In this review, we will be comparing Abyss 10 and SPL-100, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from MartinLogan and Klipsch. 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 MartinLogan Abyss 10 and Klipsch SPL-100 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.MartinLogan Abyss 10and Klipsch SPL-100 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
Abyss 10 has a frequency range of 22-200 Hz whereas SPL-100 has a frequency range of 27-125 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the Abyss 10 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SPL-100's min frequency of 27Hz.
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
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 MartinLogan Abyss 10's and Klipsch SPL-100's external dimensions. MartinLogan Abyss 10 has external dimensions of 392.1 x 406.4 x 438.2mm () whereas Klipsch SPL-100 has external dimensions of 418.0 x 358.0 x 478.0mm (16-7/16 x 14-1/16 x 18-13/16inch).
MartinLogan Abyss 10 is 25.9mm shorter and 39.8mm less deeper than Klipsch SPL-100 but it is also 48.4mm wider.
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.
Near-identical footprints. Klipsch SPL-100 is 40mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch SPL-100 is 26mm 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 MartinLogan Abyss 10 is approximately 1780.8cm2 / 276.0inch2 and base area of the Klipsch SPL-100 is approximately 1711.2cm2 / 265.2inch2. The Abyss 10 requires 4% more surface area than the SPL-100 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 MartinLogan Abyss 10 weighs 25.22kg / 55.5lbs and the Klipsch SPL-100 weighs 16.82kg / 37lbs. This makes the Abyss 10 50% heavier than the SPL-100.
Here is a comparison of how Abyss 10 and SPL-100's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Low Frequency Response |
22 Hz
vs
27 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
125 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
392mm
vs
418mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1711cm2
vs
1780cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
1900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
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.
Near-identical footprints. Klipsch SPL-100 stands 40mm further into the room. Klipsch SPL-100 is 26mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Abyss 10 |
Klipsch SPL-100 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
22-200 Hz |
27-125 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
800-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1600-watt RMS |
450-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Cerametallic |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
392.1mm (15.4") |
418.0mm (16.5") |
| Width |
406.4mm (16") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
438.2mm (17.3") |
478.0mm (18.8") |
| Weight |
25.22kg (55.5lbs) |
16.82kg (37lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years w/ registration |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years w/ registration |
2 Years |
A passive radiator subwoofer against a ported 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 | A | MartinLogan Abyss 10 goes deeper - 22Hz against 27Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 27Hz. |
| Amplifier power | A | MartinLogan Abyss 10 has the bigger amplifier - 800W against 200W RMS, about 6dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (10" against 10"). |
| Enclosure | depends | MartinLogan Abyss 10 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; Klipsch SPL-100 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Warranty | A | MartinLogan Abyss 10 carries 3 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 | B | Klipsch SPL-100 costs less - $399 against $1,900, about 79% less. |
A MartinLogan Abyss 10 B Klipsch SPL-100
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?
The usual trade-off: MartinLogan Abyss 10 measures better, Klipsch SPL-100 costs about 79% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $399 each, two Klipsch SPL-100 cost about $798 against $1,900 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.