In this review, we will be comparing RP-1600CSW and Dynamo 1100X, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Klipsch and MartinLogan. 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-1600CSW and MartinLogan 1100X 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-1600CSWand MartinLogan 1100X have a single woofer setup however the Klipsch RP-1600CSW's woofer is 16-inch whereas the MartinLogan 1100X features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
RP-1600CSW has a frequency range of 14.5-175 Hz whereas Dynamo 1100X has a frequency range of 22-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 15Hz, the RP-1600CSW can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Dynamo 1100X'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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
Both Klipsch RP-1600CSW and MartinLogan 1100X 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-1600CSW's and MartinLogan 1100X's external dimensions. Klipsch RP-1600CSW has external dimensions of 488.2 x 465.6 x 465.6mm (19.22inch x 18.33inch x 18.33inch) whereas MartinLogan 1100X has external dimensions of 435.0 x 381.0 x 410.0mm (17-1/8 x 15 x 16-1/8inch).
Klipsch RP-1600CSW is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 84.6mm wider, 53.2mm taller and 55.6mm deeper than MartinLogan 1100X.
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-1600CSW needs about 39% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch RP-1600CSW is 56mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch RP-1600CSW is 53mm 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-1600CSW is approximately 2167.8cm2 / 336.0inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 1100X is approximately 1562.1cm2 / 242.1inch2. The RP-1600CSW requires 39% more surface area than the Dynamo 1100X 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-1600CSW weighs 35.74kg / 78.6lbs and the MartinLogan 1100X weighs 20.91kg / 46lbs. This makes the RP-1600CSW 71% heavier than the Dynamo 1100X.
Here is a comparison of how RP-1600CSW and Dynamo 1100X's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
16 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
15 Hz
vs
22 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
175 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
435mm
vs
488mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1562cm2
vs
2167cm2
|
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-1600CSW needs about 39% more floor area. Klipsch RP-1600CSW stands 56mm further into the room. Klipsch RP-1600CSW is 53mm taller.
| General |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-1600CSW |
MartinLogan Dynamo 1100X |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
800 watts |
650 watts |
| Frequency Response |
14.5-175 Hz |
22-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
800-watt RMS |
650-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1600-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
16" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
488.2mm (19.2") |
435.0mm (17.1") |
| Width |
465.6mm (18.3") |
381.0mm (15") |
| Depth |
465.6mm (18.3") |
410.0mm (16.1") |
| Weight |
35.74kg (78.6lbs) |
20.91kg (46lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
MDF with Vinyl |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Ebony |
Satin Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
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-1600CSW 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 | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (800W vs 650W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | A | Klipsch RP-1600CSW moves more air: 16" against 12" is 1.78x the cone area, not the 1.33x 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 | MartinLogan 1100X 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-1600CSW fires front and MartinLogan 1100X fires front/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 | MartinLogan 1100X is about 36% 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 | evenly matched | Priced within a few per cent of each other. |
A Klipsch RP-1600CSW B MartinLogan 1100X
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-1600CSW 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, MartinLogan 1100X 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 - MartinLogan 1100X 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.