In this review, we will be comparing Abyss 8 and R-121SW, 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-121SW first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into details in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Abyss 8 and Klipsch R-121SW compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these subwoofers is the better choice for you.
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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-121SW have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan Abyss 8's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Klipsch R-121SW features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Abyss 8 has a frequency range of 23-200 Hz whereas R-121SW has a frequency range of 28-120 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-121SW's min frequency of 28Hz.
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
Klipsch R-121SW Port
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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-121SW's external dimensions. MartinLogan Abyss 8 has external dimensions of ( ) whereas Klipsch R-121SW has external dimensions of 423.0 x 407.0 x 532.0mm ( 16-5/8inch x 16inch x 20-15/16inch ) .
Klipsch R-121SW is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 407mm wider, 423mm taller and 532mm deeper than MartinLogan Abyss 8.