Klipsch RP1200SW Review: Can It Beat SVS and Monoprice?

Link to Klipsch RP1200SW subwoofer:
www.klipsch.com/products/rp-1...

[@jamescampbell3110]

As always love your reviews, especially when giving a review on Klipsch.

[@Kpaceguy]

Glad you like them!

[@CaptainSplatch]

Appreciate the video learned a few things id never seen for sure. Rocking my Klipsch rp-1400 so far happy. Can see where the room for improvement lies now.

[@Kpaceguy]

Glad I could help!

[@peterotremba8980]

Excellent video, I love how unbiased this review is.

[@Kpaceguy]

I greatly appreciate it

[@ivanfilatov7913]

Great review! I'm glad you did Klipsch subwoofer review, because I started to hear that their new line outperforms SVS....I called Crutchfield to see what they say, all of them who I talked to prefers SVS subs over Klipsch.

[@Kpaceguy]

Absolutely

[@Luke-qs2cg]

Svs warranty and customer service is next level. Ive got near 15 year old svs subs that they still support.

[@dperr338]

Thats what Klipsch is great for the SALES. I bought a RP1000sw for my 145 sqft room $250 off. A few months ago. When you get them on sale they match the competition more for what you are getting dollars for dollar. I do wish it got louder but it is a good subwoofer compared to their past subs.

[@scottwrezenski2356]

My whole system is kplisch except my subs where I run dual SVS 3000 PB.

[@victorjohnson8374]

Great. Great review as usual.

[@Kpaceguy]

Thank you my friend!

[@victorjohnson8374]

@@Kpaceguy you’re welcome. I own two Klipsch subs. They’re the lower models. But you’re review of them. As a product is spot on.

[@candoslayer]

Klipsch subs are verry efficient and don't require a ton of power to get loud. You hit driver limits with Klipsch before you hit amplifier limits. Its good to see Klipsch going in the right direction finally not having to spend a ton of money to get something good. I ended up getting the Paradigm Defiance X12 because of my experience with the previous generation of Klipsch subs. and the X12 is 650w rms and 1300w peak and it sounds good aswell as having a bottom facing port. You should review that sub.

[@Kpaceguy]

I may. Usually products that have been around a while don't do well on KZbin

[@ASillyLlama]

Nice review!

[@Kpaceguy]

I appreciate it

[@Staniel_]

Got my r121 used on Amazon for $220 no issues. Z reviews said it best, they’re like a muscle car

[@davidross7255]

Great video Kpaceguy. How does this compare to the rsl speedwoofer 12s?

[@Kpaceguy]

Haven't heard one but I'm sure the speedwoofer sounds a bit better

[@mufkaak]

Hey nice review about the 12👌 I personally like the RP1400 & RP1600 they're way better then the 1200 I can say.. it matches the competition better. The 1200 is not a powerful klipsch compared to the 14 & 16. The 12'' is also very cheap here in Europe around 780 & the 14'' 1100eu. The Svs pb2000pro is already 1350eu here, so klipsch basically did a good job making this new reference line. You should test the PB3000 against the RP1600sw, it is around the same price category. klipsch is1600eu & svs1950eu here. I don't know about the prices outside Europe.

[@coreycoleman4276]

For $1000 you can get 2 Starke sound sw12 sealed subwoofers and they are rated lower or wait for Starke BOGO and get 2 SW15 for $1000, that's what I have and their SW15 for $1000 sounds awesome.

[@candoslayer]

Klipsch Subs always go on sale apparently the 16 inch version is a beast.

[@infrasonicrebasses4763]

and surprisingly superior to the PB16 ultra ...........

[@garyausten5939]

I just had an idea might would work if I substituted one of my speaker stands. I replaced my SPL-120 with the RP-1200SW, leaving me with one sub (I had 2 at one time but the other one was a Polk with only 10" and had a 60W amp that came with a 5.1 system I bought years ago). The Polk didn't add as much to the SPL when ran together as I would have hoped. Would the two 12" subs together make a much more substantial difference? One of my main speakers (RP-600M2) would be on a stand and the other would be stacked on top of a footstool on top of the SPL sub and I'd lose access to the bottom shelf of a bookshelf. My room is ~ 13x16 and the speakers (7.1.4) are on the long wall.

[@Kpaceguy]

You'll get a 3 to 6db volume increase with 2 as opposed to 1 if you set them up correctly, but it's minimal. You'll get a more even response in more parts of your room

[@MrMichaelEsser]

The thing at klipsch is, that the 1600 sw is just 500$ more. There were 2 special offer for 1100 for the 1600

[@infrasonicrebasses4763]

honestly sometimes i happen to notice some rooms just makes it MUCH easier to hear those frequencies from 30hz and below .....for example i have a very small room its a 12x12x8 feet ...but its not a complete square tho ..but my point is .. i currently used the SVS PB1000 pro ..and i have infra bass down to 17hz with some minor headroom ....and 20hz is extremely audible and we all know the aero port SVS uses chuffs quite easily right..and i also have my PB1000 pro facing the wall ..and i don't ever hear chuffing seriously ..i DID try pushing it hard for a short time to experience the chuff and yes there IS chuff but its at a level i wouldn't be comfortable pushing it at because it distorts a little ...makes no sense to really push it so hard ...but then again this isn't a loud subwoofer ...its a budget sub ..and it does great ....but we all know there are far better subs out there and really what those better ones are for..is to sound better and be MUCH louder because being much louder gives you that extra headroom and more headroom = less requirement of pushing it hard which then = far less distortion annnnd less port chuffing potential because you won't be maxing it out or being NEAR maxing it out ....and thats something i believe everyone who really cares about subwoofers ..this is a goal many may try to do ...

[@boombasticbass1374]

Plz review the rp1600sw

[@chefrd381]

You love got 4 subs in your room. Did you use a mini dsp.if not how did you calibrate them tyia.

[@Kpaceguy]

I'm not using one yet just my anthen calibration

[@calinubro]

Thanks

[@pooter4e552]

You need to checkout Arendal 1723 2S. I sold my 3x SB3000s for duals and they rock. klipsch does have some stiff comp in that price range.

[@Kpaceguy]

Send me one of yours for review 🤣

[@pooter4e552]

I'm in Columbus, Ohio it would be cheaper to drive it 3 hours then pay for frieght lol. They're like 93lb

[@Kpaceguy]

@pooter4e552 Let's go then lol 🤣🤣

[@Kpaceguy]

I'll be in Columbus in early June

[@slick1979uk1]

Went from an old 12" Klipsch to dual PSA TV2112M. Huge difference in bass. Lol

[@infrasonicrebasses4763]

by chance have you heard of JTR captivators ?

[@Kpaceguy]

I will in June!

[@infrasonicrebasses4763]

@@Kpaceguy HOORAY!!!!!!

[@Robin-ie3ns]

I have two of these bad boys. Can only have the volume on the back at “2” otherwise it’s too much 😂

[@Lowkey_nxthxn]

You should review the Polk HTS12 i honestly believe it's one of the best subs Polk as ever made

[@jlsnr]

Just to share, I had one, now I moved to RP-1400SW. It's night and day! The "problem" with HTS 12 for me was it didn't dig deep, I could hear absolutely nothing when I played 20 Hz sweep. And I could realize that Klipsch has more sensitivity (and a LOT more low end, output and excursion too). One thing that I really liked in HTS 12 is its mid bass, it hits also hard!

[@Lowkey_nxthxn]

@@jlsnr definitely makes sense that the RP1400 would be a huge improvement over the HTS12 the HTS12 isn’t 400 watts RMS it’s 240 watts continuous but more so 400 watts peak. But yeah it’s mid bass dose really well I personally have two of them in my 5.2.2 atmos setup but thanks for sharing!

[@MrFatmac87]

But that's all the polk is "mid bass". I replaced the polk and didn't look back. Now it's just a closet ornament

[@Lowkey_nxthxn]

@@MrFatmac87 if I had the money I would've purchased an SVS PB4000 but Polk subs are reasonably priced so that's kinda why I'm sticking with Polk subs for now I'm aware that they are better subs out there but it's hard to beat the price of a Polk sub over a SVS subwoofer. I plan on replacing my psw505 Polk sub with an HTS12 since i already own two HTS12 in my 5.2.2 setup so I kinda wanna keep everything in the same family

[@MichaelLHill-fd3kw]

@@MrFatmac87 might try to use it as a nearfield sub tune it to 0 just make it flat and see how much you like it?

[@lyndonramchatesingh105]

Hey kpace guy what would u go with between a klipsch rp 1400sw svs sb3000 or dn12 or dn15 which spl.is higher

[@Kpaceguy]

Klipsch has the highest output out the lowest frequency because it's ported but I'm not choosing it over either of those 2 subs

[@lyndonramchatesingh105]

Would they sound better than klipsch 1400sw the only thing is I don't like port chuffing or any kind of port noise

[@Kpaceguy]

@@lyndonramchatesingh105 yes they would

[@timtdp]

I picked up the 1400 for 699 on a slick deal. At that price I bought 2

[@miscreant1739]

If the sub is reaching its mechanical limits with a lot of excursion and chuffing and you can smell the coil then wouldn't doubling the power make all those problems worse?

[@Kpaceguy]

It would allow more headroom and control. If I have a 300w sub and it maxes out at 97db and I get a sub double the power now I'm louder at that same frequency and may even take less power to reach that same decible level.

[@miscreant1739]

@@Kpaceguy I thought you were suggesting they just double the amplifier power on that particular sub. If there's headroom left then sure adding more power makes sense. If it's already reaching the mechanical limits of its design as you described then adding more power will just cause it to bottom out, chuff more, or destroy the coil. Sure you'll get a little more output but it will be awful, won't it?

[@Kpaceguy]

@miscreant1739 well yes you have to do more than just throw more power at it. They'd also have to male a bigger motor and bigger coil too. So I was wishing the power they put in the model above it, was in the model below it. For all their subs. My room isn't big yet I still wanted more output at some frequencies. But maybe 2 subs would help that.

[@dragonstone6594]

What do you think about RP1200SW vs REL HT/1205 MKII?

[@Kpaceguy]

More power for less money. Smaller. Sealed so it sounds better. Doesn't dig as low because the size and sealed. I'd go Rel but I'm a sealed sub kind of guy

[@dragonstone6594]

@@Kpaceguy Thanks for answering. What if you plug the port on the 1200SW does it improve the base quality? It would be great if you did a video with plugged vs unplugged.

[@Kpaceguy]

@dragonstone6594 I didn't keep the sub but I'm not sure what I'd use to block the port anyway. It wouldn't sound any better since the box is tuned around that port

[@EverythingHomeTheater]

Klipsch always has sales so you'll probably regularly see these at 30 to 50% off

[@TheFrugalAudiophile]

REL is the only company I can think of offhand that only makes subs these days. Even HSU and RSL makes speakers now.

[@Kpaceguy]

GSG Audio Rythmik Stereo integrity (kinda) JL audio (kinda) To name a few

[@TheFrugalAudiophile]

@@Kpaceguy Oh yah! Forgot about Rythmik. Is GSG still making subs?

[@Kpaceguy]

@@TheFrugalAudiophile They seem to be making boxes for subs more than subs themselves but they still do.

[@TheFrugalAudiophile]

@@Kpaceguy That's right, I think I've seen that. I'm not into DIY so never looked that closely at their products. Also, doesn't Stereo Integrity only sell drivers?

[@hartsickdisciple]

The 8000F's don't have 10 inch drivers. They have 8 inchers. You have to go to the RF-7 to get 10 inch woofers in a current Klipsch tower.

[@stephenreynolds3711]

Paradigm or SVS bookshelf speakers

[@Kpaceguy]

That's a pretty open-ended question.

[@stephenreynolds3711]

@@Kpaceguy i just wanted an expert opinion trying to decide

[@Kpaceguy]

@@stephenreynolds3711 Gotta tell me what models you're considering. The best svs is better than the worst paradigm. And what will you use then bookshelves for?

[@MichaelLHill-fd3kw]

Well I don’t think I will invest in any more active subs because I am never going to be pleased with them. I will buy 2 18” passive subs and 2 15” passive subs because of the location I have to put them in. 600 Watts for the 18” and 15” 400 watts per speaker and at this point I am not even going to bother with using top end speakers because I have some Rockville subs that are 15 and 18 even though they don’t go below 20hz but I am good with that. I also am going to ask for the thoughts from your subscribers and you on what are your honest opinions!!!?

[@Kpaceguy]

I have 1 passive sub and it's incredibly but I built it

[@MichaelLHill-fd3kw]

.Yeah I remember you are using your crown amp to match your other sub and you said you have a 3rd sub?

[@Kpaceguy]

@MichaelLHill-fd3kw yes in the ceiling also passive but ported

[@sheek1982]

I'll never consider Klipsch subwoofers because most of their new offerings exclude hi-level speaker inputs.

[@roco9504]

Idk in my experience I found the Spl-150 to be equal if not better then the PB-16 ultra which is what I bought 1st but really wasn’t impressed. Gain on AVR maxed out & on the app as well just to get to a decent volume. I don’t listen loud keep in mind my AVR would very often be set to -40db. So I learned svs I suppose isn’t very efficient? Highly disappointing. Got spl-150 to compare & right away without even “breaking in” I was impressed. I didn’t want to do measurements just yet at this point because I didn’t want to get a placebo effect. But after a friend & I listened we both agreed the Klipsch was better. And after measuring they were both actually quite similar in my room. The svs perhaps a bit more smooth due to playing around with the app EQ but, for the price of Klipsch I got a mini dsp which after implementing it surpassed the svs. That said, in my experience svs sucked & Klipsch superior.

[@stephenreynolds3711]

How do you choose which speakers to purchase

[@Kpaceguy]

Listening to them is the key if you can. Reviews and forums are next best if you can't. You know what brands are typically good so start there and compare.

[@stephenreynolds3711]

What's your favorite speaker brand and why

[@Kpaceguy]

I don't have one

[@stephenreynolds3711]

How much is a good price for speakers

[@Kpaceguy]

@@stephenreynolds3711 lot of good competition for the money around the 1k mark

[@LeeLee-fi7mx]

Damn, the Anthem room correction isn't doing a good job EQ'ing the sub. You'd probably be better off doing manual room correction with a mini dsp.

[@Kpaceguy]

Probably placement. But yes I'll have a mini dsp here soon. Anthem did incredible with all my other subs

[@scroobthenookie8054]

Svs 2000 pros over the kplisch not saying there bad Svs is just better

[@CajunReaper95]

Yeah but where Klipsch comes in clutch is the budget subwoofer I love my R-120SW, after spending 700+ on my tv I couldn’t justify spending more on a subwoofer for my home theater setup in my room plus since it’s a bedroom I don’t need to worry about it running out of steam as I can keep it dialed back compared to a larger room like a family room that needs a lot more output from a subwoofer to fill that space.

[@arikononen4022]

Just got the rp1400sw , similar grunt as in my prior PC13 Ultra with more punch/sensitivity with less wattage and better room coupling. Much more 15-18hz output than on pb3000 so no talk about 2000s here.

[@arikononen4022]

Rp1400 truly compares with pb3000/4000 with less overbuilt tech and no app control so rp1200 will go head to head with pb2000pro

[@pastaman6099]

You're putting too much emphasis on power ratings when cabinet size, design, and driver efficiency are much more important. 800W vs 400W is only a 3dB increase and you were already cooking the coil before that. but 2x the cabinet volume is 6dB increase at port tune. 4x more efficient for the same power. Def agree about DIY. building 4 ported 18s in 7 cu ft cabs each, and with beefy Behringer amps powering them the cost of the entire thing is about 1200 or less. Unreal substantial difference over the current market-bought 12s i spent 1800+ on.

[@Kpaceguy]

2x the cabinet volume would be way too big for the drivers and it would have even less cone control. It would dig deeper but that cone would unload under the port tuning like this one in the video was already doing. The power isn't for volume, I want it for headroom

[@pastaman6099]

@@Kpaceguy they can HPF below the tuning

[@edwinrijos6679]

Klipsch new subs are beating svs subs. does not matter if you have 1500 watts rms sub if your box is not tuned to the maximize that potential, klipsch subs in my opinion are down played in power specs meaning they hit harder than what the paper says. I'm almost positive the rp1200sw will be better than svs pb2000 in performance.

[@Kpaceguy]

Uhhh lol

[@sheek1982]

😂🤣

[@dinkerhofferthee2070]

8000's do not have 10's...RF7's have 10's

[@Kpaceguy]

Point still the same lol

[@DjBlaaack]

you need to treat that room asap man. that graph looks really bad

[@Kpaceguy]

I want to so bad! But my money has been going to the house lately

[@HenkkaMJ]

I have measured svs pb2000 pro that is 550w rms/1500w peak. Not 1500rms... Keep the facts right kapaaseguy. Rp1400 is cheaper than pb2000 pro and beats it in low bass easily. There was a test Rp1600, rp12000 vs sb16 ultra. Ultra lost to rp1200. You can find the video from youtube pretty easily. This review guy says he has experience... Well doesnt sound like it. Svs sub chuffs much more than rp line. Tested and you can find a video from home theather king rp1600 vs svs pb16 ultra and ultra won in pressure, but chuffed much more. I have had pc4000 from svs and it was a chuffing machine. Sorry, but this guy dont know what hes talking about. I can say owned 40 different subs. Perlisten D15 the most expensive. So please some real fact not biased talking. Ofcourse you can find the limit of the subs. Klipsch even said that they tested that they wont break playing cause there is a dsp protection. Reviewer didnt even do that. So i give this review 2/5. Just quessing things maybe that and maybe that...

[@HenkkaMJ]

I ment didnt know dsp protection in rp line. There are always better subs, but find me a better sub that is better valua for money if we are considering whole world. Emotiva beats Svs with there new sub and are cheaper. Dont understand this Svs fan boy thing. They arent anything special anymore. Wouldnt buy one anymore. Tested them all.

[@Kpaceguy]

God bless

[@HenkkaMJ]

Your answer just verified what i was saying. Talk the talk, but cant walk the walk 😏

[@MichaelLHill-fd3kw]

Maybe you should go back and watch the video again because you’re so not on the same page.

[@HenkkaMJ]

Yes maybe you should. Every thing i said was said in the video. About port chuffing. Dsp limiter, power ratings about the svs sub was said wrong pointing out that Klipsch should have more power like pb2000 pro. They have almost the same power. Difference is about 100w. Its one thing to be ingnorant and the right thing to say okay i might have spoken wrong. Real men admit mistakes and corrects them.

[@Eeriest1]

slickdeals then put in klipsch they have the rp1600sw for 1,049 and the rp1400sw for 699 at adorama

[@Kpaceguy]

That's more like it