In this review, we will be comparing Sub 600P and R-101SW, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Focal 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 Focal Sub 600P 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 Focal Sub 600Pand Klipsch R-101SW have a single woofer setup however the Focal Sub 600P's woofer is 12-inch whereas the Klipsch R-101SW features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Sub 600P has a frequency range of 28-270 Hz whereas R-101SW has a frequency range of 29.5-160 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Sub 600P 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
Cabinet Type
The Focal Sub 600P 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-101SW 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 Focal Sub 600P's and Klipsch R-101SW's external dimensions. Focal Sub 600P has external dimensions of 400.0 x 400.0 x 425.0mm (15-3/4 x 15-3/4 x 16-3/4inch) 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 42mm narrower and 30mm shorter than Focal Sub 600P but it is also 104mm deeper.
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 R-101SW needs about 11% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch R-101SW is 104mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Focal Sub 600P is 30mm 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 Focal Sub 600P is approximately 1700.0cm2 / 263.5inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-101SW is approximately 1893.8cm2 / 293.5inch2. The Sub 600P requires 10% 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 Focal Sub 600P weighs 21.00kg / 46.2lbs and the Klipsch R-101SW weighs 13.91kg / 30.6lbs. This makes the Sub 600P 51% heavier than the R-101SW.
Here is a comparison of how Sub 600P 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 |
 High Frequency Response |
270 Hz
vs
160 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1700cm2
vs
1893cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Height |
370mm
vs
400mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
1449USD
|
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 11% more floor area. Klipsch R-101SW stands 104mm further into the room. Focal Sub 600P is 30mm taller.
| General |
Focal Sub 600P |
Klipsch Reference R-101SW |
| Brand |
Focal |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
28-270 Hz |
29.5-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
300-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
600-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
W sandwich |
Spun-Copper TCP |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
400.0mm (15.7") |
370.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
400.0mm (15.7") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
425.0mm (16.7") |
529.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
21.00kg (46.2lbs) |
13.91kg (30.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
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 | Focal Sub 600P has the bigger amplifier - 300W against 150W RMS, about 3dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Focal Sub 600P 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 | Focal Sub 600P 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. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-101SW costs less - $499 against $1,449, about 66% less. |
A Focal Sub 600P 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: Focal Sub 600P measures better, Klipsch R-101SW costs about 66% 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, Focal Sub 600P is usually the easier one to make sound right. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $499 each, two Klipsch R-101SW cost about $998 against $1,449 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.