In this review, we will be comparing RP-1400CSW and Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Klipsch and Aperion. 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 RP-1400CSW and Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer 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 RP-1400CSWand Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer have a single woofer setup however the Klipsch RP-1400CSW's woofer is 14-inch whereas the Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
RP-1400CSW has a frequency range of 15-180 Hz whereas Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer has a frequency range of 22-350 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 15Hz, the RP-1400CSW can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer's min frequency of 22Hz.
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
Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer
Cabinet Type
Both Klipsch RP-1400CSW and Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer have Acoustic Suspension type cabinets. 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 RP-1400CSW's and Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer's external dimensions. Klipsch RP-1400CSW has external dimensions of 444.0 x 421.6 x 421.6mm (17.48inch x 16.6inch x 16.6inch) whereas Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer has external dimensions of 431.8 x 393.7 x 393.7mm (17 x 15.5 x 15.5inch).
Klipsch RP-1400CSW is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 27.9mm wider, 12.2mm taller and 27.9mm deeper than Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer.
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 RP-1400CSW needs about 15% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch RP-1400CSW is 28mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch RP-1400CSW is 12mm 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 Klipsch RP-1400CSW is approximately 1777.5cm2 / 275.5inch2 and base area of the Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer is approximately 1550.0cm2 / 240.3inch2. The RP-1400CSW requires 15% more surface area than the Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer 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 RP-1400CSW weighs 27.08kg / 59.6lbs and the Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer weighs 23.13kg / 50.9lbs. This makes the RP-1400CSW 17% heavier than the Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer.
Here is a comparison of how RP-1400CSW and Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer
 Woofer Size |
14 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
15 Hz
vs
22 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
180 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
431mm
vs
444mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1550cm2
vs
1777cm2
|
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 RP-1400CSW needs about 15% more floor area. Klipsch RP-1400CSW stands 28mm further into the room. Klipsch RP-1400CSW is 12mm taller.
| General |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-1400CSW |
Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Aperion |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
500 watts |
650 watts |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
15-180 Hz |
22-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
650-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1000-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
14" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
444.0mm (17.5") |
431.8mm (17") |
| Width |
421.6mm (16.6") |
393.7mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
421.6mm (16.6") |
393.7mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
27.08kg (59.6lbs) |
23.13kg (50.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
MDF with Vinyl |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Ebony |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | Klipsch RP-1400CSW goes deeper - 15Hz against 22Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer has the bigger amplifier - 650W against 500W RMS, about 1.1dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Klipsch RP-1400CSW moves more air: 14" against 12" is 1.36x the cone area, not the 1.17x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Price | A | Klipsch RP-1400CSW costs less - $1,100 against $1,199, about 8% less. |
A Klipsch RP-1400CSW B Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer
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?
Klipsch RP-1400CSW has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is.
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.