In this review, we will be comparing R-100SW and ASW608, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Klipsch and Bowers Wilkins. 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 Klipsch R-100SW and B&W ASW608 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 Klipsch R-100SWand B&W ASW608 have a single woofer setup however the Klipsch R-100SW's woofer is 10-inch whereas the B&W ASW608 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
R-100SW has a frequency range of 32-120 Hz whereas ASW608 has a frequency range of 32-140 Hz.
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 Klipsch R-100SW has a Bass reflex type cabinet. On the other hand the B&W ASW608 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 Klipsch R-100SW's and B&W ASW608's external dimensions. 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) whereas B&W ASW608 has external dimensions of 272.0 x 261.0 x 350.0mm (10-11/16 x 10-1/4 x 13-3/4inch).
Klipsch R-100SW is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 59mm wider, 100mm taller and 109mm deeper than B&W ASW608.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch R-100SW and B&W ASW608 in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch R-100SW and B&W ASW608 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 Klipsch R-100SW is approximately 1468.8cm2 / 227.7inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW608 is approximately 913.5cm2 / 141.6inch2. The R-100SW requires 61% more surface area than the ASW608 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 Klipsch R-100SW weighs 10.91kg / 24lbs and the B&W ASW608 weighs 8.86kg / 19.5lbs. This makes the R-100SW 23% heavier than the ASW608.
Here is a comparison of how R-100SW and ASW608's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-100SW?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R-100SW:
- Powered sub
- Grille (installed)
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of B&W ASW608?
Here are the items that come with the ASW608:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
275USD
vs
599USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 High Frequency Response |
140 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
272mm
vs
372mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
913cm2
vs
1468cm2
|
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.
Klipsch R-100SW needs about 61% more floor area. Klipsch R-100SW stands 109mm further into the room. Klipsch R-100SW is 100mm taller.
| General |
Klipsch R-100SW |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW608 |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
150 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
32-120 Hz |
32-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
300-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Copper-spun IMG |
Paper/Aramid Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
372.0mm (14.6") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
| Width |
320.0mm (12.6") |
261.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
459.0mm (18.1") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
10.91kg (24lbs) |
8.86kg (19.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| 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 (32Hz vs 32Hz). |
| Amplifier power | B | B&W ASW608 has the bigger amplifier - 200W against 150W RMS, about 1.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Klipsch R-100SW moves more air: 10" against 8" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | 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; B&W ASW608 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. |
| Speaker-level inputs | B | B&W ASW608 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | B&W ASW608 is about 55% 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 | Klipsch R-100SW costs less - $275 against $599, about 54% less. |
A Klipsch R-100SW B B&W ASW608
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?
B&W ASW608 is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 118% more. Klipsch R-100SW is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. 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, B&W ASW608 is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, B&W ASW608 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.