In this review, we will be comparing 3060S and R-100SW, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Q Acoustics 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 Q Acoustics 3060S 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.Both Q Acoustics 3060Sand Klipsch R-100SW have a single woofer setup however the Q Acoustics 3060S's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Klipsch R-100SW features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
3060S has a frequency range of 35-250 Hz whereas R-100SW has a frequency range of 32-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the R-100SW can go slightly deeper then the 3060S's min frequency of 35Hz.
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 Q Acoustics 3060S has a Infinite Baffle type cabinet. 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 Q Acoustics 3060S's and Klipsch R-100SW's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 3060S has external dimensions of 324.0 x 480.0 x 155.0mm (12-3/4 x 18-7/8 x 6-1/8inch) 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).
Q Acoustics 3060S is 48mm shorter and 304mm less deeper than Klipsch R-100SW but it is also 160mm wider.
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-100SW needs about 97% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch R-100SW is 304mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch R-100SW is 48mm 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 Q Acoustics 3060S is approximately 744.0cm2 / 115.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-100SW is approximately 1468.8cm2 / 227.7inch2. The 3060S requires 49% 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 Q Acoustics 3060S weighs 8.50kg / 18.7lbs and the Klipsch R-100SW weighs 10.91kg / 24lbs. This makes the R-100SW 28% heavier than the 3060S.
Here is a comparison of how 3060S and R-100SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
324mm
vs
372mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
744cm2
vs
1468cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
275USD
vs
299USD
|
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 97% more floor area. Klipsch R-100SW stands 304mm further into the room. Klipsch R-100SW is 48mm taller.
| General |
Q Acoustics 3060S |
Klipsch R-100SW |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
150 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
35-250 Hz |
32-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
324.0mm (12.8") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
480.0mm (18.9") |
320.0mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
155.0mm (6.1") |
459.0mm (18.1") |
| Weight |
8.50kg (18.7lbs) |
10.91kg (24lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Infinite Baffle |
Bass reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
A sealed 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 | B | Klipsch R-100SW goes deeper - 32Hz against 35Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 35Hz. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (150W vs 150W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | B | Klipsch R-100SW 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 | Q Acoustics 3060S is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Q Acoustics 3060S is about 56% 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 | Q Acoustics 3060S 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 $299, about 8% less. |
A Q Acoustics 3060S 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?
Klipsch R-100SW has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Klipsch R-100SW will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Q Acoustics 3060S is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Q Acoustics 3060S 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.