In this review, we will be comparing Varro DS1000-BG and R-100SW, 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 Varro DS1000-BG and Klipsch R-100SW 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.
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Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.ELAC Varro DS1000-BG and Klipsch R-100SW have a totally different setup: the ELAC Varro DS1000-BG features 2 x 10-inch drivers whereas the R-100SW features 1 x 10-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
Varro DS1000-BG has a frequency range of 18-150 Hz whereas R-100SW has a frequency range of 32-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the Varro DS1000-BG can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R-100SW's min frequency of 32Hz.
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 ELAC Varro DS1000-BG 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 R-100SW have Bass reflex type enclosure.
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 Varro DS1000-BG's and Klipsch R-100SW's external dimensions. ELAC Varro DS1000-BG has external dimensions of 372.0 x 431.0 x 372.0mm (14-5/8inch x 16-15/16inch x 14-5/8inch) whereas Klipsch R-100SW has external dimensions of 372.0 x 320.0 x 459.0mm (14-5/8 x 12-9/16 x 18-1/16inch).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Varro DS1000-BG and Klipsch R-100SW in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Varro DS1000-BG and Klipsch R-100SW Size and External Dimensions
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 Varro DS1000-BG is approximately 1603.3cm2 / 248.5inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-100SW is approximately 1468.8cm2 / 227.7inch2. The Varro DS1000-BG requires 9% more surface area than the R-100SW which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Varro DS1000-BG weighs 32.45kg / 71.4lbs and the Klipsch R-100SW weighs 10.91kg / 24lbs. This makes the Varro DS1000-BG 197% heavier than the R-100SW.
Here is a comparison of how Varro DS1000-BG and R-100SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC Varro DS1000-BG?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Varro DS1000-BG:
- 2 Grilles
- Power Cord
- 4 Spikes
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-100SW?
Here are the items that come with the R-100SW:
- Powered sub
- Grille (installed)
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
 Base Surface Area |
1468cm2
vs
1603cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
275USD
vs
2499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ELAC Varro DS1000-BG |
Klipsch R-100SW |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-150 Hz |
32-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
2000-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
372.0mm (14.6") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
431.0mm (17") |
320.0mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
372.0mm (14.6") |
459.0mm (18.1") |
| Weight |
32.45kg (71.4lbs) |
10.91kg (24lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
USB-A port for firmware updates |
n/a |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
n/a |
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 | A | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG goes deeper - 18Hz against 32Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 150W RMS, about 8.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG moves more air: 2 x 10" against 10" is 2x the cone area, not the 1.41x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; Klipsch R-100SW 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. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG takes a speaker-level connection as well as line level. That is what lets it work with an integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver that has no subwoofer output at all. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only ELAC Varro DS1000-BG offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Driver placement | depends | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG fires side and Klipsch R-100SW fires front. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Warranty | B | Klipsch R-100SW 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-100SW costs less - $275 against $2,499, about 89% less. |
A ELAC Varro DS1000-BG B Klipsch R-100SW
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 Varro DS1000-BG measures better, Klipsch R-100SW costs about 89% 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-100SW will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC Varro DS1000-BG is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, ELAC Varro DS1000-BG is the only one of these two you can connect at all.
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.