Klipsch Reference R-101SW |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
31-150 Hz |
29.5-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
100-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
200-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Spun-Copper TCP |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
325.4mm (12.8") |
370.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
311.2mm (12.3") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
392.1mm (15.4") |
529.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
10.30kg (22.7lbs) |
13.91kg (30.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
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 (31Hz vs 30Hz). |
| Amplifier power | B | Klipsch R-101SW has the bigger amplifier - 150W against 100W RMS, about 1.8dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (10" against 10"). |
| Enclosure | depends | ELAC DS103 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 | ELAC DS103 is about 43% 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 | B | Klipsch R-101SW carries 2 years on parts against 1 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | evenly matched | Priced within a few per cent of each other. |
A ELAC DS103 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?
Klipsch R-101SW has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. 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, ELAC DS103 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - ELAC DS103 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.