In this review, we will be comparing Foundry F12 and R-101SW, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from PS 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 PS Audio Foundry F12 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.
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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 PS Audio Foundry F12and Klipsch R-101SW have a single woofer setup however the PS Audio Foundry F12's woofer is 12-inch whereas the Klipsch R-101SW features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Foundry F12 has a frequency range of 20-500 Hz whereas R-101SW has a frequency range of 29.5-160 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Foundry F12 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
Cabinet Type
The PS Audio Foundry F12 has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported designs. On the other hand the Klipsch R-101SW have Bass Reflex type enclosure. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
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 PS Audio Foundry F12's and Klipsch R-101SW's external dimensions. PS Audio Foundry F12 has external dimensions of 425.0 x 375.0 x 444.0mm (16-3/4 x 14-3/4 x 17-1/2inch) 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 17mm narrower and 55mm shorter than PS Audio Foundry F12 but it is also 85mm deeper.
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 PS Audio Foundry F12 is approximately 1665.0cm2 / 258.1inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-101SW is approximately 1893.8cm2 / 293.5inch2. The Foundry F12 requires 12% 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 PS Audio Foundry F12 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs and the Klipsch R-101SW weighs 13.91kg / 30.6lbs. This makes the Foundry F12 152% heavier than the R-101SW.
Here is a comparison of how Foundry F12 and R-101SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
500k Hz
vs
160k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
RCA
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
1665cm2
vs
1893cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Height |
370mm
vs
425mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
2749USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
PS Audio Foundry F12 |
Klipsch Reference R-101SW |
| Brand |
PS Audio |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-500 Hz |
29.5-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite |
Spun-Copper TCP |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
425.0mm (16.7") |
370.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
375.0mm (14.8") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
444.0mm (17.5") |
529.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
13.91kg (30.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Years |