In this review, we will be comparing Black TreVoce 12 PRO and R-121SW, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from OSD 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 OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO and Klipsch R-121SW 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.OSD Black TreVoce 12 PROand Klipsch R-121SW have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 12" drivers.
Frequency Response
Black TreVoce 12 PRO has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz whereas R-121SW has a frequency range of 28-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the Black TreVoce 12 PRO 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
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 OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO's and Klipsch R-121SW's external dimensions. OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO has external dimensions of 450.9 x 404.8 x 473.1mm () 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).
OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO is 2.2mm narrower and 58.9mm less deeper than Klipsch R-121SW but it is also 27.9mm taller.
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-121SW needs about 13% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch R-121SW is 59mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO is 28mm 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 OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO is approximately 1915.1cm2 / 296.8inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-121SW is approximately 2165.2cm2 / 335.6inch2. The Black TreVoce 12 PRO requires 12% less surface area than the R-121SW 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 OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO weighs 21.09kg / 46.4lbs and the Klipsch R-121SW weighs 16.00kg / 35.2lbs. This makes the Black TreVoce 12 PRO 32% heavier than the R-121SW.
Here is a comparison of how Black TreVoce 12 PRO and R-121SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1915cm2
vs
2165cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Height |
423mm
vs
450mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
800USD
|
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-121SW needs about 13% more floor area. Klipsch R-121SW stands 59mm further into the room. OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO is 28mm taller.
| General |
OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO |
Klipsch Reference R-121SW |
| Brand |
OSD |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
18-250 Hz |
28-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
300-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
800-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Spun-Copper TCP |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
450.9mm (17.8") |
423.0mm (16.7") |
| Width |
404.8mm (15.9") |
407.0mm (16") |
| Depth |
473.1mm (18.6") |
532.0mm (20.9") |
| Weight |
21.09kg (46.4lbs) |
16.00kg (35.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 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 | OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO goes deeper - 18Hz against 28Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO has the bigger amplifier - 300W against 200W RMS, about 1.8dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (12" against 12"). |
| Enclosure | depends | OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; Klipsch R-121SW 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. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-121SW costs less - $599 against $800, about 25% less. |
A OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO B Klipsch R-121SW
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: OSD Black TreVoce 12 PRO measures better, Klipsch R-121SW costs about 25% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two.
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.