In this review, we will be comparing Stratton 12 and KUBE 10b, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from KLH and KEF. 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 KLH Stratton 12 and KEF KUBE 10b 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 KLH Stratton 12and KEF KUBE 10b have a single woofer setup however the KLH Stratton 12's woofer is 12-inch whereas the KEF KUBE 10b features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Stratton 12 has a frequency range of 25-160 Hz whereas KUBE 10b has a frequency range of 24-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the KUBE 10b can go slightly deeper then the Stratton 12's min frequency of 25Hz.
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 KLH Stratton 12 has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the KEF KUBE 10b have Acoustic Suspension type enclosure. 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.
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 KLH Stratton 12's and KEF KUBE 10b's external dimensions. KLH Stratton 12 has external dimensions of 450.0 x 391.0 x 518.0mm (17-11/16inch x 15-3/8inch x 20-3/8inch) whereas KEF KUBE 10b has external dimensions of 372.0 x 356.0 x 397.0mm (14-5/8 x 14 x 15-5/8inch).
KLH Stratton 12 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 35mm wider, 78mm taller and 121mm deeper than KEF KUBE 10b.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Stratton 12 and KEF KUBE 10b in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Stratton 12 and KEF KUBE 10b 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 KLH Stratton 12 is approximately 2025.4cm2 / 313.9inch2 and base area of the KEF KUBE 10b is approximately 1413.3cm2 / 219.1inch2. The Stratton 12 requires 43% more surface area than the KUBE 10b 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 KLH Stratton 12 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the KEF KUBE 10b weighs 17.50kg / 38.5lbs. This makes the Stratton 12 14% heavier than the KUBE 10b.
Here is a comparison of how Stratton 12 and KUBE 10b's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of KLH Stratton 12?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Stratton 12:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Grille
- Manual
What's in the Box of KEF KUBE 10b?
Here are the items that come with the KUBE 10b:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Speaker-level input block
- User Manual
- Important Safety Information
- Warranty Information
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
160 Hz
vs
140 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
750USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
372mm
vs
450mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1413cm2
vs
2025cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
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.
KLH Stratton 12 needs about 43% more floor area. KLH Stratton 12 stands 121mm further into the room. KLH Stratton 12 is 78mm taller.
| General |
KLH Stratton 12 |
KEF KUBE 10b |
| Brand |
KLH |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
200 watts |
300 watts |
| Frequency Response |
25-160 Hz |
24-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper/Kevlar/Fiberglass |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
40-140 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
450.0mm (17.7") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
391.0mm (15.4") |
356.0mm (14") |
| Depth |
518.0mm (20.4") |
397.0mm (15.6") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
17.50kg (38.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
A ported subwoofer against a sealed 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 (25Hz vs 24Hz). |
| Amplifier power | B | KEF KUBE 10b has the bigger amplifier - 300W against 200W RMS, about 1.8dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | KLH Stratton 12 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 | KLH Stratton 12 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning; KEF KUBE 10b is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only KEF KUBE 10b 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | KEF KUBE 10b is about 42% 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. |
| Price | A | KLH Stratton 12 costs less - $599 against $750, about 20% less. |
A KLH Stratton 12 B KEF KUBE 10b
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let your room size and where the box can actually stand settle it. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, KLH Stratton 12 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, KEF KUBE 10b is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - KEF KUBE 10b 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.