In this review, we will be comparing Abyss 8 and R-101SW, 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 8 and Klipsch R-101SW 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 MartinLogan Abyss 8and Klipsch R-101SW have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan Abyss 8's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Klipsch R-101SW features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Abyss 8 has a frequency range of 23-200 Hz whereas R-101SW has a frequency range of 29.5-160 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 23Hz, the Abyss 8 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R-101SW's min frequency of 30Hz.
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 8's and Klipsch R-101SW's external dimensions. MartinLogan Abyss 8 has external dimensions of 342.9 x 357.2 x 395.3mm () whereas Klipsch R-101SW has external dimensions of 370.0 x 358.0 x 529.0mm (14-9/16inch x 14-1/16inch x 20-13/16inch).
Klipsch R-101SW is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 0.80000000000001mm wider, 27.1mm taller and 133.7mm deeper than MartinLogan Abyss 8.
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 R-101SW needs about 34% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch R-101SW is 134mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch R-101SW is 27mm 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 8 is approximately 1412.0cm2 / 218.9inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-101SW is approximately 1893.8cm2 / 293.5inch2. The Abyss 8 requires 25% less surface area than the R-101SW which gives it a small advantage 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 8 weighs 21.18kg / 46.6lbs and the Klipsch R-101SW weighs 13.91kg / 30.6lbs. This makes the Abyss 8 52% heavier than the R-101SW.
Here is a comparison of how Abyss 8 and R-101SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Low Frequency Response |
23 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
160 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
342mm
vs
370mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1412cm2
vs
1893cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
1400USD
|
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.
Klipsch R-101SW needs about 34% more floor area. Klipsch R-101SW stands 134mm further into the room. Klipsch R-101SW is 27mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Abyss 8 |
Klipsch Reference R-101SW |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
23-200 Hz |
29.5-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1000-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Spun-Copper TCP |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
342.9mm (13.5") |
370.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
357.2mm (14.1") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
395.3mm (15.6") |
529.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
21.18kg (46.6lbs) |
13.91kg (30.6lbs) |
| 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 8 goes deeper - 23Hz against 30Hz. That gap covers the lowest notes of a five-string bass and a concert bass drum. |
| Amplifier power | A | MartinLogan Abyss 8 has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 150W RMS, about 5.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Klipsch R-101SW 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 | MartinLogan Abyss 8 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; Klipsch R-101SW 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | MartinLogan Abyss 8 is about 31% 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. |
| Warranty | A | MartinLogan Abyss 8 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 R-101SW costs less - $499 against $1,400, about 64% less. |
A MartinLogan Abyss 8 B Klipsch R-101SW
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 8 measures better, Klipsch R-101SW costs about 64% 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 $499 each, two Klipsch R-101SW cost about $998 against $1,400 for one of the other, which is worth a thought. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - MartinLogan Abyss 8 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.