In this review, we will be comparing Bronze W10 and R-100SW, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Monitor Audio 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 Monitor Audio Bronze W10 and Klipsch R-100SW 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.Monitor Audio Bronze W10and Klipsch R-100SW have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
Bronze W10 has a frequency range of 29-150 Hz whereas R-100SW has a frequency range of 32-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Bronze W10 can go slightly deeper then the R-100SW's min frequency of 32Hz.
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
The Monitor Audio Bronze W10 has a Passive Radiator type cabinet. Passive Radiator type subwoofers sports a non-powered cone that moves in response to the main woofer to move air out in order to generate stronger bass in a smaller body compared to ported or sealed designs. On the other hand the Klipsch R-100SW have Bass reflex type enclosure.
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 Monitor Audio Bronze W10's and Klipsch R-100SW's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Bronze W10 has external dimensions of 361.0 x 321.0 x 405.0mm (14-3/16 x 12-5/8 x 15-15/16inch) whereas Klipsch R-100SW has external dimensions of 372.0 x 320.0 x 459.0mm (14-5/8 x 12-9/16 x 18-1/16inch).
Monitor Audio Bronze W10 is 11mm shorter and 54mm less deeper than Klipsch R-100SW but it is also 1mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Bronze W10 and Klipsch R-100SW in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Bronze W10 and Klipsch R-100SW Size and External Dimensions
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 Monitor Audio Bronze W10 is approximately 1300.1cm2 / 201.5inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-100SW is approximately 1468.8cm2 / 227.7inch2. The Bronze W10 requires 11% less surface area than the R-100SW 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 Monitor Audio Bronze W10 weighs 13.44kg / 29.6lbs and the Klipsch R-100SW weighs 10.91kg / 24lbs. This makes the Bronze W10 23% heavier than the R-100SW.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze W10 and R-100SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze W10?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Bronze W10:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 10-feet Mono-minijack cable
- 4 Rubber feet
- Quick Start Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-100SW?
Here are the items that come with the R-100SW:
- Powered sub
- Grille (installed)
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
361mm
vs
372mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1300cm2
vs
1468cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
275USD
vs
975USD
|
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-100SW needs about 13% more floor area. Klipsch R-100SW stands 54mm further into the room.
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze W10 |
Klipsch R-100SW |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
220 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
29-150 Hz |
32-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
220-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
361.0mm (14.2") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
321.0mm (12.6") |
320.0mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
405.0mm (15.9") |
459.0mm (18.1") |
| Weight |
13.44kg (29.6lbs) |
10.91kg (24lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
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 | Monitor Audio Bronze W10 goes deeper - 29Hz against 32Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 32Hz. |
| Amplifier power | A | Monitor Audio Bronze W10 has the bigger amplifier - 220W against 150W RMS, about 1.7dB 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 | Monitor Audio Bronze W10 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; Klipsch R-100SW 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 | Monitor Audio Bronze W10 carries 5 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-100SW costs less - $275 against $975, about 72% less. |
A Monitor Audio Bronze W10 B Klipsch R-100SW
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: Monitor Audio Bronze W10 measures better, Klipsch R-100SW costs about 72% 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 $275 each, two Klipsch R-100SW cost about $550 against $975 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.