Klipsch r-120sw Sub...Is this a good Subwoofer Setup

H

hometheaternoob

Audioholic Intern
I am currently setting up a 5.1.4 system using Klipsch speakers.

My fronts will be pair of 280f, with the center channel being 450c.

I am planning to buy the Sub now.

Questions:

1. Is it worth the expense for 2 subwoofers versus 1?

and

2. I am planning to get the Klipsch R-120sw subwoofer, is this a good choice, with my setup?

Noob
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
1. Yes

2. No

Klipsch can make some pretty good speakers but their sub offerings leave a lot to be desired. They have fairly recently dropped ONE series that got some okay press, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't the R-series. The usual suspects for a good sub (or 2) are SVS, HSU, Rythmik, RSL, Monoprice... I hate listing sub manufacturers because I know I always forget a couple, but yeah. Depending on your room size Hsu probably offers about your best bang for buck when it comes to deep bass SPL per dollar.
 
H

hometheaternoob

Audioholic Intern
It is my living room. The room is 20' x 21' basically. Well, the 21' wall extends to 35' if you include the dining room and kitchen.

Should both SW be placed at the front?

Any recommendations on powerful SWs for this setup that dont break the bank? :)

Noob
 
H

hometheaternoob

Audioholic Intern
well...... I was going to get these 2 I mentioned from Klipsch and thats right around 345 each.

I dont have an exact number, but Im trying to balance good quality with price, I dont want crap either.

I want something that will compliment the speakers I have coming.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
It is my living room. The room is 20' x 21' basically. Well, the 21' wall extends to 35' if you include the dining room and kitchen.

Should both SW be placed at the front?

Any recommendations on powerful SWs for this setup that dont break the bank? :)

Noob
Eek.

That's a pretty enormous room for a single 15" sub let alone 12". You will definitely want to go dual if you go with a 12" sub, and quite possibly still be underpowered for that space. At minimum, I'd say a pair of VTF-2 MK5s. Possibly a pair of RSL Speedwoofers.

I really think you need bigger subs for that space tho. I'm confident a Pair of VTF-3 MK5s would do the trick (price in link is for 2 of them). Your space is a lot like mine with the kitchen behind me in a great room type of layout. You have to count all of that space because a sub sees all of the space that's open to it.

If you're like me... You might buy a pair of 12s to save a few bucks, live with them for a few months, maybe a year and realize they're just not big enough for your space and end up getting bigger subs anyway, costing you a lot more in the long run. Then you're wishing you'd have just got the right ones at the start- true story, btw. "Buy once, cry once" so they say. I went through 2 pairs of subwoofers to get to the ones I have, but at least now I know what to do if I had to do it over.
 
vader540is

vader540is

Full Audioholic
well...... I was going to get these 2 I mentioned from Klipsch and thats right around 345 each.

I dont have an exact number, but Im trying to balance good quality with price, I dont want crap either.

I want something that will compliment the speakers I have coming.
I would check out the RSL speed woofer for that price range.

Or if you want some infrasonic bass... Step it up to the next level with a HSU VTF-2MK5 and add and 2nd one later as your budget permits.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Compliment in what way? If trying to match the cerametallic cones of the Klipsch speakers then Klipsch may be your only choice, and I don't keep up with how often Klipsch changes up sub models any more or their pricing. Otherwise a good sub will work fine with your speakers.
 
Paul DS

Paul DS

Full Audioholic
I am currently setting up a 5.1.4 system using Klipsch speakers.

My fronts will be pair of 280f, with the center channel being 450c.

I am planning to buy the Sub now.

Questions:

1. Is it worth the expense for 2 subwoofers versus 1?

and

2. I am planning to get the Klipsch R-120sw subwoofer, is this a good choice, with my setup?

Noob
You can get an excellent Dayton 12" subwoofer here for a very reasonable price:
https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-1200-12-120-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-629
 
H

hometheaternoob

Audioholic Intern
Thx for the suggestions guys.

Compliment in the respect that I want woofers that will go well with the sound created by the speakers. For music and home theater.
 
Paul DS

Paul DS

Full Audioholic
Thx for the suggestions guys.

Compliment in the respect that I want woofers that will go well with the sound created by the speakers. For music and home theater.
The Dayton sub I recommended will go very well for both music and home theater. It is well made and probably the best buy you'll find in subwoofers.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Thx for the suggestions guys.

Compliment in the respect that I want woofers that will go well with the sound created by the speakers. For music and home theater.
Then just aim at quality subs as there won't be a problem in "matching" otherwise. Personally would look beyond Klipsch to the sub specialists mentioned, altho if budget is tight perhaps (and right now its possibly a good thing to have as tight a budget as possible). Their R-112SW and R-115SW got some decent reviews/measurements, not sure if that R-120SW is simply the 12" re-named, believe I saw someone claim that before, tho.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Then just aim at quality subs as there won't be a problem in "matching" otherwise. Personally would look beyond Klipsch to the sub specialists mentioned, altho if budget is tight perhaps (and right now its possibly a good thing to have as tight a budget as possible). Their R-112SW and R-115SW got some decent reviews/measurements, not sure if that R-120SW is simply the 12" re-named, believe I saw someone claim that before, tho.
Those are the ones I was trying to remember. I was wrong about it not being the R-series tho. @KEW is who first put them on my radar and I just found the post!


I also found the 112 on Amazon for $399. That's not bad at all, tho I still wonder if two 12" subs would be enough for such a big room.
 
H

hometheaternoob

Audioholic Intern
Would I be better off with one SW, the bigger 115sw,
or two SW, the smaller 112?

Or is mixing stupid? Like one 115 and one 112?
 
H

hometheaternoob

Audioholic Intern
And also, would both woofers be placed in the front?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Would I be better off with one SW, the bigger 115sw,
or two SW, the smaller 112?

Or is mixing stupid? Like one 115 and one 112?
If the subs are similar enough in output characteristics it shouldn't be too bad to mix. I'd just go for two of the 15"s, tho.

And also, would both woofers be placed in the front?
Subs tend to go where they need to go, altho many do put two up on the front wall. Might want to peruse this article https://www.audioholics.com/subwoofer-setup/multiple-subwoofer-setup-calibration-1
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Would I be better off with one SW, the bigger 115sw,
or two SW, the smaller 112?

Or is mixing stupid? Like one 115 and one 112?
IMO, get the biggest sub you can now, and start saving for the second right away. So your at about 700 for a pair of mediocre subs. Personally if I were looking at spending 700 on bass, I’d start here.

And then get a second one shortly thereafter. Subwoofers see the whole of the space , unlike speakers that are more “line of site”. But still, if you aren’t running at the edge of safety, I would take the pc2000 all day long over any Klipsch sub. It has much deeper extension, and it will be more linear, absolutely have more output.
For instance, the 120 you asked about has a FR that starts at 29hz. IMO, that’s waaaay too high for an HT sub. For music it would probably be OK but not movies. And adding. Second 120 won’t buy any extension, just a few dB in output capability.
Bass is an investment, and like@pogre said, but once , cry once.
 
H

hometheaternoob

Audioholic Intern
Theres the pc-2000 and the pc-2000 pro. Is the pro much better?
And is ground facing better?
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Theres the pc-2000 and the pc-2000 pro. Is the pro much better?
And is ground facing better?
Downfiring doesn’t matter. It’s just a matter of design. Not sure on the pro yet. I don’t think anyone has measured it. It’s usually safe to assume an uptick in performance with a new model, but there’s no guarantee. I think one of the benefits is the app controllability.
 

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