In this review, we will be comparing Stratton 12 and Stratton 10, two Powered Subwoofer speakers by KLH. 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 KLH Stratton 10 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 KLH Stratton 10 have a single woofer setup however the KLH Stratton 12's woofer is 12-inch whereas the KLH Stratton 10 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Stratton 12 has a frequency range of 25-160 Hz whereas Stratton 10 has a frequency range of 29-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Stratton 12 can go slightly deeper then the Stratton 10's min frequency of 29Hz.
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
Both KLH Stratton 12 and KLH Stratton 10 have Bass Reflex type cabinets. 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 KLH Stratton 12's and KLH Stratton 10'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 KLH Stratton 10 has external dimensions of 389.0 x 326.0 x 443.0mm (15-5/16inch x 12-13/16inch x 17-7/16inch).
KLH Stratton 12 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 65mm wider, 61mm taller and 75mm deeper than KLH Stratton 10.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Stratton 12 and KLH Stratton 10 in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Stratton 12 and KLH Stratton 10 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 KLH Stratton 10 is approximately 1444.2cm2 / 223.9inch2. The Stratton 12 requires 40% more surface area than the Stratton 10 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 KLH Stratton 10 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Stratton 12 37% heavier than the Stratton 10.
Here is a comparison of how Stratton 12 and Stratton 10'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 KLH Stratton 10?
Here are the items that come with the Stratton 10:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Grille
- Manual
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
29 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
160 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
389mm
vs
450mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1444cm2
vs
2025cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
449USD
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.
KLH Stratton 12 needs about 40% more floor area. KLH Stratton 12 stands 75mm further into the room. KLH Stratton 12 is 61mm taller.
| General |
KLH Stratton 12 |
KLH Stratton 10 |
| Brand |
KLH |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
200 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
25-160 Hz |
29-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper/Kevlar/Fiberglass |
Paper/Kevlar/Fiberglass |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
450.0mm (17.7") |
389.0mm (15.3") |
| Width |
391.0mm (15.4") |
326.0mm (12.8") |
| Depth |
518.0mm (20.4") |
443.0mm (17.4") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
Siblings in KLH's Stratton range - same design thinking, different size. It comes down to your room and your budget.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | KLH Stratton 12 goes deeper - 25Hz against 29Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 29Hz. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (200W vs 200W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| 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 | evenly matched | Both are ported designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | KLH Stratton 10 is about 38% 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 | B | KLH Stratton 10 costs less - $449 against $599, about 25% less. |
A KLH Stratton 12 B KLH Stratton 10
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: KLH Stratton 12 measures better, KLH Stratton 10 costs about 25% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - KLH Stratton 10 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.