In this review, we will be comparing RP-1400CSW and Varro RS500-SB, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Klipsch and ELAC. 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 ELAC Varro RS500-SB 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 ELAC Varro RS500-SB have a single woofer setup however the Klipsch RP-1400CSW's woofer is 14-inch whereas the ELAC Varro RS500-SB features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
RP-1400CSW has a frequency range of 15-180 Hz whereas Varro RS500-SB has a frequency range of 18-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 15Hz, the RP-1400CSW can go slightly deeper then the Varro RS500-SB's min frequency of 18Hz.
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 Klipsch RP-1400CSW and ELAC Varro RS500-SB 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 ELAC Varro RS500-SB'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 ELAC Varro RS500-SB has external dimensions of 381.0 x 361.0 x 388.0mm (15inch x 14-3/16inch x 15-1/4inch).
Klipsch RP-1400CSW is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 60.6mm wider, 63mm taller and 33.6mm deeper than ELAC Varro RS500-SB.
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 ELAC Varro RS500-SB is approximately 1400.7cm2 / 217.1inch2. The RP-1400CSW requires 27% more surface area than the Varro RS500-SB 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 ELAC Varro RS500-SB weighs 20.85kg / 45.9lbs. This makes the RP-1400CSW 30% heavier than the Varro RS500-SB.
Here is a comparison of how RP-1400CSW and Varro RS500-SB's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
14 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
15 Hz
vs
18 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
180 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
1299USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
381mm
vs
444mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1400cm2
vs
1777cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
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 27% more floor area. Klipsch RP-1400CSW stands 34mm further into the room. Klipsch RP-1400CSW is 63mm taller.
| General |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-1400CSW |
ELAC Varro RS500-SB |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
500 watts |
500 watts |
| Frequency Response |
15-180 Hz |
18-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
500-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1000-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
14" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
Aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
444.0mm (17.5") |
381.0mm (15") |
| Width |
421.6mm (16.6") |
361.0mm (14.2") |
| Depth |
421.6mm (16.6") |
388.0mm (15.3") |
| Weight |
27.08kg (59.6lbs) |
20.85kg (45.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
MDF with Vinyl |
MDF |
| Available Colors |
Ebony |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
n/a |
USB-A port for firmware updates |
| Ethernet Port |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
1 year |
| Labor Warranty |
|
1 year |
Two quite different sizes of subwoofer. Room volume decides this more than anything else on the page: a big driver in a small room is wasted, and a small one in a large room is worked to death.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | Klipsch RP-1400CSW goes deeper - 15Hz against 18Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (500W vs 500W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | A | Klipsch RP-1400CSW moves more air: 14" against 10" is 1.96x the cone area, not the 1.4x 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. |
| Speaker-level inputs | B | ELAC Varro RS500-SB 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. |
| Driver placement | depends | Klipsch RP-1400CSW fires front and ELAC Varro RS500-SB fires down. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | ELAC Varro RS500-SB is about 32% 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 RP-1400CSW costs less - $1,100 against $1,299, about 15% less. |
A Klipsch RP-1400CSW B ELAC Varro RS500-SB
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. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, ELAC Varro RS500-SB is the only one of these two you can connect at all. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - ELAC Varro RS500-SB 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.