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Klipsch KSW-12
Klipsch KSW-12
169 reviews
 4.51 of 5
MSRP: $ 499.00

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Rating
Reviewed by:

rorythejew4

(AudioPhile)

Review Date
October 10, 2008

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
2.00 of 5, 3.00 votes

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Review 1 of 169

Price Paid:  $130.00 from craigslist

Summary:
im not very happy with the prefomace should of gone with the velodyne ct120 a much for musical sub for the money!!!

Strengths:
loud

Weaknesses:
not musical at all

Similar Products Used:
velodyne HGS
Velodyne ct series
svs
B&W
Polk


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Rating
Reviewed by:
perfect pitch
(AudioPhile)

Review Date
September 3, 2007

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.45 of 5, 11.00 votes

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Review 2 of 169

Price Paid:  $289.00 from Flanner's

Summary:
Nice entry level sub for those wanting a house shaking HT experience without it being overkill, TOO muddy or boomy. We auditioned a KSW-10 but they were out of stock so we were offered the floor demo OR a new KSW-12 at the same price. Duh - so we took the 12.

Well, I'm sad to see it go but we have upgraded to a much tighter and cleaner sub - (DefTech SuperCube II) but hey, that comes with a much bigger price tag and has multiple drivers and you can't compare. So in all fairness to Klipsch, I have to say we enjoyed the KSW 12 for a good long time. It was paired with Cerwin Vega Re Series 38's (which have their own 15" bass drivers), Cerwin center channel and Boston Surrounds.

If you are in a basement or a very sound absorbing room the KSW 12 is great. For the price it is great. No where near as muddy and crisp transitions compared to others we auditioned. And it is a house shaker when cranked too if that is what you are looking for - crank this baby up and you can rattle 3rd floor windows and floors - and it doesn't sound all that bad considering.

But we're snobs now. We upgrade some component every two years and it was subwoofer/ speaker time. Oh well.

If you like to feel like Satan is burrowing up through your basement floor without too much distortion, this is a good and decent sub. It is however too muddy for music. I would turn it down to 2 when playing any type of music.

Strengths:
Inexpensive - a good value for the $$

Good entry level subwoofer

Functions plenty nice for home theatre - you will feel the explosions and rumbles clearly even turned down somewhat.

Easy to set up, understandable user manual.

Reliable - never a problem despite cranking it (to riduculous Lord of the Rings levels) at times.

Weaknesses:
The are better subs out there but only if you are ready to make the price jump.

You neighbors may not like you anymore - sub shakes your house AND theirs when cranked.

Music = muddy. Best to turn down, rely on bass drivers on your fronts, play music in stereo not surround.


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Rating
Reviewed by:

Kurt

(Audio Enthusiast)

Review Date
January 22, 2007

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
3.25 of 5, 4.00 votes

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Review 3 of 169

Price Paid:  $200.00 from Pawn America

Summary:
This sub got a couple bad reviews. Well it's a SYNERGY for goodness sakes! For the $200 I paid for it, I must say this is a LOT of subwoofer. It's deaper than I expected, very efficient and fun to listen to. It plays the heart pumping LFE tracks in my movies effortlessly, makes my windows rattle and even makes the neighbors complain. I'm satisfied!!!! It's not too big (for a ported 12").

Granted it's not a Sunfire, or an SVS. But cmon, I paid $200 for it.. I was looking for a LOUD, EFFICIENT, DEEP subwoofer that wouldn't break the bank, but give me what I want. No it's not as smooth as the sunfire, not as deap as the SVS. But cmon it was only $200!!! This baby is hooked up to an Integra DTR-5.3. My speakers aren't very efficient so I KNOW this sub doesn't play to it's fullest potential. However, I heard it clip a couple times when I switched to All Channel Stereo. But I had the volume cranked WAY beyond safety levels so It's not anything I flinch at. I typically don't blast my stereo to the point of loosing hearing. That's just irresponsible in my HUMBLE opinion. LOL So yes, I've heard it's limits, but who cares I ONLY PAID $200 FOR IT! I'm SATISFIED!!!! The finish is kinda cheap, but it's a cheap sub so there.

I also have hardwood floors. Boy oh boy does that downfiring driver sound nice in here.

Strengths:
EFFICIENT
SMALL (for a ported 12")
DEEP

Weaknesses:
Sounded a little boomy at first, so I placed it in a different spot, calibrated it and that worked nicely!

Chinsy laminate (200 bucks doesn't buy you real cherry finishes, never has and probably never will)

Similar Products Used:
Sunfire Truesub Mark something
Velodyne VA-1012
Bose sux


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Rating
Reviewed by:
Kurt
(Audio Enthusiast)

Review Date
January 22, 2007

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Rate this review?

Review 4 of 169

Price Paid:  $200.00 from Pawn America

Summary:
This sub got a couple bad reviews. Well it's a SYNERGY for goodness sakes! For the $200 I paid for it, I must say this is a LOT of subwoofer. It's deaper than I expected, very efficient and fun to listen to. It plays the heart pumping LFE tracks in my movies effortlessly, makes my windows rattle and even makes the neighbors complain. I'm satisfied!!!! It's not too big (for a ported 12").

Granted it's not a Sunfire, or an SVS. But cmon, I paid $200 for it.. I was looking for a LOUD, EFFICIENT, DEEP subwoofer that wouldn't break the bank, but give me what I want. No it's not as smooth as the sunfire, not as deap as the SVS. But cmon it was only $200!!! This baby is hooked up to an Integra DTR-5.3. My speakers aren't very efficient so I KNOW this sub doesn't play to it's fullest potential. However, I heard it clip a couple times when I switched to All Channel Stereo. But I had the volume cranked WAY beyond safety levels so It's not anything I flinch at. I typically don't blast my stereo to the point of loosing hearing. That's just irresponsible in my HUMBLE opinion. LOL So yes, I've heard it's limits, but who cares I ONLY PAID $200 FOR IT! I'm SATISFIED!!!! The finish is kinda cheap, but it's a cheap sub so there.

I also have hardwood floors. Boy oh boy does that downfiring driver sound nice in here.

Strengths:
EFFICIENT
SMALL (for a ported 12")
DEEP

Weaknesses:
Sounded a little boomy at first, so I placed it in a different spot, calibrated it and that worked nicely!

Chinsy laminate (200 bucks doesn't buy you real cherry finishes, never has and probably never will)

Similar Products Used:
Sunfire Truesub Mark something
Velodyne VA-1012
Bose sux


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Rating
Reviewed by:
bigmags
(Audio Enthusiast)

Review Date
September 8, 2006

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

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Review 5 of 169

Price Paid:  $330.00 from ebay from acousticso

Summary:
Hello the people at acousticsounddesign are awesome i got this sub from them KSW-12 for $330.00 new from ebay or you can go to www.acousticsounddesign.com


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