In this review, we will be comparing DS123 and R-121SW, 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-121SW 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 DS123and Klipsch R-121SW have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 12" drivers.
Frequency Response
DS123 has a frequency range of 28-150 Hz whereas R-121SW has a frequency range of 28-120 Hz.
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
Klipsch R-121SW Port
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-121SW's external dimensions. ELAC DS123 has external dimensions of 374.7 x 360.4 x 446.1mm () whereas Klipsch R-121SW has external dimensions of 423.0 x 407.0 x 532.0mm (16-5/8inch x 16inch x 20-15/16inch).
Klipsch R-121SW is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 46.6mm wider, 48.3mm taller and 85.9mm deeper than ELAC DS123.
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-121SW is approximately 2165.2cm2 / 335.6inch2. The DS123 requires 26% less surface area than the R-121SW 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-121SW weighs 16.00kg / 35.2lbs. This makes the R-121SW 17% heavier than the DS123.
Here is a comparison of how DS123 and R-121SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
374mm
vs
423mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1607cm2
vs
2165cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
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-121SW needs about 35% more floor area. Klipsch R-121SW stands 86mm further into the room. Klipsch R-121SW is 48mm taller.
| General |
ELAC DS123 |
Klipsch Reference R-121SW |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
28-150 Hz |
28-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
400-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
12" |
| 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") |
423.0mm (16.7") |
| Width |
360.4mm (14.2") |
407.0mm (16") |
| Depth |
446.1mm (17.6") |
532.0mm (20.9") |
| Weight |
13.70kg (30.1lbs) |
16.00kg (35.2lbs) |
| 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 28Hz). |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (200W vs 200W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (12" against 12"). |
| 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-121SW 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 DS123 is about 34% 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-121SW 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 DS123 B Klipsch R-121SW
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-121SW 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-121SW 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. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - ELAC DS123 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.