Klipsch R-100SW active subwoofer – Subwoofer at an affordable price

Part of the Reference collection, the Klipsch R-100SW features the brand's signature copper-colored "Spun-Copper" IMG woofer (injection-molded plastic alloy). This iconic color is a strong part of Klipsch's visual identity.

The R-100SW is compact in size for its class. Not particularly small, but not big by any means. The housing is sturdy for its class and has a clean and restrained appearance. The housing is a reflex type, and the reflex tube is located behind the housing.

The continuous power of the Class D amplifier is stated to be 150 watts and 300 watts instantaneously. Based on the test, this seems to be true. Not extravagantly, but just right for its price range and intended use.

The amplifier has the usual controls, i.e. volume, low-pass filter (40 - 120 Hz / LFE) and phase shift (0/180 degrees). The inputs are RCA connectors, one of which also functions as a monophonic LFE input. There is no speaker-level input. Nor is there an RCA pass-through (RCA-Thru). An automatic setting can be selected for startup.

The Klipsch R-100SW surprised me positively with its playback. Its playback extends exceptionally low for its price and size. It may even be that the playback has been slightly “assisted” electronically and the low end has been cut with a subsonic filter. Either way, the result is good. The playback extends even below 30 hertz with the lowest crossover setting. The crossover filter also works well and with sufficient steepness.

The Klipsch R-100SW plays low, but also well. The playback is controlled and there is no excess hum or inaccuracy in the playback, which can be a problem with some budget subwoofers. Of course, the placement of the subwoofer and careful adjustment still play a big role here.

All in all, the Klipsch works well for both home theater and music use. Perhaps best for home theater use, thanks to the downward-firing reproduction.