In this review, we will be comparing DS123 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 DS123 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.Both ELAC DS123and Klipsch R-101SW have a single woofer setup however the ELAC DS123's woofer is 12-inch whereas the Klipsch R-101SW features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
DS123 has a frequency range of 28-150 Hz whereas R-101SW has a frequency range of 29.5-160 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the DS123 can go slightly deeper then the R-101SW's min frequency of 30Hz.
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 DS123's and Klipsch R-101SW's external dimensions. ELAC DS123 has external dimensions of 374.7 x 360.4 x 446.1mm () 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 2.4mm narrower and 4.7mm shorter than ELAC DS123 but it is also 82.9mm deeper.
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 DS123 is approximately 1607.7cm2 / 249.2inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-101SW is approximately 1893.8cm2 / 293.5inch2. The DS123 requires 15% 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 DS123 weighs 13.70kg / 30.1lbs and the Klipsch R-101SW weighs 13.91kg / 30.6lbs. This makes the R-101SW 2% heavier than the DS123.
Here is a comparison of how DS123 and R-101SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
1607cm2
vs
1893cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 High Frequency Response |
160 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
370mm
vs
374mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
599USD
|
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-101SW needs about 18% more floor area. Klipsch R-101SW stands 83mm further into the room.
| General |
ELAC DS123 |
Klipsch Reference R-101SW |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
28-150 Hz |
29.5-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
400-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Spun-Copper TCP |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
374.7mm (14.8") |
370.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
360.4mm (14.2") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
446.1mm (17.6") |
529.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
13.70kg (30.1lbs) |
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 (28Hz vs 30Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | ELAC DS123 has the bigger amplifier - 200W against 150W RMS, about 1.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | ELAC DS123 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 | ELAC DS123 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. |
| 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 | B | Klipsch R-101SW costs less - $499 against $599, about 17% less. |
A ELAC DS123 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?
The usual trade-off: ELAC DS123 measures better, Klipsch R-101SW costs about 17% 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 R-101SW will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC DS123 is usually the easier one to make sound right.
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.