In this review, we will be comparing Stratton 12 and SB-2000, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from KLH and SVS. 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 SVS SB-2000 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.KLH Stratton 12and SVS SB-2000 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 12" drivers.
Frequency Response
Stratton 12 has a frequency range of 25-160 Hz whereas SB-2000 has a frequency range of 19-220 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 19Hz, the SB-2000 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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 SVS SB-2000 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 SVS SB-2000'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 SVS SB-2000 has external dimensions of 372.0 x 362.0 x 478.0mm (14-5/8 x 14-1/4 x 18-13/16inch).
KLH Stratton 12 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 29mm wider, 78mm taller and 40mm deeper than SVS SB-2000.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Stratton 12 and SVS SB-2000 in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Stratton 12 and SVS SB-2000 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 SVS SB-2000 is approximately 1730.4cm2 / 268.2inch2. The Stratton 12 requires 17% more surface area than the SB-2000 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 SVS SB-2000 weighs 15.82kg / 34.8lbs. This makes the Stratton 12 26% heavier than the SB-2000.
Here is a comparison of how Stratton 12 and SB-2000'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 SVS SB-2000?
Here are the items that come with the SB-2000:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 8-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
- Quick Start Guide
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
19 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
220 Hz
vs
160 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
372mm
vs
450mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1730cm2
vs
2025cm2
|
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.
KLH Stratton 12 needs about 17% more floor area. KLH Stratton 12 stands 40mm further into the room. KLH Stratton 12 is 78mm taller.
| General |
KLH Stratton 12 |
SVS SB-2000 |
| Brand |
KLH |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
200 watts |
500 watts |
| Frequency Response |
25-160 Hz |
19-220 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper/Kevlar/Fiberglass |
Aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
50-160 Hz and 80 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
450.0mm (17.7") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
391.0mm (15.4") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
518.0mm (20.4") |
478.0mm (18.8") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
15.82kg (34.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
5 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 | B | SVS SB-2000 goes deeper - 19Hz against 25Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | SVS SB-2000 has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 200W RMS, about 4dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (12" against 12"). |
| 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; SVS SB-2000 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | SVS SB-2000 is about 29% 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 | SVS SB-2000 carries 5 years on parts against 2 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 KLH Stratton 12 B SVS SB-2000
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?
SVS SB-2000 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, KLH Stratton 12 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, SVS SB-2000 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - SVS SB-2000 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.